sick

*learning to manage* {206/365}
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

The husband came down with something a couple of days ago and I think he has now passed it on to me. I think he caught whatever it is when he went to Urgent Care for a totally different reason. Whatever it is...it is bad. I don't think I have ever had my chest hurt so bad. Hopefully I will not get it as bad as he did and hopefully it will go away soon.

So that is basically what I have been up to in a nutshell.

Today, it be raining

Today I am... {204/365}
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

What a nice lazy day.

It is quite rainy and dark outside today. A nice day to do absolutely nothing. I just wish I didn’t have a list a mile long of stuff that needs to get done. Well at least I know that the laundry will not get done so I won’t even worry about it. I guess that is the only bad thing about having to walk outside to the laundry. At least it does not rain too often.

Lately, I have been feeling somewhat blah and I don’t know why. It just seems to come and go. Whenever I want to do something creative, I suddenly feel tired. Maybe my brain is full. Who knows? Hopefully after the next couple of weeks I will be in a more creative mood.

On a much brighter note….I am on the last chapter in my Medical Terminology book. I hope to test out of that this coming week and cannot wait to celebrate when I turn in the book. I am SO excited to be so close to finishing the school portion of my training. I am just hoping that I get an actual job instead of an externship. There is a chance of that. I had mentioned it before and it actually looks like I am one-step closer. So please keep your fingers crossed.

People must really like bananas

I had a lovely surprise when I visited my flickr account last night. My green banana hat picture that I posted yesterday had over 66 hits! (This afternoon it is now up to 76 hits) Not only that but my total account had 252 hits! Just for yesterday! My most popular picture only has 289 hits and the rest maybe average 10/20 hits ever. I cannot believe that THAT many people came to see my pictures yesterday.

Now only if they would comment and tell me if they are any good. LOL!

Who knew that bananas would be the way to go? Today's topic (if I chose to accept it) is "The Eyes." Normally I would LOVE to do a photo of my eyes, but lately they seem to always be bloodshot. Now how sexy is that? I don't think I can ever top the excitement of a green banana hat though. Everyone that participated had the best pictures and one even made it to Explore! If you check it out, you'll see why. It cracks me up everytime I see it. They were all hilarious and so very creative.

Everyone needs a green banana hat!

Believe me, they are ALL the rage!

All the cool kids have one!

Just wait! Green Banana Hats will be on the cover of all the savy magazines this coming season!

C'mon! You know you wanna!

I never had so much fun taking a self-portrait. I guess I need to use more props. Props = FUN!

You know what isn't fun? School. It is very hard being back at school after a 3-day weekend. I am SO running out of time to finish. Not the time the school has given me, which is until May. But the time I have given myself. My own personal finish line. I need to finish by the time I set for myself or else I will go bananas. LOL!

weekend un-accomplishments

*exposed* {198/365}
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

I had such high hopes for this weekend.

I made a list of stuff that needs to get done. I still have a lot to cross off and the weekend is over. Well to be honest it is not a list just for the weekend but I was hoping to accomplish more than I did.

I brought home lots of homework but never cracked open a book.

I wanted to scrapbook but cannot seem to get motivated. I found a box of old unfinished layouts and I did finish off one of them, but the others...no such luck. I need to print out journaling for some but I don't have any ink for the printer. It has been over a year since I last had printer ink but every time I go to buy some, I cringe at the $50 price tag. I have not minded so much since I really want to start using my own handwriting more on my pages but I do have some that require a ton of journaling and I really need a printer for that.

About the only thing I did do this weekend was finally watch the movies that have been sitting on the shelf for weeks. I can finally send those back to Netflix. Yay! One thing crossed off the list.

I also got my photos uploaded for my 365days project. It feels good to be caught up. Can you believe I am now on day 202!!!!! I cannot believe how fast time flies.

T.G.I.F

*All*Star Reflection*
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

Today did not start out at all like I had planned.

I had planned to wake up nice and refreshed from a super resting slumber but instead woke up with a headache. I almost did not even make it into class today but I dragged my butt out of bed and got myself ready. On the way to class I almost turned back when my stomach turned queasy. Good thing it was cold outside (30 degrees cold! At 8:30am even!). So down the window went. The cool air helped a lot!

It was really important that I took a particular test today. Feeling ill did not help me with any last minute studying. The café was closed so that meant no coffee. It did not help that someone was messing with the cooling/heating system and turned on the A/C full blast (remember it was 30 degrees this morning). I finally felt well enough (and warm enough) to take the test. I really struggled with this one. I was not as confident with this test as I have been with the others. I hope that I don’t fail it too badly.

My eyes sure are tired!

*toes are weird* {190/365}
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

Lots and lots of testing this week pretty much has me drained. I did not realize how much until this afternoon. I just could not study anymore! I am looking forward to having a day off tomorrow. I hope to catch up on a few things, especially scrapping. But, knowing me, I will probably sleep too late and end up doing nothing productive. Who knows, maybe I’ll paint my toenails.

