Goodbye Elections!

Well today was officially my last day as an employee in the Elections department. To be quite honest, I'm a little... ECSTATIC! Holy cow it really does feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I have been working there just short of 6 years, which is actually quite long for a temporary job to get me through school.
I finally decided that working full time and going to school part time wasn't going to help me much, especially in an office that I hated going to every day. I turned in my letter of resignation three weeks ago and it wasn't very, um, real I guess. I don't think it actually hit me until today when I started cleaning up my desk area. I took pictures down from the wall, cleared up all the papers, filled out my last time card, and let out a big sigh. Here is all that was left...Everyone kept asking me, "are you a little sad to be leaving?" I'm not necessarily sad to be leaving. Actually, it really is a big relief. It IS kind of scary, however, because I've been so secure in that lifestyle for so long. Now, I've been training to be a server at a new restaurant and I start my internship with America First on my birthday! But I am really nervous for such a big change. I never really saw myself working anywhere else beside the election office because I was comfortable there. I knew exactly what I was doing and what needed to happen. Now, I don't have a clue about what is going to happen anywhere! It's really, really scary but I know I'll get through the next 8 months and I'll finally graduate.
But for now, here are a few pictures to help you see a little bit (not too much, security issues) about my life in elections.
One of my little jobs was to change the calenders every month. I kind of took this one on myself... okay, so I wouldn't let anyone else touch them because their handwriting didn't match mine! I'm a tad obsessive compulsive in that respect.
This is our one way sign and part of Terry's Mountain Dew can/bottle collection. The cans and bottles line most of the partition wall, I forget where we got the sign.
This is Scott and Dave working at their computers... Scott is trying his hand at my street segmenting job. He actually did really well and only asked a few questions. I could tell he was just as nervous as I was when the other Dave left me there to do it all on my own.
This is my computer with my award-winning photo on the screen. I was going to take it off and just leave a standard picture on the screen for the next person to use it, but for some reason I just couldn't take my photo off the computer! It was the weirdest thing!
Scott waited for me to get off so I didn't have to walk out of the building for the last time as an employee all by myself. I'm such a dork, but I made him take a picture with my just outside the employee entrance. Actually, Scott is one the of the people in the office I really got along with. He kept me from going insane a few times, probably more than a few. He's really cool.
All in all, I am going to miss MOST everybody from the office. It is really weird leaving... really weird. All I can do now is hope and pray that everything with my new jobs will go well and I will get through to graduation. I did get a blessing from my dad and two brothers-in-law last Sunday that helped a lot with all my fears. I know I can do this because everyone has faith in me. Uh, oh... tears... of joy!

Crud!

I started school again today, not a big deal. Everything is pretty much the same as it was before. I don't love school but I don't hate it either...except for one part... BOOKS!!!
One of my books, just one, costs $122 and the others are not far behind at $98 and $87. Holy smokes!!! How am I supposed to pay for them!?!? I just paid my first tuition installment which drained my account and I don't get paid until thursday! How do I buy my books and start the homework I am supposed to have finished for wedensday? Argh...
I really, really think that I should write a textbook someday. I could charge an arm and a leg and students would HAVE to pay it because it will be required for their course. I'll be so filthy rich I won't know what to do with all that money!

Other than that, school's going to be great!

Ah...

I'm really, really bored at work today (only 6 more days... wahoo!) so I thought since I haven't posted in a while I'd blog about something I'm actually going to miss when I leave this job... Taco Day!
Every wednesday I go meet Rex for 2 or $1 tacos on Washington. We both work close so we get together to enjoy the wonderfully inexpensive meal. I have mentioned eating at the taco stands to other friends who work in the vicinity, but they don't seem to be interested. I could be wrong, but the "no thanks, that's disgusting" comments make me think they find something wrong with the yummy tacos! Ok, I was skeptical at first as well. I used to go with a coworker so I could get out of the office for a little bit and one day he asked me to try one, so I did! They really are quite tasty! When Rex told me he went every wednesday, I jumped at the chance for amazing tacos, good company, and getting out of the office for an hour. It really is something I'm going to miss. My iron stomach is going to become weak again, but I guess it's just something I'll have to deal with when I leave the county!

P.S. Sorry if that was a little scatter-brained... and that the picture has nothing to do with the post... all I can really think about right now is the fact that in a week and a half I won't be here anymore!

It's About Time...

I finally did it! After almost six years working for the election office, I turned in my letter of resignation! I was shaking the whole time and I really felt like I was going to be sick but I made it through the meeting. My boss was very understanding. He told me it was really difficult timing, but if he were put in the same position he would do the same thing.
I will be taking 18 credit hours at school fall semester and 15 in the spring. I start my internship with America First in September and I'm really excited about that. I'll also be working (hopefully) as a server in my friend's restuarant a couple nights a week so I can make enough money to pay my bills and possibly my last two semesters of school.
I'm really nervous about leaving, I've been here for almost six years and the change came very suddenly and is really scary. But, I really feel like it is a good time to move on despite the fact that it's right before a Presidential Election. I'm very unsure about everything right now, but I am trusting that I will be taken care of :)
Thanks, mom and dad, for supporting me in this decision and helping through it!

And now I'm crying... dang it!

Best of Show

I have entered a few pictures in the Weber County and Utah State Fairs the past few years. At the State Fair, I hadn't won anything until I won a second place (I think) last year with a prize of $10!
This year, for the WC Fair I entered three of my favorite photos, two that other people chose and one that apparently only I was partial to. Well...
I received the Best of Show award in the Advanced Amateur Division with this photograph! I was so excited, I was screaming and giggling and making a complete fool of myself... did I care? Not one little bit! Although, I'm totally sure that I embarrassed Shina, Tyler, and Kurt especially who were with me when I made the discovery last night! I am truly sorry about that, but if you three were really embarrassed by that, you probably shouldn't be friends with me because I tend to react that way often :) Anyway, it was a very exciting moment for me and I am very much looking forward to trying to out-do myself in the future! Yee haw!!!!

Holy Cow!!!

Ok, so it's been going on for the last year and a half or so... I'm sure everyone goes through something like this at least once in their life, but I like to think this is an EXTREME case... My boss is a MORON!!! It's usually just little things here and there, but I guess you could say I've put up with so much that I've snapped! Every year, I mean EVERY year, our department has a booth at the county fair to generate some interest in voting and being poll workers on election day. It has been a huge success in the past and we actually get a lot of help. This year, being as big as it is, we need a lot more workers than we've used in the last few elections, so the help we would get from the fair would have been very helpful. Of course, in order to get a booth at the fair, you have to request a few months in advance and follow up... you guessed it! She 'forgot' to request a booth until, oh, FOUR DAYS before the fair started! Holy smokes... I'm so frustrated! This was supposed to be my last big fun thing to do with this job before I FINALLY left at the end of the month. Yeesh... I don't think I can even convey the frustration I feel toward this joke of an office. It's all so ridiculous and I'm so excited to finally move on. I've decided that I'm not going to feel bad about leaving, not one little bit! No person should have to feel this way when it comes to such a huge part of their life... working 8-9 hours every day. I'm going to work in my internship, finish school, and say good riddance to this office! ONLY 16 MORE DAYS! HOLY COW!!!