A few months ago I said that I met my husband through a psychic Oreo - which was a lie, you know. So I thought you'd like to hear the real story. I actually have it all written out anyways. And today I'm feeling dull - but I also feel like posting something. The two feelings cannot successfully go together. Unless, of course, you already have it all written out. But it's really long. So you'll probably get it in parts. Maybe a sentence at a time. I'm not really sure. Let's just play this by ear, shall we?
How I Met my Husband: PART 1
After two whopping years of college I was ready to take a break. Because, TWO whopping years. Whew. Hard work.
But I felt like my break should be for a reason – so, you know, I didn’t look overly lazy for having only completed 2 years of college. (If it counts I did get an Associates Degree – I’m not totally useless in the education department.)
I was also a good little Mormon girl so I knew that to take a socially worthwhile break I only had a couple of options. Because there are only two things that would stop a good little Mormon girl from attending college: Marriage or a Mission. Otherwise, you’d be in college looking for someone to marry… or maybe just to get an education. It really depends on the school, and if you live in Utah (or Rexburg.)
Marriage was totally out of the question. I was an active, attractive enough, 20 year old and there were SO many things I would have rather done than get married. Right then. Maybe later. But totally not then.
That left me the Mission option. Which sounded good. Living in a 3rd world country for awhile, learning some hard language and eating raw fish heads or dog meat and putting up with some other chick for 24 hours a day…. Ok, so maybe not. But there is that whole serving the Lord thing that helped. Plus, it wasn’t marriage. So a mission it would be.
Of course that also meant that I would have to come up with a bucket full of cash (a large-ish bucket.) And I had 6 months until my 21st birthday, so that gave me a chance to fill that bucket –if only somewhat. At least I was going to try. Plus, I liked money, so getting a good job was totally in the plan. (You’ll notice the past tense “liked.” It’s not that I don’t still like money, it’s just that I NEVER SEE ANY. And a long distance relationship is hard. Especially when the money that I love is distantly in someone else’s wallet….)
Back then I was working part-time in the accounting department of an internet service provider. Not that I studied anything in school that made me at all qualified to work in an accounting department. But there I was. Really there was a lot of filing and not so much to do with accounting. Plus the hours weren’t plentiful and the pay wasn’t great so I was looking for a bit something more.
I had mentioned this grand plan to an older friend of mine and guess what? It just so happened that her husband, who worked for the Forest Service, was taking applications for their summer crews – which paid a whole lot more and had awesome government benefits (like sick days……I had never before been paid to be sick and this was looking naively fabulous.)
Who cares if the job was with the Forest Service and I completely loathe being outside. Especially the kind of outside that is in the mountains with things like dirt, bugs, allergen filled plants and the major one - - NO BATHROOMS. But showers, Claritin and my exceptional pre-baby bladder holding abilities = MOOOOOOOONEY. So I applied.
But it’s a long process – you know how the government works. You have to fill out 520 papers and then wait for them to be processed through about 37 channels of people? So I filled it all out and waited until the semester was over.
During my wait, I had a splendid last few months of college. Because, PARTEEE, no more school. And during my juvenile merrymaking I met a guy. He was really funny and had cool shoes and a scooter – what’s not to like? But he wasn’t a “hey, let’s settle down and start a nice life together” type of guy. Mainly because, PARTEEEE and then pack up and move - - because, did I mention, this new job was in a completely different state? Plus, if you hadn’t already caught on – I wasn’t exactly in the “hey, let’s settle down and start a nice life together” mood back then either.
Also, during this waiting/partying period, my boss offered me a raise and more hours. (Because I must have been really good at filing.) And I also applied for a position at the local newspaper doing graphic design. Because that’s what I had been studying in school and mostly I just wanted to see if I was good enough to get the job. It turns out the newspaper interviewer lady had even heard of me and my designing prowess. (In passing, from a fellow classmate, in the form of a “hey, I know her, she’s not bad.”) So I had the job. If I had wanted it, that is.
Then I heard back from the Forest Service and my older friend offering me the job and free room and board if I helped with their kids on occasion.
