Glutton For Punishment vs. Workaholic

Neither title sounds very complimentary, but I've decided that one or the other of them probably applies to me. I have a full time job that I really enjoy. It comes with a regular daytime, no weekends or evenings schedule, it's challenging and I have great guys to work with. But you know, there's always that drive to make a little more $$ and hopefully afford a house, a trip to Europe, and a trip to Hawaii this year. So, enter the Second Job. I am a pro at this lifestyle. For the space of about 5 years I was dually employed (yes, I'll admit that it's hard for me to sit still for any length of time). For part of those years I was still only working about 40 hours a week and the other part of that time I was working an insane 55-65 hours a week. This time around I decided that I would like to work in a retail pharmacy so that I could experience that side of the business. I also decided that I could only handle an additional 12 hours a week. So far the new boss has had a bit of a problem understanding the 12 hour limit, but I think we're finally talking the same language. And a nice thing about the whole deal is that I really like the job. I had missed working with the public (although I didn't realize it until I was behind a cash register again). So far a lot of what I do is count pills, unpack shipments, and a little customer service. I think the worst part is going to be learning all the in's and out's of insurance. Yuck.
We'll see how it goes!

It's Official!

Training for the Indy Mini has officially begun! I went to an informative (and totally scary) meeting last week. I got a training manual that is no less than 70 pages long and a huge case of the nerves. So I dutifully wrote my miles in my calendar and started yesterday. My friend Autumn is doing the program with me and she is not a runner at all. But I am proud to say that she made it through her first mile yesterday - in spite of the cold, rain, and drunk/maybe just nutso college guys hanging out at the track - she hung in there for 4 miserable laps! Kudos to you, Autumn!
Today I struck out alone. All I needed to do was one mile (they are definitely starting us out slow and easy). I dressed appropriately - or so I thought. I usually walk about 1/3 of a mile to a pleasant road here in town where I have my mileage all looped out. I completed my walk there without incident and began to run. That's when the problems started. Evidently this new pair of pants that I want to use for running are much more suited to lounging/pajama-ing. Let's just say that I could feel some major slippage on the Back 40 and ran the entire mile with one hand or the other clutching my waistband. Thank goodness this was just an on-my-own run and not one of the group training sessions. Yikes! Note to self - run in place for 5 minutes before leaving the house in new running attire!

You're Rich!

My little niece Madi has this new saying, "You're rich!". She gives you the little thumbs up sign and belts it out. I think she means, "You're cool!" or maybe even a different version of, "I love you!" but I'm not sure. All I know is that she's cute when she says it and it always makes me laugh. At first my reaction was, "Child if you only knew... I am so not rich!" Since she said it to me just this evening I've been mulling it over a little bit and I've come to a new conclusion. I am rich. Perhaps not financially, but what right have I got to complain? My Lord always supplies my needs. And He has been more than gracious with me. I am often surrounded by family and precious friends. I have the treasure of salvation and the hope of heaven. I have a warm home and a car to drive (car = independence; independence = joy!). I belong to a loving and caring church family and I have many opportunities to serve. Blessings and answered prayers abound.

I haven't really made any New Year's resolutions this year, but I have decided one thing - I'm going to keep concentrating on a particular lesson the Lord had been teaching me in 2006 (even before Madi said it), I'm rich! If I focus on the great amount of good and wonderful things that the Lord has done for me and provided for me, I don't have time for all the worry and care that tends to bend my shoulders. I have nothing to complain about and oh so much to be thankful for.

God is good all the time; all the time, God is good.

The Greenville Wedding

It was definitely worth the drive, but oh what a drive! Missy was beautiful, her dress was beautiful, and it was so fun being with her family and the Greenville friends. I even got to see some friends from college - Mike & Julie. That was a bit of surprise since I hadn't seen them since graduation. It's wonderful to see how the Lord puts people to together who know people who know each other, etc. I guess that means that it is a small world! It was also encouraging to hear how the Lord had been sustaining them and leading them. Good stuff!

