IVE BEEN TERRIBLE ABOUT POSTING!!!

Keeping up with this blog has been pretty difficult! I did need to vent, however, so I have returned!

I was involved in a three car accident on Tuesday. Everyone was okay (thank God).  I'm still all shook up about it! Anytime I close my eyes I see my car hitting the one in front of me, and I think of the smell of the dust from the airbag and the loud alarm-like beeping of my car.  I was unable to move it off of the road, so the police put it in neutral and pushed it out of the way.  On top of all that, it was my second day dealing with some sort of upper respiratory infection which I still have despite the antibiotics I was given by the doctor.

The accident could not have come at a more inopportune time since this month is tight on money as will the next.  I've been very lucky to have such a supportive husband who reassures me that everything is okay, and that we are lucky that only material things were damaged.

I dropped off the authorization form to the body shop today and was informed that the estimator was there at that very moment looking at my vehicle...  fingers crossed that the damage isn't that bad!!!

Experience 25 - Solo Driving!

Last Friday my husband took one of our cars to his friend in Hilton Head Island, SC (about two hours from where I live in Charleston) so that he could fix the starter.  It turns out that the part they had ordered was for an automatic, not a manual like ours.  He had to leave the car there which means I had to drive to pick him up! Joy.  I grabbed the dog and we headed off... okay, so I guess it wasn't completely SOLO driving :)   The drive was a bit more than 2 hours since I like to go the speed limit.  The longest trip before that was to Beaufort, SC.
Two days after that I made another long solo trip- this time no dog - to Columbia, SC for my mom's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM :)

Experience 24 - Journaling

Journaling is not a new experience for me. I've had journals for over 14 years now. After I met my husband about 5 years ago, I stopped consistently writing. I didn't feel like I had the need to pour out my emotions and experiences to a book when I had a supportive boyfriend (now husband) with whom to do so. 

Yesterday I had the day to myself so I did my usual and then decided to listen to some 80s music (foreigner, bryan adams, etc) which made me feel not so great.  In high school which was a very rough time for me, I used to deal with problems by listening to 80s music and forgetting everything after writing about it.  The music brought back some of those not-so-great feelings yesterday.  I cried for a bit, called my best friend to chat, and then continued reading until the hubby came home.  We slept early (sleep is ALWAYS good to me). 

Today I picked up the journals to reread again with a different attitude this time (this time involved sun and a pina colada haha).  I sat reading and regretting.  But alas, one cannot live life in regret! So I'm thinking much more positively today and am writing to sort of catch up on all of the things I haven't written about and how I feel about today.

Anyone else journal in a physical book? or only blogging?

Experience 23 - Father's Day without Dad

First off, I want to thank everyone who commented on my anxiety post with suggestions and support.  It makes me feel less crazy knowing I'm not alone :)

Anyway, this is the first father's day I haven't been able to spend with my dad.  He moved toward the end of last year to Wisconsin, and it feels weird not having any plans to do something with him later today.  NOT EVEN A DINNER.  I sent his card late (Friday) so I'm sure it hasn't reached him yet, but his gift should have gotten there by now.  He loves to cook so my brother and I sent him some wire skewers for the BBQ and a Williams Sonoma gift card. :) I hope he loves it!


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD and HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the deserving dad's out there!

Experience 22 - ANXIETY

Last weekend I had anxiety like I've never had it before... you know that funny feeling you get in your stomach when you feel like something is wrong?

I had it ALL WEEKEND. I think I'm afraid of losing my job. I'm doing well at the job, and I have not had any seriously negative experiences/comment/indication from the doctors that I'm not. I LOVE the job. I think I'm afraid of losing something that I love so much. It's really perfect and everyone I work with is amazing.

This week I started back at work and the anxiety was gone.  It was really strange how it lasted an entire weekend and suddenly vanished.  Has this ever happened to you? Any tips on how to get rid of it? (I've heard exercise is good but I'm so lazy :) )

Experience 21 - The Dentist

I GOT A JOB!!!! I actually started last Monday. And I LOVE IT. It's going to take some getting used to, but I really like the people I work with and having daily interaction with new people. My position is "scheduling coordinator" so I am in charge of keeping the schedule full everyday! It's pretty exciting and slightly challenging and I feel like something new happens all the time. I work alongside the financial coordinator up front, but she was out for my first three days due to a death in the family so I was on my own! I was proud of myself for holding it down, but my coworkers were very helpful and kept asking if I needed help with anything. I feel welcome already.

