It's like people read this or something...

A couple things have hit me recently...

People actually read this blog. Weird.
People actually read what I write on the Villa's blog AND follow my advice. Double Weird.
It turns out, I don't suck at my job. This one isn't really as weird as it is just some what shocking to me...

On Friday, I get a paycheck and bonus that is enough to actually live on my own for a month. But given my circumstances, it's just going in the bank towards grad school. Well, actually, part of it is going to the Apple store for a new laptop!! Oh hello 15 inch Macbook pro...

After the new laptop day, I have one more week until I get a break for Seattle. It will be a super insane week full of meetings, events, and even a wedding! I'm sure it'll all be great, but tiring for sure. Which is all the more reason for me to leave on Saturday for a 4-day weekend in Seattle.

The Number's Don't Lie

WELL According to the company that provides people with credit cards for purchasing things at Apple, I'm approved for a purchase up to a whopping... ready for this? $240!!!!

(Please note my sarcasm.)

Now, based on their application and they questions they asked (how much do you make, do you own or rent, what do you do etc...) I understand why they didn't tack on the extra zero that I'd like, my outstanding salary (before commissions) is definitely nothing to write home about. But what this little card didn't take into a account is that A. I in fact live at home and don't pay rent and B. I've already saved up the money to pay off my new laptop and am just using their silly little credit card to build up some credit.

Now, I know this isn't anything to get worked up about, but I'm going to. It's my blog, deal with it. As that ADHD/dyslexic kid I already feel like I have to defend myself from being described as a number that doesn't adequately represent me. When did our world become a world that would rather describe someone in a series of random numbers, rather than actually looking to us as people.

With that being said, I'm done ranting.
:)

Never Again.

Not too long ago, I sat here trying to find inspiration for something to write on this ol' blog of mine. I remember thinking "I wish I had some good/interesting stories from work to write about!"

Well, I'll probably wait a while before thinking that again! Today was CRAZY at the Villa.

It started off hectic to begin with. Partially my own fault, but what can ya do? A tour I thought was next week, was apparently this morning at 9. I found out they were actually in town from Texas this week. I found out at 9:50. So it was ten o'clock and I had TWO tours waiting for my attention. One of them was a little angry. Justifiably.

So after 30 minutes of scooting them through a tour and apologizing, it was on to the next folks. Which, luckily for me, it was their second tour and they walked around and then we chatted for a few minutes and they were happy.

Thinking this was the end to my hectic day, little did I realize it was just starting. My 11 o'clock tour cancelled so I was sitting at my desk relaxing when one of our brides that just booked with us called. She called to tell me she was pregnant... and that she was asking if she could get the deposit back on her wedding. I told her I'd ask my boss what we could do and call her back. The answer was exactly what I thought it would be so I called her back to say we couldn't, but they're welcome to move their day up or back if she'd like. I quickly moved to my email to respond to a bride that had come in Friday to mistook the price I quoted her for another day. I sent her a quick note to correct the mistake and then went to do my noon tour.

Apparently Erika (my boss) had answered another phone call and when my tour was over, she told me it was the preggo bride's fiancee, pressing a little bit harder to get the deposit back. At this point, he said "I'm not trying to make this your problem" to which Erika told me she thought "UH YES. You are." We made a few jokes and talked about it. Mainly about why we can't just refund it and the repercussions of having pre-marital unprotected sex before marriage.

I left to get lunch on my hour off and laughed off the preggo bride situation (let's be honest, that's not a fun conversation to have. "Hey... yeah. Sorry! I can't give you a refund just because you decided not to use protection. Whoops!")

Anywho.

I came back to the Villa to a MESS. The preggo's bride fiancee had kept calling while Erika and I were out and has now EMAILED me the most ridiculous email I've ever received. Full of nothing but "That money is probably necessary to Villa Parker, but imagine how much it could do for a struggling couple raising a baby." Which, yeah, I get that. BUT the money Villa Parker gets? Goes to feed Erika and Joe's kids and Chris' kid. It helps three people who literally have poured their ENTIRE LIFE into this business and get by on pennies. Yeah, Sorry. No.

In addition to this, I've got the bride with the wrong price calling my office, my cell, emailing me, crying on the phone and harassing me because she had her heart set on doing her whole wedding for $5K. (Sorry, that doesn't even cover the site fee on the day she wanted!!)

At this point, I really thought that if my next three tours didn't ROCK, I was just going to run out of my office crying. (They did rock and I loved ALL OF THEM, so the day redeemed itself.)

But seriously?! Angry Texans, Pregnant Italians, and crying brides. Three things I never expected from today!!

Valentine's Day Suckage

Up until recently, I've never had a reason to enjoy Valentine's Day. Actually, I've had quite a few reasons to hate it. Put one part putting my cat to sleep, three parts death-flu, one part "dumped" and one part traffic court, add in a slice of... well my wrist actually (wrist surgery two days after the glorious V-day) shake it and you've got yourself a martini straight up. A martini of disaster.

Add on top of that the fact that I ABHOR the color pink (which stems from deep-rooted jealousy of Linsay Duty for always being the pink power ranger forcing me to always be the Asian power ranger. Even though it made more sense for me to be the pink ranger because Linsay was in fact Asian. Yes, I have issues.)

