One foot in Illinois the other in California

Wow I am slacking! My last post was on the 7th? Opps! What’s new with me? Well let me tell you...

Since last time I have seen Despicable me twice, once with Angela on our usual Tuesday night movie and once this last weekend with my cousins and Maddy. This brings me to the point that Maddy is here in Illinois for two weeks. By now she is only here for one more week but she got here on the 13th. Maddy is my 12 year old niece from California (the soon to be teenager I will be moving in with – yikes!). She spent the first week with my dad (Grandpa Teddy) and she will spend week 2 with my mom (Grandma Di). I wish my parents luck…lol Maddy is a little out of control but what 12 year old isn’t?

I have been running around like a crazy person getting ready for my move to Cali. My mother convinced me not to rent the trailer from U-Haul for the drive. She is worried that it will do damage to my car. This change in plans creates a lot of new variable. I will now not be bringing my bed, which suck by the way because my bed is freaking amazing! I am trying not to dwell on this though. Not taking the trailer also means that I have money to ship some things ahead of time. Surprisingly, it costs less to ship a big heavy box then a couple medium size/weight boxes. I sent 3 boxes on Monday (30, 35, 38lbs) and it cost $112 but today I shipped 2 large boxes (67 & 80lbs) for $133. Much more economical to ship that way!

I figure that if I can ship enough of my crap then I can get my TV console in my car. In case you don’t already know I adore my TV console. That and my bed are my two favorite pieces of furniture! So if I can’t bring one I want to try and bring the other. The TV console will fit in my car no problem. The issue comes with putting a bunch more then that in there. This is why I had to boot Ashley from the road trip portion of the trip. I will not be making the drive solo. Well… not really solo since I will have the dogs with me but it’s not like they can have a conversation with me for the 26 hour drive. Although being stuck in the car with the dogs for that long could drive me crazy enough that I start to have conversations with them. Anyways, the point is that I am going to ship as much as I can [afford] so that I have a shot at taking it with me.

I have been very productive so far this week. I am really far on packing, shipped 5 boxes so far, and change my mailing address on a lot of stuff. I also have cancelled my cell phone. So as of Aug 15th I will no longer have my 815 US Cellular number. I will have a 562 AT&T number complete with awesome new iPhone 4 to sweeten the deal! The phone is on back order so I will be waiting for a few weeks. This is actually a good thing though because the less time I have double service the better (cheaper).

You know that expression about having one foot in and one foot out? I feel like that explains my very existence these days. I am still here in Illinois but I am mentally in California. All I can think about is the move and watching the calendar willing it to flip to Aug 28th (when I hit the road). Only 38 days to go.

Dad says "NO!"......but....."NO!"

So I broke the news to my Dad about the move to California this last Saturday. I waited until he was leaving my uncles so that I wouldn’t have to deal with his reaction all afternoon. I knew he would not be happy but I also didn’t quite know how he was going to take the news. See there are some things about my Dad you should know. He is…..unique! That is really the best word for him. He is a little quirky, extremely opinionated, and really funny. People tend to like him…the problem is the my dad doesn’t like them. Ok he has friends and family and stuff but other then that he thinks that all people are idiots or assholes and are out to shaft you one way or another. This is not an exaggeration. I know I am his daughter but sometimes I am shocked he likes me. Lol

FYI: I totally love my dad and think he is awesome but I know how he is so telling him that his “baby” is moving 2,000 miles away was not on the top of my “thing I really want to do” list. But with the move only 8 weeks away it was time to bite the bullet so I caught him in the driveway and just blurted out “Dad I am moving to California with Sara,” and paused for reaction. He literally just turned to me and said “No” then pretty much walked away, which I guess in hindsight is better then him crying, yelling, or having any number of other awkward reactions to the news. I tried to tell him that me being 26 kind of hinders his ability to tell me no but he just laughed said “No” again and continued to walk toward his car. Poor Becky….I can only imagine that drive home with him. Becky is my step-mom and I love her to death. Anyone who can help me keep my dad in line is a saint in my eyes :)

To tell you the truth I really haven’t talked to my Dad since Saturday. He called me briefly on Sunday to ask if I had fun with my cousins and how the hot tub at my uncles was but other then that nothing. I guess I will just let it sink in a little. On related news: Plans for the move are still coming along. I still have to make an appointment to have the hitch installed. Sara is looking at flights and I am trying to pack and pitch stuff whenever possible.