This week I have been watching the Comanche Moon mini-series this week. Did any of you watch it? It is the prequel to Lonesome Dove. I thought I had seen Lonesome Dove but now I think that maybe I have not. Now I need to go and rent it; or get the book.

Just so you know, I always try to respond to all comments left on my blog. So, I hope those of you that leave comments subscribe to them. ‘Cause I don’t want you all to think that I am ignoring you. ;)

My first EXPLORE!

Wow!

Who would have thought!

Life is worth living now! LOL!

Seriously! Can you tell I am excited?

For those that are not familiar with Flickr. Explore is the top 500 most interesting photos uploaded on a particular day. This one made it to #445. I'll take it!!

Not much scrapping being done at the moment. That is not good for someone that is attempting to scrap a page a day. My total? Three! That is good for me though.

I should be finished with my training (and ready for my externship) in about a month. I am working hard at getting everything completed. I took 4 tests yesterday and that pretty much wiped me out. Today, I have only taken one.

Yesterday we also talked to the company where I will be doing my externship. Since it won’t be a hospital I will actually be able to code. I am looking forward to that and hope that at the end of the month when I am to start my externship that they still want me. Another bonus about this company is that they are only one street away from where I live. Hopefully when I finish my externship, I will then be able to quickly find a job.

Speaking of a job. I need a part-time one. Any ideas on where I could go? It would have to be places that are opened nights and weekends. I was thinking places like Target, JoAnns or Michaels. I wonder if they hire part-time help.

Two pages ~ one layout = *FOUR*

Well it is finished. It only took a week of sitting on the table but it finally got done. I had to buy some more alphabet rub-ons in order to finish what I started though. Rub-ons sure do take a lot of work, especially the really tiny ones.

Can you believe these pictures are from 2001? Yikes! Talk about old pictures. These are the first pictures that I have scrapped that have my Uncle in them. Maybe now I can scrap more recent pictures of him.

I am not too sure that this layout is finished though. I had wanted to put the date on the page but the place that I had planned to put it did not work out. I also think that it needs something in that white space in the middle of the page. What do you think? So far, everything I have tried has made it too busy.

So that makes Four pages for the year but only Three uploaded for the LOAD challenge. Hmmmm considering that I *should* be on layout 11, I think I need to step up the pace. Well, actually considering this is *me* we are talking about…I think I am right on target. LOL!

A less scrappy post

**new chuckies**
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

No scrappy content to share.

Sorry.

Not that you all come here just for the scrappiness. Right?

I thought that on those days that I would be in class, that it would be easier to work on a partially completed scrapbook layout when I got home than to create a brand new one from scratch. So after a full day of testing on Monday, I got home and pulled out a folder that contained some layouts in various stages of completion. I pulled out a stack of photos and the papers that I had chosen to go with them years ago and sat down to see what I could do. I just so happened to chose a layout that was not even really started. The pictures were matted and that was it. The paper I had chosen was faded and icky. It had been so long since I had started to scrap these pictures that my style had changed. I pulled of the cardstock mats from the back of the pictures and tried to see how I could scrap them. It was kind of hard since the pictures had already been cropped. I think though that I did manage to come up with an arrangement that would work. I used paint and had to wait for it to dry.

I probably could have finished up Monday night but I started to not feel well. Before Christmas, I had a day where I had really bad back pain that wrapped around to the front of my chest. On Monday night I had a feeling of heaviness in my chest. I decided it would be best to just go to bed.

I tried to sleep as well as I could and in the morning I still felt bad. I stayed home from school and slept most of the day. I did manage to glue down the painted pieces onto my layout but it still needs a couple of things.

Last night I slept much better. Sadly, the husband did not. He has not been able to sleep for days and I am starting to get worried.

So far this morning has been good. I still feel heavy in the chest and wishing for an inhaler. The classroom is freezing and has cold A/C coming out of the vents. Finally someone came to look at it and nothing has changed. People are planning on leaving it is so cold. I really want to accomplish a lot today so I am going to try to stick it out. I hope to have actual scrappy content to share with you all tomorrow.

Now there are *TWO*

I woke up this morning a bit under the weather. It seems the more I actually take allergy medicine the more I seem to feel terrible when I stop taking it. Today, the in-laws were going to stop by and the husband decided to vacuum the rug and the couches. That was the worst! Our vacuum cleaner is pretty new (well 2004 is still considered new right?) and I loved it when we first bought it but now, not so much. We never had any problems with it but something must have happened when we used it to clean that last day in our apartment. Now whenever we turn it on it STINKS! Kind of a musty/moldy smell but there is no mold. B ran that vacuum forever and the smell really made my head pound. I just wanted to go back to bed but cleaned up the bathroom and the litter box, which did not help at all with my headache.

After our company left, and I took a little nap, I was able to finish the layout I had started last night. I had used paint and it took awhile to dry so I had to wait. This brings me to a question. For those of you that have used Heidi Swapp paint. Do you find that the paint really does not dry completely? I painted some chipboard and it took awhile to dry and even still, it is quite sticky. I notice her paint is quite rubbery compared to say the Making Memories paint. So have any of you encountered this?

