"i got crabs..."

"...at joe's crab shack."

ok, no i didn't really get crabs - duh.

it's my new job!

YAY!!

yesterday was only my second day of training, which is intense.

and i have a whole week of "crab class" - yes, it is really called "crab class".

i have to take a test after every classroom session, passing with a 90% or better, or i have to retake the test - from the handbook to basic concepts to the menu.

the difference with the menu...

it has to be known like i know the back of my hand.

i have a final test at the end of training over it and if i don't pass, i have to retake the menu portion of "crab class" over again.

god lord, i NEVER studied this hard in school - i even have notecards made.

other than that test...

i already like it:

it's a laid back and fun atmosphere.

my co-workers all seem nice.

and being that seafood is not cheap, tips are $$$$.

i will be full-time there, until i find a full-time job elsewhere and then i will be part-time there (i guess that is a BIG if i find a job).

my new journey is finally in full swing:

new apartment

new roommate

new job.

and i couldn't be happier - maybe i little less stressed (seriously if you want an idea of how stressed i am, quit your job for a month with zero income... while trying to find a new job with zero decent work experience... and heads up, BILLS DON'T STOP COMING just because the income stopped coming... yicks).

but still, couldn't be happier.

so if you are ever in des moines,

stop by joe's crab shack on south jordan creek parkway next to jordan creek mall, and request me as your server - unless you don't plan on tipping me well, then you can request someone else... please. ha.

mixed emotions

before i go into full details, 

i should start with some updates.

last weekend,

i was down in des moines to meet up with whitney (my potentially new roommate).

we sat down over supper at legends and got to know each other  a little.

i'm not so sure how much she would agree with me on this, but we have a lot in common.

after an hour of chit chat, we decided we are a good match for each other, and apartment searching would begin.

i know there is curiousity stirring about how dillon and i were planning on being roommates, so where did whitney come into this picture?

simply put,

we all thought this would be the better fit for me.

i'm one hundred percent sure this is what i want to do, and dillon is a little less sure.

so saturday morning,

we got together and drove all over des moines.

oh my gosh, how annoying is apartment searching. especially on a saturday when most leasing offices are only open until 4 or 5.

we viewed two that were definite possibilities, but the cons out weighed the pros at the end out the day.

on sunday,

we had a lot of time to process everything.

our requirements of our potential apartment were adjusted based on what we saw the previous day,

and more online searching began.

so by monday night i had a list and a route of five different places to view on tuesday morning.

it was narrowed down to three places - that worked out great because i got lost which stole an hour of my time - and after viewing them, it was narrowed down to two potentials.

i then had my interview at verizon wireless, which went well, and was on my way back to storm lake.

while i was working and packing all week.

whitney was viewing another apartment.

and this is where it all falls into place.

meadow ridge apartments

includes:

1100 square feet

*2 bedrooms

*1 3/4 bathrooms

wood burning fireplace

*water, sewer, and trash included in monthly rent

*cetral air and heat

*cable and internet bundled at a low rate

*pets allowed - even dogs.

(*met our requirements)

just exactly how excited am i?

freaking out excited.

but oh lordy,

the stress can go away any time now.

so our appointment to move in is on saturday at twelve o' clock.

luckily for us, 

weather is supposed to be nasty with approx four inches of snow - there is a lot of sarcasm in that.

but no really... yuck.

anyways, i'm picking up the u-haul today at ten o' clock this morning.

keifer is driving up when he is off work to help load everything up, and kalvin is going to help as well - thank you so much to the two of you (and possibly casey, shelby's boyfriend).

keifer will be staying the night and we will be taking off first thing in the morning. 

he doesn't know it yet,

but he is driving the u-haul that will be pulling my car and i'll be driving his car;p

once there and all checked in and paperwork is signed and paid for, 

erin and shane are lending a helping hand to help unload.

did i mention this apartment is on second floor? 

i'll say my prayers now for those at the bottom of the stairs while moving the tv stand...

hopefully, saturday and sunday i can get all unpacked and settled in.

monday, i am supposed to start my job at the maids,but i'm also to have a final interview with verizon sometime as well sometime next week. that is a cluster f...

but friday will be a nice relaxing getaway.

keifer and i have the luke bryan concert.

yay:)

well that is where i will leave off for now.

there will be pictures to come of the moving tomorrow i'm sure. 

so keep a look out!

have a good day for it is friday!!

plans as 2014 rolls in

a little "history" behind why i am still in good ol' storm lake:

spring of 2012, keifer and i were hoping to move to des moines so he could attend grad school starting that fall. 

we viewed a wide variety of apartments, making a number of trips to des moines on our weekends off, but he wasn't accepted due to the large number of applicants that year. so we got to stay in bv county, working minimum wage jobs, partying it up at malarkey's on weekends - whoop, whoop! 
(oh, and i can't leave out that we got to spend valuable time with my twin sisters and wonderful mommy!)

but no, really i am glad we got to stay. 

he got his car paid off. and we got our first place together that not only felt like our home, but it was cheap. so we got to save up some money... 

only so when march 2013 came along, keifer could get a job in des moines, leaving me in storm lake (little more to this part of the story, but we will just leave that part out - awkward and emotional). 

but good for him. he did just graduate from bvu with a degree in psychology, and was taking beatings and cleaning up shit (literally) at his job at the time - not really putting those thousands of dollars in loans to use.

but as the new year comes along...

...so do new plans.

and now that dillon has moved back to iowa (for good, we hope), those plans have been jump started into motion. 

something i have been wanting to do for almost two years now, but life throws those stupid curve balls, and well, those ideas, hopes, dreams, stay just that... ideas, hopes, dreams. 

so, thank you dillon for moving back - because now I AM MOVING TO DES MOINES... or so the plan goes!

i have been filling out job applications here and there for the past week now.

dillon and i have showed interest in a few rentals.

and well, i have already told everyone i am doing it, so i HAVE to (can't be looking like a liar or someone that fails to create their own path).

latest i want to be there is the first of march.

so hopefully my applications get looked at right away and i hear back from some places.

once i have a job set, i can really buckle down on finding dill and i a place to live - roomies:)

and for those of you wondering where school comes into play...

i suck.

i seriously just suck at the whole school thing.

that is, yet again, on hold until i can save up the money to pay for classes on my own - i no longer get any financial aid help (i have dropped too many classes).

i want to do it. so i am going to do it. i will just be going at it a lot slower than many others:/

once things start falling into place, you can count on hearing more from me - i'll keep you all posted.