On the Dawn Front: I have been trying to focus on the book I am writing but have been so torn on a few plot twists lately. But I found this online conference that allows you to post content for critique. It kicks off in August so I have 1 month to get a good chuck of it done. I am really going to try to focus on it. I mean planning is great but there comes a time when I have to just sit down and type it out. I can always change things later but having 10-20 pages of notes and scenes isn’t helping me.

I went to see The Last Airbender last night with Angela and Ann. It was good but I was a little annoyed by all the interpretive dance going on. When you see it you will know what I mean. OH! and I was so excited to find Linger on the shelves and Borders last night! It is not scheduled to release until 7/20 but Borders had it early. So I bought it and then sat at Borders and read the first 50 pages before picking Ann up for the movie. I planned to go home and cancel my preorder for Linger from Banes and Noble but by the time I got home I had an email saying it shipped. The book is not supposed to release for two weeks and now I am going to have two copies. Maybe I will have to give one away on the other blog. Or I guess I could return it….decisions decisions.

Enter bee...Queue wave of embarrassment and shame!

I have been stressing the last few days over this move to California. Probably not in the way you think though. I am really anxious to get there so that is not the issue. The problem is that I was planning on staying with Steve until Oct 1st (my last day of work). I was going to leave Kasey and Bailey with my mom since Steve can’t have dogs in his apartment, but now it seems like it might not be possible to leave both my dogs with my mom. So it seems like I will be heading out even earlier. I think that I will be California bound in 8 weeks. Good news and bad new. Good news is that I will be in Cali that much sooner. Bad news is that I will be losing an entire month of pay that I was counting on to get me through the first few weeks I am there, until I can find a job.

In other news, I sold my treadmill last night. I only posted it on the employee trading post yesterday morning but I had two calls about it before lunch. The first couple that came took it home right there and then and I pocketed $400 bucks! Which is a significant loss for me but I have had it for three years and it was just taking up space at this point. Plus can you imagine moving that thing? It is so freaking heavy! Good riddens! I decided to celebrate with a smoothie from Smoothie King. It was amazing!

After the treadmill was out of the way I decided to pack up a few things to take to my mothers this weekend. I might as well start loading up my crap and taking as much just as I can to her house before the big move at the end of August. So not the living room looks a little bare. Only a 2/3 of my sectional is still there and its now even all attached. I will be heading home at lunch to put some more stuff in the car that way I can just grab to dogs and go when I get off work. Speaking of dogs….I went trough my closet and through a bunch of stuff away and came across this fishing hat that I got Bailey when she was a puppy. I put it on her last night and we were able to snap a picture before she tore it off. She does not look happy. Lol

Oh and no good deed goes unpunished. I loaded up my cloths basket with crap to throw away while I was cleaning out my closet and when I went to toss it in the dumpster I apparently pissed off a bunch of bees. I was attacked! I ran like hell but I was not fast enough. One of the little bastards stung me on the stomach. Even though I was not thrilled about being stung I can appreciate the humor in my situation and in the spectacle I made of myself. I saw the bees, dropped my empty basket and starting booking it across the parking lot. Keep in mind I am yelling and spinning and zig zaging the entire time in an attempt to flee. Then I stop and think I am away only to yelp in pain as the last straggler stings me. Then I swear, and repeat the strange running debacle again. When I finally stop I realize that I left my basket but there is no way I am going back for it. So I swear again and head back toward my apartment. That is when I realize the old man watching me from his balcony. Queue wave of embarrassment and shame! I just looked up at him and gestured toward my path of destruction and said “Bees.” He just nodded and grinned.

After that I was afraid to go back to the dumpster so I didn’t take out the rest of the crap and I think its safe to say that my basket is gone. Oh well I guess. FYI I have not been stung by a bee since I was 4. I was at New Horizons Preschool and viciously attacked while I peacefully rested during nap time. That right it was completely unprovoked. So I guess 22 years was all the reprieve the bee community felt I needed after their heinous crimes against me. So here I am sporting a new battle scare. This is why I hate anything with more then 4 legs!

Midnight Eclipse Madness

Today is the day I have been waiting for since….November 17th 2009 (when I finished the Cast and Crew screening of New Moon). Eclipse midnight showing tonight!!! I can hardly contain my excitement! Anyways, I will be picking Angela up at 6:15 and meeting Katie and Audra at the theater. We will be seeing all three movies tonight. Twilight starts at 7pm followed by New Moon and then at 11:59 ECLIPSE!

