The BIG Month of April!

     Whoa! Has April been as big/good/crazy a month for everyone as it has for me? I kind of hope so! At least, I left April much better and happier than I entered it, so I'd hope everyone else had that chance :)

     Best thing from this month: I have a new job! I already posted about it, since I was waaay too excited to contain myself until now. I'm an office help/sales rep/design person at American Flooring in Saltillo. It was a definite God thing, all the way through.
     Next best, I'm on my way to being completely migraine free, for at least the next year. Definitely a huge deal for me! Already I'm really enjoying the in-process improvements.
     Anyway, on to the list:

APRIL

Abiding Darkness - John Aubrey Anderson

Wedgewood Grey - John Aubrey Anderson

The Testament - John Grisham

A Painted House - John Grisham

*Dark Road to Darjeeling - Deanna Raybourn

All Through the Night - Mary Higgins Clark

The Lucky One - Nicholas Sparks

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (yes, I reread it)

Thirteen Moons - Charles Frazier

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt - Ann Rice
Mercy - Jodi Picoult

Total for the month: 11, Total so far: 49. Almost to the halfway!
     Favorite this month...well, one of my favorite books ever is Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier. I have it on cd so I can enjoy it in my car on my way to and from work. The narrator is Will Patton, great reader for a slow Southern book.



Migraine Sufferers, Read On

     Most people who know me know I've had migraine headaches for years. As in, since I was in middle school. I've been through just about everything on the market you can try for them, from plain old Advil to watching my caffeine to the popular meds like Imitrex to shots in the ER.
     Migraines are a strange, strange thing to have. I'm convinced they're one of the most complicated diseases out there. Just about anything you do can affect them. Sleep. Hormones. Drinking one too many or too few cokes. Stress. Sitting next to someone with strong cologne. And just the same, there's a ton of things you can do to get rid of one or make one better. Sleep. Change the light. Take a bath. Eat. Caffeine.
    
     Mine are genetic. My mom has had them forever, and a lot of people in my family have them too. I don't have too many triggers, and they're pretty easy to watch out for. Strong perfume and cologne is the worst one. Black Amethyst from Bath and Body Works can give me a headache in one sniff! But I can also have one just from waking up and bam! I just have one. Hate that so so bad it's not funny. I think they should be fair and give me a little warning.
     The problem for me is since I've had them so long, they're getting really hard to treat. I've long been nearly immune to the effects of Advil and Tylenol type medications. I'm hugely allergic to the family of medicines called triptans, Imitrex and all those medicines especially made to get rid of migraines, so a lot of the most used meds to get rid of migraines are off-limits to me. That pretty much leaves straight pain medications. And the bad thing with those is the longer you take them and the more you take, then the more you have to take and the stronger strength you need for it to work. You ever wonder how drug addicts get where they are? I know, but I'm pretty sure I have better willpower. It's tempting to just resort to the strongest stuff you have, because you know will work way beyond what you need, and you know you won't have to come back later and take something else. I won't say I haven't done it before. But that only leads to needing something stronger than that stuff, so how are you really helping yourself anyway?

     So instead of becoming an addict, I tried something very new. Actually, most people probably haven't heard of it before. I got shot in the head.
     Lol, I'm actually not far from kidding, but I am using the phrase a little loosely :) I actually have had a procedure called a nerve block done on my head, and the way they did it is to stick a needle straight into my face...yikes!
     It's really not at all as bad as it sounds. I was all freaked out for my first one, I  mean, who wouldn't be? But you get a choice of what type of sedation you want between Verced and laughing gas, if you want it at all (Believe me, you do. I get Verced, gratefully.) and it's over and done with in about an hour. You're numb for a few hours where they shot you, kind of like going to the dentist for me since they shoot me in the face, and you might have a little soreness there the next day, but whatever pain they're treating you for is definitely better.
     The best thing about these things is that it helps your pain long-term. I had my first block, a temporary one, two weeks ago, and I haven't have any pain whatsoever in the right side of my head since. The shot they give you basically coats the nerves that are bothering you in medicine that numbs and starts to kill them, so you quit having whatever pain you've had. They do a set of three temporary blocks to get the location absolutely right, then a final big one to make sure all those nerves are dead. Then you won't have any pain whatsoever there for six months, a year, maybe even more.

