Do you work with the public? Well suck it up and smile!!!

I've held my fair share of jobs where I had to deal with the public on a semi-personal level for most of the day.  And I get it.  Sometimes it's ROUGH.  You're dealing with all walks of life and you can be pretty damned sure someone is going to be rude to you or rub you the wrong way.  I'm a semi-expert on this because I've worked at:
Macys = dealing with 'The Mall' public.. where some lady at the register turned to me and told me to stop smiling at her, and where I also experienced human fecal mater thrown atop a mirror in the dressing room.
Mens Formal Wear Promoter at bridal shows = I tried to rope brides-to-be and their mothers and friends into booking our formal wear store for their wedding.  Can you say, bridezillas??
Receptionist at recreational Gymnastics = When the parents wanted to complain, many times they complained to me.  I also had to sit behind a desk and listen to various "momversations" in the lobby.
Coach at recreational Gymnastics = When a parent was complaining, they were complaining about me.  Of course not all the time but trust me that it's never the lack of talent or drive in a child, it's always the coaches fault.
Starbucks Barista = coffee people.  you can only imagine what the masses are like when they need their coffee and something went wrong with their drink or their order.  I also got yelled at by a lady for serving her daughter caffeine... when her daughter came in and ordered a drink.  "Shes only a child!!!" the mother screamed at me about her 12 year old slurping on a Frappuccino.  There was also a lady who pooped all over our womens bathroom then came to the counter to tell us that she "vomited... I think I'm pregnant!"...she had to be 65.

So yea, I know.  As experience dictates, the public can be crazy, disheartening, gross, and rude. (And it will inevitably involve poop in some way.) I'm doing what I do now because I DON'T have to work with the public in that sort of way.  But let me tell you a little secret that helped me in the behind-a-counter world as well as the world of kids with special needs.  YOU WILL ALWAYS CATCH MORE FLIES WITH HONEY THAN WITH VINEGAR!!

Now don't get me wrong.  Sometimes some sass on my part was definitely effective and necessary.  But that's after my "I'm-being-an-oh-so-polite-girl smile" was wiped away by some asshole.  And yes, oftentimes it was hard to keep that smile and kind demeanor, like when a starbucks customer we called "the princess" would call in her drink order twice a day and come in and pick them up straight from the bar because she "didn't do lines." 

What I'm trying to say here is that I feel like I've payed my dues to the world of serving the public in that sort of atmosphere, I faced some adversity and nastiness but I was able to suck it up and smile because for every crotchety customer I had there were ten in line behind them that were perfectly pleasant, and some even startled at being treated so kindly.  So I ask you, public, why is it so hard for so many people standing behind counters, "serving" the public to have even a hint of courtesy??

I was helped by a lady at the post office yesterday who was so rude to me I left the place in a sea of fury and curse words.  (I came back today and a new lady helped me who was more than kind and got the job done the first lady should have been able to do easily, and without the snark.)  Then later that evening at Walgreens, I payed for my items with a lady at the check stand who couldn't smile or look me in the face.  I had to come back a few minutes later to return a hair dye kit I purchased that was missing a few tools.  When I grabbed a new set I discovered ANOTHER box that was missing things, so I brought that one up to her at the counter as well so someone else wouldn't buy it.  I didn't get a smile, a nod, a "thank you", or an "I'm sorry about that" for my troubles.  And after having two negative experiences like that in one day..I was pissed!

So, while I could say this in a snarky, asshole way, I'm instead going to make an example out of my polite proclamation:

If you work with the public, and you're frustrated with the people around you.  Try a smile and or a pleasantry, and the public will give back.  We're all people, none of us want to be treated badly, on either side of the register/counter/exchange/conversation.  So please, suck it up and smile.  And remember: Everybody poops.

Here's the story

of a lovely lady.  (Me)  and a man named Brady ( my boyfriend, who is indeed not named Brady)
He has a fledgling podcast and I have this blog.  Him and his best friend talk about baseball, life in the kitchens of shady restaurants, people of different races, conspiracy theories, ways to order a Rum and Coke, etc. I talk about... stuffandthings.

Neither of us have any fans, but we both want them.  Basically what this means is that my blog needs to be successful (i.e. more successful than his podcast *cough*) But I'm never going to get there if I don't start seriously blogging and schmoozing other bloggers to follow me.. so if you're a fellow blogger and have been directed here because you feel I've schmoozed you..well..I'm sorry.  But try to trust in the fact that random shit (do I curse on my blog?  I'm not sure yet...) happens to me and I have opinions about stuff and things... vague?  I know.  I need to get my shit stuff together on this one, I get it.

And so I leave you with this: have faith in me blogosphere.  I'm trying to find the hootspa to do this thang.

