It is finally mine!

I FINALLY have a new car... and i'm taking any suggestions you might have on what I should name it.

Most of my friends know that all my cars have had names that do them justice-- Big Blue, Pedro, Rosie (my grandpa named this one).

The day I bought my new car! Friday, July 25, 2008.
















After weeks and weeks of B.S... dealing with loans, stupid people, insurance, etc... it is finally mine. I have yet to drive it with the top up-- that's not really my style. =)

Now, all I have to do is drive very very safely for the next 3 years... if I crash this one, i'll pretty much be biking and taking the bus... until I turn 25. I'm not even exaggerating.

If anyone has a good name suggestion for my new partner in crime, let me know!

Kels

"I'm the historian."

I have a problem.

I just realized that I have 38 myspace photo albums... and that's not even all...

Not only do I TAKE too many pictures--but Facebook has me tagged in 1,034 pictures.

The way it breaks down is... 426 of those pictures are ones i've taken myself... and 608 are pictures other people have taken.

This is ridiculous... there has got to be some kind of treatment program I can go to... right? They have rehab for just about everything, don't they?

Now this blog just wouldn't be complete without a picture included:




Allison Mertz and I on St. Patrick's Day on my most recent trip to Grand Forks, ND. Very well could have been the best night of my life!

The good ol' days!

Hey everyone! I just randomly came across an old blog I had two years ago! I actually wrote in it... OFTEN! It's pretty hilarious to read about everything that I thought was a big deal then... it feels like so much longer ago than it actually was.

Wow, does it make me miss Grand Forks though! My friends and I had SO much fun!!! Keep in mind, it was college-- and all there was to do in Grand Forks was drink... so if you're not a fan of it, you might get a little sick of reading about it. =)

http://www.xanga.com/dancinbackwards

Enjoy!

Kels

Learning and loving it at Sunbridge.

Let me start this out by saying, ELDERLY PEOPLE ROCK MY WORLD.

Many of you already know that my mom and I have been volunteering at a nursing home. For those of you who don't know... my mom and I have been volunteering at a nursing home.

The reason we started in the first place is because my Grandma Nini checked herself in... she turns 96 this week! My mom and I just wanted to help out with activities and get her going to more of them.

Grandma Nini with the stuffed monkey she won playing winning Pokeno.













As much as I hate to see my grandma in a nursing home, it's been good because she is so strong now, and I have realized how much visits to those people mean.

I'm not sure what everyone's story is, but I know when I leave every Wednesday, I have made someone's day-- and they have made mine.

I noticed that Ruth had gotten her hair done this week and I go, "Woah Hollywood! Ruth! Are you hitting the red carpet? Your hair looks beautiful!" and she goes "Hey girl, if you've got it, flaunt it!"

Every Wednesday, I deal blackjack, and almost every day it's the same people playing. We've got Pat, Dianne, Anne, Bill, Delores, and Ginny (my grandma). Bill makes me laugh the hardest... i'm usually pretty crabby when I get there to volunteer because i've woken up from my good night's sleep (I work nights, sleep days), and need to plaster a big fake smile on my face, but it's not too long before they have turned my entire mood around.

Funny thing is, these people count quicker than I do... and i'm alright at Blackjack, but I haven't actually been able to play since i've moved here to Boise. Can you believe that?! THEY DON'T LET YOU GAMBLE HERE! Bad news... but I guess gambling at the nursing home is legal... =) And no matter how many times Anne asks me... "No Anne, each chip is just worth a dollar. They are all the same."

After blackjack, my mom and I start setting up the room for Pokeno. For those of you who don't know, Pokeno is BINGO, but with playing cards... you have a card with 25 pictures of playing cards on it, and when the caller holds up a card, and it's pictured on your card... you cover it. Pretty easy, except... my job is to basically play 20 cards at once-- all around the room. =) My mom calls the cards, and I have to wander around the room, by certain people who can't see the cards or pay attention for very long, and make sure they got it covered. One day, this man Chester (Chet), was playing and he couldn't really see his card... so I just hung out with him, made sure he had everything my mom called and... he won 3 times. Now Chet and I are inseparable. =)



Mom calling Pokeno numbers at Sunbridge Nursing Home in Meridian, ID.












This last Wednesday I went to find Chet because he didn't show up for Pokeno... I went to his room, and found out that he had had pneumonia all week. =( He invited me in and he must've been feeling much better because he kept hitting on me, like the Good Ol' healthy Chet I knew.

Let me tell you though, Chet has a picture of himself as a man about my age in his room-- and he was pretty damn cute! As I was leaving the room I told him to "Have a great day!" and he goes "You too! But wait a second.... what if I didn't say that back, would you be offended?" and I go "Well, not offended... but I would've thought you didn't hear me." and he goes "See, that's America." He went into this long profound lecture about American's always wanting to "settle the score." It makes sense to me, and is really something to think about, but it was too profound for me to be able to type into words. =)

Far left: Gladys and Dianne playing Pokeno with the same cards... every week. If one wins, they both win-- and Dianne usually gives Gladys her candy after they've both won.







I'm almost done with my nursing home rant, I just want you all to know... that whether or not you know anyone there, if you are looking for something to do with your time, it's a great place to volunteer.