Headin' South

Yay! Tomorrow morning bright and early I'm hopping in my little Corolla Sport, picking up a friend and we're headed south on a whirlwind trip to Greenville (my favorite little get away spot). It's my favorite little get away spot mostly because of my fabulous friend Missy who lives there. She's getting married on Thursday and then moving to Vienna. So, I'm guessing that instead of a trip to Greenville for the Greek Fest in May, I'll be waiting a little later into the year and boarding a flight to Austria instead. Thank God for friends who live all over...it keeps me from going stir crazy here at home. The past two years I have maintained the travel goal of being out of town for at least one whole day every month. It puts lots of miles on my car, but it keeps me content. I think that next year I will revise my goal a bit and maybe just take two really big trips. I need to go to Vienna and I would also like to make a trip back out to Hawaii to visit Cody. Too bad I don't work for an airline. But my company is fabulous about time off. Next year I get 26 days paid time off plus 7 holidays. Yahoo! I love my job!
Side note - I bought a digital camera today so just maybe I will be able to post some pics on here from the wedding!

Taking the Plunge!

Even though today I feel so weak that I couldn't walk around the block (due to my flu diet of hot tea, pretzels, and Diet Sprite) I am mailing in my application for a training program. This is not just any little program, no way. This is to train for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. I ran in it with my sister in 2004 and we just did our training as best we could based on internet research. This time my sis can't do it along with me but another friend has stepped up. There is a running club here in town with an excellent training program so we decided to write the $120 check (I know - gulp!) and we're hoping it will be worth it. I've been running almost since I graduated from college although I'm not tremendously faithful all the time. My brave friend that is doing the program with me has never been a runner. I'm thinking it could be interesting and definitely fun. I'll have to let you know how the race goes on May 5th. It's 13.1 miles of interesting curb-side entertainment (anything from bag pipe bands to garage bands), a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and too many gatorade stops. It's the largest half marathon in the nation with 35,000 atheletes and the race kicks off the 500 Festival which culminates in the famous Indianpolis 500. Good stuff!

Nuclear Pharmacy

I'm getting a little extra quality time at home due to a vicious case of the flu (of which I will spare you the details) so I thought I would post a little explanation of nuclear pharmacy. I was looking for a job four years ago when I found an classified ad for medical delivery persons. I thought that it probably had to do with home oxygen service and I thought that was surely something that I could do so I jotted down the address and went to apply. Wouldn't you know it, I couldn't find the place, which was very frustrating because I have lived here my whole life. I discussed it with my dad that evening and he gave me directions and I decided that if I had time the next day I would still go and apply. Long story short, I went in, applied, interviewed and was offered a job as an office administrator at a nuclear pharmacy. Nuclear pharmacy? What in the world is that?
Nuclear pharmacies dispense radioactive pharmaceuticals to hospitals and clinics mostly for diagnostic imaging tests. We are a small lab and dispense anywhere from 125-175 doses per day. We service about an 80 mile radius and have a staff of 6 drivers, 2 pharmacists, and me - a pharmacy technician/office administrator. I love my job because I get to operate within almost every facet of our business. I can milk the generators (get the radioactive material out so that we can work with it), I can compound the drugs, draw doses (almost everything we dispense is in a syringe), perform quality control tests, pack up cases, tear down cases, and make deliveries. I can also help maintain the pharmacy's radiation safety paperwork (in case of an audit by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) and I run the office. The office stuff consists of billing our customers, turning in payroll, managing our fleet, accounts payable, and anything else my boss dreams up. Some days are really super busy but most of the time I get a change to sit down with my boys (I'm the only girl on staff) and have a cup of coffee and shoot the breeze. It is definitely not a high stress environment and I am so thankful for that. When I first started working there I thought the coolest thing about the job was that we got to wear lab coats and drive company cars. Now that I've been with the company for four years (next week) I realize that it is so much more than that. I'm truly blessed to have this job and I'm so grateful that I serve a God who is active in placing me where I can best be used. He has helped me develop the skills I need to perform the job and He has been faithful to give me opportunites to minister to the guys I work with. Answered prayers all around!