I think I'm getting over this whole lievejournal thing. I like reading about everyone, but the only person that I consistantly see or talk to is Jay. Everyone else are people that only exsist in this Livejournal weirdness world. I'm not discounting that I love realding about your lives, but what do I have to say that contributes to anything?

I'm more of a vice-president... I'm a more reactionary creature. I'm a creator, not a researcher. I'm not someone who can put together a thesis once a week for others to read. Hell, I struggle with reading.

I love you all, and I'll continue to read, but unless I have something really great to tell ya, I probably won't write much anymore. You'll just be bored by it anyway. It's like the people that twitter "I'm on the porch now." Pointless.

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Halloween Party. 8:00pm- whenever. Our House. Comment for directions.

You coming?

You bringing any food?

Bev? (remember we won't have anything but pop. Bring whatever you want!)

Can't wait to see you IN YOUR COSTUME!!! (REQUIRED)

LOVE YA!

So, last night, Dale and I watched "Everything is Illuminated". It was ok, but I was too tired to watch a movie that slow. It's all about being obsessed with history and seeing it all around you, and even seeing the present as history. I love the concept, and it's even a large portion of why I live my life the way I do... But the story line was just so drawn out. Cute dog though.

I love dogs. I can't wait to have a dog of my own. I love Zimba a lot, but she is crazy and I would actually train my dog. I know that Nikki wants her to feel free and such and "keep her natural" and all that but.. I don't like being on my period, why would a dog? Plus everyone shuns Zimba when she is bleeding. I mean who wouldn't, but still. Whatev's. In any case, I want a mini scnowzer (spelling?) and I can't wait. It will be the best dog ever. =) I hope Dale will like him. (Has to be a boy)

I'm currently waiting for Dale and Rob to come upstairs so that we can carve pumpkins, but I feel like I'm about to turn into one. And I LOOOOVEEEE carving pumpkins. But 4 jewelry shows in 4 days and then other crap on top of it is very tiring. But, I did have a great time and I did make some money, so that is all good stuff. =)

Today I did all of my laundry (PROUD) and also sewed my mermaid skirt for halloween!!!!! This is BY FAR the most involved project I have ever done. It is by no means perfect, but it's pretty good so far. But, I thought the material was stretchier than it is and I need a longer zipper for the thing to fit me. haha... So funny. Imagine me in my dining room pissed and stuck in a green tube of fabric. Hilarious. Like a friggin sitcom.

In other news, I most def had my first episode today since I started my meds. I could feel that depression start to kick in, and I could feel my body resisting it. It was a very strange experience. But, I decided to make the most of it and got a TON of shit done today! It was pretty great. If only I hadn't hit a snafoo at every turn, I would have gotten even MORE accomplished! haha...

Well, Nikki is home, so I guess I will get off her computer! haha...

 Dale and I carved pumpkins last night which was AWESOME!!! =) Dale carved one dracula that is puking, one that is grossed out about that and one that is obliviously happy! =) The best part is that the happy one had two eyes last night but now is winking! Damn squirrels!!! 

I went to the YMCA breakfast fundraiser this morning and... I hated it. I'm not gonna lie. I told Nik that it felt pushed, like they ran out of stories to tell. One "tear jerker" was about a guy that wanted cheap childcare. Are ya kidding me? Worse than that though was that it was all in the negative. I guess I didn't feel like it left much dignity for the people's stories. I feel like southwest's was more on the positive. 

In any case, Nik and I are going to join the gym! I'm excited about this. Very much so actually. We are going to go Mondays and Thursdays and then have one floater day. I am ready man. I want to drop these 50 lbs like it's my job. haha...

I'm falling asleep right now. On this computer. Nap till lunch with Nik I think is in order. Yup. 

PS SOOO excited to hang with Sara E tonight!

