Mall of America... FINALLY!

We finally made it to MOA! The day after my 29th birthday!

And what's the very first thing we did upon going inside? Yup! We rode the upside down rolly coaster! It was my first time on an actual roller coaster that took riders upside down... and the whole thing lasted only about 30 seconds!

 

And here I am riding the Pepsi Orange Streak roller coaster... this one went around the entire inside of the theme park... much longer but not as exciting...

 

Ahhh....enjoyin the good life. And a beer in this bar slash arcade slash bowling alley. Didn't really enjoy the price of the drinks though.....

But then we swam under the sharks in the aquarium. 

I think these little guys were my favorite. -->

SHARKS! DUN DUN... DUN DUN.... dun dundundundundun.....

This lil guy was just bobbling in the water... he was so still it was creepy.

Of course LegoLand was next.... here I am with Lego Woody. 

 

I can't believe you could just buy an assorted cup of Legos that you pick out! So many to choose from!

We went to Mystic Lakes and this band was playing live on the gaming floor! Zach had them wish me a Happy Birthday then he danced with me to the song they played for me.

Our hotel room was up there? Over there? Somewhere.... we had an amazing 5th floor view of the roof. But the most comfortable bed either one of us had ever slept in. Plus when we were checking in, the guy noticed I had a guide book, and told us there was a 20% off coupon for their hotel in there, and he even cut it out! Heck of a steal and the best nights sleep ever!

Moose Mountain Mini Golf. He looks so enthused.... 

Here is a better view of the upside down rolly coaster we first rode. We actually went back and rode it again before we left that night. 

 Rainforest Cafe for lunch on Sunday!

We got the best seats in the house. Table for two.... right next to this table-to-ceiling aquarium.

Cool flashy cup that I got to keep! Tropical drink melting in my hand..... 

Zach's enjoying his ribs... and his "Corona-rita"

Best pic we could get with all the people around. I wanted one with both of us but he didn't want to pose for another picture lol 

Cannot for the life of me figure out how this fits into the salon it is in.... but it is a cool bike anyway. Vintage. 

So yeah, so happy I FINALLY got to go to MOA. I swear we didn't even see everything in that entire place and we were there two days. We are more the type who would rather spend money and time with each other doing something fun, rather then buying stuff. I did bring home some cool little items for Mom and Dad, and got some magnets and postcards as souvenirs. Can't believe it took 21 years for me to get there! Tons o fun!

 

On the Job Hunt....

...and hopefully not for much longer cuz... I GOT A JOB! Yeah!

Although I would have loved to have gotten the dispatch job at the local sheriff's department, I didn't realize (but probably should have known) that the process would take over 3 months. I probably should have been looking much sooner and completely during that time... but yeah, I'm lazy.

The application was due Dec 13th, the exam was Jan 21st, and my interview was Feb. 29th. I thought things were looking good.... I even filled out the wrong application and the contact person emailed me informing me of this, giving me three days to turn in the right one!

Then came test day.... she said 55 applied, and 44 were taking the test.

Never found out my score, just got an email that I passed with a 77 or higher. 70 was qualifying. And to sign up for an interview time.... there were 19 time slots. So it was me vs. 18.

The day before the interview, we got kind of a wild winter weather storm, and I got an email saying the person in line before my time slot had cancelled, so could I come in a half hour sooner? Absolutely! Me vs. 17!

Within about 5 days of the interview I got an e-mail saying I wasn't selected, which I knew once the interview was over that I didn't get the job and knew exactly why. Even though the Sheriff in the panel interview asked me about my background, I told him completely, and he said "thanks for being honest" but I knew that's what killed it. Oh well. 40 hours a week, at 14 something an hour with full benefits... yeah I can find that elsewhere... just not in this county....

So what's the next best bet? Get a summer job in the Dells then get the hell outta here. Cause ya gotta be crazy to wanna live around here without a decent job, unless you like traveling at least an hour one way...

