Tuesday, January 27, 2015

My life is like a Movie...kind of.

Not a cool A list movie that everyone wants to see in theaters, rent the second it comes out, own on DVD, and rewatch at every wine night. No, my life isn't that movie. It's only that most people probably don't even remember, but it has some big names in it, so I get a few points for that right?

My life is becoming more and more the We Bought a Zoo. House hunting, cute girl, multitude of animals, that's my life in a nutshell right now, except in reverse order. I have a multitude of animals, I'm cute, and I'm still house hunting.

I am currently the caretaker of 4 dogs and a cat.

Last week I adopted temporarily 2 young huskies! Go me! So my life got a lot busier and I might be short on sleep and between my 6 month old Catahoula, I might feel like I have 3 small children in constant need of my love and attention. And my 9 year old Chihuahua is just a bonus!

I might be drowning.

They are large, in charge, and not used to freedom. We're learning. Slowly but surely, they are seeing the joys of being off the leash and fortunately, living in the rural Oklahoma that I do, I am able to let them have that freedom, but much like the rebels and their tea party, these two have taken freedom and ran with it....across the street to the chicken coop.

There has been some blood, sweat, and lots of tear, but it's gotten easier the longer I have them. I love my crazy life, but I'm starting to think twice about some of the decisions I've made recently.

I left Wyoming and moved to Oklahoma with my own Prince Charming {best part, he has a Southern accent}, to live the pipeline life. I was going to be a killer sales woman and him the best welder he can be, but life doesn't always work out that way... As many of you have noticed gas prices are at an all time low, which means the oil businesses isn't giving out jobs like candy. So life just got a little complicated! Where we're headed to next is up in the air, but I'm currently stationary dog sitting those lovely beasts.

Confused yet? Me too. So I need to find a job or a hobby or something to do. Prince Charming needs to find his next welding job. These dogs need to learn the meaning of come. And I need to be doing more productive things than this...but hey, its a virtual diary, venting is helpful!

So I'm on the hunt! I'm looking for the perfect job in the perfect Oklahoma city! I'm training dogs, selling amazing products, and loving my life! If anyone needs me I'll be tangled up in extendo leashes with two 50 pound fur balls at the end. Wish me luck!


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Solo Airport Travel Tips

It's kind of an understatement for me to say that I love to travel! I know that I could never be declared the Queen of Travel and I haven't even made a dent in the ever growing Pinterest Bucket List that I'm currently obsessed with. But I have done a fair bit of travel in my short 21 years of life.

Although I hate to jump on the bandwagon of any trend, I tend to think I have a bit of a Gypsy Soul. I have been moving around since as long as I can remember.

I was born in California, but moved to Arizona before my 4th birthday, but I spent ever summer traveling back. I never lived in one house for long than 5 years and never went to the same school for longer than 4. I've never spent one full summer in Arizona and I live there. Every year of college I ran away to some far off mountain to fall in love with my life. And hey, I'm not complaining. But now that I'm finally done with school and my so called life is supposed to be established, I thought it was time to pick a place to stay. Thought being the key term there!!! Since graduation, I have traveled to 11 different states and haven't stayed in one city for longer than 3 weeks! So I have the travel bug, but lucky for you, I've picked up a few things along the way, including the best way to handle solo travel in an airport.

Solo Airport Travel Tips:

{1. Pack light.} If you are traveling far and need to pack a lot, then pack light with your carry-ons. Since you're traveling alone it's likely that you will have to cart your bags with you everywhere you go. I tend to pack one bag with wheels and one that I can strap on my back. When you're the only one, no one else can take your bag and carry it when it gets too heavy and rarely will you find someone to watch it when you want to go get a coffee or take a bathroom break. So packing effciently and lightly will help with the baggage carrying process

{2. Always be early.} To your gate, to check in on your flight, to get your boarding passes, to check luggage, etc. You are alone and people who travel with other people tend to think that solo travelers have no where to be on time. They will cut you off in line or expect you to move seats, etc. Also, if you are late, no one is going to hold the plane for you, or let you in line for that boarding group. There is no one to seat save or get you bag in the overhead compartment. Arriving early allows you to secure the best seat you can, get an earlier boarding group, and make sure you get on the plane on time.

{3. Make friends quickly.} Even if you have no interest in the 80 year old woman with the Nicolas Sparks book squeezed in the seat next to you, talk to her! Making friends with your fellow passengers and flight attendants will make your life easier. Make a general comment to no one when you get on the plane if you're feeling adventurous or just smile a little bigger when the flight attendant asks you what you want to drink. Having these allies will help when you're on a 6 hour flight and you have to go to the bathroom, but you're at a window seat and Grandma next to you is asleep. She won't mind you waking her up, because you're friends. And while you're back there you ask for a second soda and the flight attendant doesn't even roll her eyes because you were extra nice earlier. This helps a lot when you're next flight leaves without and you're stuck in the airport overnight with no friends...better start braiding those friendship bracelets ladies, you're gonna need them.