     I'm getting a set of three temporary ones on each side of my head, then a big one on each side to finish. I'm all for no migraines for a year or more!
     Today I had my second block on the right. Actually, I got a two for one deal. Technically I was only going to have one, but it didn't work quite right and my doctor is a perfectionist - not a bad thing at all! - so I got another so it would work like it was supposed to.
     The blocks I get are called Sphenopalatine Ganglion blocks. You should be impressed...I didn't even have to spellcheck that! The way they do mine is they inject a needle right in front of my ear, kind of where some people get piercings. The nerves they hit numb my face from my cheeckbone to my jaw, and all the way from my ear to the midline of my face, but the area that it's working on killing for my migraines is behind my eye and up in my temple. Crazy, right? Today I got the freebie block because when I woke up from being sedated none of my face was numb. The second one wasn't as fun, since I had to be awake. My doc wanted to be absolutely sure he got the right thing. These blocks aren't bad normally, but being awake is something I hope to not repeat. The Verced usually makes it to where you don't remember even if you are a little awake for parts of it, but that second block today I remember all too well! Yow!

     I go in two weeks for my last temporary block on that side, and my big block will probably be two weeks after that. I'll update everyone after that, and let you know how it goes! So far, no regrets!
   

On the Job Train!

    That's right! Alyssa Falkner is now among the ranks of the employed! You're now reading the post of the newest employee of American Flooring of Saltillo. I'm their new office help slash sales and design consultant :)   I've been working just about two weeks, so I can say that I think I'm going to enjoy doing very much for a good long while.
     This entire job opportunity has been a total God thing, beginning to end. My dad found this generic ad in the Daily Journal, no business name, for an office worker with a business degree who also had experience with colors and design elements. Well well well...that doesn't fit me at all, does it? haha. My dad faxed them my resume right away.
     I was a little scared to give a resume to a generic ad, I mean it could be anything from Lowes customer service to working for a telemarketing company selling fast dry paint. But dad explained that lots of companies don't tell who they are when placing want ads; it keeps everyone they know from calling and volunteering their unwanted nieces/nephews/children/etc. for employment.
     Well, to my utter surprise and no small delight, I got a call that very afternoon about that resume. Kind of surprised me, but hey, I wasn't turning it down! American Flooring in Saltillo wanted to meet with me the next day (again surprising me, but I'm all for getting things done quick), so an appointment was made.
     9:00 the next morning came, and I was sitting in my new boss' office. They were in need of office help that could actually do a little bookkeeping, process orders for them, and run the computer program that they work their insurance cases up on, but they also needed somebody who was good with design that when customers come in I could help them pick out the flooring they wanted and make it look good.  Best interview I've ever had, so I was super excited when I left.
     The next week, I got a call back for a second interview. After meeting a few minutes, I walked out an employed person. Can we say a big hallelujah? If you know me, you know I didn't just need a job, I NEEDED a job!

     So far, it's an amazing job. I love the pace of how everything runs, even when we're busy. All my co-workers are great about me being new, and really laid back and fun. Of course there's always that one guy that's a little strange and not a little crazy...but hey, we have to have something to entertain the rest of us, right? haha
     I work 5 days a week, and generally my off day is Wednesday. Hours are good, and the pay is even better :D  What more could I ask for?

     And of course, with the new job comes me being newly obsessed with all things floor. Do you really have any idea all the kinds of things you can do on a floor? Neither did I. But happy for us, Pinterest is a never ending source of creative floor love! Here are some of my favorites:

Chevron tiled bathroom floor...your installer might kill you for all those angled cuts, but oh it's so pretty!

Now this I want. Install a niche like you'd put in a shower, but for a backspash instead. Great for all those salt and pepper shakers and stuff that's cluttering your countertop.

I love this shower. Plain old subway tile, but with a color pop. This would be great for remodeling an old shower/tub-in-one unit.

More chevron. And in gray! So pretty.