I'm a girl for a bargain.  Always. I firmly believe in entering a department store and beelining to the clearance rack.  If I can't find what I need there then maybe I'll mosey through the rest of the store.  $20 for a top?  Hell-to-the-no! And this is when I actually coax myself into the department store, usually it's all about Target, Forever21, Pennys, Kohls, Love Culture... you get my drift.  The inexpensive stores.  (Notice I use the word "inexpensive" instead of "cheap" because it makes it sound like there's so much more quality goin on.)  For some reason I just can't part with my hard-earned dough on regular-priced items for myself.  Is this a good thing?  Yea, I'd say most of the time it is.  There's nothing like taking an EXTRA percentage off of something ALREADY marked down to get my juices flowin! 

But here's what I tend to end up with...

A bunch of tops that were really inexpensive.  Yay!
That I'm maybe only 75-80% into.  Boo.
But it's okay because I'm able to purchase more items to fill my closet for more variety!  YAY!
AAAND half of these new tops shrink, stretch, or rip after the first few washes because they're just really frikin cheaply made.  Yes, CHEAP.  Not inexpensive.  CHEAP!  BOO!

And many times I end up with ultimate clothing sadness.  So learn from my mistakes loyal blog readers (that of which I have none.  Don't think I don't know that!!!) 
Be picky about your bargains!   Follow these guidelines:

1.  Mark downs in high end stores= amazing, exciting, happy, hooray!! 
2. Mark downs in stores where clothing is already very cheap and oftentimes poorly made= boo, hiss, stay away!! Go ahead and peruse those racks but be CAUTIOUS holmes!
3.  I'm just gonna go ahead and give the kibosh to clothing at regular price that is ALREADY dirt cheap.. (like those $3 tee shirts you find at Forever21 and think, "oh wow what a great classic black top.. it can be a staple in my wardrobe I can wear it with everything!"-- uh yea for a month Amanda.  You can wear it with everything for a month until it no longer assumes the shape of a shirt anymore.

Hope this helps!
Love, Miss I-have-10-semi-nice-tops-and-25-tops-that-are-now-only-appropriate-for-couch-wear.

School 4 Life!!!

Alright, so I've resigned myself.  I always knew that school would be a major part of my life since I've wanted to be a teacher since I can remember, but after looking over some things today, well it seems as though this educational hole I've dug for myself is about to get a little bit deeper.

I always thought that I would be in and out of college in four years, no problem. I even remember sitting in an orientation for Humboldt University (wanted to go.  Glad I didn't.) where there was a student talking about how he was in his fifth year and I remember scoffing at the thought and thinking how he's probably just some lazy cheeto-fingered stoner. WRONG!!  It's me!!  I'm the cheeto-fingered stoner!! (sort of, not really.) But it's my fifth year and I'm nowhere close to done. This isn't for my lack of trying, but rather because of the chaos the university system is in right now.  I'm currently an Engish major, one of hundreds at my university.  Most of the upper division courses I need have one measly section offered that holds 40 seats max, not to mention they're mosty morning classes.  These classes are usually a no-go for me because 1) I work regular hours like many many other adults! and 2) The chances of me getting into these coveted classes is nill because of the limited availability of seats.  And forget waitlists, these days many professors are told by their department NOT to accept any waitlisted students, that they can't afford it. 

Excuse me, wait.  They can't afford it??  What about my peers and me who are paying thousands to be a full-time student and can only snag a few classes? 

I'm not going to get into the money aspect of this..thats reserved for a later post.  *Spoiler alert*  Federal student loans are BULLSHIT!! After a year of fighting for my student loan in a process that I'm still losing sleep over, I'm relatively sure I'll do whatever I can to NOT have to deal with this everrrrrrrrrr again.

Alright, stepping off my political soapbox here.  Basically here is what's happening.  I'm absolutely off my rocker and am making a decision that I'll probaby kick myself for during the next few years.  The people around me will probably kick me too, they have permission, because they'll have to suffer just being around me.  Yea, there will be suffering.  But *hopefully* in the long run this will be the best decision I could have made.

Remember how I said I thought I'd be out of college in 4 years?  Well that also means I never thought I'd be switching my major during my FIFTH year.  yep.  Former English major, meet new Liberal Studies major with a concentration in Exceptional Children and Youth...with a possible additional concentration in English.

Crazy?  Yea, I know.

Flying Around With the Seat of My Pants Cut Off

That's a quote from me that I said earlier this week.  After I said it I realized that I had combined the phrases "flying by the seat of my pants" and "running around like a chicken with its head cut off."  Yep.  That means I've been busy enough to not even have time to untangle cliches about being so crazybusy!! BUT it just so happens that the confusion of two cliches about crazybusymadnessinduction completely works to summarize just whats been going on over here... so I rolled with it.

I spent the beginning of my week completely stressed about assignments and work and student loans and working out and what I was going to pack for lunch the next day and when I would do my laundry and whether it was going to rain and "oh please car I know you're way past empty but please please make it to the bank so I can get there and back before my lunch break is over!  I'll be your best friend!" and how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop... and then!  Tuesday morning I played indoor hockey with the kids at work. 