{4. Always ask.} I am an "asker" personally, but even more so when I travel. I would rather ask the nice airport worker where I can find the best coffee than wonder around the airport looking for the end of the Starbucks line. Ask and you shall receive. It's such a dying habit, everyone is scared that people will think they're silly or something, but instead of pulling out that phone when you need directions or help, ask! This is part of that 3. thing I was saying above!

{5. Pack snacks and entertainment} Unless you're taking one quick, non-stop flight, I suggest you pack snacks and entertainment. You won't always have someone to talk to, so I always make sure I bring a book! You may plan on a nap, but what if you end up in a middle seat!!! That would be the worst, napping seems very unlikely. So bring a book, put the phone down, and take a little time to get lost in a black and white world. Also, pack food! Something portable and easy to stick in a jacket pocket or something. We're all adults here and we know how to pack the perfect snack, but we don't always think about it when we travel. For me, most of the time flying is a full day process and I have short layovers, so I don't have time to wait in lines for food, so I bring my food with me! I always have it easily accessible, so that I can eat it on the plane, waiting to board or in the terminal, without having tons of trash or lots of prep.
 

I hope some of these tips help the next time to tackle the X-rays, gray buckets, and small spaces of the airports and planes! What did I miss? Any other solo airport travel tips?





Saturday, January 10, 2015

I'm Back Baby!

It's been way to long since I've opened up this computer and felt the urge to share my ever so interetesting life with you all. And like I said before, I'm not really sure why. But today, it's a new year and a new me and I'm back! This virtual diary is about to get a make over and some serious TLC!

So where have I been? Where haven't I been? I haven't spent more than 3 weeks in one city since October ONE! Talk about a Gypsy Life right? Well it's been amazing and fun, but also a little stressful and I still feel like I'm waiting for the ball to drop and find out that I'm off again on some tiny adventure.

So I left Wyoming and headed to Native America where I decided I want to live for like a while. I spent some time in Oklahoma before heading home to the Grand Canyon State to see the family I had left a long four months earlier. After a month with the fam bam, it was time for a change of pace and I headed back to Oklahoma to hang out with Prince Charming. Then a few short weeks later I was off to the city to learn how to be an intern for the National Reining Horse Association! I met some amazing people, saw some amazing horses, and had the best time. Then I packed up my life the day after that and headed back to Arizona to go to Florida to drive back to Arizona. Confused yet?

I went to see my sister graduate Navigation School in the world's greatest Air Force. Then myself, herself, her boyfriend, and their two dogs hoofed it back to Arizona....from Florida.

First stop San Antonio, second stop Muleshoe, then Clovis, then Arizona. 29 hours, 5 cites, 3 people, 2 huskies, 1 packed car. 

So my winter has been eventful! Oh and I got a new job!!! And I think if I keep working hard enough and I keep telling myself I can, maybe just maybe that will be my only job for a while. What do you all think? I'm loving it so far and with some help from a fellow blogger, I'm rockin it, if I don't say so myself!

Well, it's a new year and that means a new me! At the start of this week, I did just that! Decided to totally change my life! I feel in love with working out during the Spring of last year because it always meant an hour long bitch session with my favorite dorm mate and a chance to kind of push myself and eat whatever I wanted. Well I kept eating whatever I wanted and didn't keep working out....

So with the new year, I'm making working out a HUGE part of my life! I'm setting weight loss and work out goals, I'm getting back into yoga and making this year about loving the best version of myself. I know it's going to take FOREVER to get back to the shape I was in a few years ago, but that's what I have the rest of my life for.

Well, this was kind of a hodge podge post! But I just wanted to catch you all up on my life!!!


2014 was amazing and I feel like I should take a second to reflect on all the amazing things that happened in my life in that year that just happened.

1} I graduated college!
2} I moved in with Prince Charming with a southern accent 
3} I went on 4 cross country road trips 
4} I met an Australian
5} I got a new puppy!!!
6} I fell in love with my life 
7} I lived in one of the most beautiful places on Earth 
8} I learned what my real passions in life were
9}I BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR!!!
10} I learned how to rope

Some crazy amazing things happened over the last year and some really big firsts and I'm so excited for what this year will bring! I'm ready for it all and I hope that with a little work, some blog love, and consistency, this blog will become my virtual diary once again!




Monday, January 5, 2015

My Big Fat Blogging Fail!

So far this year, I've completely failed as a blogger. Really in the last few months I've totally, face first trip, down the stairs, hands full, books flying, the one day I decided to wear a dress with no spanks underneath, fall full of failure, failed! 

I haven't blogged in forever and I know I have no readers or followers to please so I don't actually feel bad about it, I'm just a little depressed at my lack of inspiration to type. Even now I'm texting this on my Blogger app! {What a handy little bastard!} But where is my motivation here people! Why have I not hit the key board and filled this blue background masterpiece {it's my blog, let me stretch the truth how I want!} with any print recently? 