I made sure that I finished The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner last night so that I am completely “in the know” for the movie tonight. BTW it was kind of sad. Not that I didn’t know what would become of Bree because anyone who has read Eclipse knows what happens. It was just kind of sad to see what it was like for her. How she was lied to and what she lost. There was one interesting bit of info. Let’s just say that there may have been more then 20 vampires who were sent to the clearing that day.

So this weekend was slightly productive. I finally got around to picking up my closet. It was in such horrible need of attention that I finally broke down on Sunday and picked up. I really need to wealthy enough to hire a maid service because cleaning has never been my strong suit. Just ask my mother….I am having very vivid flashbacks to my mothers furious face when I was in middle school and my idea of cleaning my room was stuffing everything under my bed. Sorry mom :)

I also spent a decent amount of time by the pool. That summer tan is coming along nicely. It turns out that I have the whole weekend off plus Monday so I will be headed back to Rockford. I still owe my dad a Father’s Day and my Uncle Steve is on town from Japan so the family is headed there on Saturday. I am so excited! I haven’t seen Steve or Jamie (cousin) since I left Japan but I have’t seen Dolly (aunt) or Jenny (cousin) since they moved to Japan (like 3 years ago). I think my Uncle Dick and Aunt Gerlyn will be there too, maybe even with their families. It should be a great day. Then Sunday is the fourth so I don’t know what I plan to do that day. Maybe head up to Ron’s to see mi madre or see what Ashley is has planned. On top of it all I get to sleep in three straight days!!! As I may have mentioned I have a love/hate relationship with sleep. I love it and hate when I don’t get enough of it. Lol

Just a typical Wednesday?...Never

I ventured into the Chicago area to meet Alyson Noel author of the Immortals series. It was a strangely surreal experience. I left Bloomington around 4pm and was about 10 miles from my exit when I got a text (via Twitter) from Alyson saying how bad the storm was. I didn’t think it was that bad. I mean the skies were dark but there wasn’t even any rain where I was. Then all of a sudden BAM! I am talking torrential downpour. It was so bad that many people pulled onto the shoulder because it was so hard to see 10 feet in front of the car. I was determined to make it to the event so I powered through (may seem silly but I was confident I would be fine – which I was since I am writing this post :). Then I missed my turn and got lost in the madness. There were flooded streets and almost all street lights were out near the Borders I was heading to. So I finally got there (20 minutes early even) and I was able to snag a front row seat! Sweet!

The signing was fun. You can read more about it on my other blog if you are interested. I Stopped at Portillos before getting on 55 to head back to Bloomington. I love Portillos, so being in the Chicago area and not stopping in just seemed wrong plus with all the weather Madness I skipped dinner. It was delicious! Steve kept me company for some of the drive (Thanks Steve!) but for more than an hour I had only the voices in my head as company and man they are Loud! ;)

So I have had this book idea in my head since…I think February….anyways I had so much time to myself that I came up with all kinds of plot ideas. Normally when an idea floats into my brain I just write it down and file it away until I am ready to fully process it. Well when you are driving 70mph, jotting down notes is a little difficult so I grabbed my digital camera out of my purse and flipped it to video mode. I am sure I looked really funny talking into the camera mic while driving. The other drivers where probably like, “Why is that chick talking to her lap?” Too funny! But hey at least I was able to save my ideas. I do not have the best memory so if I don’t write things down then I always seem to forget them.

When I got home it was way past my bed time…10:30….hey now don’t judge me! I did a lot of driving and….oh who am I kidding I am an old lady. “Sonny, bring me my cane and my dentures so I can to the warsh.” Lol

I talked to Sara today and she took Maddy to see Toy Story 3 in 3D. Apparently she cried. This tells me that….

A: Sara is retarded

B: I can’t go see the movie because I am an even bigger wuss then my sister

C: I am currently hungry and wishing it was time for dinner

D: All of the above

I chose D: All of the above. Sorry Sara I was going to just chose B but I am pretty hungry right now. Well I think it is time to head to the pool and get my Tan ON!!! Peace out home slice!