 My computer is still broken, and I'm still waiting for a new one. I'm DONE with this whole not having my own computer thing. I hope it gets to Flint today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know it's a funny world that we live in when you are e-mailng your roommate to see if she wants to get lunch because you never see each other anymore. 


I'm tired. I think I will just go back to sleep for a bit. I have so much to do though...

I am sponsoring my 7th jeweler tonight which is especially exciting because I am becoming a Designer!!! I am so excited. I have worked so hard and I am finally reaping the rewards. I have had a long time now where I had low retail but still got  shows. I even completely trained one girl to get in, did her fundraising show, and then she didn't even get in. I have worked very hard and done everything I can to be successful and now I'm really feeling like all the hard work is starting to pay off! I've had a couple of shows now that have been big shows, which is awesome. In all honesty, it's less about the money and more about the fact that there were more people there, which makes it more fun. At my show last night, I made $305 but I spend $10 on a CD by the son of my hostess and purchased a pizza kit from her other son. I love looking for ways to help people out at each show and spending part of my profits on that. Plus I got to give my hostess $300 in jewelry, and so she got 1/2 of her christmas shopping done just for having some friends over. It was a truly awesome show. I love that stuff. 

I love Dale.

 I'm in love with this game on popcap.com called "Plants vs. Zombies" right now. It's awesome  and hilarious. Check it out!!!

Nikki and I are going to the zoo for the Fall Festival today! I'm excited because I haven't been to the zoo in a really long time, I love the zoo and it's a day with my Nikki Barr. We are also going to Eastern Market before hand. Again, love it. I have never been to Fall Festival at the zoo but it should be great fun! 

Hopefully Nik wants to go to the antique store at Eastern Market. I love that place. When I can find it. haha... 

Oh how I love spending money on food with Nik's bridge card. Oh how we actually need it. haha...

Now to figure out the weather for the day and prepare for it.... In Michigan... In the fall... HA!

Dale has a lair in the basement now and I kinda LOVE it. 

See also, my niece is adorable and is going to be BEAUTIFUL just like her mom.

 Today was awesome. I got up early and got stuff done, then talked to Nikki about how awesome food is and then went to class. Class was productive and gave me a little bit of inspiration about my Pewabic idea. We'll see how it goes. It can't hurt to ask, right? 
After class, I come home and cleaned and such until Nik called. She came home early and we laid around and talked and then we decided to go to  thrift store before dinner with Jess and my hostess coach. We had a great time and Nik found tons of stuff. I got black socks. hahaha... I'm not positive I'm all for used socks, but I figured... hey! Black socks are expensive! 
Anywho, my hostess coach was fun because Mry is super nice and funny. She was very sweet. I was sad that I didn't get to get a Carmel Apple Spice, the only thing I like at Starbucks, but that was ok, because when we got home I got to eat pizza, a potato and then later some soft pretzels. Haha... 
But, Dale, sweet man that he is had moved the table form last friday, cleaned the kitchen and made that pizza. =) It was really nice, and made my day even better. 
After eating, we chilled out for a while, Nik and Sarah went to a birthday party they were only kinda invited to and Dale and I started fixing up the basement for him and friends to LAN and play Magic. I know my boyfriend is really geeky and I'm not, but I tooooootally love it. =) It was fun and I'm excited to find stuff to make that space functional. I'm also excited to help get furnature for down there. Love it. 
Anywho, now we are watching My Name is Earl and it's not as good this season, but I do LOVE these charectors. 
I love my life. I'm sad that I didn't go to Chicago, but I'm also happ because that buys me 3 whole days of fun in Detroit annnnddd productivity. 

Why do I love America's Next Top Model so much? hahaha... PS Glee is awesome and I love watching it whenever Dale and I want to. 
PPS Space heaters are GREAT! =)

So, my goal is to go full time in Premier by January 2011 and have a part-time job in a non-profit in the city. In order to accomplish this, I have a lot to do. 

