a time to repent.

Not until I moved down here have I had such a deep loathing for Wal*Mart. Down here, the store is completely different. Matter of fact, every time I go back to my hometown and I visit the Wal*Mart there (because Target is too far away), I notice the difference. Believe it or not, there is a difference. Up north, the cashiers are friendly. They converse with you. The lines are basically bare... EVEN at Christmas time. Down here, not so much. I dread the Wal*Mart down here. The cashiers are rude, the stores are messy and down right dirty. One time, I went to get some things and spent more time waiting in line than I did actually shopping. One of the items I purchased was a 6 pack of beer that I contemplated opening while in line. Apparently, in the town I live in, there is an unwritten rule that if you consume a product while in the store, it is not considered stealing. Sure, I have opened a soda while at the store, but at least I still have the cashier scan the empty bottle. But really, folks, nothing makes me want to throw up more than when I'm looking at accessories for my bathroom and I come across an eaten apple core that is all brown and mushy sitting on the shelf next to the display of bath rugs. Ew. I have made a silent resolution to not shop at Wal* Mart anymore. The kicker is, if I drive on the right road, I can find 3 Wal*Marts within MILES of each other. And they are all the same. I have come to peace with the fact that I am willing to spend the extra dollar and drive the extra miles to go to Target where the store is clean, the quality of the product is better, and well, they have a Starbucks. Sunday, I thought would be a quiet day at home. New Mr. Tia was sick with some bug that he is convinced his mother passed to him via the telephone. I was tidying up the house and putting off vacuuming until he woke up. He asked what we were going to do and I told him I thought he could use the rest so I didn't want to plan anything. He decided to act on my recent nagging of rearranging our bedroom. Yes, I just admitted that I nagged my husband. You see, we have a television in our bedroom. It sits against the side wall on his side of the bed. Since New Mr. Tia usually falls asleep before I do... and he snores, I like to watch tv to fall asleep. However, when he rolls over, I can't see the tv. I can't really bring myself to push him over. Because when he rolls over, he usually stops snoring. Can you feel my double edged sword? I just think we should move the tv to a more neutral place where we can both see it equally. Rearranging the room should be cake right? And cheap, right? Have you ever met New Mr. Tia? We spent our Sunday afternoon driving from store to store to store looking for a lingerie type dresser/chest to match our bedroom furniture since our bedroom furniture is discontinued. We also were out pricing flat panel tvs that we could hang on the wall. All I wanted was to move a few things in the room. Our tv is fine. But now, different plans have been made. After visiting Best Buy, Target, Costco, and a few other stores, we didn't have any luck. Afterall, we were just pricing things. Not buying them. We were pleased that all we spent was money to fill up on gas. Then yesterday, I got the text message... "Wal*Mart has a 26" flat panel with a built in dvd player for $..." So we went. I could feel my shoulders tensing as we walked in the store. As we made our way towards electronics to look at the merchandise, we passed the furniture. And guess what we found? For a good price. And it was good quality. Real wood. Not laminate. We both were in awe that we found what we were looking for and more for a cheaper price and a better financing deal at this place. We wasted our Sunday afternoon looking for something that was right in our backyard the entire time. Sorry, Wal*Mart. (side note: while we were looking at the tvs, I heard the loud speaker... "attention Wal*Mart shoppers, registers 23 and 25 are now open with NO LINES. I couldn't believe it myself)

