Food and Wine...

Only thing keeping my sanity alive... food and alcohol.

My life has been wonderful up until these past few days. I don't know what's going on with life lately, but it's really starting to become a pain in my rear. I'm to the point of just wanting to move away from Flagstaff and move to the valley. Is that possible?? NOPE. This gal is poor. Doesn't help that my boss keeps giving me days off that I don't need. Hmmm...2nd or 3rd week this has occurred. I see a pattern here! Is it me, or do I just suck at my job? Neither. Can I catch a break? ( In my New York-er accent) I am in need of some direction here! I am thinking about selling my condo and moving back to reality. Since leaving NAU, I have found that Flagstaff is just another town with a bunch of fabricated drama that I could care less about. 

I have moved on to bigger and better things. I figured working would make me meet new people, which it did, but some of them I would love to erase from memory. To move, or not to move? That is my question. Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale or Peoria? Chandler is my top choice. I am done with working at a movie theatre. It's not worth it anymore. How the hell did I put up with it for 6 years??   ...because my boss didn't favor anyone. Imagine that! Fair and balanced general manager. :) I'm looking into changing my career choice. Hotels seem to be up on the know how. Just finding a job here in Arizona is a bit challenging. I want to work somewhere I'm not told to wear a certain uniform, have adults as co-workers, have normal hours like a Monday through Friday 9am-5pm job and my weekends free, no annoying children to deal with and last but not least, HONEST NON-DECEITFUL fellow co-workers to be around. Is that too much to ask? 

Maybe I'm just done with being in a college town...yup, that's it. I've had a hell of a time trying to make friends, and I just get shot down. I'm not going to bite your head off you wacko! Life in a nutshell for this girl...

J. Cay

That awkward stage between jailbait and cougar...

Does anyone remember "Saved by the Bell" ???

Goodness gracious great balls of fire! I'M GETTING OLD. I have come to realize my life will now consist of sitting at home eating, watching tv till I can't take it anymore, reading and possibly taking up the hobby of knitting. What am I to do?! It's funny how I use phrases from "Saved by the Bell", "Doug", "USA High", "California Dreams" or "I Love Lucy" and NOBODY knows what I am talking about. Is it me or is it hot in here? I think menopause might be just around the corner.  Isn't that lovely? I have taken up a retired person's hobby of hiking and blogging. Even though many young people do hike and blog, it's not something I would have imagined myself doing at this age. 

I don't know who all the "hip" bands are. The only ones I like or have heard are, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and just a handful of others. Today's generations SUCKS...not all, but most just flat out SUCK. Kids have no respect these days. ( Seriously, I sound like an elderly individual). The lack of responsibility in parents these days is definitely atypical. Sad, but true. Man, I sound like I am an old woman already. My birthday is coming in 7 months and after that, I am going to stop counting my age. So naturally I feel like that awkward stage between jailbait and cougar. You are what you eat and I eat fresh and healthy. :) When guys ask me how old I am...UGH. Really guy, really?? They look at me like I've got two heads and nine teeth. Seriously, if you can't handle the fact that I'm waaaaayyyy older than you...sheesh! Well, like I always say...pass that chardonnay. It will do me splendidly. Happy Halloween everyone. :)

J. Cay

You there Chardonnay?? It's me, Jillian...

Oh Louis, how I love you. :)

Why is life so...? I mean, you're born, you live to be as many years as God gives you, then you die. Simple and to the point. Right? There's nothing wrong with that. It's the trend everyone follows. Knowing how to do it right is a different story. I was raised in a Christian home with a loving family who are very dear to me. Knowing that they would do anything for me is a great feeling. However, when the shoe is on the other foot, I feel helpless. Completely, utterly, regretfully, helpless. I got some bad news about my dad, which really seemed to effect me more than I thought it would. My dad is all I have and the only dad I will ever know. I don't know what I would do if he wasn't here. I, in no way shape or form can help with anything. 

Sometimes I think to myself, what am I doing in this town with no family, a handful of friends (which, don't get me wrong, it's not a bad thing) plus I am not even attending the school I moved here for anymore. What is the big deal??? I swear sometimes I make the weirdest choices that turn out to be just plan mistakes that I can't see until it is too late. There are days where I wish I could just put my life in reverse and make a decision to move elsewhere. I love it here, but it's getting more and more trial-some rather than effortless. This is my life in a nut shell, I guess. Well bring on that good ol' chardonnay! :)


J. Cay

The A to Z About Yours Truly...

A. Age: 24.

B. Bed size: Full 

C. Chore that you hate: I hate every chore

D. Dogs: Simon, Myca, Chuey

E. Essential start to your day: Hitting the snooze button a few times and walking up to a wet nose against my face.

F. Favorite color: Green

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: 5'1"

I. Instruments you play: Piano

J. Job title: US Army/ Theater Manager

K. Kids: Simon ( who is a dog) :)

L. Live: Somewhere in Arizona

M. Mother’s name: Magali

N. Nicknames: Bonesy, Chicky

O. Overnight hospital stays: Gallbladder removal surgery 

P. Pet peeves: People who are late and take it out on you. UGH. Don't be late...Waiting around when you know nothing is going to happen.

Q. Quote from a movie: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" (Clark Gable, Gone with the Wind) 

R. Right or left handed: Right handed.

S. Siblings: 2 sisters & 1 brother.

U. Underwear: Yup, I wear them.

V. Vegetable you hate: not a huge fan of broccoli or cauliflower. 

W. What makes you run late: EVERYTHING. I use to be on time for everything, but lately that doesn't happen. Maybe it's my age??...

X. X-Rays you’ve had: everything. Thought I broke my nose playing volleyball ( yeah, I'm hardcore like that), and my teeth. 