For 90 minutes.  It was complete fun madness and it took me away from all of these stresses for our ungodly long PE session that sunny Tuesday morning. I love times like this where I get to bond with these kids. Times that make me so thankful for my job and my future and remind me not to sweat the small stuff.  After it was over I wiped my face down with some baby wipes, shrugged off the fact that my makeup was ruined from this point, and was ready to let the adreneline push me through the rest of my day. But what I didn't realize was how much of a workout I was getting while simultaneously trying not to accidently smack a kid in the shins with my plastic hockey stick, and using it as a shield from my Troublemaker kid who gets a kick out of holding his in the air over his head and wacking it on the ground as hard as possible....

Until the next morning.  Boy was Miss Amanda sore.  For 3 days.  I'm talking sore all over too.  Back, legs, arms, HANDS.   So I spent the rest of my week like that pantsless flying chicken, who this time had aged approximately 40 years.  No big.

I got through my week and was thankful for the hockey sesh.  I had a pretty darn good weekend too. :) 

So I've been hovering over the 'New Post' button for like a month now with a few vague post ideas and even more of what I've coined 'what-the-hell-am-I-going-to-write-on-this-thing-itis'.  I've been reading so many awesome blogs out there that my little baby blog aspires to be!!..but I haven't been writing.  I think maybe (maybe??) this is because I haven't given myself much of a starting point.  Most of the blogs I love give me some sort of chapter-Esq info on the author... they've established a background..and in each post they can write about things in their life that I, the reader, am familiar with.  So maybe that's where I'm stuck.  Nothing to roll off of.  You smell what I'm steppin in?  Good.  Now here's my attempt at executing said starting point...

My name is Amanda.  I was born and raised in central California where I currently reside, and my day-to-day frenzy is something I hope to never take for granted.  By frenzy, I mean I'm busy.  In a rather major way.  And I'm always somehow wanting to take on more.  (Like this blog perchance?)

I'm a college student at a local University.  Can't wait to be a certified teacher in the next few years!!  I work at a middle school in a Special Handicap class.  If I could just come home and write about everything that happens there I'm certain I would not only have a massive fan base but I will have endeared the hearts of many to the amazing kids I work with.  Unfortunately I just can't do this because names and details would make things rather sticky...  All you need to know is that I love those kids, and the occasional feeling of ohmygodIamgoingtopullmyhairoutrightnowthissecond!! is worth it x10000009 for what I get out of those kids.

I've always wanted to be a part of a big family but my small tight-knit family is more love and entertainment than I sometimes know what to deal with.  One of my best friends ever is my brother Nick.  Nick has Down Syndrome.  I only mention this because it's what led me to my passion at work, and probably my passion for teaching in general.  I never think of Nick as 'different',  he's my brother and he was made the only way I know him.  In fact most nights I think of him as "the crazy guy in the next room banging on his drums and singing Johnny Cash at 11pm...WHY IS HE STILL DRUMMING AT 11PM!?"   And I friggin  love him. 

I also friggin love my boyfriend.  He shares my love of reality television, making up a song for every situation, and laughter at inappropriate situations. 

Phew!! I think that'll just have to do for now.. now grow baby blog, grow!

MMMMMMMM!!!

My food weakness?  SUGAR!  Sometimes it's a problem.  For real.  If I could I would top off every meal with a dessert, and shamefully at times I have.  But Shakira was right when she said your "hips don't lie" and I was hit in the face with the reality that along with running, I needed to start dieting too. *shudder*

So far it's been pretty simple... except for the lack of sugar intake that was making me grumpy and just plain ole sad.  I began to think that there had to be a way for me to make something light that wouldn't ruin my diet but would also satisfy that sweet craving. (And also because I like to pretend I'm the cake boss.)  So, I took a recipe from my AMAZING Taste of Home: Cookies cookbook and lightened it up a bit!  I was a little bit nervous while making them but they turned out GOOD!!  So I thought I would share!!

Oh and for Weight Watchers people I calculated these to be worth 1 point each!!  Your WELCOME!

Amanda's Light Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup Sugar
1 large banana, mashed.
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup applesauce
2 egg whites
1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips

I use my Kitchen Aid mixer to blend everything together in no particular order.  As a rule of thumb I always throw the eggs in there first so I'm sure not to get any shells.  Then I spooned it by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets and baked for 7-8 minutes at 350. 

I realized quick that you have to watch these because while they may not look all the way done THEY ARE! And they seemed to stick to the pan (even though it was greased) if I left them in for any longer than what cooked them through. 

The consistency is like a cookie/muffin hybrid.  Maybe I'll play with them some more to perfect them, but you weren't expecting Mrs. Fields, were you?  They were SO good warm and dunked in my morning coffee!  It was hard to only eat a few!  But I stuck to it! (Begrudgingly)