Mad Dad - Kevin

So I think I'm growing up, like I guess we all are, and sometimes I see a part of me that I really don't like.

You know when you were growing up and your dad would get in "business mode", get all quiet and just get the job done. Yeah, Mad Dad. You'd ask him and he would say he's "Fine". Of course he would say it in such a way that implied something like, "I will kill you if you speak another word". Well, I become Mad Dad sometimes. I have been very stressed out lately trying to get a ton of documents together to buy the house. As most of you readers know, the house isn't technically ours. We pay the mortgage, but because of a special arrangement with the Settles, it hasn't actually been ours up to this point. We are trying to secure it and get it in our name, but there are tons of hoops to go through. I've bounced between about 4 different lenders, finally got the best one, and now we are just working through final approval for the loan. This is a bit hard because I don't have any credit history whatsoever. This is another area where youth group steered me wrong. Don't get a credit card, they said. Building credit can be done in looooots of other ways, they said. Get a car loan, they said. This is dumb. Now don't get me wrong, I hate credit cards, but pretty much because they cost lost of money. But if you think about it, if you get a car loan, you're borrowing a bigger amount, so even if your interest rate is less, you'll still probably end up paying more in the long run. I guess it's just the principle behind the credit card and the fact that 99% of people abuse the crap out of them.

Anyway, do you see what I mean? I'm becoming Mad Dad already. I feel bad, because I know it doesn't make me a pleasant person, but I'm just stressed out about stuff I guess. I do have some good news to report, though. I got a promotion and am now a Training Manager at work. Basically I train the phone staff. I don't get no mas dinero, but whatever. It's not so much about getting more money as it is moving up, getting off the phones for the most part and getting to do something I pretty much enjoy. I think I'm really going to like it. I also have to find a place to do practicum. I'm all done with my coursework and just need to do practicum and internship. Basically this means probably working weekends. That'll be kind of hard to do, but I'll make it work. I could also switch over and pick up another small master's degree if I wanted to, instead of having to work on practicum and internship. If my degree only had coursework, I'd be long done by now. But counseling has a lot more to it. If you have an MBA working for some company and you suck, you'll get fired and no big deal. If you are a counselor and you suck, you will mess someone's head up. There's a lot more that goes into it. Anyway, I am actually thinking about doing the MBA. It's free, it might end up coming in handy and... I guess kinda why not? I'm going to be at Liberty for at least another year. I committed to that with this new position. I'd like to have something to fall back on if counseling doesn't work out. Counselors make jack-crap when they first get out in the field (usually between 28-32k per year). I really want to go into private practice so I can make some decent money counseling, but that really happens after are in the field a while, establish a relationship with insurance companies, get experience (it takes a year of full-time work just to get licensed), and build clientele. I should have just gotten into computers. Gez.

I've also started going crazy because I'm aching to play music again. I want to play shows so bad it's not funny. I miss the feeling, I miss playing structured music with a band in general. It's just not the same to sit in your room and pluck at the strings for an hour. Not at all.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving. We will be in MI for over a week around Thanksgiving. No one is allowed to leave town, even to visit relatives. We are the only family you need.
We'll see friends
We'll see family
We'll get to eat wedding cake - (our cake place gives you a mini-cake on your first anniversary, but doesn't deliver it or mail it out or anything, so we've had to wait until or next time in Michigan).

Thanksgiving will be here so soon though... time is flying by, both the weeks and now even the days with my new position. Days certainly go by faster than when I was on the phones. I have so much to do now some days I'm wishing for the day to slow down a little bit... almost.

Anyway, that's my update. I want to be a part of this blog too, but I just don't think to post a whole lot. I love it when you guys read about us and comment, makes me feel special and loved. Hope you're all doing well and thanks for reading.

-Kevin

Zero - I'll take it.. I guess.

Sometimes I feel like my life is like a clock - Standing still though the time doesn't stop.

Saturday I had my 4th weigh-in with WW- and nope I didn't lose any weight I stayed right where I was. I was expecting that though, because I had been sick for a week and getting back into working out was tough. I hadn't worked out the week I was sick so when I did work out last week, I got SO sore and It made it extremely hard to work out after that. Though I did one other time.. totaling my workout to only 2-times last week. Plus I was slacking on keeping track of my points and it came back to bite me in the butt.

I am such an ALL or NOTHING type person that once I fail just a little - I have a tendency to give up! I expect perfection or nothing at all. BUT I am not going to do that this time. I am working hard on giving myself grace and trying hard to just use all the set-backs as learning experiences. So, I told myself today is a new day and new day to keep track of all my points and a new day to look forward to the future. :)

In different events - I finally finished the Curtains I have been making for the living-room! They turned out great. Kevin really loves them... more than I imagined he would. He actually likes them more then I do. He says they complete the room even more and make it feel more like a "home". That was the goal. :)

I took pictures of the curtains, but I am very hesitant to post pictures because the pictures make the curtains look like PLASTIC! The curtains have sheen to them so the reflection looks funny- I might post some close ups so you can see the pattern and style. :)

They are very modern/contemporary.

School news - If someone could PLEASE DROP-KICK me in the face that would be great!

I was a very bad student and didn't finish my final paper yesterday but thankfully my teacher has been kind enough to show me mercy and has given me a 2 day extension. I really needed this because if I fail this class then I will need to pay to re-take it (my Continuing Ed won't cover failed classes). I have definitely learned a lesson though. I am bummed because I might have to miss Derby practice tonight because of needing to work on homework.. Annoying, but it is my own fault. :(

Oh well, anyways, that's that.

**20 days till I turn 24 &

**22 days till Kevin turns the BIG 2-5!