I've never worked in the medical field before, so this is a great new opportunity for me to explore something different. I am keeping an open mind and am VERY happy. (It doesn't hurt that we're open from M-Th also ;) ) Can't complain about anything!!

Experience 20 - Get MOVIN'!!!

So part of (almost) everyone's New Years Resolution is to get in shape.  I know I want to be bikini ready soon-- even if I am, I'm terribly shy and will prob cover up-- but I want to be ready just in case.  My husband hasn't been playing soccer multiple times a week because of his knee injury, and he continues to eat the same bad foods.  It's now starting to show around his middle and his pants are getting quite tight! We can't afford new clothes now, so it's off to moving our butts!

We started yesterday afternoon with a goal of one hour.  Downstairs we went where we have an elliptical and weight set.  We stayed there for maybe 20 minutes. I felt like I was going to vomit.  We decided to take the exercising outdoors. I rode the bike which was much more managable for a first-day workout and he jogged with Lolita, our pug.  Guess who got tired first?

LOLITA!  Here's the photo:

She looked much more comfortable in his arms :)  We're gonna see how long we last with the working out thing.  Our goal is one hour 5 times a week! I'm excited to see how my body changes to the exercise!

Have a great week everyone!!

Experience 19- Something Smells Fishy!

Some people say I'm a picky eater. For me, I'm only picky when it comes to animal products (anything dairy/meat/fish, etc).  I've never been a fan of any fishy smelling food with the exception of shrimp, but I can't eat it cold.

I always tell everyone I wish I loved fish because it's so good for you.  Tonight, hubby fried some frozen Mahi Mahi that we had -- leftovers that we took from my dad's house when he moved out of state.  I was super hungry and didn't feel like cooking anything for me so I tried it.... and BOY was I in LOVE! That fish tasted like chicken, my favorite meat. 

Don't be afraid to "re-try" food that you swear you hate. Tastebuds do change over time, and who knows, maybe the person who prepared the food the first time you tried it just stinks at cooking :-D

Experience 18- Opening a Twitter Account

Yes, I know I'm far behind if I'm just now opening a twitter account.  I decided to see what it's all about. So far, it hasn't thrilled me much, but maybe you have some tips to share with me?  I'm not really sure what to do with it except to find friends haha. We shall see how long I can keep up with it :) Feel free to add me if you want to... @jmmccarr 

Experience 17- Indian Wedding!

This past weekend one of my really good friends got married in Florida.  Hubby and I took a short roadtrip for the special event.  I have been to an Indian wedding before, but we showed up late (and I wasn't officially invited and went with a friend who took me along) and I didn't see much.

We made sure to arrive early since we had no idea where we were going and it was in the middle of the country! (Lange Farm in Dade City if anyone wants to look it up).  I was surprised to see that the ceremony was going to take place outside next to a bunch of horses! And yes, you could hear them during the ceremony which was BEAUTIFUL but very long.  My butt hurt so much sitting in those chairs for an hour and a half!  Take a look at the bride, Gita, isn't she beautiful?!

After the ceremony we enjoyed some wine and INDIAN FOOD-- my favorite.  Hubby was disappointed that it was completely vegetarian! (I enjoyed it :)

Experience Number 16- Walking off a Job

It's been a while since I've posted and it's mostly because I've been depressed about this post.  I walked off my job at 911. I wanted so badly for the job to work for so many reasons: great benefits, stable job, interesting work, opportunities for advancement, good pay, close to my home... yet it wasn't for me. The hardest part, though, was WALKING off the job without giving notice.  I had never done that before/planned on doing it, but I was making myself physically ill with this job and not eating.  The training was terrible to say the least (I do not want to go into details), but I am on the search for a job once again. I have had two interviews and one offer since I quit, but it's not what I want to do.  It's starting to boil down to whatever I can get now since money is running out really fast :(  Plus, I feel bad that the hubby is working two jobs to maintain us afloat until I can find something.