I took a Wednesday and went to the Dells on the job search. Took a friend with me who has also been looking for work. We went to Chula Vista (dispatcher, lifeguard, housekeeping), Holiday Wholesale (warehouse), Ho Chunk (security and Guest Services... was told the security position closed a week prior but they would keep ap on file for 45 days), Kalahari (security, housekeeping, lifeguard) and Wilderness (security, housekeeping, lifeguard). Also picked up applications at Christmas Mountain and Atlantis. We filled out the same apps, gave them to the same people, for pretty much the same positions... and three days later, she calls to tell me SHE got a job at the Wilderness for housekeeping.

Sigh.

Got a letter from Kalahari saying they don't have time to review all applications, it will stay on file for 30 days, if I'm selected they'll call, feel free to re-apply after 30 days, blah blah blah.

Few days later get a phone call from Chula for an interview for the dispatch position, for maintenance and housekeeping. Had the interview on a Monday, she said her last interview is on Thursday and I will hear from her by Friday. Didn't. Call her the following Monday, she tells me her last interview is Tuesday and to call her Wednesday.... stringing me along, I didn't call her back. Still haven't heard from her.

Soooooo.... off I go again. Took another friend with me. She filled out an app at Wilderness, we both filled out an app at Great Wolf, I picked up apps at Knuckleheads, Buffalo Phil's, Ponderosa. SHE gets an interview two days later at Great Wolf.

We both applied for lifeguard.... I have experience and current certification... she has no experience and not yet certified.

Sigh.

I'm going alone from now on. Or taking someone with me who has a job.

Saturday morning I get a phone call for an interview at Knuckleheads. Go in Monday morning.... the guy who interviewed me was more nervous than I was. I thought it went well... got the usual "got a few more interviews....I'll let you know by the end of the week."

Nothing.

I kind of got the impression that you have to be a knucklehead to work there and that I am overqualified to work in the Dells.

Tuesday evening around 8:15 p.m. I get a phone call from Ho Chunk. She asked me to come in and "talk to her". Set an appointment for the next afternoon.

I go in, and while I am sitting in her office waiting for her, I see the Intent to Hire paperwork sitting on her desk.... I'm sitting there thinking "is that for me?... I haven't even had an interview...."

She walks in and asks me one question: the fated "tell me about yourself."

Oy. I was myself. Don't remember what I said but she replied that she liked my application, she liked my demeanor, that I have an approachable face and this was the type of person she wanted at her front desk, someone who customers wouldn't be afraid to approach, and she was going to hire me.

So I asked her what she liked about my application (I left resumes with just about every app) and she said that she could tell I was working towards something, and she liked that, and usually when she came across someone like that she had to grab them while she could because there's usually a very short amount of time that she could.  

In other words, we got along great :)

She sent me down to HR to fill out some paperwork, then I had to go downstairs for my wiz quiz and get my picture taken, and I was told the results should be back Monday or Tuesday and then I would be called to come in and fill out the rest of the paperwork.

I got the phone call today. I go in tomorrow afternoon for the rest of the paperwork and orientation is April 16-17!

It will start out as an LTP, but she said if they like me and I work out well then they may consider hiring me on full time year round. She is aware of the fact that I may not want to remain in this area beyond mid September, but I told her we would see what happens between now and then. I will be trained on all three shifts, but will mostly be on thirds, which I love anyways. When I told her I would prefer overnights, she was surprised and kind of happy I think, and said she did not gather that I like overnights from my application.

Night owl for life!

 

Plan A... or B... or C...

... not to worry... there's 23 more letters of the alphabet....

The crazy dog is barking again. Because Dad's toast popped up in the toaster. Oh yeah, Lassie's a weirdo. She also barks when Dad pulls a Kleenex out of the box, when he blows his nose, when you open the microwave door, and if the microwave beeper goes off and you're not paying attention to it, she'll come stare at you like Eddie does on Frasier until you get up and fetch it. If you're standing up, she'll get behind you and poke her long nose into the back of your knee and herd you towards the kitchen. Goofy pup.

