So in the past few weeks I have been watching Oprah fairly religiously since I have nothing else to do from 1 to 2 am (and I must be awake). I have now seen two shows on this “Law of Attraction” and “The Secret” so I am going to give it a try. I haven't read the books or watched the movies...eventually I will find a copy but I may as well start now, there is no reason not to. Basically positive thoughts manifest positive changes or results in your life, like attracts like, and you create your own reality. I have never been a particularly positive person, I guess I have pretty much always had a negative view of life. Growing up I was fairly oppressed...I remember being forced to participate in or continue playing sports, musical instruments, etc. (not to say my childhood was horrible but many of the memories I have are negative). High school sucked, I was depressed for much of it because I had next to no freedom. Whatever whatever, no complaining, my point is that I don't really ever remember being very happy. So maybe this will work because being negative has never really gotten me that far. Currently I have money problems, no energy, little happiness, nothing to look forward to, relationship problems (because I can be a huge bitch), and the list goes on.

So I am going to try this Law of Attraction thing. Think positively and really believe what you tell yourself and good things will come to you. I am working on my “vision board” that displays things I want so I can start to visualize myself in those situations. We'll see how it works.

On a few websites I was reading some criticisms of the Law of Attraction but none of them really were too substantiated in my opinion. I can see people wanting and obsessing over material things, and there was some talk of people not seeking medical attention but trying positive thinking instead as a way to heal themselves. But honestly has positive thinking, or can positive thinking, REALLY have a negative effect on someone, what is the worst that could happen from thinking positively? You have to have some common sense too when trying something new like this. So lets see how far this takes me, right now it couldn't get any worse. : )

Oh work again! I am starting a 17 day crazy busy working streak. Oh you heard right, 17 days...3 at Lifesteps, 1 at Sheetz AND Lifesteps, 3 more at Lifesteps, 1 at Sheetz, 9 more at Lifesteps. :) Gotta get those overtime hours in.

I just dowloaded Google Sketch-Up. I am super excited to use it. I was told it was pretty cool (months ago) but I haven't really had too much time to experiment with it, until now with the super-new non-stressful awesome job. And I don't have the internet (and therefore Google Earth) at work, or Design CAD or Photoshop installed on the laptop so now I have something I can mess with. I downloaded Sketch Up and some of the extra “stuff” like landscape architecture and texture packs. After I get good at it I will post some o' my stuff.

So I was watching the news a little earlier and they were talking about gas price predictions, and “they,” I don't know exactly who, are predicting $7/gallon by 2010. Is it really that surprising people? We've been hearing about this gasoline crisis for years now. When I started driving in 2004 gas was $1.99 a gallon (until about a year ago I still had the receipts). Now, 4 years later it is at $3.99 a gallon. We've been hearing about this impending crisis for years, and about the need for alternative energy sources so no one should really be surprised or bitching. It is so horribly annoying when people come into Sheetz bitching about gas prices. Sorry, I don't set the gas prices and I don't really give a shit that you're paying that much for gas. Here's an idea, invest in alternative energy sources and start creating more of a demand for it. People get legitimately mad at Sheetz employees for the high gas prices, I am not even kidding. People get so bitchy with us, yet another reason why I cannot wait until I can break up with Sheetz. Now when I go to the gas station and see the prices sometimes I do say “oh my God, it went up ten cents in 1 day” but I don't stew over it. I get over it real quick. So stop bitchin' kids and do something about it or don't complain to begin with. :)

On another note, I have been frequenting many a farm market recently. They are just starting to get in strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and a few other things. Today I picked up some strawberries and peaches at Seiver's in Grove City. They are probably the best strawberries and peaches I have ever had ever! I also got this sweet “sensitive plant” that closes up when touched and I got some rock candy, both for Erik. Every Friday at Taylor's farm market in Harrisville there is fresh bread from Breadworks in Pittsburgh and it is freaking awesome. When I wake up tomorrow I will probably go get some, the raisin grain rolls are awesome with some vegan butter!

Alright, Google Sketch Up time.

