Ahhh, stress!

I'll admit, I am a stress eater. There, I said it. :) Admitting your shortcomings is half the battle, right?

These past few weeks have been insane! Things are very, very busy at work, I am planning a wedding (yay!) and in the process of applying to and interviewing for a new job. I have an interview this Thursday with Butler University for a position as: Associate Director of Diversity Programs and International Student Services. McKoy and I have talked a lot about this opportunity and I think we are both truly hoping to make the move to Indianapolis this spring. A job search on its own is not too much to handle- but trying to plan a wedding in about 8 weeks on a serious budget is adding to the mix!

We have decided on May 22 for our wedding date and we plan to host the wedding at my uncles farm. The wedding will be very low key and very McKoy&Melissa- an outdoor event in the daytime with a nice cookout following! I am excited about planning this event- but I feel a bit out of touch with the process and a bit rushed.

So, bear with me over the next few weeks- it could get a little crazy!

I'm Back!!!

Another great India trip under my belt. Although this trip was very different from my first trip in Fall 2008, it confirmed that I still love India. Security was much higher in all of our hotels- x-ray machines and bomb sniffing dogs, it felt more like Indonesia than India. Even with the higher security and even less free time, this trip was still great. I had a little bit of time to get out of the hotel and do some walking and shopping and sightseeing. The trip was way too short-only about 8 days and it takes a day and a half to fly each way! Since I've been back, I've slept way more than I've been awake. I slept a full 9 hours last night and about 5-6 hours during the day. Jetlag (especially on the weekends) is tough!

Anyhow, I'm glad to be home. I'm in the process of applying for a new job at Butler University. Although I think I'd love the job (student services for international students) I'm really not sure I'm qualified. Also, I know what the job market looks like right now- it's tough! Regardless, we are happy in Bloomington but looking to get back to the city- preferably Cincinnati :)

Tomorrow McKoy has a big dentist appointment and it is my last day off of work. Maybe we will go to the movies or something to celebrate getting over his appointment and my last day off!

The Olympics!

The Olympics! If there were one reason that I wish I weren't leaving for India next week it would be the Olympics (oh, yea, and a week away from McKoy).

I get so into the emotions of the athletes, imagining how much effort they put into making a sport their life, it is all over there face in emotions of victory or defeat. For the most part, it is a feel good TV, something we don't always have. So, I'm excited to watch as much as I can until Thursday!

I think I am ready for India. I am already kind of psyching myself out about the 15 hour flight- ugh! I did buy two books last night for some reading and I'm hoping there are some good movie in the in-flight entertainment. I guess I can go to the American website and check that out!

Anyhow, nothing much happening here. I'll try to post again soon :)

Back to India!

These past few weeks have been rough at work. My plate is definitely full and I am truly struggling to stay focused and perform at the level that I need to. Not to mention that I have been in pain pretty much every day for the past two weeks... thank you trainer.

I can say for certain that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday, my bosses and I made a very last minute decision- I am going to India in 25 days. Typically I would have months to plan and manage a trip before actually going. 25 days is a tight turn-around, but I sincerely feel energized by it. When planning a trip, I have a few step by step actions that I need to take. The first time I planned to travel for IU, I really turned it into a science.

I will only be in India for about 8 days, but I am ready for a visit. It was my first location of overseas travel and I loved it. I'm sure I'll get a little stressed over the next few weeks of planning on short notice, but the renewed energy and the ability to visit a place that I love again is just too exciting to pass up! More details to come!

Well, so far we are about 2 weeks into the new year and McKoy and I have been doing great with our resolution to make better choices about our food. I am trying to see food as fuel (which it truly is) instead of something pleasureable. Hopefully someday I'll get to the point of seeing it as both. We've done well, but I won't lie, I'd love some hot wings! We are still trying to figure out how to rework that flavor into better and healthier choices. Maybe a meat replacement and hot sauce. Seems sacreligious. Ha.

In other news, I tested for allergies for the second time in my life this past Friday. I am allergic to about 60 of the 70 things they tested me for. The process was much better than it was when I was tested at age 12. Essentially, they explained to me that most of the health issues I have had all of my life are directly related to allergies. Which I now can see. It was a great visit- I really felt like they were paying attention to me and my issues!