I pick things up and I put them down. :)

Mom is trying to convince me to go work on a cruise ship. Looks like fun. But it's not something that can just be done temporarily. They want you like 6-8 months at a time then it depends on the job you've got on if you even get to go off the ship in port. Along with sharing a cabin with 1-3 other people in a space that's tinier than a dorm room... although seeing tons of places I have never been or could never see otherwise would be amazing... Doesn't help that she is watching Cake Boss right now and they are featuring a Disney cruise line where they had to make a huge cake decorated like a cruise ship. Thing wouldn't fit in the elevator so they had to carry it down the stairs... I thought for sure that was going to be a cake disaster.

This last summer I was looking into doing the Disney College program, but after thinking about it and talking about it, and then looking into it even more... the day I went back to fill out the application... was a day too late. I may look into that for this summer. Again, it would be going somewhere I have never been and doing something I have never done. That looked like tons of fun.

This past Saturday I took the test for a job as dispatcher in the local sheriff's department. It's a really great job for this area. Basically, unless you work for the school district or the county or city, you're driving 30+ miles to find any good job. It would be a great position to get. Better than anything I have ever had before. But there is a lot riding on it. I mean, I am pretty sure I passed the test, although it will be close to two weeks or more before I even find out my score and if I make it on to the next wave of the process. If I get it, I'm staying here. No way I am giving that up. But it's a process. And highly competitive.

On the other side of that... that's the only thing riding on me staying here. If this doesn't come through for me, I am going to Phoenix to finish school on campus. Because these online classes are just insane. Everyone was telling me when I was in college that they did online classes here and there for what wasn't offered on ground. And they all said "oh they're so easy" and "you should try them, you'll like them" and yada yada yada. Well, y'all were wrong. I HATE THEM! I am in my third one now, and my first program core class, and it's annoying as heck. I feel like I am not learning anything. Like I am in a degree mill. And I hate that. I don't feel I learn this way effectively. I would rather be in the classroom. And the more I look into going to Phoenix, the more I want to go. Especially since I just changed my major and now I am looking at another two years of school for my master's degree.

And I need to work on finishing my book. I have a new laptop now, my notes are scattered who knows where in between a zillion places, and I have nothing better to do. Might as well get moving on that and look into publishing. I think it will be best as a trilogy though. Now if I could just figure out where to end it.

I pick things up and I put them down.

Like a Kid on Christmas Eve

These online classes just are not working for me. Why on Earth am I paying $70 per class to use an e textbook that doesn't even make sense to use? I can't highlight it, I can't take notes, I can't flip back and forth between pages without scrolling my eyes all out of focus and by the time finding what I am looking for, forgetting what I was seeking in the first place.

This is my first bout of online classes. The first two weren't so bad... but this is my first program course, principles of marketing... which shouldn't be a problem; I had a couple years of marketing in high school. Which.... was .... ten... years.... ago.

No. The problem I am having is with a bazillion folders having to be opened to locate one thing, and fifty more having to be opened and links to go through to find the other thing that goes with it (and with my lack of a short term memory, it can be rather frustrating) and that everything comes as a download instead of being directly on the site... why oh why does something so easy have to be so difficult? And it's something that doesn't even have to be difficult. They just like to make it that way it seems. Of course, there's reasons for why the school is laid out that way. I don't know them, but I am sure there is.

So what's the difference between the reason and an excuse? Hmmm.... it's a fine line. Imagine this common scenario.

Student walks in late to class. Teacher asks "what's your excuse?" Student says they overslept. That is the true and honest reason. Result: detention for being late.

I believe there is a difference between an excuse and a reason. I just think excuse is used improperly way too much.

Say someone just got fired from their job. Instead of picking up and finding something new, they stay up until the wee hours of the morning, sleep until 2 or 3 pm, and never leave the house all day. What's their reason for not finding something new? There is no valid reason. What's their reason? Making excuses. Laziness.

So why am I awake typing this at 230 a.m.? I'm way tired but don't feel like sleeping. I know I should, because at the moment I am like a kid waiting for Santa. When the parents tell the children "the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner Christmas morning will be here...."