And now…here it is…the reason for the title of this post…my 2nd layout of the year. I wonder how long I can keep this up.

I have *ONE*

That is…one finished layout for 2008! It only took me a few days but it is finished and uploaded to the LOAD challenge gallery. Go me! ;)

I started out wanting to create a round page since I have never scrapped a shaped page before. I had planned to cut the photo edges so that the layout would be totally round but then I got to thinking how this layout would look once it was in the scrapbook. I just *knew* it would bug me to have the next page in my scrapbook showing thru. So, I decided to not cut the photos and to stick the round shape down onto a regular page. Now I no longer have to stress. LOL! I am very happy with how it turned out.

happy friday night

{180/365}
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

School-wise, today was a very productive day. The rest of the day, not so much.

I was only at school for 4.5 hours today (that is as long as they are opened on Friday) but I think I accomplished more today than during a full school day which is 9 hours. I am trying to finish up the rest of my coursework within the next 3 weeks so it is study-study-study.

It will be so unreasonably busy around here this month. Not only do I have my schoolwork, I also have to find a part-time job…oh and I went ahead and signed up to do LOAD (layout-a-day). But only ‘cause all the cool kids are doing it and I have always had a longing to be cool. That being said…I did not a bit of scrapping tonight and the layout I am currently working on is going on maybe it’s 3rd day of construction.

This afternoon we ran a few errands. We had to stop by the mall for just a minute and you would think it was still the holidays. The parking lot was packed! Got home exhausted and ready to just relax. Poor hubby has been up since 3:30am this morning! I don't think that it helped any that it was so warm outside and I was wearing long sleeves. The hubby was more prepared for the weather in his shorts and t-shirt. Supposedly it is supposed to feel like winter on Sunday. :)

Tonight we watched 1408 (the unrated version). That movie was just too spooky for me. I hate ghosts and really hate it when things just pop up on the screen. I spent most of the time with my eyes mostly shut because I just knew something was going to happen and then when I did open them I got freaked out because I opened them at the wrong time. LOL!

Well I guess I had better do the dishes before turning in for the night.

Nighty-Night!

*knock*knock*

{179/365}
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

Is this thing on?

I find it kind of funny that people I know don’t read this blog and people I don’t know do. That is why I find it so weird that I worry about what I put up on the blog. I worry so much about hurting people’s feelings but if they don’t even read it why should I worry so much. I am not talking about being mean to someone about what I post but really putting my feelings out there. I worry that some people I know would be offended. But, if they don’t even read it, why should it bother me? It does kind of make me sad that my own friends – well the very few that I have, don’t even read my blog. Especially since I kind of hoped it would help those that live so far away keep in touch.

Today was the husband’s birthday. The big THREE-EIGHT! We spent a nice day at home. He had a friend come over and Rock Band was played. I on the other hand tried to finish up a layout I started yesterday. I don’t know why it takes me so long to finish a page. I don’t think I would make a very good candidate for doing any Layout-a-Day challenges. My 365 day project is still moving along though. I am already half-way thru the project. Time sure does fly! Oh and the layout? Still not finished.

Happy January 2nd!

*me*
Originally uploaded by DreamsOfNyssa

So how is 2008 treating you so far?

My New Year’s Eve was pretty laid back.

I spent the day being lazy and spent some time reading a book in our new recliner. Have I forgotten to mention my new friend, the recliner? A matching recliner was given to us for Christmas from the in-laws. It is oh so comfy. I actually have to fight with the cat in order to get to sit in it. It is her new favorite place too.

New Year’s Eve (night) was spent on the computer organizing photos in my new Photoshop Elements 6.0 Organizer. If only I could use the actual Elements program. The Organizer works but the Editor gives out lots of errors and I cannot do anything with it. Since I cannot return the program and I do not have the funds to contact Adobe technical support I am stuck with a very expensive Organizer. I do have Photoshop 5.0 Limited Edition on my system and that works just fine but I don’t get all the bells & whistles. Since it is the bells & whistles that are currently not working in the new version, I am pretty bummed out. I am to the point that I am afraid to spend any money at all since all the purchases I make always seem to end up being terrible decisions. No wonder I can spend hours in the store trying to decide if I should buy something, I am always worried it is the wrong thing to buy. So for now the rest of my Christmas money has been put away and knowing me it will end up being used for bills or rent.

On New Year’s Day, I cleaned and had a nice little chat with one of my neighbors. Then since I had to go back to school the next day, I went to bed early like a good little girl and ended up tossing and turning the entire night. Lately, I have had problems falling asleep and last night was no exception. All the other nights of sleeplessness were no problem since I was on vacation and could sleep late. I could not do that this morning though because of school.

Now onto the subject of school…

I think it is going to take me some time to get back in the swing of things. I really need to concentrate and I think my mind is still in “vacation mode.” I did manage to take 2 tests today and there may hopefully be some good news soon on maybe a job opportunity but I don’t want to get my hopes up too soon. So keep your fingers crossed!