So, typically the outcome would be a few prescriptions (which I do have) and daily or weekly allergy shots for the next 5 or so years. Instead, this office is participating in a new program called "Rapid Desensitization." Essentially, this is a 5 hour appointment of allergy shots. Leading up to the appointment, I'll be on a serious round of allergy meds to keep me from reacting to any of the allergy shots. When I go in for my appointment, I'll be there for five hours during which I'll recieve three shots in increasing doses every 25 minutes. After this appointment, I will have achieved what may have taken 6 months to a year and I will be at the maintenance level of allergy shots. I am incredibly excited about this!

So, my appointment is this upcoming Friday. Let's hope I don't have to use the epi pen that they prescribed and that all is well!

It's almost 2010....

So, Ive been a total slacker at this blog thing. One of my MANY resolutions for 2010 is to be better at blogging. The past nine months have been very hectic- and I feel that the one thing that has suffered the most is my relationships with close friends. I enjoy keeping up with Kira, Betsy and Sarah via their blogs and have been asked more than once if I intend to keep mine up. So, this year I hope that I can use my blog to keep a journal of 2010 and keep up with my close friends.

I intend for 2010 to be a new year- and one of the best that I have ever had. I hope 2010 holds a wedding, a few great road trips, graduate school, and maybe a new house (yep- not an apartment- a house).

My resolution this year is "simply" this: to live a healthier more purposeful life. McKoy and I are dabbling in organic eating and possible vegetarianism. We have already cut red meat from our diet, with a few exceptions. I plan to make better food choices at every stop. We will buy shares in organic farming in Bloomington and consider buying shares of meat from a local farm. I will attempt to buy in season produce at the grocery store, from the organic section when I can and stay away from the processed food in the middle of the store. In addition, at the new year I have six sessions scheduled with a personal trainer. I am looking forward to learning new work-outs for my current state that I can use in apartment complex gym. I will get back into working on the Couch Potato to 5K running plan.

Those are my resolutions. I know I have a lot to learn about local/seasonal foods, organic eating and where our food comes from, but I am willing to make this resolution.

What are your resolutions for 2010?

The great white death and the black plague.

So this past week brought the great white death of 2009. Bloomington got about 12 inches of snow with some ice in between the two snow falls. Campus was closed on Wednesday- and the county was under a snow emergency- essential personnel on the roads only. I really wasn't aware of that, but I can't say it would have stopped me anyway- I was on a mission. Last weekend I ordered a new phone- blackberry 8830 world edition in red! In order to avoid the inevitable missed deliveries, I had it shipped to work. Little did I know that campus would be closed on delivery day! So, Wednesday morning I called FedEx to see if I could change the delivery address. They said no, but that they could hold it at the shipment facility in Bloomington (which is about 4 miles from my house). So, I took a little field trip. It took me about 15-20 minutes to get out of my parking space- but it was smooth sailing from there. There were plenty of people on the roads- some better drivers than others. I was back home in about a half an hour- mission accomplished. I spent the rest of the day trying to learn how to use the phone- and I still have a long way to go!

We are by no means cleared of the snow- last night the temp was above freezing and it is supposed to be a 40 degrees today, so the slow melt is beginning. Honestly, I'm ready for it all to be GONE! I'm ready for spring! My grandmother in Madison definitely has it worse than me. It is almost all ice down there and she still hasn't been able to dig her car out of the mess.

I have been feeling under the weather for this entire past week. Friday morning I had almost no voice and it has gotten progressively worse over the last few days. I left work early on Friday and finally broke down and went to prompt care yesterday morning. Apparently I have one of the wonderful viral infections that is going around town- awesome. I'm on a few meds to treat the symptoms but I'm still generally miserable and can't sleep- I wake up about once an hour. McKoy has, of course, been so sweet about it. He feels super guilty that he isn't here to help me do chores and run errands.

So snow and sickness are pretty much all that has been going on with me the last week. I hope everyone else enjoyed the snow fall more than I did!