Yes, the sooner I go to sleep, the sooner I will get to go home. This crazy weekend visiting La Crosse has had its ups and downs. Unfortunately, more downs than ups. I can just never make up my mind. When I am there, I want to be here; and when I am here, I want to be there.

Changes Are in Store...

So I no longer live in the apartment trailer park. Currently, I don't want to change the name of the blog. I think it's cute. Maybe the description though... I went from having three roommates and one cat to three cats and one roommate.

I am glad I am out of that neighborhood though. Too much drama that I did not want to be involved in. Been on the south side of the city for almost a week now, and it's been okay. I think things will be okay.

I did have a job. Since the end of August I was working in a factory, started on first shift then transferred to second shift, but missed one day due to unforeseen things that happened that I am not going to post about, and then ended up leaving on my lunch break on Thursday evening because I was throwing up and in the bathroom more than I was on the line. I asked my supervisor if I could go home and he said yes. The temp place called me Friday morning and said they didn't want me back due to my attendance. I was working with Zach on first shift and that ended up leading to a few problems between us which kind of ended our friendship relationship. I miss do miss him but nothing will cure that but time.

Wow I thought this neighborhood was quiet. Just thought I heard gunshots but they were too rapid so I go peek out on the deck and someone's lighting off a ton of huge aerial fireworks. Nice.

Actually, it's not that quiet here. There's still a lot of construction going on from the tornado cleanup in this neighborhood and the hospital a few blocks away is undergoing a major overhaul. So it's difficult to sleep in when the windows are open, and they have been because it's been hot for a Wisconsin October!

I am going back to school though. Currently am doing online classes through Grand Canyon University (GCU) out of Phoenix, and am actually considering moving down there to attend on campus instead. Just looking into the options and possibilities and pros and cons and finances for getting there in time for spring semester. It's a tough decision, but what I'm feeling led to do. I feel there is nothing left for me in La Crosse right now, and the more I look into what the campus has to offer, the more I am getting excited to make it happen.

Figuring Things Out

Wow. A lot has happened since I last posted. I've been slacking.

First of all, everyone told you to keep up on what happened with that bogus citation I got on Memorial Day weekend. Last written, it was headed to trial. Well, a week before trial the D.A. sent me a letter stating that the cost of a trial did not warrant the expense of the ticket.

Dismissed. No trial, no fine. However, a week later. things completely turned upside down but since this is the Internet, I am not going to go into details about that.

It's Going to Trial...

Met with the DA on Friday. Was hoping to get this bogus ticket dismissed. Guess I was wrong. The DA was not interested in hearing what I had to say.... only said he could reduce the fine amount. I even tried explaining to him what happened... nope, didn't want to hear it. All he said was it was between the deputy and I and if I wanted to ask him questions then he would set a trial date and mail me the info... it would probably be in thirty days or so.

Yeah and I thought about getting a lawyer, but everyone I have talked to about this thinks I have a pretty good case on my end... I know the law, I know the elements of the law and that reason alone is enough to let the judge know I did nothing fitting the elements of the crime. I have to go in and keep a cool head, but I do have plenty of questions for that deputy. The DA says (and not knowing how he got this out of the three sentence statement in the narrative from the officer) that it sounds like the deputy was just frustrated and sick of dealing with me.... still, not enough for a DC ticket... since I did nothing under the elements of the state statute for disorderly conduct.

On the other hand, some people are telling me to just pay the ticket and let it go. I would, if I knew I deserved it. There's only been two other tickets I have ever fought in my lifetime, because I know if I got the ticket I did it and am more than willing to pay for the consequences. But this one, I did not deserve. Therefore I am fighting. Most others have been traffic violations, some ordinance violations, but the only other two I fought were.... and here's good stories behind both... one was for prowling and the other for violation of ball playing regulations.

Seriously.