Y. Yummy food that you make: Everything, especially my homemade tomato soup

Z. Zoo animal: Tigers! Rawr!

J.Cay 

yummy in the tummy...

Penne with vodka sauce....FABULOUS STUFF

     If there was a competition where women competed to win the man of their dreams through his stomach... I'D WIN. No vanity here, just facts. I felt like being "adventurous" with pasta tonight and it turned out to be amazing!!! I think I'm gonna start blogging about all the food I eat/cook. This is gonna be marvelous. 
      
I taught myself how to cook...well with the help of school, but I made my cooking better. :) Only thing that I COMPLETELY forgot to make was garlic bread. Just so you know, I made everything from scratch, minus the pasta. :) Lovely dinner followed by a lovely nap. Tonight was an ace in the hole. 

J. Cay

Saturday night...

Why is it when I have a Saturday night off, I don't do a DANG thing?? Lord, I must be getting old!!! Not a good sign. I'm listening to Queen ( best band known to man), doing laundry, watching TV (which nothing is ON) and blogging. Something has got to give! I'm turning into an old old woman. GROSS. I don't even like going out to "party" or drink obnoxious drinks anymore. Why is that? I have no life, I guess. HA! I'd rather be a responsible adult tonight, thanks. :) 

I think my evenings turn into either paying bills, worrying about money, hours in the day and making lists of things I need to do by the end of the week. Is this really me or just a figment of my imagination sinking in? Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I made different choices on what I should do with my Saturdays. Heck, I might just go buy an unhealthy amount of candy and stuff my face since my life is lame tonight. Wahoo for broke college student! That's me, loud and clear. What a lovely blog I wrote. Sounds awful, but it was in the heat of the moment and I think that I'll just roll with it. Happy Saturday to all those who will bust a move tonight! :D

J. Cay

The baby boomer...

I really do LOVE LUCY.

    I never realized until today that baby boomers still make an impression on me worth remembering. Both my parents are of that baby boomer generation. They make me feel like this world was once an honest, hard-working place to survive in. My father was born in 1950 and my mother was born in 1953. Yes, they are at that "senior" stage of life.  I believe I was born in the wrong era. I love the 1940's. I grew up watching I Love Lucy and a myriad of old time movies from the '40's to the 60's.

     I grew up with baby boomers...and boy have I learned a lot. Today at work, I had a woman call and ask about a movie, "Courageous". It's a Christian based movie and she expressed to me how she hoped the movie was getting business. I explained to her that it was doing well and she almost broke down in tears over the phone. She was born in the 1950's. She explained to me her desires on life, on this "new generation", and movies that impacted her life. I continued to speak with her and told her about another movie, just like "Courageous" called "Fly Wheel". She asked me how I knew about this movie, and I explained to her that I watched it at my college Bible study...she was speechless and told me to tell my parents that they did a great job raising a Godly woman in Christ. This lady said thank you to me, and I asked her for what?...she said for being brave for being Christian. I know it's not a big deal to most people, but when this woman began telling me not to be afraid and be bold for Jesus, I almost broke down in tears. 

     I was working projection and I started a movie late, because of this woman who I, for some reason, didn't want to cut her off the phone. Something told me that this lady needed to speak to me and I was just taken by her meekness and humility. After the phone call ended I felt somehow reminded that God still works in odd ways. I wish I got her name, but I'm sure that my tenderness with her made an impression, much like she did with me today.  

J. Cay

The heat is on...

The San Francisco Peaks. 

     It's official... MY HEAT HAS BEEN TURNED ON!!! Holy cold, it's crap outside! One of the perks of living where I do...it snows, a bunch. I lived in Germany for many years...COLD and spent most of my childhood in New Mexico...HOT. So moving here has given me a different perspective on weather. I wanted to move somewhere I've never been to and it snows. 2009 was the year I moved here. Just my luck, the worst blizzard since 1975 occurred that same year. Usually it snows about one hundred inches, but this particular year was an exception to the rule. 

Second year of snow.

     One day, I was at Safeway getting a few groceries when I noticed people buying bulk. I thought this was awkward, so I asked what's the big occasion, and I was told to get prepared...I said, "prepared? prepared for what"? Being the great non watcher of news, which I was schooled that I needed to be watching it like a hawk, this individual told me that I need to be prepared to get "snowed in". Jeez, I wasn't asking for a major let down, but I got one that day. I ended up getting a crap ton of water, extra dog food, blankets, portable stoves, matches and all the works. That was the best year of snow I've seen since Germany. I loved every minute of it. On a regular day, the snow was a bit in a "slush" mode. Then it unleashed its  wrath at night. Simon loves this stuff. It's hard to get him back inside...silly guy.

     It's snowing as I type. I am enjoying my hot coco and Dean Martin melodies. :)

J. Cay

Success...

     Hello world! My thoughts are put out on my blogs. I hope you enjoy reading about my life stories as much as I enjoy living them. :) 

 The battle of school has been challenging. I came to Northern Arizona University with the intentions of getting a B.S. in Nursing, but I am slowly learning that my plan has become null and void. What's best for a person? I mean really...you spend all your childhood years dreaming of what you want to do when you grow up and then BAM, life spins you in an about face. People think they have their plans all figured out, well, at least I did. Coming from a school which demanded and robbed you of your every being to transferring to a school who LOVES you, is a great feeling. Switching my major had me in a bit of a fright since I was a science major, now going into a business major.The best part about it is... instead of having a million credits to knock out, I only have 27 credits left to go for that little piece of paper that means oh so much to many companies.  

      I have dedicated my life to school, much like everyone else in the world. I am tenacious when it comes to school. Grabbing that bull by the horns and making a much needed decision to carry on with a different career choice was not a bad thing.  Living where I can do outdoor activities has also inspired me to work for a company who thinks the same way. Life is good. 

J. Cay