In order to go full time in Premier, I will need to have... 6-8 homeshows a month, which would mean 14,500 a year from retail which would mean that I would need 65 jewelers who on average make me about $50, which would be about 39K. This would mean that I would be making $53,500 a year in Premier, which would cover my taxes being high because of being a small business and paying for my own insurance. 

So, in order to do this, I need to sponsor at least 30 people in the next 15 months. That is only 2 a month. It's a little optimistic, but I'm gonna go with it anyway. I'm one of those "If you shoot for the stars, you might just land on the moon" kinda people. So, if I did that, that would bring me to 26 of my own people, and then all those who are under me and sponsoring would be the other 40ish. I just have to teach my people to do what I do!!! 

I've gotten really good at getting bookings (averaging 2-4 at every show) and now I'm getting better at retail (even my $100 shows are turning into $200 shows) but now I have to get really good at two new things: 
1) Getting contacts from out and about
2) Closing the deal on sponsoring people

Now is that time. And I'm working hard. I love my other job, and I love the people I work with and I have lots of goals there too but I have goals that I want to accomplish in other areas of my life hat this job is holding me back from. This is where I want to go. This is where I want to be. I don't want to have to leave the city constantly for weeks at a time anymore. I moved here to live here, not to do extended visits. I want to be more part of my church, my community and be who I am. I'm a business owner and that's who I want to be. I get to touch people's lives on a regular basis in my Premier job, and I want to keep doing that more. 

Now, in order to LEAVE my job by January 2011, I have some goals in mind as well. I want there to be a good solid 7-10 people on every committee connected to Youth or Young Adults that are all good, quality people. This means a heavy recruitment schedual. I also want to have a board that will oversee and connect the 9 boards to get them to work together on many things so that the conference's initiatives are carried out better by the Y & YA's than by anyone else. I want Mission Intern and Young Leader's Initiative to be financially stable, and that means I need to do fundraising of my own. I also want at least 3 workshops finished and online for everyone to be able to download and use in their church. Last but not least I want to have at least 5 Boards or Agencies working with me on Youth or Young Adult Initiatives. Then, when I have the Young People's Ministry Committee together, they can advise once we have a culture of that happening. This is what I dream of for my work. There are other things that I dream of for the boards of Young People's ministry, but I don't have even 1/2 as much control over those things. 

15 months. Lots to do. Hopefully I can do all I want to do and more. Hopefully God is with me on this. haha. I'm gonna need it.

 So, my computer died. I am typing this on Dale's computer in his room while Sara E is downstairs talking to Terry Gladstone, one of our BFFs who is 55. haha... I love my life. 

I've decided that next "semester" is going to be AWESOME. No classes. Mondays trainings Tuesdays Babysitting my niece!!!!, Wednesdays Jewelry shows, Thursdays Choir, Fridays jewelry shows and Saturdays jewelry shows. Sundays random. I love that all of this is flexable to my other job. I love that I'm happy and productive lately. 

In other news, tomorrow is my "Sample Sale" and I'm very excited about it. All of my past hostesses and some friends are coming by to buy a bunch of retired but still beautiful jewelry at HUGE discounts. If anyone needs christmas presents for ladies, you should seriously come by. It's from 7-10 and it's a Red Carpet event, so you have to come dressed up. But, if you do, you are eligable to win FREE jewelry! Anywho, it's gonna be a blast, and you are all welcome to come.  

I love my life so much. =)

Just thought some of you might find this interesting and fun! 


http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/4415484

I love going to my church. They are more centered on God loving you, where ever and when ever you are in your life. Lots of songs about God loving us before we even thought about having a relationship with God. Also, I love how welcoming everyone is. I can't wait to have the time (after the new year) to join the choir. =) They are AMAZING and the stuff that they get to sing is SO powerful.

