December has been a pretty hectic month for me working both jobs. My pajama boss has told me all month long (and all year long) how much she appreciates me and all of my hard work. I've always been a hard worker. That's how my Dad raised me. She kept telling me that I was going to get a great Christmas bonus this year. Last year I got a check for $700 which I thought was pretty amazing. Yesterday we got our Christmas cards and I opened mine up in the car...and started to cry. She had written that $5,000 would be added to my next paycheck! This is more than I could ever ask for or even imagine ever receiving. I feel absolutely blessed to have such an amazing boss and job but yet I am torn. My boyfriend wants to go to film school in LA which gives me an excuse to finally move back to LA and get things rolling. How do I break this information to my boss? Maybe I can keep working for her and take care of business from a remote location that doesn't have to be on site in Vegas? I don't want her to feel abandoned or that I am ungrateful. Any suggestions?

Today I was on the Fox 5 News to promote Big Feet Pjs. I thought you all might get a kick out of the segment. Enjoy!

http://www.fox5vegas.com/video/18347182/index.html

I forgot to mention the funniest part of my roadtrip on my earlier post. The not so funny setup: my grandma fell and broke her hip (again) earlier this month and has been in and out of the hospital. On my trip home, EJ, my mom and I went to visit her. EJ waited outside for a little bit while I was talking to my grandma. Here is the most memorable quote which almost made me lose it: "You've been a good girl for so long. It's finally time for you to be naughty!" Did I just hallucinate that or did my grandma really just tell me to be naughty? Maybe it was the drugs she was on or maybe as you get older you just say it how it is or perhaps it was a mixture of both. Either way, it was pretty hilarious. Grandmother approval to be naughty. And my year is now complete, thank you!

This past weekend the boyfriend and I took a roadtrip to LA where I introduced him to my Dad and my brother. Everything went really well. EJ wanted to check out the LA Film School and fell in love with it. He wants to move to LA! This totally excites me because I finally have the kick in the seat of the pants that I need to get back to LA and start my bakery. Funny how life works out like that :) Randomly on Sunday we were driving around and I was showing him the neighborhood I grew up in (Westchester) and we started going to open houses. I sort of have this thing where I find things that I want and fall in love with them and am relentless in finding a way to have it. It happened with my car, my puppy, and of course now...a house. The kitchen is super important to me and I stepped inside this house with a white picket fence and instantly had a connection with the house. The kitchen was newly remodeled with tons of counter space and storage. The master bed room was super spacious with a fantastic bathroom (also very important!) The backyard would be perfect for Hank to run around in too. I really hope the price goes down on the house a bit and that my parents can help me out with a down payment. Everything seems to be moving so fast but it all feels so right. Luckily, most of my friends and family have been super supportive and encouraging and most importantly HAPPY for me because I'm happy. So there's the update kiddos! Here's the link to my dream home...let me know what you think!http://www.coldwellbanker.com/servlet/PropertyListing?action=detail&ComColdwellbankerDataProperty_id=14684050&page=property&brand=CB

The internet finally works again at the chocolate shop! It has been down for the past 2 weeks and has made blogging a little difficult to get around to. Here are some updates:

1. I can finally chew real food again! I was supposed to wait until the Monday after Thanksgiving but I couldn't resist all the goodies on Thanksgiving and gave in...I think most people would've broken down earlier than the 5 1/2 weeks I made it through. I lost 15lbs (mostly muscle) and had to buy new pants. It really just gave me an excuse to shop...twist my arm ;)

2. Things are still going well with the boyfriend :)

3. Big Feet Pajama Co. has been boomin with the approaching Christmas season! If you need a pair of footie pajamas go to http://www.bigfeetpjs.com/ and check them out.

4. I never thought that I would be that dog owner that dressed her dog up but I couldn't resist to take Christmas pictures with Hank. He is so handsome!