Cars, Cali, and other neat shhtuff....;)

So I have been having some car trouble for like two months now. My check engine light came on at the beginning of May and I took it to Midas. They did there thing with the little thingamabob and it turns out that I need to go to Toyota to have the main computer looked at. Well that sounds nice an expensive so I was like…. “um….I will just wait and see.” Flash forward to two days ago when I finally took it into Toyota. I was freaked out all day at work worrying about how much it was going to cost. So when the guy called and said they need to order a new computer for my car I almost fell over right there and then. So after I regained my ability to breath I said “oh no how much is that going to cost?” Then the guy told me “Nothing, it’s under warranty.” This is the part in the scene where the music halts and some random dude in the room says “Say What??” That is how I felt. Anyways, they ordered the part and installed it yesterday. I asked how much it would have been and the lady at Toyota told me I don’t want to know, but it would have been over $1000. I guess I must have been good this year since the warranty fairy decided to grace me with her presence.

Tonight I will be heading to Oak Brook to meet Alyson Noel. She is an author of one of my favorite series. The forth book came out yesterday so she is touring and I am going to the signing tonight. So excited by the way!

I am getting really anxious for this move to California. I just want to get out there. Not that I don’t want to be here at all, but I just want to start over. I really hope that my parents end up ok with the idea. I know that my Dad hates the idea, my step-mom wants me to do what’s best for me, my mom will support whatever I decide but not so secretly hopes I will stay. Sara of course can’t wait for me to get out there. I figure since the move is three months away I might as well drop the subject and let a little more time pass. I mean there is no sense in having the ‘rents freaking for the next few months. I will bring it up again about 2 days before I leave. lol

To tell you the truth I think I am most excited about getting to spend more time with Sara and Maddy. I mean we see each other a couple times a year for a week or so but we have not spent a significant amount of time together for like 12 years. Sara and I are so different but completely alike. If you have siblings you probably know what I mean. I also am excited to get the chance to be around for Maddy. Although I do admit that moving in with a soon to be teenager (turns 13 in December) is a little scary.

Don’t let all that sappiness fool you I am also completely in love with the idea of the beach, 60 degree weather on x-mas, and the possibility of running into “insert hot single famous dude” and falling madly in love! – Hey a girl can dream cant she? lol

Cant a girl catch a break....and Twilight!!!

So my computer that I have had for less then 2 years is fried. I am so irritated! I am kind of computer retarded so I had my roommate’s boyfriend check it out. He says that he has no clue what is wrong, it just won’t turn on. Seriously? Grrrr! I am so impatient when it comes to things like this. I am notorious for just going out and replacing something when it breaks instead of fixing it. On the other hand I don’t have $500 to drop on a new desktop computer. The old desktop in my room is like 5 years old and soooo slow. At least I have a laptop otherwise I would really be in trouble.

Don’t you hate when everything breaks when you are incapable of dropping the money to deal with them. My car is also having issues. The speed sensor is not working (or so I am told) so my car does not shift properly. Sometimes my car just refuses to shift into 3rd so I am stuck going 30mph. That’s right I am that chick you keep flipping off at rush hour. I finally made an appointment for Monday so have no fear it shall be fixed soon. Then I will be blowing past you and flipping you the bird as I pass you! Lol

I am anxiously awaiting the next Twilight movie! My friend Katie and I are going to the midnight showing on the 29th. Only 10 more days!!!! I keep watching all of these clips that are being released online and even though I LOVE them I need to stop watching them because they are making me crazy. Must....See...Movie! Anyways I am getting ready to head out for some much needed sunshine. Laying by the pool reading White Cat by Holly Black. Sounds like my kind of Saturday afternoon!

Hello All!

Hello! My name is Anne Simpson and this is my blog. I also have a another blog called bring me another book... I have always loved to read but only in the last year have I rediscovered just how much. I made a deal with myself to read 100 books this year. FYI: I am well on my way to crushing that goal! So, in the spirit of that goal I will review all of the books I read. Since this is a relatively new blog it might take me a while to review all of the books I have read this year (pre-blog) but I will do my best. I have never had a blog before so feel free to provide suggestions and tips if you want. I welcome the help. If you would like me to read and review anything just let me know. I tend to read YA fiction but am open to other genres if the story grabs me.

Ok, a little bit more about me. I have a Bachelors Degree in Marketing and a Masters Degree in Business Administration. I decided that business was the way to go simply because EVERYTHING is a business. I figure I can’t go wrong. Right? Now that I am done with school I want to figure out exactly what to do with my life. So, I am moving on to bigger, better, and completely unrelated things. I am also planning a move from central Illinois to sunny California (L.A. baby!) in October. Packing up my life, my two dogs, and all of my expectations will be difficult. Plus, moving in with my sister should be fun and slightly chaotic but I am always up for the challenge.

Like I said give me a shout if for no other reason then to let me know I am not just talking to myself here. lol