A Time of Thanks

Its official...I'm the worst blogger ever. I can't ever seem to find time even though the people reading my blog are probably the most important people to me. Well, except my friends here, and my professors who give me my grades, and my boss at work. Okay okay, just kidding...you all are very special to me. Which is why, I dedicate this specific post to a list of thanks I have as I seem to have plenty to be thankful for in this time of the year! So if you were in my position, what would you be most thankful for....

I'm going to have to go with no more deaths in the family to begin with. This year I lost my second grandmother which was a very difficult time to go through as the only left grandparent I have doesn't even know his left hand from his right hand half the time. Lord only knows how he'll react if you try to get "the box" out of the closet in his room...that's only for Paul and don't you forget it. Thus, leading back to my original thought, thank you God for keeping my family safe.

This summer I lost a very good friend due to a motorcycle accident. It was a hard time but you always discover the most important things about your personality during difficult times such as those. I will always remember Jason and all the great laughs about the midwest he gave all of us but recognize that people learned how to grow up due to that experience. To which leads into why I am thankful. God turned his death into a learning experience and his death is a connection that links all of my close friends from college from drifting too far away.

At this point next year, I will be living in Alexandria, DC, as an employee of Kearney & Company. Yes, you heard me right, I ACCEPTED MY POSITION AT KEARNEY!!! Just in case you didn't get it the first time, I'm finally employed after 5 years of school!! Okay, technically its 17 years of school...geez, one would think I would have learned tons more then I really haven't. For those of you reading this (you know who you are) who I've asked to move to DC with me...I still think you should. PRAISE JESUS I HAVE A JOB. And now to start paying all those school loans.

I've met some great people during my times at JMU thus this far into my semester, therefore I am sooo thankful for all these people who have helped me during the midnight study sessions and the one weekend we spend 50 hours studying for our tax midterm...yes, that happened. Anyway, without them, my world would not be complete. Joel, if you're reading this, you have made my life soooo great this year by being such a great friend. You have my entire thanks.

As my car hasn't broken down on my completely yet after being faithful to me for 8 years...I must send my thanks out to it :) Don't get me wrong dad, I'm still looking for a new car as its only a matter of time. My blinker has stopped working most of the time. Sigh.

My health. Ironically enough, I'm writing this after having tonsilitis...still can't hit high notes when I sing. But even with that being said, I feel so much better now and am praying that flu/cold/bronchitis/pneumonia season decides to forgo me as I seem to pick those up like mosquito bites. Also, my ears for the most part have not ruptured, lost hearing, or discovered another weak area where a hole would like to pop up in my eardrum...thus, I'm so thankful for that!!

To my family, thank you for all the support you have shown me this semester. Even when you thought I was crazy for continuing on in school and building up more debt, you still stuck behind me. As it turns out, might not have been such a bad investment!

Anywho, its now 1:00AM here and I'm looking at a solid 7 hours of sleeeeeeeep. I'm so excited after getting 6 hours every night for the last couple of weeks. If you expect me to do anything but sleep over Thanksgiving break...give it up...not gonna happen. This girl will be in sleeping position, whereever that may occur. Or stuck somewhere with textbooks lying all around her.

Leaves are Falling

Just thought I would post this to show everyone that Fall is finally upon us and Kat and I are VERY excited. Meant to add it to the last post and forgot to! Whoops

Cough Cough Cough

As the title states...that seems to be all I'm doing lately. Well, that and waiting for a call from any of the 4 companies I had second visits to. Its just turning into a waiting game and hoping and praying.

And its Friday which means I have this whole weekend to lay in my bed and forget that I have a tax retake exam on Monday. Yesterday I arrived home to a package from Amazon that I had ordered in June. There were 3 books inside and one of them got released on Monday, therefore they waiting to ship all of them until this week. It was super exciting!! Now the decision to read or study plagues me. My choices could be a lot worse I suppose.

It has decided to turn cold here this week. I saw jackets of all sorts coming outs and boots. Its interesting being on a large school campus as there is name branding happening everywhere. I can look at almost any girl and pick out the brands that she is wearing. Whether it might be UGG boots or North Face jackets...I'll be able to tell what every one is asking for Christmas.

I started looking at apartments in DC and there are so many options to chose from! I'm currently accepting applications from anyone who is interested in moving there with me as rent is so much cheaper with more than one person.

I'm also thinking about investing in a new car. Heard a speaker yesterday who really put things into perspective about finances and school loans. I'm afraid of not getting a good interest rate once my credit score is hit by all the aspects of moving to the city. My poor car has been through a lot with me but when I start is and the anti-lock button pops up about 4 minutes after being started and sometimes it shudders instead of braking...ya, not feeling too safe. Might I also add that it has left me stranded in the middle of a busy road already once? Anyway, any ideas what kind of car should belong to me? I'm really loving the Honda Civic hybrids. I want a four door, good gas mileage, preferably not white. Not so hard? Right?