I'm alive! It has been 3 weeks since my surgery and I am feeling fantastic. I kept ice on religiously and never bruised. Last week I had my first day where I could swallow mashed potatoes and it was sooooooooo satisfying! Halloween came and passed. I went to my brother's house for a party and let him choose my costume: Flava Flav! Pretty amusing. In the picture, my cheeks are still a little swollen but is almost completely gone. I also went to my friend's 25th birthday party complete with moon bounce and cheesy kid party games with an adult twist: blind folded marshmallow eating contest anybody?! I got to be the feeder since I can't chew anything. My next checkup is on Tuesday where they will also adjust my braces. Everything is spot on and the doctors can't believe how well I am recovering. Recovery is all a state of mind. Your body recovers naturally but if you have the right mentallity and determination to not let it get you down, it actually isn't that bad. I'm over the hump and ready for this rollercoaster to come to an end and see what the cheesy picture is at the end of the ride that I can pay $20 to purchase! (not that these pictures aren't perfectly cheesy and priceless!)

In researching information for my Rock 'n Roll Cakery (it's already trademarked so don't try and steal my idea!), I came across this article that I really think is going to help me with the idea behind my cakery. While working in the chocolate shop, there is piped in music that is not really exciting or motivating for employees so why would that make customers want to stay in the store longer and purchase more? I started to notice a trend of an increase in sales when I would plug in my ipod with a mix of classic rock and oldies but goodies. This began my quest to find what research has been done in regard to the correlation of food and music and ultimately sales. Here is the article for you to enjoy:


Seven Ways Music Influences Mood
[Photo by MarS]Good music has direct access to the emotions. As such it's a fantastic tool for tweaking our moods. Saarikallio and Erkkila (2007) investigated the ways people use music to control and improve their mood by interviewing eight adolescents from Finland. The participants may be a small, very specific group, but they actually present a really useful list:
Entertainment - At the most fundamental level music provides stimulation. It lifts the mood before going out, it passes the time while doing the washing up, it accompanies travelling, reading and surfing the web.
Revival - Music revitalises in the morning and calms in the evening.
Strong sensation - Music can provide deep, thrilling emotional experiences, particularly while performing.
Diversion - Music distracts the mind from unpleasant thoughts which can easily fill the silence.
Discharge - Music matching deep moods can release emotions: purging and cleansing.
Mental work - Music encourages daydreaming, sliding into old memories, exploring the past.
Solace - Shared emotion, shared experience, a connection to someone lost.These seven strategies all aim for two goals: controlling and improving mood. One of the beauties of music is it can accomplish more than one goal at a time. Uplifting music can both divert, entertain and revive. Sad, soulful music can provide solace, encourage mental work and discharge emotions. The examples are endless.Many of Saarikallio and Erkkila's findings chime with previous research. For example, distraction is considered one of the most effective strategies for regulating mood. Music has also been strongly connected with reflective states. These tend to allow us greater understanding of our emotions. One of the few negative connections Saarikallio and Erkkila consider is that sad music might promote rumination. Rumination is the constant examination of emotional state which, ironically, can lead to less clarity. On the contrary, however, Saarikallio and Erkkila found that music increased the understanding of feelings, an effect not associated with rumination. http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/03/seven-ways-music-influences-mood.php

Life has been so hectic lately! Hank and I took a road trip to LA so I could take care of some pre-surgery appointments. I am FINALLY having my jaw surgery on Monday after a year of having braces. Here is some information describing the operation: http://www.healthbase.com/resources/dental-procedures/dental-procedures/mandibular-sagittal-split-osteotomy.html and along with this I am having a Lefort I procedure for my upper jaw. You can come across some pretty narly pictures when you google those terms so beware! I will have a perfect Halloween costume this year with the natural bruising :) Also, in my crazy work life, Big Feet Pajama Co. was featured in the gift lounge for the Andre Agassi 13th Annual Grand Slam for Children charity event that was held at the Wynn in Las Vegas, NV. I got to meet Emeril Lagasse, Ray Romano, Fergie the Duchess of York, Lifehouse, The Killers, and many many more (not to brag!) Here is a picture of me and Donny Osmond for your viewing:

This Saturday was probably one of the most glorious days of my life! I scored tickets to the third game of the National League Division Series of the Dodgers vs. Cubs. Dodgers were ahead in the series from their two wins in Chicago and this was their first home game. After sitting in traffic for 2 hours and sneaking into a season ticket holder parking spot, we climbed to our seats located on the Reserve level 3. Before actually sitting we purchased the required Dodger dog, nachos, peanuts and beer. If you have never had a Dodger dog, you are missing out. It is truly a fat kid's paradise. We sat down in the 2nd inning and whipped our free rally towels over our heads as each exciting moment came around. The energy in the crowd was absolutely amazing. The thrill of watching the Dodgers sweep the Cubs was something that I will always remember. I can't wait until Thursday when they play their first game for the National League Championship vs. the Phillies in Philadelphia. For all of those that thought that the Dodgers couldn't do it...just watch TBS and see what happens. In case you didn't know this about me: read the Dodger jumbo-tron board below!

Date #2 Part II: We met up at Al's Garage to have a couple of beers and watch the Dodgers kick the Cubbies in their special no no place! Had a blast chatting and chillin without any pressure. Good deal. I was on my way to work this morning and he called me to ask if I wanted to go to breakfast tomorrow before I head to LA for the weekend. This is a first for me. A guy who actually makes plans and wants to hang out with me...a rare oddity in Vegas for sure. Stay tuned for stories of Saturday shenanigans to include the following: Dodger playoff game in LA and Melinda (my best friend since kindergarden) celebrating her quarter of a century birthday! With pictures to be posted too I promise!

Meeting/Date #2: EJ. He has a pup that is half lab half pit. We decided to meet at the dogpark. First plus: he was willing to drive to MY side of town to go to MY dogpark. Second plus: we meet and he compliments me on my braces to which I immediately blush and get nervous wondering if this is a deal-breaker....until he revealed that he had braces too :) We stayed at the park for almost 2 hours and had good conversation. After leaving the dogpark I got a text from him: thanks for a great time, had fun. Any time that I go out with someone I usually send them a text saying the same thing. Good to know that we have the same good manors. There will be a dinner date to follow...minus the pups. All in all, a very pleasant experience and I'm excited to see where it goes from here :)

On a serious note aside from my dating debacles....what do you do when a loved one has a drinking problem?...tough love? extreme measures? uber support? It is hard to have watched one family drink themselves to death over a year ago and to watch another family member do it is heartbreaking. When does the child have to become the parent? I thought this part of life wasn't supposed to come for at least another 30 years. I'm going through so many emotions: anger, sorrow, fear, betrayal, angst, and more descriptors that I could list on and on. I feel like I can write about this but yet ashamed to tell my friends who I know I should be able to lean on at this point in my life. I guess what this is is just a plea to the universe to guide me and give me strength for this situation.

Date/Meeting #1: Robby. 23 years old (younger than what I usually like to date but claimed to act in his late 20's), and played AAA baseball for the Padres (this last part is what really sold me). I meet up with him for a beer. That should've been my first warning. I arrived and he was already blitzed. However, he was pretty nice and behaved himself and we had a good chit chat. Things seemed to go pretty well (it wasn't an obvious disaster) and he asked me if we wanted to hang out this weekend. Sure, why not? So Thursday I sent him a text message to say hi (side note: text messaging has totally revolutionized if not DESTROYED the art of dating) and he said that he was at work until 9 but could he call me later? Sure, why not? Well...no phone call. I wasn't surprised by this. Anything that boys do doesn't seem to surprise me anymore these days. Friday comes and passes and I go to bed. At 3am he calls. I reject that phone call because no one calls at 3am unless it's an emergency (and we totally were not at that level yet) which means that it only meant one thing: booty call. Not interested buddy. I send him a text later saying "so you're going to be that guy that only texts me at 3am?" to which he replied "only on special days" to which I couldn't even fathom a response and left it at that. Needless to say, I deleted him from myspace (not like he would recognize that one of his 500 friends that were ALL girls) was missing. However, I'm not totally giving up on match.com yet. I still have a couple of more weeks to see what is out there and I've already made a couple of connections. Next step is to meet them in person and go from there. Stay tuned for my next date!