I decided the other day to follow Jay's advice and use the men's bathroom. I have never in my life done this before. But, the women's one was full and the men's one was empty. It felt like a fugitive though, it's that funny? And there wasn't even a urinal. I have to mention that it was a single bathroom, not with stalls. But I was still kinda of proud of myself. I'm for the seperation of sexes in bathrooms, but I'm also all about the freedom to pee when you have to and there is a toilet open. haha...

My brother had a baby!!! (This probably should have been the first topic, not the thrid, eh?) on Sept 18th (day after Detroit Day!) and her name is Emma Elizabeth Hart. She is 4 weeks early, so she's tiny! 6 lbs 10 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. Can you imagine that at one time we were all measured in inches??? Anywho, there is lots and lots I could write about this, but i will save it for another time.

In other news, I've been diagnosed with Bipolar II. I'm still getting over the stigma, and I hope you can too, but I've decided there is no reason for me to be ashamed or scared to let people know that. I am going to view it like I view everything else that makes me who I am. If you don't like it, let's talk about it. If you don't want to talk about it... I respectfully respond that there are 6 billion people in the world and I can live without you or your opinion. I'm not sure how many people will be shocked and how many will be happy I finally figured this out, but I'm just happy that I may ahve a chance at getting back to my regular self on a regular basis.

In other news, I hate meds. But, here we go! I want to be as healthy as I can mentally, physically and other, so as the doc says, I need to focus on my metal health and losing weight. So, I'm gonna try. Of course the meds for Bipolar II cause weight gain. But so does everything else besides healthy foods and excersize. =)

I bought food today and I'm excited to make salsa and guac when I get home! I've never made guac, so hopefully it goes well... Have an recipies??

Does anyone around here like Regina Spektor???

 So... I'm on Dale's computer. In Dale's room. On Dale's bed. You wouldn't think after being together 4 years that we would have many firsts left in us, but apparently we do!!! =) I'm FOR it. =) He is playing Skate and I finished out my free trial on Peggle. I feel like I should not pay for that game, but MAN do I love it. Me and puzzle games are like this. X

So, yesterday Jay and I went to check out the house in Corktown that is only $10K. It was really beautiful and so we are thinking there has to be something fundamentally wrong with it for it to be that cheap.  I'm thinking maybe foundation issues from the cracks in the front... But we couldn't really see anything. But it was fun, and afterwards we talked about buying verses renting and all of that. We also talked about Dale moving in... It was nice. I'm not around Jay enough. =)

All of that talk got me thinking though. I went into my finances when I got home and figured out how much I owe my dad and myself before I can consider myself "out of debt" and it should only take me a couple of months if Nikki is actually able to pay me back on the plan that she has suggested. Which would be AWESOME. And I would still be able to slowly buy people's Christmas presents over this time and not feel like I'm straining my budget. I love buying Christmas presents. =) I made my list of people and what I want to buy the other day... It will start to get more and more filled in as I go along, but I'm excited about my current ideas. Really I just love buying people gifts, and Christmas is the perfect opportunity to do that without it being like WTF? haha...

But anywho, if I were to be able to keep my current situation going for the next year, I should be able to bank enough savings to be able to set aside money to buy my next car. This would be hugely helpful. Then I can start to work on a down payment for a house eventually. 

I have also decided that I am FOR SURE taking a class at Pewabic next Semester. Anyone wanna do it with me? I just NEED ceramics in my life. I feel so much more balanced and happy.

I'm getting better at living life. It's a learning process though. =) 

How do you feel about this?


http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92974?fp=1


I think we know who the upset parents are... =(

Disney bought Marble Comics. Holy crap.

If my life was a sitcom... This would be the beginning of a new chapter. New roommates, new goals, new excitement, new involvement...

It has been interesting so far with figuring out what this house will look like in a week or a month. I am excited and trying to calm my fears that have been given to me by other people. What I need to think is: Would I be upset if my children heard the story of my life? I've been with Dale for over 4 years. I think it's completely time that we move in together, try this and see how it goes before we get married. I like my story, and I'm excited about it! I think we know some of the things that will be sticking points for both of us, and we will navigate around and/or crush heads about it, but we will get through.