The prowling one, a friend and I were playing a game we invented called "Prowler" and just so happens well, we had nowhere to play (all the parks int he city are closed from 11 pm to 7 am) so we made the city block I live on our boundaries. Just so happens I lived half a block away from the PD, and as I was on the sidewalk looking around the corner for my prey, an off duty officer comes out of the PD claiming I was looking in the windows of the house on the corner. He chased and dragged me back to the PD and had an on duty officer come write me a ticket for prowling. That one was thrown out no problem.

The other one was for violation of ball playing regulations. Basketball. There's a nice park on Sand Lake Road with a basketball court so I was up there playing one night.... it was about 1040 ish (remember the park closes at 11) when an officer steps out and tells me they got a complaint about me playing basketball so if I left he would appreciate it. No problem, I left. Few nights later, I was out there about the same time, and an officer walks over to me from Kwik Trip across the street, munching on pretzels and Gatorade, and tells me I need to leave because the park will be closing soon. I said OK and I left.

Just after 1030 a few nights later, I'm out there playing basketball and a squad car flies up to the curb, steps out and yells across the court "Holly get over here and give me your driver's license!" I asked why (yeh I was young and rebellious) and he says "because you've been told you can't be out here playing ball this late and we've been out here a few times for you playing ball this late so tonight you're getting a ticket."

I was like, "a ticket for what?" and he replied for violation of ball playing regulations.... I was at the other end of the court, he was on the other side of the fence, and I was pissed, so I whipped the basketball across the court at him and it bounced off the fence next to him. He yelled "Do you wanna go to jail for disorderly conduct?" I said no and then he yelled for me to get over there and give him my ID.

This is the same officer that wrote me the prowling ticket. So he gives me the ticket and I asked him if the park is open til 11 why can't I play basketball until 11?

He says the park is open til 11, but there's a city ordinance saying no one can play basketball in any city park or playground between the hours of 1030 pm and 7 am.

The ticket was dismissed because even though it's a city ordinance, it''s not posted anywhere in the city in any of the parks or playgrounds. I told the city attorney that and he agreed.

So those were the only other tickets I've ever got that I've fought, because, come on now... they were both pretty bogus. As was this one. We'll see what happens at trial. Bring it on, 132!

The Saga Continues...

So I finally got a hold of the third shift Sgt. in regards to the ticket I got on Memorial Day weekend. (See earlier post here.) He told me himself that he tells anyone that gets a ticket in La Crosse County to contest it.

Anyways, he promised to speak with this deputy and let me know what the deputy says about the whole incident. I finally contacted him this past Saturday and he told me that the reason they didn't explain why I got the citation is that when they came back to the door to give it to me and I told them I was naked, they "didn't feel comfortable" talking about it face to face with me being undressed, which he said he could understand. He also said he didn't think they did anything wrong in their conduct of the whole situation, and another deputy (one who wasn't even there) told him that I got the ticket for calling 911 and telling them I was lost and I was a block away from home.

First of all, I was more than a block away from home.

Second, I never called 911. I called the crisis line first because of how I was feeling at the time and wanted to speak with someone. The crisis worker there basically hung up on me. So then I called 211, which is the resource line, and was transferred to a crisis worker, who called the police...

Third, if they were so "uncomfortable" speaking with me naked, why didn't they ask me to or wait til I put some clothes or a robe on or something?

Fourth, why did they wait to give me the ticket until after I was inside? Why didn't they give it to me before I was out of the car or as I was getting out and before they walked me to my apartment?

Court is Thursday. I'm pleading not guilty.

So I met with the counselor at the county today. Informed him of this whole situation. He suggested I seek legal advice and sue the shit out of them for breach of confidentiality, because the only time the crisis workers are allowed to call the police is if the person is in immediate danger or makes statements saying they will harm themselves. I never made any comments of the sort.

Guess we'll have to wait until Thursday.

I did get a chance to get away this weekend. Went to my sisters house and partied with all their neighbors. It was nice. Discovered my tent leaks because I didn't use it at all last summer and I forgot to waterproof it when I put it up, so I woke up Sunday morning a lil wet.