Continuing the chevron onto the walls.

Again, plain old subway tile in the shower. But wow, that window just jumps the elegance bar from boring to amazing! Love it.

This isn't my favorite color combo, but this linear trim is in like crazy right now! Especially tan/browns and grays.

Now this, I would have in my house. Absolutely, yes. And I will be having the extra faucet over the stove range. No more lugging heavy pots of water back and forth from the sink!

(Belated) What's Happening Wednesday

I absolutely made that blog title up, just because that's what I'm writing about today!

(I did start writing this before midnight, and it is all about my Wednesday, so just because I technically finished on Thursday I'm just going to pretend I didn't.)

     I had a pretty darn fabulous day today! First off this morning, I had a job interview at American Flooring in Saltillo. They're wanting someone who has some design experience to assist customers with picking out flooring and can to read plans to make sure they're getting the right amouts and sizes. They also want that person to have some business and office experience to do paperwork, filing orders and purchase forms, do a little bookkeeping, that kind of thing. It seemed like a job that was specifically tailored for someone like me...a little bit of a God thing?
     This has been a really whirlwind deal for me - I faxed them a resume yesterday morning, they called me about it yesterday afternoon, and I met with them this morning. I've never gone through the whole process that fast, but I'm not knocking it! Anyway, the interview was AMAZING!!! Best interview I think I've ever had. I was the first person they'd interviewed, and they were only looking at a couple more. I'm supposed to find out something either tomorrow or Friday, so pray and keep your fingers crossed for me! I'm excited!


     I had to go hunt for a pair of capris after my interview, but while I was shopping I just couldn't resist this little find. It's the most comfortable, soft, summer shirt I think I've ever had. I got it in white, and it looks great with a colored tank underneath. Only $10 at Old Navy!

     Church had an added bonus tonight too. After church one of my friends, Paul Hendrix - he's my friend Ashley McGee (now Hendrix)'s husband, announced that this week he got saved! Amazing news for us to hear. I can't wait to see what God has in store for this sweet couple. Love you guys!

     And after church tonight, I had to run an errand to Pontotoc, so I thought my day should end on a good note since it's gone so well. Mama, Molly, and me stopped at Baskin Robbins and indulged in calorie laden goodness! I got my favorite - a cookies and cream milkshake!

     The next project on the docket for me is this: making my earbuds untangleable. I generally keep my earbuds either in one of the pockets of my purse or in a drawer of my nightstand, and either way they're pretty much always ending up in a wad that takes me forever to get undone. I had some work done on my teeth and jaw that changed the shape of my ear, so I can't wear just any pair of headphones and the ones I have are generally not cheap. I have two, and I think I'm going to go ahead and tangle-proof my expensive pair. At Hobby Lobby the other day, I bought some embroidery thread in pretty brown, tan, and shimmery champagne colors. You weave the thread around them just like making those bracelets all us girls used to make in middle and high school.

     To close my post today, I'm just going to post some fun stuff I've found on Pinterest lately. I mean, seriously, who doesn't love a good Pin?

Absolutely on my learn-how-to-make list! I love my spoon ring, so I just NEED this :)

My nail polish currently lives in a plastic bucket in one of my bathroom drawers. It's a pain in the butt trying to find the color you're looking for. I'd love to have a pretty wrought iron spice rack like this, and room to put it out!

DIY decorated Swarovsky crystals, using scrapbook paper and Modpodge. If I find these large chandelier crystals somewhere, I'm absolutely making one...or a few...

Wine bottle hanging planters. I have a few old bottles hanging around the kitchen, and I bet I can convince my dad to pull out the Dremel. These would look amazing around a back porch!

Homemade eraseable calendar! Piece of fabric or scrapbook paper, blank calendar written on it, add a cute header or letter, stick it in a frame so you can use dry erase markers on the picture glass.

Mmm...I do love that sweet tea and lemonade. Raised on it from the bottle!

Can I get an amen?

This needs to be blown up poster size and put in every teenage girl's room. My motto as far as worrying about my body.

My all-time favorite quote...pretty much sums it all up, doesn't it?