I learn so much every time i'm in there, and just to see someone's face light up when I call them by their name, makes my day. I leave feeling like i've done something that matters, even though i'm just in there dealing blackjack and making sure people don't get screwed playing Pokeno. =)


I wish I could explain in words how great this feeling is... but even after my Grandma checks out and comes back home, which she could soon (she's doing so well!), i'm going to keep volunteering...

I don't want Chet hitting on anyone but me!

I'm proud to be an American!

Soon it will be the 4th of July... just two more days!

The 4th of July has ALWAYS been my favorite holiday.

Why? Because my entire family on my dad's side would be up at the lake, we'd all get together with snacks, popcorn, and when you're almost old enough, beer... and have "The Dance" on the beach while all the little kids put everyone's lives at risk by lighting fireworks off of the dock. Even the grandparents would make the trek to the other side of the bay for "The Dance."

From left to right: Ben Splichal, Matt Jacobson, Sara Baier,
Annie Baier, Beth Splichal, Kelsey Jacobson; Front: Marla Jean
Jelly-bean -- at Lake Metigoshe, North Dakota.

Another reason I absolutely love the 4th of July is because i'm extremely patriotic. I hope that all of us remember why we have the day off on Friday... because it's an important time right now for us to think about it. We have thousands upon thousands of men and women overseas that don't get Friday off... and they are the reason it's being celebrated in the first place.

So many people have died for our freedom, and even so, our soldiers continue to fight for us... so let's remember that this weekend.

Plus, this is the only time of year you can hear "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood on the radio, and if you have never heard the song "4th of July" by Shooter Jennings, then I suggest you watch the video below-- its not super patriotic or anything, but I LOVE the song for some reason, and it's only played this time of year.

Now for the reason that my feelings are kind of mixed this weekend:

Friday would be my two year anniversary with the first person i've ever loved. =( For those of you close to me, you know the back story... but for those of you who don't... Sean had just gotten home from a deployment to Afghanistan in March-- and is already back in South Korea to serve our country again... and we broke up about two months ago. I have been doing well... but would rather not be sitting at home by myself thinking about it all weekend.

Which brings me to my next point: all of my friends here in Boise, had told me they were going to be leaving town!! Every single one... so I thought I was going to spend the day missing my family in North Dakota, who will all be up at Lake Metigoshe without me.

Turns out now, two of those friends who were going to be out of town... won't be. So we had decided we would do something... but don't know what yet. And now, another one who is going out of town, just called to let me know that they decided to go camping instead... and now a huge group of my friends is doing that. I went from no plans, to having to choose, which kind of sucks. I hate making decisions. I hope I can convince some people to come camping.

Yeah, my life is rough what can I say. =) Don't get me wrong here... i'm not complaining that I now have a choice of what to do for the weekend, but I'm just not very good at making decisions like this, because I don't want anyone to be left out.

I am one of the few who work on the 4th, so that means double pay! Even though, I work the overnight shift... so I get off at 7 AM on the 4th, and still get the benefits of working on a holiday... I can't believe I used to hate this shift! =)

I leave you now with a few patriotic songs to get you in the spirit!

Lee Greenwood - "God Bless the USA"

Brooks & Dunn - "Only in America"

Toby Keith - "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue"

Aaron Tippin - "Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Flies"

David Ball - "Riding with Private Malone"

God Bless America!!!!!

~Kels

Blog... take five.

So this is about the 5th time i've said I'm going to do a blog... and keep up with it.

Last time, I posted once... and it was in 2006... so we'll see if I can actually do it this time, huh?

I do have a computer that works now, so that might help. =)

Let me start with my new life-- easier said than done! There is so much going on in my life right now, it's hard to keep my thoughts straight.

I'm working at a job that puts me through more drama than I ever even went through at Central High School-- which is pretty unbelievable.




I'm a News Producer, and if any of you have ever worked in media, you know what i'm talking about. The only difference here is, the people. Every day, i'm even more impressed with how much more drama can be created.

Switching topics now to... MY CAR. My car is breaking down little by little... and so the search is on. Today I drove a bright yellow Mustang convertible... very cute, however, i'm not too sure about it.

It didn't seem to drive as smoothly as I had expected.

I have my heart set on a convertible, so that won't change, but it could be a while before I settle on the right car.


About two weeks ago, I drove a PT Cruiser convertible, New Beetle, Chrysler Sebring, and an Eclipse convertible. Too expensive, too small, too old, or too souped up. It sucks to be so picky. =)

At any rate, i'm lucky to have options.

Right now its 10:20 AM-- and i'm about to go to bed. I work overnights, which has taken some getting used to... but on the bright side, I don't have to deal with "as many" stupid people working overnight, that you do working dayside.

Not that everyone I work with is stupid, most of them aren't, but just like every office, there are a few people you'd rather not have to see... and so i've managed to get away from those few... except one. Young "Ranita" knows who i'm speaking of, and that's where we'll leave it.

So, besides work, and cars... that's all I've got that i'm willing to share at this point... mainly because it's way past my bedtime. So, good night and good luck!

(I'll come up an original sign off, soon enough.)


~Kels