Happy 5th Anniversary!!!

Today I 'celebrate' five years with Ulrey Foods, Inc. I don't know whether to cheer or cry. I mean, it's a good company, I like the owners, and they have treated me pretty well...but at the same time I don't like my job all that much and I planned to have quit long before now. I still have two years of college left, so I will probably still work for them another two years until I finish, unless a better oppurtunity comes along. I've put my resume in in a few places, but no word yet.

Thinking about the last five years, I do have a lot of really good memories there. Some of my best friends have worked with me there, and past close friends were there. My first week I met the 27 year old married woman (she's about 31 now) with two kids who I had more than a slight crush on, but nothing happened. I do have morals. I mean, I don't know for sure that anything could have happened, but I had the impression that it might and I liked her a lot. She quit like two years ago. I also had many late nights at Steak 'n' Shake and goofy water fights and such. I do value the people I worked with. I also take great pride in Flyer's success. I have a copy of the PMQ magazine when my bosses graced the cover and I keep pictures of all the company managers in my living room.

I have to wonder how long I will work there. My best friend Nathan used to tell me I had a cot there and lived there. I am salaried there now so I work 40 hours a week and all. I take my work home with me and I do organize some extra projects. At times it can be fun. I am going to be a teacher (I keep trying to convince myself that someday soon I ill be, but I have my doubts) and I may very well work there in the summer and on Sunday mornings for years to come. The restaurant will probably still be around. It's lasted almost three decades and is in the top 20 or so pizza restauarants in the country. Of course, if I could just become a successful author I could forget about all this, but anyway...

Thanks to my bosses for such an interesting and memorable five years. Wayne Ulrey, and his sons who now run the company: Scott (My immediate boss), Mark (who used to work with me, and does marketing and stuff), Steve (who with his wife Ellen handles paperwork and other things), and Dave. All the managers I have worked for over the years: Chief, Chris, Jeff, Randy, and Erin and if I forgot anyone else. I could also list my friends that have worked there, but it would take way too long. To five more years? I don't know if I'm ready to commit to that.

Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Normalcy

For anyone that knows me, you know that every so often (like once a week) I have some depressed time where I ponder everything in my life and dwell on the past. For those of you not used to this part of me, know that I am 95% happy, healthy, and like my life. I finally like myself and what I've accomplished and can appreciate it. It was something I struggled with for years. My low self-esteem has even approved. I am no longer willing to change for someone. However, after watching Season 3 of Dawson in about 5 days and injesting half a bottle of rum (it was a small bottle and I mixed it with coca-cola!), plus I am listening to BNL's Brian Wilson (the live recording from their Columbus concert in July - it rocked!) I am in one of those moods.
Mainly, this stuff sets in after watching sappy stuff. I hate being alone and am a hopeless romantic. This combination is not good. I have a few friends whom I would date but aren't interested, but I truly believe I have not met the right person yet. I also believe (or try to believe) I will meet that person, hopefully sooner rather than later. I had a life plan since Kindergarten. By 20, maybe earlier, I would begin to date a wonderful woman. At 22 we would get engaged, at 23 I would be married (my mom married at 23) and by 26 or so I would have a child. I want a daughter. :) Well, I have dated two girls in my life. The first lasted a little under six months, was wonderful, but I realize we weren't right for each other and I wish her the best. The second, whom I always refer to as WB, was a terrible and traumatic experience that was strung out well over a year and resulted in several breakups and me being strung along, and then another year to get over her. I half believe she is the antichrist since she fools many people and I actually lost some friends over her. Oh, well. Maybe they weren't my real friends anyway. I found out this afternoon that she will be living locally, which also upset me a lot. I counted the days until she left town hoping I would never see her again, but I guess I'm going to have to put up with seeing her occasionally. I'm just glad I'm over her, although I hate the negative feelings the sight of her invokes.
Anyway, this isn't about her. This is about me. I am afraid from time to time I will be in my mid-20's and not married, which I feel is too late. I wanted to be married by 23. I know the national average is now more like 28, which I feel is far too late for me. And yet I am happy. I have a good life. I am very unsure about my career and can't wait to get my degree from Otterbein, but I'm actually liking my job in the pizza shop again (I started hating it when I dated WB. Hmm.) and I just finished writing an actual book which I hopeto gte published. Anyone want to proofread for me? Well, I am going to sit here and drink a little more, just slack off. Afterall, after today I probably won't get a day off for months. Come stop by and see me some time. Despite my little bad mood ramble, I feel so much better after writing and am slowly getting into a good mood again. I'd like to have some friends around about now. Join me, will you?

Also, we ARE having a big New Year's Eve party this year, and unlike last year it WILL be formal, even if Tim and I are the only ones in tuxes. Mark your calendars!

Dawson's Creek

Ok, this really sucks. You know reality television, where you realize that you are watching is absolute shit, but you can't help but keep watching anyway to find out what happens? I find myself comparing Dawson's Creek to that. Don't get me wrong. I actually LIKE the characters on Dawson's Creek. It is just a show that really pisses me off. I have three episodes to watch in Season 3 (DVD rocks!), but I am getting more frustrated by the minute. Hardly an episode goes by without me tearing up or yelling at my television. Why can't Dawson, Pacey, and Joey all get along? Why did Andy, who was the first television character I fell in love with, cheat on Pacey and then on the PSATs and totally screw everything up? Why can't Jack accept that his father is trying to accept him and then meet him halfway? Why can't Dawson's parents make up their divorced little minds about what they mean to each other? I hate this show with a vengenance! I am going to go watch the end. Have a nice day.

I'm baaaaack!

Sorry for the little bit of delay (cough 6 months cough) since I previously posted, but I have a good reason! No, seriously, I do. I was incredibly sick, then when I got better I was on band tour in March, and then following that, when I got back at school for spring quarter, I began to write my book. Yes, the geese book that the comic I draw, draw being a relative term, is very loosely based on. I also went on vacation in Florida for a week in July with 30 of my closest relatives, relatives being a relative term (I'm shamelessly corny), where I wrote some very important chapters. I finished the book, and while I struggle to get it published, before I start writing the sequel, I am back and better than ever on my web page! I will be updating regularly, including a revamp of all the current pages, until I say otherwise, so please check back. Plus you will soon get more comics and lots of cool goodies centering on my book and other projects.