Wish me luck in my search. It's not fun.

Experience Number 15- Wedding Dress Shopping (not for me!)

I've only been wedding dress shopping once... for myself. I bought the first dress I tried on. I took photos of what I wanted and showed the wonderful lady helping me what I liked about each of the dresses. One minute later she came back with a dress with each of the elements I had showed her! It was really incredible and she knew her inventory! So ladies, if you're looking for a dress, make SURE you take photos along if you've seen something that you like!

Anyway, yesterday my brother's fiance Laura asked if I would go shopping with her! I was super excited (I love weddings!!!) and we're going on the search today!  Since my shopping trip stopped in one store, I'll be able to see more of what is out there! YAY!  I can't wait to see what she picks!!!

Experience Number 14 - UPDATE!

Here's the semi-finished bathroom. 

It's finished for now until I can get some money to update the artwork. :)  It's much moodier than the previous cream color! I've finished taping off the master bathroom.  I'm waiting to work up the courage to paint it! The last one took so much out of me (I kept getting terrible foot cramps from stretching to reach the ceiling since I was using a barstool instead of a ladder because I don't have one/know anyone with one!)

Experience Number 14 - Painting an Entire Room!

A few weeks back I won paint in a dutchboy contest.  I was able to order the colors that I wanted and they finally came in the mail last week. I chose "wooded path" for  my downstairs powder room.  It's so much darker than I had expected, but I decided to paint anyway.  It's a sage green.  Excuse the blurriness of the before photo:

 It's so messy looking because I was just about to paint when I realized I needed a photo! I still have one more coat to put on before I post the after.  I did (somehow) manage to BURN myself while painting.  Yes. I said BURN. As I was painting the wall above the light, my arm grazed the bulb. :-/   Oh well, I am proud of myself for doing all the painting on my own! I had to do it when the hubby was out because otherwise he would try to help me :)

Experience Number 13 - Tour of Charleston!

Today was a fun day, and I learned that I knew more about Charleston than I had previously thought!

Part of my job is knowing about the areas that make up Charleston County (it's a LARGE area), so the trainers thought it would be a good idea to pack us up in a bus and send us out! We began by exploring a small portion of North Charleston (Leeds Ave/Azalea area), then headed up Cosgrove Ave. into West Ashley.  We continued down Sam Rittenburg until we hit HWY 17 and went up through Ravenel and Rantowles, Johns Island (with a pit stop to the angel oak where I had to be corny and take a photo-- see below :)  We went through Freshfields near Kiawah and Seabrook, down through James Island, Folly Beach, Crosstown, Mt. Pleasant, Sullivans Island, and IOP.  We stopped for lunch at Daniel Island where our waitress was not the best....  I realized I have seen most of Charleston County (thanks to my hubby and all his soccer fields being spread out over the county).  I feel a bit more confident now.



Apologizes for not posting in FOREVER. I forgot how tiring work can be!

Experience Number 12 - 911 Dispatching/CPR

I know the biggest experience I will have this year is during my new job as a 911 dispatcher (!!!!). The job scares me, but I think it's something I can handle and I am will to try. It's a rewarding job knowing that you're directly affecting someone else's life.  The filtering of applicants process is long. I was involved in it since December, but other people applied for it way back in OCTOBER! I also learned that my two hours with the polygraph examiner was much shorter than everyone else's time spent there. One girl was there for four hours!

 My training began on Friday in a class with 8 other people.  After a short orientation, we began our training with a CPR class.  Four hours (and two sore arms) later we were all certified in CPR! I was pretty excited to come home and say I was already certified in something :)

This week we are doing a telecommunication class and will be tested at the end of the week (next week is EMS training and after that is fire training).  I'm super thankful for my supportive friends who are there for me, especially my husband who believes in abilities (and who kindly surprised me yesterday with a rose, chocolate, and wine -- my favorites).

In my two short days of training, I've learned a few interesting facts about 911:
1. Most people are not hysterical when they call.
2. Children tend to be more calm than adults over the phone.
3. When someone takes your 911 call, help is being dispatched as soon as your location is known (not when you hang up the phone).
4. Theres a set script for almost all situations that you are required to follow.

