9.28.2009

First week of work. . .very interesting.


Here are some highlights from my first week of work. We'll call this part of my life: Welcome to Reality!

- Monday thru Friday I was busy taking tests learning Toyota's products and processes and engines and all that jazz. I have to become a Certified Toyota Salesman, so this testing is necessary. Arduous and long and seemingly meaningless, but necessary none the less. It actually does help me learn my products!
- Had a random bloody nose on Wednesday. Thankfully no one knew!
- I am actually enjoying wearing a suit to work. Ashley likes it too!
- Working 65+ hr weeks is tougher than I thought. . .makes me really enjoy 2 days off!!
- Decided to make Saturday my first day on the sales floor, and what do you know: Sold my first car! A 2005 tC Scion. Will never forget it!
- After 6 days of work, I got 2 days off. This month my team gets Sunday's and Monday's off. Ashley and I decided to head to the beach for some MUCH needed time together and relaxation. So we are at Neskowin now - Ashley is knitting (her new found interest), I am blogging and loving the sound of the ocean. We are eating good seafood and being bums. And we love it.

Ashley just informed me that my last few blogs have been mostly about me (except for Jamie's email!). So now it is up to you. I need topics. I will discuss. I will get interesting. Let's take this blog global! (Ashley just laughed at me).

Should I be an Auto Industry blogger? A Portland blogger? A Jesus blogger? I'll take suggestions! Until next time, enjoy some crab!

First week of work. . .very interesting.

9.25.2009

Back on the blog train. . .plus Day 5 tribute!

To all of you 11 faithful followers, I apologize. I have been absent for way too long and there is no excuse! Actually, there is a pretty good one. We moved across the country, thus making it difficult to keep up. We radically changed our lives, we took a huge leap of faith, and we are stepping way out of our comfort zones. So far, it is tough. But here is a little of what has happened over the last few weeks.

Early September:
- Packed up our crap, rented a trailer, and started driving to Oregon from Georgia. Tears were shed, hearts were broken, something loomed in our future (still to be determined!).
- Our route? LONG. Here is the gist of it: Baton Rouge, LA. Austin, TX. Tucson, AZ. Flagstaff, AZ. Santa Barbara, CA. San Francisco, CA. Black Butte Ranch, OR. Salem, OR. Now Portland, OR.
- We saw great friends, had amazing food, and great wine along the way! I would say the trip was not as bad as we both thought it would be. Some highlights included: Ashley reading out loud to me (way better than book on tape!), podcasts, dipping our toes in the Pacific, wine tasting in Santa Barbara County, San Francisco in general, and 2 days of relaxing in Black Butte.
- Low lights in included: the drive from Austin to Tucson (18 hour day), leaving GA, living out of a car for 2+ weeks, the last day on the road (felt SO long).
- But we made it, no tickets, no flat tires. All in all a "successful" trip.

Mid-September (NOMADS)
- Bounced from house to house, town to town, family to family, trying to get organized and "settled in". I don't think you ever get settled in when you live in someone else's house, but for now, until we find something, we are as settled as we are going to get. And it is not ideal. But we press on!
- Alex started working. Welcome to reality.
- Ashley looking for work and getting on as many substitute lists as possible. Welcome to reality.
- Reality sucks.

Late-September
- Highlighted by the Wade Wedding! A great weekend long full of activities, punctuated by a great ceremony and reception!
- Alex and Ashley adjusting to life in another city, living apart, working, struggling.
- Looking for a place to live when we get married (which is very exciting). As soon as we find that baby, Ashley will move in immediately! Hopefully that will help things. . .
- Adjusting to the daily routine, life change, and missing GA.
- Looking forward to: THE FAMILY VISIT in ONE MONTH! Less, actually. We can't wait. It needs to happen sooner, and more often!!

So I have to admit I was reluctant to finish my Tribute to the South. Mainly because I knew it would be hard to write. But here goes. What I miss most about the south is the family (included 'extended' family...). I miss Danny's antics, I miss Taff and Spanky, I even miss Buddy (I wonder if he has kicked the can yet?) I miss Nana's insisting on doing my laundry and always cooking chicken salad for me. I miss Patti and how she falls asleep watching TV curled up in a blanket even though it is 101 degrees outside. I miss the Aunts - Kim and Lynn. I need Lynn's food immediately! I miss Jamie - but hey, she's off at college and loving it, so I'm not feeling to sad. I miss everyone there! It was very hard to leave, and even harder (especially for Ashley) being here without them. But it is life, and people do sometimes move away from close ones. It's not like we'll never see them again (28 days), it is just a very hard adjustment. But life will go on and Ashley and I will create our own family. We will thrive on being together and truly relying on each other. We are growing. Not growing away from family, but growing into who we are going to be as a family. So far, that is about the only positive!

But honestly. If you have never met someone Southern, you are missing out. The people are great! They are friendly, they talk funny, they drink lots of beer (have never heard of a micro-brew), they cook way better than yo momma, and they love church. They are laid back (except for Dan-O), love golf, drive trucks, and love Nascar. In one hyphenated word, they are : one-of-a-kind. And I love 'em!

So there you have it. The conclusion of my 5 day Tribute to the South. What a great place to live, a great season of our lives, and someone we will always have to go back to and love and enjoy. Until next time, Roll Tide!

9.23.2009

It's been a while...

Ths was an email that Ashley and I received from her sister. Just read it. You will die laughing.

hello family!
just thought i would let you know how my day went since i
didnt really get to talk to you all that much.....
well started of wkaing up with a verrrrryyyyyyy stiff neck
from my bike riding accident yesterday! ( ashley i forgot to
tell you i ran into a role going down a hill and couldnt
stop myself....and flew prolly 15 feet, if someone saw it,
it WOULD be the most embarrasing moment of my life!) and my
arms a little sore from jumping up and down and not letting
my hands be below my shoulders in rush practice, went to get
a coffee cause i felt a little tired and the were out of
espresso, went to class that was fine but had to give an
unexpected speach on barack obhama........ ya yall prolly
know how that turned out. after class and before work i have
30 minutes to get back to the apt shower and get to work.
knowing we have no food at our apt i went to chik fil a and
used one of my free coupons and they took for ever so while
i was back out of my parking space i went a little faster
than usual and was a milimeter away from SLAMMING into a
precious esclade, the man got out and statred yelling while
i just drove off while he took down my liscence plate number
even though i didnt even hit him! soo went to work freaking
out about everything else i had to do, and had to work by
myself which actually i liked cause i didnt have to do
anything.....then went to a younglife team dinner which was
aweosme but ended up missing role call at rush and prolly
getting fined, walked to my car and see a little tickt on my
window because ther is NO parking at the chi o house so
every car had a damn ticket on the window!...came home and
prcratinated studying a little bit then finally decided to
sit down and dow it and my chair fell out from under neath
me so i now have one loooonnng scratch from my shoulder down
to my butt :) and now im still up studying because i took a
aderol and dont feel tired! so i thought i would shoot you a
little hello message and update you on my wonderful
day!!!!!!!!!!!

hope your was better than mine! I love you all!
Jam
__________________
Now I KNOW your day was better than THAT!! So smile and have a great day!