So I get home and my blinds are closed. I never close them. I am a natural light person all around as much as possible and I always like to see outside as much as possible, because if I can't see outside and don't know what's going on out there, I don't want to be surprised when I go out and see something that shouldn't be seen. OK I know I prolly lost most readers there, but it makes sense to me and I get it from my Daddy.

Anyways, guess the neighbor across the alley has been spying on us. This guy sits in his window all day and looks into our living room and writes down in a notebook what we do all day and night and shares it with the other neighbors. Never a dull moment in the apartment trailer park. Good news is.... the douchebag in apt 15 moved out.

Daydreaming in Class....

Is it okay for me to say I really hate this class? Too late :)

I didn't know I had to take a history class. The class is "Diverse Cultures in America" which according to our syllabus, is supposed to be talking about the different sociological perspectives of race and diversity and cultures in America.

We have two weeks left after tonight. And so far we've spent every night talking about different races and cultures in America but nothing seems to be current. It's all about history and how these people came to assimilate into America, and the lack thereof. Doesn't help that there's only four of us in the class. Also the instructor is so behind the times! She's the first one I've had in all my four years of school that would not accept assignments via email. Everything must be printed and handed in. Not everyone has a printer or access to one.

Wow! This is probably the most current thing we've talked about in all of class! Political cartoons! Like I'm interested (*rolls eyes*) She's showing us an online game where you shoot Mexicans crossing the border. That's sad.

And isn't "ie." the abbreviation that means "example"? She uses "eg."

Ha ha we've been talking about skin color and race vs. ethnicity and I said that I used to be asked by strangers all the time if I was a boy or a girl. Cuz our instructor said strangers ask her all the time if her son is adopted or ask what he is because he has a darker complexion.

I don't want to know how many people were classified in the past! This isn't a history class!

There's really cool clouds outside. Wish she'd give us a break so I can go smoke and take pictures of it before it goes away.

Now we're talking about the census. Funniest thing about the 2010 census is that the government sent out a letter to inform everyone that they would be sending out the census!

"We say we're all equal and we say we all want to be treated equal, but we act differently." I hate everyone equally. That way I'm not racist and I don't discriminate.

Yay finally got a break and pictures of the cool clouds.

Pop quiz. Yay. I got like 2 right out of 10. I swear everything in this class goes right over my head.

I don't understand the Western and Eastern religions and ancestries of like from European descent and stuff. They didn't teach us about World Geography in school. We learned everything to know about the United States and the continents but barely studied anything about the countries on those continents outside of North America.

Does this instructor really have to smile after every other statement? Wow that's annoying. Now we're talking about Islam. Most in depth discussion about current culture and not history that we've had yet.

An hour and 15 minutes to go. Wow. 4 1/2 hour classes really suck. Most instructors don't keep us the full time. Most are done between 8:30 and 9, and we start at 5:30 pm. This is the first class I've had that's kept us til 10 every single week.

Hmm. That's interesting. Maybe I should convert to Islam.

I'm Just Not Into It...

School.
This year.

Maybe its because I have to take summer classes. Which suck.

Or maybe because things aren't going so well for me in other places.

All I want to do is sleep.

I have no ambition to do my homework or reading assignments or even go to class anymore.

On the other hand, I'm not sure I want to even live in this area anymore.

I don't know what I want. The fact that I'll be 28 this year and haven't really done anything with my life so far is somewhat depressing. I feel like I'm a couple years behind. Like I shouldn't be 27 now. I feel like I should still be 23. Then again, my boyfriend left me because he thinks he's still 21 and doesn't know who he is.

It's like I don't have any motivation til this time of the day. It's 12:20 a.m. I've spent all day in my pajamas until about 7 tonight when the cable went out and I went for a walk. I am so not a morning person. And the school schedule changes every 8 weeks.

Why can't I just live? There's so much pressure on my generation to go to college and get a degree and have a career and be married and have a family and what not.... but some of us just aren't gonna do that.

Ok I'm totally lost at what I was gonna write tonight. I just don't know. That's the basis of it. I just don't know.