This is a tribute of sorts

When I first moved here, I had a really hard time. It's almost been 18 months and I still am having a hard time, but that's a different post for a different time. I was going through a song and dance with the state to get my massage therapy license so in the mean time, I waited tables and bartended at a restaurant. I remember it well, it was my second week of work and my last table of the night. Two girls walked in and sat in my section. They were so sweet. Bright smiles and contagious laughs. After I served their dinners to them I remember saying, "Thanks for being so friendly. You girls have really made my day. As a matter of fact, you are really making me miss my sister." I said this because as I watched their interactions, it reminded me of me and my sister. I told them that my sister was due in a few weeks with a baby and I wanted to be with her badly. It was nice to see them and talk to them because I was still fresh to the area and really, wasn't sure what I was doing here. They made me feel better. Fast forward a year. Again, my second week of work, but at my new salon and spa. When I don't have any clients, I walk around the salon and nail room and talk to clients and offer complimentary neck and shoulder massages while they wait for their colors to process and their nails to dry. That's when I saw her. The girl from the year before that was in my restaurant with her sister. She didn't remember me at first. I approached her and offered her neck and shoulders some lovin'. And again, she had the big smile and the contagious laugh as she talked to her nail tech. Then she started asking me about myself. I told her we'd met before. When I jogged her memory a bit, she remembered. It was a joyous reunion. Since then, this girl has become a regular client of mine. She and I know each other. I know her husband's name. I know about her childhood. I know how much family means to her. She has said on more than one occasion that her family is her rock. I think this is where she and I connect so well. I LOVE my family. I miss my family. I talk to my sister several times a week. She and I have conversations that I guess only sisters can understand. We laugh and we cry together. I'd talk to my brother probably about the same amount of time, but he's very busy and will be for the next two and a half years or so. To have siblings like I have, is the best gift ever. They are my support and my rocks. Their spouses and their children are just as wonderful. I'm such a nerd, I have tears welling up as I type this. My parents are the best. Not only do I have a great mom and a great dad, my mom remarried to a wonderful man who loves me and my siblings as if we were his own. We are so fortunate to have a "bonus dad" like him. I'm grateful for my parents everyday. Words cannot describe the love I have for my family. I miss them all the time and especially as of late. If only every kid could be as lucky as me.

Say You Want a Resolution Well You Know...

Happy New Year, Everyone! How was your holiday season? Good? Good. New Mr. Tia and I went to our hometown in Western New York and spent time with both families. It was joyous. Hardly stressful. We flew out of an airport about 3 hours away from where we live because a) we saved almost $300-$400 by flying out of there b) I have family there so we didn't have to pay for parking or a hotel and c) it was a direct flight. We came home on New Year's Eve and spent the Eve with my aunt, uncle and their two girls. My aunt kept asking what my resolution for 2008 was. I'm not one that is big on resolutions. I used to write pages after pages of things I would do differently for the new year and of course, I never followed through. A lot of times, I never set realistic goals for myself, hence the failed follow through. I have, however thought of some things that I can do this year that I can achieve. Drink more water. Water is so good for me and sometimes I don't feel that I am drinking enough of it. I do notice a difference when I drink more of it. Focus on my new career. I just started a new job and I love it. I get frustrated at times and I have realized that my frustrations don't help matters. My new philosophy is "Tomorrow is a new day". Self Preservation. Early to bed, early to rise. Just returning from a week away, I have gotten into the habit of sleeping in and staying up late. Having healthy sleeping habits can help me to be more alert to get through my work day. Along with the preservation, I am also going to focus on my self confidence. I have been struggling with this since I have moved here. My best friend finally told me that I cannot expect others to perceive me as confident until I am in fact, confident. I have had a hard time at my new job with that. I went in yesterday with a new attitude and I am hoping my project works. One day down and it has. Follow through on things. Everytime I go out of town, I get this bug in my butt to get home and get on the stick. I want to reorganize, clean out the closet, clean clean clean... you get the idea. Thanks to my parents, I got a brand spanking new dated organizer complete with a task master that I can use to help me get this stuff done. Spend more time with my iPod and my digital camera. They deserve more lovin'. And of course... BLOG MORE. I know I have talked about this before, but I really am going to try. We'll see how it goes. I wish you all a wonderful 2008. *side note: See that big space in between the title and the beginning of the post? That happens whenever I start a post and save it to finish later. How can I stop that?