I was in a pickle.
to be continued...
How I Met my Husband: PART 1
After two whopping years of college I was ready to take a break. Because, TWO whopping years. Whew. Hard work.
But I felt like my break should be for a reason – so, you know, I didn’t look overly lazy for having only completed 2 years of college. (If it counts I did get an Associates Degree – I’m not totally useless in the education department.)
I was also a good little Mormon girl so I knew that to take a socially worthwhile break I only had a couple of options. Because there are only two things that would stop a good little Mormon girl from attending college: Marriage or a Mission. Otherwise, you’d be in college looking for someone to marry… or maybe just to get an education. It really depends on the school, and if you live in Utah (or Rexburg.)
Marriage was totally out of the question. I was an active, attractive enough, 20 year old and there were SO many things I would have rather done than get married. Right then. Maybe later. But totally not then.
That left me the Mission option. Which sounded good. Living in a 3rd world country for awhile, learning some hard language and eating raw fish heads or dog meat and putting up with some other chick for 24 hours a day…. Ok, so maybe not. But there is that whole serving the Lord thing that helped. Plus, it wasn’t marriage. So a mission it would be.
Of course that also meant that I would have to come up with a bucket full of cash (a large-ish bucket.) And I had 6 months until my 21st birthday, so that gave me a chance to fill that bucket –if only somewhat. At least I was going to try. Plus, I liked money, so getting a good job was totally in the plan. (You’ll notice the past tense “liked.” It’s not that I don’t still like money, it’s just that I NEVER SEE ANY. And a long distance relationship is hard. Especially when the money that I love is distantly in someone else’s wallet….)
Back then I was working part-time in the accounting department of an internet service provider. Not that I studied anything in school that made me at all qualified to work in an accounting department. But there I was. Really there was a lot of filing and not so much to do with accounting. Plus the hours weren’t plentiful and the pay wasn’t great so I was looking for a bit something more.
I had mentioned this grand plan to an older friend of mine and guess what? It just so happened that her husband, who worked for the Forest Service, was taking applications for their summer crews – which paid a whole lot more and had awesome government benefits (like sick days……I had never before been paid to be sick and this was looking naively fabulous.)
Who cares if the job was with the Forest Service and I completely loathe being outside. Especially the kind of outside that is in the mountains with things like dirt, bugs, allergen filled plants and the major one - - NO BATHROOMS. But showers, Claritin and my exceptional pre-baby bladder holding abilities = MOOOOOOOONEY. So I applied.
But it’s a long process – you know how the government works. You have to fill out 520 papers and then wait for them to be processed through about 37 channels of people? So I filled it all out and waited until the semester was over.
During my wait, I had a splendid last few months of college. Because, PARTEEE, no more school. And during my juvenile merrymaking I met a guy. He was really funny and had cool shoes and a scooter – what’s not to like? But he wasn’t a “hey, let’s settle down and start a nice life together” type of guy. Mainly because, PARTEEEE and then pack up and move - - because, did I mention, this new job was in a completely different state? Plus, if you hadn’t already caught on – I wasn’t exactly in the “hey, let’s settle down and start a nice life together” mood back then either.
Also, during this waiting/partying period, my boss offered me a raise and more hours. (Because I must have been really good at filing.) And I also applied for a position at the local newspaper doing graphic design. Because that’s what I had been studying in school and mostly I just wanted to see if I was good enough to get the job. It turns out the newspaper interviewer lady had even heard of me and my designing prowess. (In passing, from a fellow classmate, in the form of a “hey, I know her, she’s not bad.”) So I had the job. If I had wanted it, that is.
Then I heard back from the Forest Service and my older friend offering me the job and free room and board if I helped with their kids on occasion.
I was in a pickle.
to be continued...
Comments
PS-if it were me, I probly wouldn't have done the forest thing...just sayin is all.
And now you have me wondering - how long until the next installment? Do we have to wait like five days? Or are you going to be kind? Just wondering...
Anxious to see the rest of the story. Please don't make us wait 5 days. That would be quite heartless, and I know you are not without a heart.