EHarmony...those commercials have been haunting me for awhile now out here in Vegas. I've tried the match.com thing a couple of times, unsucessfully of course. Oh the horror stories. Here's the cliff note from the one date I went on about a year ago from a "match": I really wanted to go see the Bodies Exhibit at the Tropicana so we went and that apparently got this guy in the mood because he wanted to try and makeout with me right then and there...not exactly my idea of romantic. So here I am again being encouraged to try Match.com again or EHarmony. I figured I would give EHarmony a chance since Match didn't work out so well for me last time. After answering the ridiculous questionnaire and receiving a "report" detailing what people could potentially like and dislike about me (f-that yo!), I was able to see my potential matches. However, what they fail to tell you is that you don't get to see their pictures unless you PAY for the service! I'm sorry if this sounds messed up but if I am not physically attracted to a person, then I most likely don't want to try and start a communication with them online. What if I paid for the subscription and saw the pictures and wasn't attracted to ANYBODY!? What a waste of money that would be, right? This directly lead me back to match where I re-vamped my profile and pictures and released it to the wild for free just to see what was out there. There was one that contacted me and I was interested (and he had a picture that I could SEE thank goodness!) and now here I am....$30.00 and I'm subscribed for a month. I'm sure there will be plenty of more interesting horror date stories to come because I plan on speed dating for a month to get my money's worth!

I was dreading going into the chocolate shop today. I had a great day at the pajama job earlier but was becoming pissier by the moment thinking about stupid boys and how slow it was going to be tonight since there is a double-header for Monday night football. However, my attitude slightly changed after a shot of espresso and 2 notes: 1 stating that I sold the most "units" for the holiday weekend and that I got a $20 gift card to Starbucks and that I also met individual goal 9 times for the month of August (which was more than anyone else) and in return I get a $50 gas card! Score! That totally makes up for getting my shifts cut last week due to lack of store sales....kind of.

My 25th Birthday was quite eventful. I figured that since it was a monumental day that I should go do something special. I decided that I wanted to go see the Grand Canyon since I had never been (isn't that something you are supposed to do younger on a vacation with the fam?!) My best friend Melinda and I went the tourist route and took a charter bus to the West Rim. The trip there was a little nauseating due to the 7 miles of unpaved road and a not so personable driver. We finally made it (alive) and went to the first stop: The Skywalk. Heck no we weren't paying extra money to stand on a clear deck that was 4,000 feet above the canyon! We had a great view standing on the solid ground. Next, we went to the stop that had even more gorgeous views. This is where the day takes a turn for the worse. I made the genius decision to eat macaroni salad. Now folks, I don't know if you know this or not, but it was fairly warm that day and mayo isn't meant to be sitting in the heat. Needless to say my stomach started punching me from the inside. We went to the last stop which was the ranch and went horseback riding to the edge of the canyon and back. Absolutely phenomenal. We got back to the tour bus at the time specified (and threatened to be left behind if not on time) only to be delayed in departure 1 hour due to some silly tourists that weren't back yet. We left them after an hour. Too bad suckers. We made it back to the car and had just enough time to shower and get ready for dinner at AJ's Steakhouse at the Hard Rock. I decided that some champagne would help my stomach and downed a glass. About halfway through dinner I wasn't feeling so great and made a couple of trips to the bathroom and had my food put in to-go boxes. I thought I could push through the sick and still enjoy the rest of my birthday. We went to Wasted Space and I tried to have a good time but was encouraged to go home and take it easy. Good call by my friends because I spent the rest of the night wishing I was never born. I was out of commission all the next day too. I would never wish food poisoning upon my worst enemies (that's if I had enemies!) So ultimately, I will have a part II celebration sometime soon and I definitely will never forget my quarter of a century birthday!

