Well....

Nothing all that new and interesting to talk about here...aside from Dale being very sick two weeks ago. I felt so helpless being all the way down here and only being able to watch from the live-action web cam broadcast. Thankfully, he is doing much better. I made it home a week ago for my brother's graduation ceremony and I was able to spoil the pony with kisses and hugs. It seemed to help his spirits - maybe he missed me? Well, I like to think so, haha!

Things down here are doing ok. I've come to realize this town of Jacksonville is not very "North Carolina-ish" at all. Everyone hears how friendly and southern hospitable North Carolina people are...but Jacksonville is a whole other world of its own. People are not friendly and people are not very hospitable! I think because most of the people here are not natives of this state. I guess since most of the people here are here because they have someone stationed at Camp Lejeune. Those of you familiar with Cranberry Twp, PA can relate to this...I decided that Jacksonville, NC is basically Cranberry Twp on steroids. Everywhere you go, there are very young families with way too many crying kids. I like kids, but these ones are always screaming and crying in the stores. Instead of seeing tons of cute kids and a few crying ones...its the complete opposite! It starts to make you a bit anxious and cranky trying to grocery shop, needless to say.

I quit my job at Blockbuster the first week. Some people might judge me for it, but I don't care. Maybe my old Blockbuster spoiled me. This one was horrible. It was extremely messy and unorganized, I felt so out of place there. The workers were not very friendly - I had no idea where the safe was and I was expected to close on my own my next shift! I took my position there as a Shift Lead manager, and yet I never even left the register. Heck, I never even got a break! I rang out customers nonstop from 4:00 when I got there until midnight when they finally closed. Tony came to visit and he said he took one look at me and knew I was miserable. I actually was holding back tears the majority of my shift. And when I got in my car, I cried the whole way home.

I don't like to "quit" anything, but this was just too much. Its hard enough adjusting to a new city and state, let alone a miserable job. So I was inspired to try out my own small business of equine services - show coaching and prep, grooming, braiding, exercising, and horse-sitting. However, its been really slow starting. I have had a few email conversations, but thats it. Aparently horse showing isn't as large around here as it is in other parts of the state (figures). Its so hard because I am becomming frustrated. I have always wanted to work with horses as a career, but I feel like nobody will give me the chance. I'm determined to keep going, so hopefully things will look up soon.