Fall Time = sickness

And with all the wonderful leaves changing colors around here, comes sickness floating down amongst us. I have caught it early in the season and am exhausted. My voice is gone/hoarse (which I'm sure some of my friends are liking...), my whole body aches with chills, and I am having issues swallowing. To say the least, yummy. I've been sucking down Thermaflu like its nobody's business...one bottle later...I'm not any better. I do however, think a visit to the doctor's is in order tomorrow. I took nighttime Thermaflu about 1 1/2 hours ago and am not tired at all. Its 2:00 AM and I have to drive to DC tomorrow. Ugh...not happy with my body currently.

As far as school goes, I'm just floating along. Midterms have come and gone and I only have to retake one test, thank goodness. I'm working all the time whether its through homework, tutoring younger students, or through my grad assistant job.

As I said earlier, I'm going to DC tomorrow for my final two 2nd round interviews. In about a week I should be hearing back from everyone so I can only hope for good news!! I hope to come home at Christmas time with an announcement on where I'll be moving to come May!

I'm extremely excited that Halloween is done too...hate that holiday. Now I can look forward to Christmas as it proceeds Thanksgiving in importance. :) Good music, goodies to cook, and vacation time are such a short time away, I can't even wait!

A giant shout out to the Ayotte Family as they welcomed Hannah Elizabeth Julia into the world. I already told Tanya that she was cool as we share the same middle name...but not to forget who had it first.

Well, I was hoping that typing this would make me tired but it didn't help unfortunately :(

I'm going to attempt sleep again anyway.

Night World

Yay for 2nd rounds

I'm a horrible blogger.
If I get behind in my life, this is the first thing that I don't do.
and then I go ahead and do it at work. Crap. Oh well.
I'm a high risk candidate for fraud...decided that after looking at the other people's characteristics.
I just heard back and now have three 2nd round interviews. So pumped for all of that. My first choice just asked me today to come back in which is very exciting!
Therefore, for the next couple of weeks, I am driving back and forth between Washington D.C. around six times. The poor car just might not make it. And as for that GPS that I keep telling myself I can't buy until Black Friday/Thanksgiving? Well, probably going to have to suck it up and invest early so I don't get lost all over the place.
I have a midterm tonight that I studied last night for and one tomorrow that will be the biggest one I've had yet. I'm so excited for Wednesday night at 11:00 PM. (Yes, my final ends at 11:00 at night. They're trying to kill us.)
Anyway,
Must go back to work now :)

Loves,
Ash

Midterm Week has Arrived

You know that feeling that you get in your stomach as soon as you get to the top of a rollar coaster ride? Trying feeling that several different times every week. It can happen when you walk out of a big interview, when you get that letter/email from a firm saying whether or not you made the second cut, and just yesterday it occurred when I hit the submit button on my midterm exam. I am now left with one more exam this week and two next week. Although that doesn't sound bad to many of you, try adding in three more interviews this week and one next week. Also, add to the end of next week a visit to DC for...wait for it...my first 2nd interview!!!!

After receiving no's from two firms the last two days, last night I received an email from a company asking me to come for a second interview! I actually really enjoyed this firm and they're located in a pretty part of DC so we'll see how it goes.

For those of you located in the Pennsylvania family, this throws a kink into my plans on coming to girls weekend at Julie's! I'm thinking about leaving straight from DC and headed down just so I can still make it. We'll just have to see if I hear back from any other firms. :) Just know that I really really really do want to make it.

My number 1 company interview is this week and its frightening to know that I have to literally nail this interview. But its on Thursday at 1:45 so send some prayers up fam!

I now have 10 interviews scheduled altogether and along with balancing everything else...am more then a little busy. I never stop between classes, tutoring, working at my GA job, interviews, meet and greets the night before interviews, and homework. To say the least, Sunday nights when the weekend comes to an end, I just want to cry.

Beyond that, I have made several good friends here in the program and now have people to hang out with. Three girls that I enjoy are Natalie, Devon, and Keron. I also might mention Madison and Matt who are other GAs that work with me. And Russell is in all my classes with me as well as another transfer who I've gotten to know. Its taken a lot of complaining, blogging, and whining but I now feel somewhat settled in at JMU. SUCCESS!

screw e&y

So remember how I said I had found my new favorite employer possibility?
Well I got a denial letter from them last night, thus, no more E&Y. While they were "impressed with my qualifications, they don't have a position for me" at this current time.
Insert unhappy thoughts/wording.

On the other news, my midterm weeks are approaching and as I sit here in a friend's apartment not studying but writing for my blog...I have no ambition. All four of us are on our laptops, cell phones, and playing with the dog. SO much for studying together.

Just thought I would let you all know that while life is going on...its not pretty news around here.