I went to LA for a couple of days for some shenanigans. Every summer there is an art festival in Laguna called the Sawdust Festival where artists of various mediums sell their work. One of my favorites is a jewelry maker named Slowsky that makes glass items. I have a couple of necklaces and a pair of earrings from her and every time I wear them I get major compliments. My aunt bought me another necklace for my birthday to add to my collection. Also, while I was at home, I went to a costume beach volleyball tournament called The Gillis. My friends dressed up as the characters from The Sound of Music...hilarious! (see pics below) My best friend since Kindergarden is in town for two weeks so we've been doing various activites every night as well. We went to the Area 51s baseball game the other night and had a blast. Oh and last but not least, here is a pic of my pup Hank (happy now Ric?!)

I went to the chiropractor today for a visit and was slightly annoyed when he was running behind and had to wait. There was this little boy in the waiting room...maybe 5 years old or so...and he was playing with some transformers toys. Instantly he gravitated toward me whether it was because he was bored or he thought that I was going to take his toys. Well we get into a whole conversation about transformers, power rangers, the hulk, etc. Then the strangest thing happened...he asked me out. HA! He asked me if I would come over to his house and watch Transformers with him. Pretty freakin cute. I had to politely decline and say that we had only just met and that it was too soon. My humor was lost on him but the rest of the people in the waiting room chuckled. Needless to say that put a smile on my face and I hope it put one on yours too :)

If anybody has ever been a victim of identity theft, I feel your pain. I first found out that someone had used my social security number in March to file a tax return. As a result, my refund was put on hold until they could figure out for the real slim shady to please stand up. They told me that I should be receiving a letter in the mail to confirm my identity in 4-6 weeks. Well that time came and went and I called again. They said to wait another 4-6 weeks. To make a long and dull story short, it is now 5 months later and I still have not heard from the IRS. I have contacted them multiple times and have only been told to wait and that they were working on it. And this supposed economic stimulus check we all were supposed to receive has also been put on hold due to the fact that my refund hasn't been processed....double whammy. Now the same people are attempting to open up credit cards with my information but luckily I have fraud alerts on my credit file. I had to file police reports and make so many phone calls. It is truly exhausting. I'm hoping I will have a resolution AND my refund by the end of the year. If anyone has any tips or words of encouragement I would greatly appreciate it!

At work tonight I had a lady rush in and ask me if anyone has ever told me that I have a green aura. I replied not that I could remember. I also happened to be wearing a green shirt. Anyway, she said that I had a veerrrry green aura which meant that I had a lot of energy and that I was a positive person. True story. Then she proceeded to tell me that I had a lot of stress in my life. Also a true story. Had I lost someone recently? Yes, my grandpa and my uncle. I was closest to my grandpa and he was my guardian angel she told me. Next...I had a wall that I put up that I keep letting get in the way of where I'm supposed to be and that I need to break it down. Also, she told me that I need to go ahead and move to like I wanted to. Then she told me to go back to LA and I hadn't even told her that was where I was originally from. It could've been a lucky guess, who knows. Next she told me that I was re-connecting with a boy from my past which I didn't think was true but now reflecting back on it I did try and contact this guy that I use to live with and haven't talked to in a year or so. Then she said that I haven't met my soul mate yet but that I would meet him in September or November and that he would be tall, green eyes, and have black hair with an olive complextion. Sweet. She also said that I would be financially stable later in life and that two big contracts would be coming up for me to sign (possibly for my bakery!?) and to read them over really well first. Good advice because I never read that shit lol. Also, she saw a career for me designing things. I said that I wasn't a designer...but maybe she meant that as designing my cakery?! Ultimately, I had some energy that needed to be permanantly cleansed and I said that a long time ago I had been to a holistic healer and had that done and she said that they must've done a bad job because it only worked for a couple of months and that I should come see her. Part of me wants to believe her and the other part of me is skeptical...which she totally called me out on. She said that this was a bad year for me and that things would get better next year...I certainly hope that she is correct about that part! And maybe the whole soul mate thing too :) I am writing this in my blog because in September or November if I meet my soul mate then I might just actually go visit this lady again and see what else she has to say!