I'm trying not to just be shy around Sarah though. I'm slow to trust, and slow to open up, but when you are living with someone, the awkwardness needs to end at some point. So, I need to give myself time. =)

While helping Dale unpack, I got to see some things that I haven't see in a LOOONG time... Things I made him that kinda disappeared out of my life when he moved, and that have accumulated over the years. Books I made him, pottery, a blanket, some frames... I'm happy to see them again, for sure. But it all seems strangely out of place still. It's just starting to hit me that he's going to be living here. I know we will at first feel opposite about it. We always do that. And then both of us will over compensate. We always do that too. We are both extremists. But, eventually it will all slow down and calm down and life will get it's "routine". I'm looking forward to this all being fun and comfortable. I know there will be things that come up, but I'm feeling a little bit of that "fruit-basket-upset" that I get when my world is flipped and turned. It's not bad, it's just not... stable.

Tomorrow I'm helping with the students who are coming to Corktown to do a day of clean-up! I'm excited and also not sure what I'm going to be doing at all. Nikki and I were on all of these lists, and now we are not. Nikki will be working, but I told him I'd have to leave at 12:00. So I don't know what's up with that. I also REEEEEAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY need to take our recycling, but it takes twice as long when I do it by myself, so it'll probably take me a good 45 min with drive time. But I'll be there as much as I can. I'll organize the recycling and put it in my car before the students get there and I'll take it at 10, when they open.

Last but not least, my parents have stopped wearing deodorant because "It's bad for you!". I'm for this new development, I'm just really shocked. My dad usually calls stuff like that crap. It must have been on CNN or something. hahaha... That's only funny if you know my parents, I'm sure.

Last but not least, I'm working my TAIL off lately. I love my jobs, and I love life. Goodnight everyone!!! =)

So, today a lady complimented me on my necklace while I was at the doctor's office and I asked if she would like me to send her a catalog and she said yes and gave me her card! YAY! I sent her the catalog with a coupon! Hopefully I can turn it into a show!

Then, I called my sponsor to tell her and she was very excited for me. She then said that she wanted to give me a contest. She said if I could hold 10 shows in September, she would buy me new glasses!!! WHAAAAAT?!?! YAY!!!!!!!! I HAVE to get 10 shows. =) I'm way excited!!!

THEN I had a show. It was with this really sweet girl that has autism, and she was super pumped and her mom helped her so she would have a great show. She had 13 people there, and she got $313 in free jewelry!!! She was so happy she was jumping up and down. It was so awesome. Plus, I got 6 new shows on my calender which is just AMAZING, and there was one woman who said that she wanted to think about joining Premier!!!

Now, of all of that, my favorite part of the night was this: There was a woman who came, that about half way through the show, her husband came in and sat down with us. Everyone kinda laughed and he said "Why wouldn't I want to come listen? You can win free stuff, it's fun and I'm with all the ladies!!!" I instantly loved him. But then, when we played the game where people decide if the want to have a show or not, he said that he wanted to have a show FOR his wife. He said "I can't work, so I never get to buy her things. This way, I will be able to get her all of the jewelry that she wants, and I can get it for her for free! Plus then she'll have a clean house and get to see her friends!" I thought that was just about the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life. I also LOVE that this man has no fear of being around the jewelry or anything like that!! I was really impressed with him and it was great to meet that awesome couple.

I love my business. I now have 10 jewelers underneath me, and I have grown to love every single one of them. I love getting to know them and helping them build thier own businesses. I have hit road blocks, but it's good because when my girls hit road blocks, I have BEEN there, and I can relate. I don't know what my life would be like without Premier. I seriously love my job. I never "sell", but I always get to give away free stuff. I never "con" or "push anyone into joining, but if they do, we become friends and get to help eachother's businesses and lives. Where else could I have found this much fun and a way to support myself? I love Premier.