Beach or Bust

During the planning process of my summer vacation, I've discovered I'm the most indecisive person I know. Actually, I know exactly where I want to go. Said vacation spot doesn't relate well to my budget.

Other than knowing for certain that I'd love to spend a week at an all-inclusive Sandals Resort, I know that I definitely want to be at a pretty beach. I can't pick which beach though. Some of the locations I'm considering are below.

Mexico:

Cancun or Riviera Maya (relatively similar in location).

Pros

Pretty beach. All-inclusives available. 4-5 star resorts fit within our budget. I know exactly where my passport is.

Cons

I don't speak Spanish. Sheldon can't find his passport. I refuse to change planes in Mexico City; it must be a direct flight. I have to book the vacation early to ensure flight schedule and good prices.

Link to possible hotel

http://www.riu.com/en/hotel-riu-palace-las-americas-cancun-mexico.html

Pictures

Carribbean:

There's really not a point in listing all of this because we can't afford it. But I'll do it anyway.

Pros

Love the beaches! Well...from the pictures I've seen. I don't really know anything else about it.

Cons

The cost.

Links to possible hotels

http://www.sandals.com/main/grande/gl-home.cfm

Pictures

Alabama:

Pros

Beautiful beaches. Family is close by. I don't have to book anything early. We can drive. The hotels are affordable. It's in the U.S. - no passport required.

Cons

Family is close by (*I realize I have this in both categories). The hotels aren't all-inclusive and they're only 1 or 2 star-rated. However, I did find a really cute bed and breakfast, which is extremely affordable.

Link to possible B&B

http://www.bigbeachhouse.com/roomskeywest.shtml

http://www.bigbeachhouse.com/index.shtml

Pictures

*Family ranks as a pro and a con on vacation. Pro: I don't live near them so it would be nice to be able to visit everyone while I have a week off in June. Con: I don't want to be overrun with family during my "baby-makin'" vacation. :) So you can see, they don't cancel each other out even though family is listed on both the pros and the cons list.

I think by the time vacation gets here, I won't care where I'm going as long as I'm with my husband and we're going somewhere with pretty water. But you can still comment on what your decision would be. :)

A Lighter Mood

Since my last couple of posts have been on the serious side, I thought I'd post something of comedic nature. You have to watch the video below. It's hilarious!!

Evolution of Dance

One of my all time favorite videos.

Lost in Transition

How many people actually do what they got their degree in? How many people choose another career by choice and how many just gradually end up doing something else because of life situations? I'm a statistics person. Well...when I'm trying to make decisions. I want to know the facts to figure out my chances of success.

Currently, I have a decent job, I make decent money, I have great benefits, and I like the town I live in. I'd like to start a family soon and it seems like the "right" time is just around the corner. But I'm not working a job that I want. I'm working a job that has great hours and pays the bills. I was offered this job right out of college and was excited because I'd finally be making money. But what risks should I take to have the job I want?

If I could be guaranteed the career of my choice, I'd be a writer. A magazine writer for such publications as National Geographic and Time. I'd eventually write a book and sell millions! :) I'd also be a freelance photographer on the side. Photos of precious daily childhood adventures would fill the walls of my house, as well as amazing sites from around the world.

The answer that's not in this dream is how I get there. What risks are necessary? Do I search for jobs everywhere? Do I look in my town? When do I look? After the new addition to the family or before? Another confession: I really want a vacation. I haven't had one that wasn't related to a family visit in seven years! Right now, I have vacation time, and I plan to use it. So, do I hold off my career aspirations until after vacation season?

Argh. I'm a planner. I want to plan everything in my life, but I know I can't. Right now certain things are fitting perfectly into my carefully thought out plan for life. I'm not sure how to handle it, so I'm bringing it to the table. The big, fat cyber table. :)

Vote on what Jill should do next. (It's like reality TV, but not scripted.)

Grown-Up Phobia

When we become grown-ups, are we done dreaming? Do we lose that feeling of "we can do whatever we want to" once we hit adulthood? Does the daily grind of reality slowly disintegrate our ability to dream? When we become responsible for ourselves and our own lives, we lose a bit of freedom. It's ironic. Everything has to be planned and scheduled.

I've been defying actual adulthood, which is weird because I've wanted to be a grown-up since I was five. At the ripe age of nine, I told my mom that I was way too old to be wearing hair scrunchies, and that they were for children. By 15 I was babysitting a couple nights a week and every weekend. I had my own savings account, made my own money, and helped my mom take care of my younger siblings. By 17 I was engaged and ready to make a lifetime commitment to another human being.

Now I'm 25, I have a pretty set schedule every week, I'm in bed by 10 o'clock every night, and I have "my shows" that I watch on certain nights of the week. I even eat oatmeal on a regular basis. So, how have I been defying adulthood you ask, since I'm clearly living the exciting life of a 60-year-old.

As my regular blog-readers know, I decided to spontaneously get a nose ring. I still blare my music really loudly in my truck, and I don't have kids yet. Until just recently I liked to spend money however it suited me whenever I wanted to. My husband and I have been attending Financial Peace University weekly to learn how we should be spending, or should I say saving, our money.