I feel the need to tell everyone about this fantastic deal I got the other day. I got a Bed Bath & Beyond mailer the other day and was flipping through it when I noticed there was an 11" Chef Pan on sale. It was normally $19.99 and it had a mail in rebate for $10.00. However, there was a coupon on the mailer for $5.00 off of a purchase of $15.00 or more. Let's do the math: $20-$5 coupon- $10 mail in rebate= $5 kick ass pan! I'm stoked! And it is a pretty durable pan. So everyone run to your nearest junk mail stack and pull out that ad and get that pan!

Recently a good friend of mine asked me when I started listening to country music. I was always the girl that listened to all different types of music but not really country. I told her that I thought it really started about 2 years ago when I moved to Vegas. She thought that was kind of random since Vegas isn't really known for country music but there were definitely other influences other than the city. One of my co-workers listened to country a lot while we were at work and I also found a great website called pandora.com that let me enter in artists that I liked and then they would play artists that had similar music. This is where I first heard of Taylor Swift (waaaaay before she became mega-popular) and went out and bought her cd. Fell in love with it. From there my interest grew. I wouldn't necessarily change the radio station away from the country station and actually listen to the words. They weren't as cliche as I felt they use to be in the past. Perhaps I am getting older and wiser and have more experience and can relate to these songs more. So as I stand here and type at work in my cowboy boots and cowgirl jean skirt I'd like to encourage everyone to try listening to music even if they "like everything BUT country"....you might be surprised that you actually like it :)

Sometimes I wonder. Well I tend to wonder about a lot of things. While I'm waiting for the last half hour of my shift to end, I began to think "how much longer can I go at this pace?" Kind of an odd question but here is the background story. For about a year now, I've been working two jobs which means working 16 hour days sometimes. It is only destiny that I start to burn myself out and feel exhausted all the time. I'm not eating as well as I should and I LIVE for sugar highs. I guess that is kind of the industry that I am in and surrounded by but that doesn't mean there aren't alternatives. Ric is introducing me to some supplements and protein ideas to incorporate into my lifestyle. I don't want to work 2 jobs for the rest of my life. It just happens to be a vicious cycle that I am in right now. Did you know that Las Vegas is the number 1 city in the nation for credit card debt? For some odd reason I wasn't surprised when I heard that statistic and you probably aren't that surprised by it either (whoever you may be my one reader!) Do I blame this on the fact that in school they never really taught us how to manage our money? or is this something that your parents teach you? My parents did their best to teach me but I guess ultimately it comes down to being an adult and making your own decisions that lead you to your current situation. Here is where I come full circle: I'm getting ready to turn 25 and I want to make some changes in my life. I don't want to be in credit card debt so that I don't have to work 2 jobs. I need to start being more financially responsible. I'm taking baby steps by not going out for drinks as often (not that my work schedule really allows for socializing anymore these days!) and I've been trying not to buy myself things because I feel that I "deserve" them because I've been working hard...that's what got me into this mess in the first place! Anyways, thanks for reading the financial rant. If you have any suggestions, comments, concerns, donations, etc. please feel free to respond! Much love.

I'm back! Thanks to some inspiration from my friend Ric I have decided to start blogging again :) You lucky readers you! So here is the update since my last blog: I moved out of my apartment and bought a condo. I went through a couple of more jobs and currently work for a company that sells footie pajamas for adults (like the ones you wore as a kid!) and I work in a chocolate shop. I also bought a beagle puppy that I love to death. So pretty much there is the update that you need to know. I still am living in Vegas and have many more adventures since my last post. I promise to blog more often and post scandalous pictures :)