The truth...I don't care any more! I don't feel like my life is exciting enough and I'm enough of a sell out to think that I have any useful tips or ideas! I don't have a cute child to show the world, I don't cook, I'm not a work outer by any means, I don't craft, I don't actually do anything! Omg I don't actually do anything. {That escalated quickly!} 

My life is boring and I'm not afraid to say it! My life lacks plans and structure and I'm so boring! Go me!!! So I'm sorry if anyone was hoping to get some epic post about my cross country road trips or my gypsy life, but right now, with my small key board and late approaching hour, I'm gonna share this slightly depressing post instead! So if you're out there and you're listening, SEND ME A SIGN! Because I'm pretty sure even my boyfriend has stopped reading. 

But if there is anybody out there and you care at all about me and my inability to write anything worth while, tell me! And maybe I'll start writing some solid material! Maybe I'll even talk New Years resolution goals and how to stick to them....eh that sounds awful!


Monday, December 22, 2014

Zac Brown Would Be Proud...

 
If there was a motto for life I think I would pick that one. Maybe "Netflix, yoga pants, and homemade ice cream!" But this one seems a little more motivating.

Lately I've realized my life...is a mess. But a beautiful one. The kind that makes you want the best out of everything, but everything is so much that you can get anything done. So it's a mess. 

And here I am with my messy life and my heart full of dreams. So I want a real house and I want to work on a farm again. So I miss hard work and having real friends and anything consistent, but I've also taken 4 cross country road trips, lived in 6 different cities, in 3 different states, over the last 3 months. Who else can say that?

I know everyone is obsessed with the saying "I've got a gypsy soul!" But there are very few who have jumped on that train that actually have gypsy souls. And I've given into mine 100%! Adventure is out there. It's just waiting for you to find it. 

I'm loving this life. I've gotten to snapchat "Greetings from..." about 6 different states in the last week. And I haven't seen the bottom of my suitcase since I left Paradise. This is the life I always wanted.

As the year whines down and everyone makes a list of what they're thankful for and what they'll change in the new year, I mark these last few months on the top of my list!

I always thought college would be filled with the best memories of my life, but that wasn't even kind of true. My best memories are from my summers in the mountains, my fall by the lake, and my weeks spent in the show world.

It's been a rough couple of months and I'm still hunting for the perfect job and I may never find it, but I decided to invest in myself and found something that's just as flexible as that gypsy life. And right now, that's the best I could ask for.

So I implore you all to step out of your comfort zones, find adventure in your own background, or give into your gypsy soul and fall in love with your life all over again! 


Thursday, December 11, 2014

***Insert Fireworks Here***

It's over!!! It's done!

And I have to say, I'm not nearly as exhausted as I expected to be, but I'm super glad for that. These past two weeks were amazing and I can't even begin to write about everything that's happened.

I met so many amazing people, I talked to virtually every professional NRHA professional trainer, made amazing friends, ate terrible food, feel in love with this industry all over again. How many people get to say that?

Not many! I'm sad that it's over! I hope that for once in my gypsy life, the people I met here will be people I see down the road very soon!

So I spent most of the week sitting in an uncomfortable stool and maybe I said the same thing about NRHA rewards over and over again and maybe I spent more time watching the live feed than I did the actual event! But maybe I also I had the best two weeks of my life!!! And I met amazing people and I hope there is an opportunity in there somewhere for me! I met so many different people from so many places in the world and that roommate I was telling you about...she's great! I finally have a place to stay in the land down under and that makes checking that item off my bucket list just a little easier!

Sorry I've been gone for so long! I've been trying to find inspiration to blog and get my life under control. I'm back home for the holidays and the next two weeks are going to be CRAZY. I have tons of ideas and will hopefully be putting them to words soon!!!


Monday, December 1, 2014

It's Reining?!?! Like...

I'm Cats and dogs or horses....

I was so unaware of what I signed up for when I agreed to this. I had no idea that after 3 days of showing I would know so much about reining. After a week, I would know so many people in the industry.

These past few days have been a whirlwind of smiles, handshakes, speeches, donations, and great hair. I am having a blast.

It's been a mess of crazy and the internet sucks and maybe I've kind of forgotten that I become a distributor and maybe I'm the worst sales person ever. And no one is buying what I'm selling, but hey, story of my life.

I'm learning and meeting and sitting and selling, and by the grace of God if people don't remember this hair flower, they must be blind. So it's still fun and I still love the show world, but this just makes me want to get on a horse and make something of myself.

Or maybe some part of me misses the horse life, the gypsy wrangler life, where riding was essential and never complicated. Where you could run and run until you had to stop because the views were busy taking the breath right from your chest. Maybe I miss those four legs underneath you, supporting your bad jokes and being there when the moments are silent. Maybe I miss the outdoors and the silence that horses have always brought.

Look, the show world, that's great and all, and these people are amazing. But horses to me have never made me money and I don't think they will any time soon. These horses just make me miss...paradise.