As I was laying around today watching TV Erik, my fiance calls me down into the kitchen and shows me this:

Red Cabbage

He was attempting to make vegetable stock by boiling carrots, onions, and red cabbage. The cabbage turned the water bright blue while the cabbage proceeded to turn blue and purple spotted. It was pretty crazy, the colors were so bright! After a little research on Erik's part he found out that cabbage water acts like litmus paper. Sure enough, when he added vinegar, the water turned purplish-pink.

That was my excitement for the day.

Now I am sitting at work, watching Anthony Bourdain in Indonesia. I am coming up with a list of nightly tasks and to-do lists to pass the time. It's been hard to stay awake all night but my body is slowly adjusting. I feel like my whole life is so complicated and disastrous right now and I feel like my demeanor reflects that. I just feel like such a mess. My whole house is a constant mess because I just can't keep up with so many rooms and my moods are constantly fluctuating (to the disdain of Erik and myself alike). Having so much free time lately though (while getting paid believe it or not) and having a relatively consistent schedule will, I hope, have a positive effect on my life. When school starts I will have plenty of time to do my homework and my QPA will probably be 4.0. That's what I am going to shoot for anyway. And maybe sitting so much will help me gain some weight (I am being completely serious). I have been exercising and doing lots of puzzles and eating really healthy and doing a lot of thinking and drinking a lot of hot tea and, don't forget, watching lots of TV. And blogging.

End of blogging for tonight, more thoughts tomorrow night.

It has been three weeks now that I have been working at my new job at Lifesteps as a residential aide. Unfortunately this is a rebound job because someone at Petrified Forest National Park cannot do their job efficiently (yes I am still a little bitter). It is a fantastic job though. I needed a job that was full time, year-round. I am done with these stupid dead-end jobs where my hours fluctuate and I MIGHT get 30 hours a week. I've had too many uber-stressful part-time food-service/gas station jobs where I absolutely dread going to work every day. Unfortunately in Slippery Rock Pennsylvania it can be really hard to find a job that is relatively accommodating to the student class schedule. I know I am hard-working, I don't ask for major accommodations such as nights or weekends off, I just want a decent full-time job. Lifesteps has been a God-send. Before Lifesteps I was working at Sheetz approximately 20 hours a week (which is not nearly enough to pay my bills) and had weird hours so the thought of getting a second job that would accommodate the Sheetz schedule and the class schedule would not work. I have been looking for a good job for a while and they are rare around here. I am glad I found what I did. I always work myself up when I have to go for a job interview and I over analyze every little thing. Thankfully Lifesteps called me for a second interview just hours after my initial interview otherwise I would have driven myself crazy with speculation. So now I am working over 40 hours a week at two jobs (yes I still have Sheetz, just for the summer and then I am getting the hell out). Last week I worked 70 hours and the week before I worked 60. This week is 56 hours I think. I work in a community home with an individual with a disability. I don't think I can really disclose much more. It is the policy of Lifesteps to encourage independent living as much as possible for the clients so the staff is basically there to help clients with daily-living tasks, appointments, etc. It's a lot of fun. Like I said I can't really disclose much more but life is definitely looking up. :)

Because of this new job I have been eating better but I have also been perpetually sick-ish. The stress of working two jobs and long hours is getting to me. Sheetz knows of my other job so now I am only working one or two shifts a week at Sheetz and things at both jobs should start to settle down and things are becoming less stressful.  

Tomorrow: a personal banner.

Horse Nettle
Originally uploaded by kimberlypincin

Welcome to my blog. I intend for this blog to be a showcase of my "stuff" including my photography, and other works like mapping projects.

Things I enjoy:
Landscape Architecture & Planning
Sustainability
Photography
Wildflowers
Hiking
Freeware
Photoshop
GIS Software, sometimes
Learning
Hiking

I go to Slippery Rock University and have a double major: Environmental Studies and Open Space Planning, with a minor in Business Administration. I will graduate in December 2009 and plan on attending grad school for Landscape Architecture.

This summer will be my second summer working for the National Park Service. Summer 2007 I worked at Assateague Island National Seashore as a Visitor Use Assistant. This year, late May, I will start working at Petrified Forest National Park as a Biological Technician. I can't wait to get out there!

Overall, I love to learn.