Experience Number 11 - Shaping Up

Last month I was given to opportunity to choose a magazine that I would like a subscription to... absolutely free.  Unlike last year me who would have chosen Marie Claire or Glamour, I chose Shape. My friends would never use the words athletic to describe me, but I chose this magazine to read something different. I figured seeing fit (not skinny) bodies would motivate me to move a bit more or at least give me little tips and tricks to make exercise a bit more enjoyable.

The first issue arrived two days ago.  An article titled "Show Fear the Door" really reminded me of my resolution.  I wanted to share it's advice here:

      Every woman who achieves great things -- whether it's starting a company or moving to a foreign country
     has had to step outside her comfort zone to do it. 'If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll  
     never discover what you're capable of.' (Gary Chartrand)

     Ways to change your mindset:
     1. Embrace the Unknown
     2. Believe in You (even little things are accomplishments)
     3.  Face Failure Head-On (and learn from your mistakes)

I am trying hard to do the above. We shall see where it leads me!


The above quote comes from Shape's February 2011 Issue Volume 30 Number 6 (Gotta give credit where credit is due!)

Experience Number 10 - Let's get physical... PHYSICAL!

Okay, so this is another experience that I did not CHOOSE, but its still a new experience nonetheless. I had my first physical.  I never was required to have one since I never played team sports in school, so I was a bit scared about this (I think I have a fear of doctors). I did a little online research to see what the physical would consist of to calm my fears a bit.  It also included a drug test (new experience), all of which was required as part of my preemployment process for the job I am supposed to be starting this Friday (yay!).

For the drug test I had to pee in a cup.  I couldn't pee enough on the first try so I had to go back out to the waiting room until my bladder was full (took about 5 cups of water). I asked if they could do a blood test instead since I hate peeing on demand, but they only did pee tests. So off to the bathroom I went for a second time, little cup in hand.  Then I had to pee for the rest of the morning from all the water I had drunk!

The physical was a bit different. Started with taking the vitals, drawing blood, checking ears, eyes, etc.  I had to take a vision test and learned that my vision isn't as great as I had thought! I probably need to see an eye doctor soon.  Next was the hearing test. I had to go into a small room with headphones and use a buzzer-like button to signal when I heard different frequencies.  The doctor came in later and made me move from side to side and touch my toes. I felt like I was in gym class all over again. :)  As I was about to learn, they called me back in to redo the hearing test with another machine since operators need to hear lower frequencies in case callers whisper or talk really low.

Three days later, I am suffering the consequences of the physical: my arm is REALLY bruised. I have about three bruises (look like fingers). I'm not sure why I'm bruising since the nurse only stuck me once.  I hope they go away really soon because they make my white skin look dirty.

Experience 9 - Using my Spanish in a Professional Setting

I've studied Spanish since I was a little girl living in Arizona.  My parents always used certain words around the house that they knew just to spice up all of our vocabularies. I continued my studies of the language through college and was able to use it professionally last Friday and yesterday! Friday I was called in to a different tax office to do some translation. I haven't spoken Spanish in a while, even though my husband is a native speaker, since I am trying to teach my hubs to understand and learn English better. Let's just say it didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped! I was able to express everything and understand everything, but the client was frustrated because I didn't understand one of his questions (I understood the words, but the question did not make sense to me).  Lesson learned... I need to practice more!

Monday was different. I did a birth certificate translation, something much more official! It surprisingly did not take very long to draw it up. I did it for a family friend who is currently going through the immigration process. Glad to know I'm putting my skills to good use :)

Anyone do anything outside their "normal" routine this past weekend? Any goals for the month of February?

Experience 8 - Watching an Entire Football Game

I am an American, born to American parents. Football is a huge part of American life. I remember being a little girl and waiting for football games to end on Thanksgiving day so my brother, dad and I could go on our traditional walk through the trails behind our home in Arizona.  But guess what? I had never seen an entire game before yesterday. I've seen parts of games, but I only turn on the Super Bowl for the commercials. Yes, I am one of those people!