So really, the last bit of childhood I'm holding on to is not having children. I'm scared to death that if I have kids, my whole child-ness, which I didn't really experience as a child, will be gone forever. I'll have to be the parent for at least the next 30 years. Which means no more loud music in vehicles (I might bust my child's eardrums) and my nose ring probably wouldn't go over well at the "awesome private school's" PTA meetings.

I'm ready to go crazy. Well, not like crazy. But have some fun. I just graduated, I have a job that would support "fun", and I'd like to enjoy my tiny bit of freedom before I become totally adult. And I think I'll always reserve a little bit of space for dreaming.

Copycat List Mania

Since my blogging days are after the original "List Mania," I'd like to add my own preferences. This is probably the most interesting blog-post option for this week. I'm pretty busy at work, so all other blog posts would reflect boring notes from a grant seminar or grant monitoring sessions.

10 Random Things About Me
10. After 25 years of life, people still have difficulty deciding what to call me: I've been called Andrea (first name), Jill (middle name), AJAX, AJ, jillybean, jillbug, Andi, little Killer, and Jerang (don't ask).
9. I write EVERYTHING down...including random thoughts (thank God for blogs!)
8. My favorite birthday party was a co-ed party when I was 17 at a bowling alley. It was disco bowling night (you know, with the black lights and disco balls everywhere).
7. My first published work was in sixth grade. Woohoo! (Books were printed and handed out with the class's stories for the year.)
6. I met my husband in an Autotech class in high school.
5. I have three sisters and two brothers, but I'm truly an only child.
4. I really miss the smell of snow and the cold-happy feeling you get after playing in it all day.
3. I love the smell of Scotch tape.
2. I went to six schools before graduating from high school.
1. My hair has been every color possible...well, except for maybe green.

9 Things I Love
9. My family
8. My friends
7. My pets
6. Traveling
5. Chocolate
4. Grey's Anatomy
3. Every Criminal Minds or CSI show currently playing
2. Cooking (though I'm still learning)
1. Financial Peace University (apparently I'm the Nerd and not the Free Spirit in the relationship).

8 Things that Annoy Me
8. Drivers who don't pay attention to the light signal when they're in the front of the line (HELLO! it's your responsibility to lead the traffic through the intersection).
7. Litter boxes
6. Needing to get gas (I hate the "bing" when I'm low on fuel).
5. Darren & Chrissy (radio dj's in Waco)
4. People who act like nothing has ever gone wrong in their life...ever
3. Loud construction workers who prank call your hotel room and gawk at you as you walk by (as if anyone would be impressed by this anyway).
2. Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, etc. (Agreeing with Lindsey).
1. People who make a big stink out of nothing. (Calm down, this too is nothing to worry about).

7 Favorite Foods
7. Chips and salsa (Sheldon's salsa!)
6. Japanese steakhouse food (hibachi shrimp, steak, and fried rice)
5. Pizza
4. Spicy chicken alfredo (Johnny Carino's)
3. Chicken and Dumplings (only Mom's homemade will do)
2. Bacon and cheese fries with ranch dip
1. Chocolate

6 Stores and Restaurants I Love
6. Barnes & Noble
5. Starbucks
4. Benihana's
3. Johnny Carino's
2. Target
1. IKEA

5 Things to Do Before I Die
5. Write a book
4. Have kids
3. Travel to India, Australia, England, Paris (again)... and, well pretty much all of Europe.
2. Stay at a Sandal's Resort in the Carribbean
1. Do that treetop gliding thing (gliding over the rainforest by cords)

4 Favorite Quotes
4. "You can't ride two horses with one ass sugarbean."
3. "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
- WOW-What a Ride!"
2. "You can have roots and wings..."
1. "I'm gonna shoot ya in your eye! Your dad-gum eye!" (said with Southern accent)

3 Favorite Authors
3. Donald Miller
2. Charlotte Bronte
1. Francis Rivers

2 Places I Love to Go
2. Alabama
1. home

1 Thing I Say A Lot
"Did you lock the door?"

A Birthday Wish

I've written before about sisters and what a blessing they are. January 31 was Taylor's birthday, the Tennessee sister.

The first time I met her, I was amazed at how much she looked like me. It was neat to meet a sister for the first time and connect with her. She's bright, funny, and definitely my sister. I don't get to see her much because, as I said before, she lives in Tennessee. But when I do get to see her, it's so much fun.

Two summers ago at Schlitterbahn (the most awesome waterpark ever), Taylor, Zack (our brother) and I had a blast going from ride to ride, chillin' in the lazy river, and standing under the large waterfalls getting drenched. The three of us have only spent limited time together, but it's like we've known each other forever.

I look forward to any amount of time we get to spend together - it's time when we have a chance to continue to get to know each other better. Thanksgiving 2005 we spent part of the day playing on Zack and Taylor's dirt bike. I'm pretty sure I was close to killing myself on it! :) Those are memories that will never be erased from my mind. Though I can't be with my little sister on her birthday, I'm sending my love over cyberspace.

Taylor, I hope you had an awesome birthday. I can't wait to see you and Zack again. Just know that I'm always thinking of you two. Call me anytime. Love ya!!

-Big Sis