However, I said"Up until recently." You didn't catch that did you? Silly you. Pay attention.

The last two years haven't been that horrible. Imagine a night of girls drinking fruity adult beverages, imitating men, and some kissing we all would like to forget, and it wasn't that horrible. Well, at least for me. I was the only one with out a hangover the next day.

But THIS YEAR. This year, my friends, will be the year I'm actually looking forward to Valentine's Day. A 4-day weekend, a trip to Seattle, massages, chick flicks with contraband wine and cupcakes with an excellent friend- all a recipe for a delicious cocktail.

A delicious cocktail I can't wait to drink!
(Cheesy. I know.)

Practicality vs. Following your Heart

Back in the day, I went to a church with my family where the pastor was actually my good friends' dad. The sermon he was talking about was about being practical or following your heart. AKA doing something because it "felt" right.

He mentioned the show The Bachelor and how the girls and guys on it just do things because "it felt right" or because their "heart told them to." Which to some degree, following your heart is great and especially when God is captain of that ship. However, when you only use your heart and you don't engage the brain, you wind up with your heart broken looking back wondering why you were such an idiot.

With my present situation, I find myself relying wholly on practicality. Which I'm shocked and pleasantly surprised about. Maybe it's a sign of old age and that I've actually learned something in my last 23 years or I just lucked out this time, but either way, I think it's the best way to do this. I'm leaving grad school up to God, leaving friends and the "other" department up to him, and praying with discernment about doing God's will.

But weirdly, being practical just "feels right."
Who knows.

A message I couldn't ignore...

I absolutely love my new church. It's younger people, which has it's downfalls, but it's nice to be surrounded by people closer to my age than people closer to retirement like the churches in Parker. Aside from being a very attractive church in an absolutely beautiful building, the pastor has convicting and relevant messages.

Today's message was one that I couldn't ignore. This take a bit of swallowing some pride, but I think it's necessary for me. It started off in Ephesians, talking about the unity of the church with an emphasis on Eph. 4:3 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." In order for a church to be effective, everyone in the church needs to bond together under one message or one goal and act on it. Just like the holy trinity, there are three distinct pieces that make it up. Three pieces to make one. Man and woman are distinct, but they unite to be the most effective. So just like this, a church is made up of very diverse people, but they must unite to be one.

This was all fine and dandy, but then it hit me. We're all diverse and different and when you "marry" the church, it's not all fun and games. Sometimes you just have to put up with people. And the point he made about getting along with other people is where we falter is when we recognize our strengths and other peoples' weaknesses. By not recognizing my own faults, I'm not being humble and by not recognizing other peoples' strengths, I'm not using my strength as a woman to encourage and love others.

(On a lighter note, my friend who admittedly might have still been a tiny bit drunk was sitting next to me. While I made light of her situation, it was nice to have someone to admit to how much I need to work on what his message talked about.)

I never really considered myself a negative person (because I'm perfect, let's be honest... JUST KIDDING!), but I do make it a habit to think about other peoples' non-strengths and highlighting what I'm good at. I don't think I do it just to make myself look good, but when I thought about it, I think it's just easier to think about the bad things about people rather than the good. So, I've made it a goal to write a list of people that I tend to think poorly of and remind myself of all the great things about these people.

(I believe I even wrote "Molly: Epic Failure" next to this point he made. So- here's to being more positive about people!)

Lovely, lovely people

I've been blessed recently to be surrounded by great people. Family, friends, tours, etc... They'll been great! Today's tours are a perfect example of the blessings God has given me.

My first tour today was a couple that I met at the bridal show we did on the 10th. They were nice enough, but for the first half of the tour, her dad was a statue. He didn't really talk and his first comment was "Let's get this moving, I have a stock show to get to." So, I was a little hesitant to get too involved with him but I still wanted to appeal to him.

So as we sat down in my office to chat, I asked them about certain aspects of their wedding and asked about DJ. The bride said "My dad will be the DJ." They all chuckled and I started being my sarcastic self and saying "Yeah I could see that [insert DJ scratching motion here] 'wikka, wikka!'" We all had a hardy laugh and started making jokes and finally his daughter said "Dad can do the splits." And immediately I said if he could do the splits, I'd give them a discount. Then my "Single Ladies" requirement came up and we all laughed and laughed. Before they left they paid me some huge compliments which was nothing new, but I'm learning stuff about myself. (A post for another time.)

Awesome.

My second appointment was a couple and her parents coming in to sign a contract. The groom is a firefighter and I already knew I enjoyed them. She is more beautiful than my barbies, he's a buff firefighter and her parents are wonderful. We were having fun and chatting and her parents start to fill out the contract. While they were doing that, the firefighter asks me if we'd like stickers for junior firefighters. I told him I'd love one. I'm still wearing it.

And I was wearing it during my third appointment for the day. They laughed at it which was sadly the highlight of the tour. The couple is cute, her mom and sister were nice, but her Aunt seemed to try to dominate the entire tour. Which, fine. You have a lot of questions and I'm happy to answer them. BUT I like to maintain the flow of a tour and not let the clients control me. Still lovely people!

Add in talking with great friends here and there and I'm surrounded by amazing people. Which after a summer of crappy friends and healing for the last year and a half from a bad(ish) relationship and I just thank God for this period of time full of great people!