Sports do not hold my attention, so this was truly an accomplishment! :) No, really. It was. I watched it by myself! I had control of the remote and chose to watch it anyway.  I won't lie. Initially I turned it on to keep my hubby updated on the Packers/Bears game (GO, PACK, GO!) since he was not in front of a TV. But I actually enjoyed it and understood a majority of it, although the BEST part was B.J. Raji's dance when he got a touchdown. He shaked his 337 pound body as a celebratory dance. It was hilarious!

Experience Number 7 - Estate Sale

On Thursday night I decided to browse Craigslist to see what kind of treasures I could find. I ran down the list of garage sales and clicked one that said "estate sale" since I didn't have much of an idea of what it was.  I found a site called http://www.totalestatesales.com/  I noticed a sale in downtown Charleston set to begin at 9am on Friday. Since my husband had to be at work early on Friday, I woke up with him and prepared breakfast. I quickly dressed and drove to the sale at 22 King St.

I parked a few blocks away and walked up to the door. Coats were littering the front porch rail and there was a sign directing the ladies to leave their purses in the car.  I had read this previously on the website, so I walked right in. 

An estate sale is exactly what it sounds like: a sale of the entire estate. Items are individually priced with tiny tags (or pieces of tape).  The house was filled with at least 30-40 people, and I arrived at 9:45! To my surprise, many of the items had "sold" signs and the one item I had been eyeing online (an anthropologie twin bed cover) was already gone! I thought I had arrived relatively early since the sale was going on all weekend, but apparently I was rather late!

I did not find any little goodies to take home with me which was rather disappointing since I made out with a spoon rest, a brand new pair of Banana Republic pants with tags still on, a mail organizer, and 5 thank you note cards at Goodwill earlier in the week for all less than 10 dollars.

My drive wasn't a total waste as I enjoyed my short walk back to my car. I snapped these shots with my iPhone. The estate was located down the street from here, but it looked very similar to the home pictured in the center.

This is the Battery of Charleston (it is located directly in front of the homes pictured above).

This is on the other side of the Battery and is a view of the Charleston Harbor.  Can you see why I enjoyed my walk? :) I love Charleston!

Experience Number 6 - TAXES!

Last year I decided that it was time to learn something while looking for a job. I signed up for the Liberty Tax Service course since it was cheaper than H&R block.  The course lasted 10 weeks, and I definitely took more away from the class than I thought! What I did not know, though, was that Liberty hires from those who take their class.

This year I will not only be preparing taxes for other people (scary!) but also for myself, saving me hundreds of dollars from having someone else prepare them for me. I encourage anyone curious about taxes to sign up for one of Liberty's courses in the fall (they offer day and night classes twice a week for a few hours each class).

Experience Number 5 - Blue Rose Cafe and Irish Potato Cakes

On Sunday my mom invited me to brunch at a NEW RESTAURANT! I jumped at the chance to check out a new place! What excited me the most was that the Blue Rose Cafe serves Irish food (I'm Irish) and I can't name anything Irish except shepherd's pie and Guinness. It is a cute little place that feels like home. I ordered the Irish potato cakes with apple cranberry sauce. The flavors were amazing, and the texture reminded me of crab cakes.

I highly recommend this restaurant. Prices were reasonable and the server was attentive (on top of the great tasting food!) Here's the link if you want to check it out:  http://www.bluerosecafecharleston.com/

Experience Number 4 - The Polygraph

So even though this is supposed to be a blog about pushing limits, I really did not have a choice about experience 4 (I guess I could have walked away...). On Tuesday I went in for a polygraph (lie detector) test. It was scheduled because I am in the application process for a position that works closely with the police. Boy was I a nervous wreck! From the moment the polygraph was scheduled I was NERVOUS. I am a nervous person and cannot sleep the night before a doctor's appointment, so imagine this! It didn't help knowing that I would be going down to the police station for this. It makes you feel like a criminal even though all you are doing is telling the truth. 

I did a little online research beforehand so I would have an idea of what to expect.  I found out that it is standard procedure to have an interview before being hooked up to the machines.  The examiner tries to get you comfortable with talking to him/her and they make it seem like they are your friend. They then try to get you to believe that your not-so-clean history is OK. Lucky for me I've always been a good girl so I had no worries about that!

When I walked into the station and said to the officer that I was waiting for a polygraph, the college student next to me said, "how cool!" ... if he only knew.  I waited about 5 minutes before the examiner came down the stairs to get me.  He escorted me into a small white cinderblock room.  The only decorations were of framed posters of golfers. B-O-R-I-N-G.  What I later found interesting was that the only person who could see these posters were those who were about to be interrogated.

Then he spoke.  I was instructed to sit down in one of the chairs and to put my coat and purse in the other.  After setting my coat down, I began to pluck my dog's cream colored fur from my navy blue coat. "Are you picking something off of your jacket?" he asked.  "Yes," I said as I explained that I had a light fur pug.  The nightmare had begun.  The interrogator went on about himself for about an hour and a half. no joke. I had to insert my own personal stories in there so I wouldn't have to listen to him talk about himself for that long! He was a white haired white male in his early sixties. I only know his age because he told me. I would have guessed he was in his fifties. He explained that he wanted to become a vet tech because his parents had breeded (not sure if that is correct English?) dogs when he was growing up.  You couldn't tell by the way he described his hatred for cats. "I once went to my gilfriend's house and she had 3 cats. That was the end of our relationship."  While he was speaking, I was wondering to myself if this was the "interview" I had read about. I kept wondering how long it would last as his words seemed to go on and on.

My resume was in front of him. Finally, I had a sign that was relevant to my being there. He saw that I was fluent in Spanish and decided to tell me about his Cajun wife and explained the customs of the people from the Southwest region on Louisiana. Men have their own "gumbo" nights, and women aren't invited.  He told me about his previous wives (one had cheated because he was never around). I thought to myself how all this was going to calm me down before the test. My mind kept racing about the possible questions I would be asked. Then since I couldn't listen to his voice any longer I told him about how I had studied abroad, came back, and met my husband. He asked how marriage was. Great! It is great! I feel like every year just gets better and better.  I also found out about his jealous brother who can't keep a wife because of his jealousy, his wife was a slut in high school (along with details of her high school reunion), and his children and occupations. We talked about the local Brazilian population and I learned that the shelving in his garage and his porch were the work of Brazilian contractors.  It wasn't anything like listening to a grandfather telling stories of his past. It was weird and awkward.

For the duration of the interview, I was focused on remaining still and trying to look comfortable in my chair. I had my hands held together most of the time. I wonder if the interview would have been shorter had I not sat there with locked hands. I played into his conversation to let him know I was not afraid of talking, and that I had nothing to hide. 

After an hour and a half (my best guess since I left my phone in the car and there was no clock in the room), he pulled a few papers out from his desk.  He continued blabbering about his life. I waited a few more minutes.  The examiner's tone completely changed. He went from being somewhat friendly and spacy to serious and focused.  He looked directly at me (before his eyes wandered and never really looked directly at me).  He told me to answer the questions on about 5 sheets of paper and to answer truthfully (the front of the questionnaire said polygraph questions). Most of the questions were related to different drugs. I handed the papers over. "You can always tell how truthful people are by the amount of time it takes them to fill these out." 81% of people fail because of drugs. 15% fail because they have stolen items before. Then he found another paper in the drawer. These were the true polygraph questions. There were a total of ~8. A few of them were "Is today Tuesday?""Would any of your references say that you frequently lie to get out of trouble?" and "Were you completely truthful on your application?"  We reviewed the questions before hooking me up.

BUSINESS TIME.

 I got up to sit in the chair. It was black, looked like fake leather, and reminded me of an electric chair.  The back was straight and the arms were long. My arms sat flat on them.  I was tied with a hose-like monitor above my chest and with another below my chest (to monitor heart and breathing rates). A blood pressure monitor was velcroed to my left arm and two finger monitors (black velcro rings) attached to my ring and index fingers on my right hand. I received compliments on my wedding rings and the tanzanite ring my mom gave me for graduation. I looked at my nails and realized I had forgotten to paint them. They looked really terrible. "Oh, you've got nice REAL nails," he said. "Yeah," I replied, embarrassed because they looked so bad.  He walked around the desk, which was now behind me, and sat down. I stared at the blank white wall as my heart pounded so hard I felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. I was nervous and I expressed that to him.  "Everyone is nervous."  He read the questions to me leaving at most 10 seconds between questions.  Then we did a second run.  THEN IT WAS OVER.

I was detached from the machines and put on my coat to leave.  "You should hear back from someone soon. I am sending your results over now." I wondered what the results were.  Then as I was lead out the door to the stairs, he said, "You've passed."  What a relief!

I hope no one else ever has to take one of these, but if you do just remember to tell the truth! The truth will set you free. Ok, maybe I was free but it sure didn't feel like it being in that room!

Experience Number 3 - Fried Pickles

I must admit that I am trekking along ! It is only the 10th and I have tried three new things! I hope I can keep this up. 

On Saturday I was invited to a friend's home. One of the appetizers served was fried pickle! I had never seen nor heard of fried pickles before. In the spirit of trying new things, I gladly pick one up.  They were actually pretty tasty. The first bite was mild and crunchy but the third and last bites were so spicy I had to sip it down with some wine. I definitely would eat them again!

Experience Number 2 - Creating a Blog!

Ok, so I admit, maybe this post should have been number one, but I am trying to stick to chronological order. Since the plunge took place on the 1st and this blog wasn't created until a few days later, I have decided to post this as number two.  I've been a blog reader for years now and never seriously considered doing my own until a few days ago. I always discarded my ideas for a blog as bad and not blogworthy enough. I had been searching for a theme-- I think every good blog has a theme-- until it dawned upon me! I am going to do DIFFERENT things this year and change things around for the better. I know I will be proud of myself once I have accomplished 52 different things.  This is something I need now. My sense of self-worth has been sinking since the layoff (and the unsuccessful job hunt since then). In the past doing something I normally would have never considered has ALWAYS helped me feel better. I am determined to make this a positive year and I know that by documenting these experiences I will be more likely to follow through!

I have a lot to learn about creating a blog, so bear with me here!! I am learning little by little.
Cheers to a great weekend!

Experience Number 1 - Polar Bear Plunge

Before deciding to undertake the writing of a blog, I was asked to support a friend doing the Polar Bear Plunge at Sullivan's Island. If you are unfamiliar with the event, Charlestonians gather at Dunleavy's Pub beginning at 11 to drink and warm up with liquor before jumping into the Atlantic Ocean on January 1st. I agreed to go and asked my sister in law to accompany me. Little did I know how huge of an event it would be! It took us a while to find parking.  As we were walking toward the beach, we noticed how foggy it was outside! You could see 15 feet in front of you. Everything else was FOG FOG FOG! It was really beautiful! At one point we started running  toward an invisible crowd that was getting excited about jumping into the frigid waters. I tried calling my friend who did not answer. I figured she must have turned her phone off. At that point I was pretty disappointed that I would miss her jump into the water.  At two o'clock groups of people ran toward the water, then quickly retreated. It looked like an army attacking the enemy. Then the second set of people ran, the reinforcements.   The best part were the costumes... people were dressed up as Jamaicans, pimps, ballerinas... it was liek Halloween in January.  I did not venture into the water this year mostly due to the fact that I had been sick for the week before, but maybe I will have the courage to jump in next year!

A New Year - 52 New Experiences

I am the type of person who likes to stay within my comfort zone. I like to play things safe and not take risks.   Last year I was laid off from my job of four years. I knew I did not want to sit at home and let my mind be completely idle, so I decided to enroll in a tax class to learn how to prepare taxes, something I knew NOTHING about! I was scared attending my first couple classes, yet I was excited to be learning something new and useful (even though most would think that taxes are boring). The class is now over, and I will be starting to prepare taxes at the end of this week. I am no tax expert, but I feel much more confident about doing my personal income taxes.

Since it is a new year, I've decided that I need to do something new for every week this year be it learning about something new, experiencing a new place, or trying a foreign food.   I need to feel more confident about myself, and I feel that doing "scary" things will boost my sense of self.  Expanding Experiences will be my documentation of my year-long journey into the NEW.