Just have a little catching up to do...
Mood:  lazy
Sorry that it has been so long since I updated my blog. Been really busy, but now, for your viewing pleasure, I present to you... the updates.

Well, we all know now that my prediction for the Super Bowl was wrong. I would have been right if the damn Eagles had used time outs better and was not sooooo damn slow in the last couple minutes. Oh well, I still love you, Mrs. McNabb.

I went back home to the mother land (South Carolina) for a week February 13 - February 21. It was good to get time away from work and see my friends and family. I mostly just sat around, relaxed. Oh yeah, and get woke up nightly at 4am by my boyfriend who figured it was ok to call me when he got off of work since he knew I did not have to go to work. That's love right there. I went to Columbia (home of the U of South Carolina) on Friday night and to my old stopping ground of Five Points. It was a good time. Felt kinda odd being back among the college kids, most of which I am now about 5-6 years older than. But me and Noelle showed them how the alumni drink and a good time was had by all. Bought a buttload of Gamecock merchandise to bring back to Florida. (You know that you can't get any of that down here. They still hate us for the whole Spurrier incident).

During the 8 hour drive home, I saw some interesting things. 90% of the drive is on various interstates throughout the 3 state area, but an hour and half is on the rural highway 301 which connected Ocala, FL to Jacksonville, FL. I saw a mud bogging competition going on (I soooooo wanted to stop, but I was on a deadline to get home). It was free too. Damn, I should have called mom and said I would be late. Also, some random lady selling Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls from her car. There had to be almost 200 of those things on her car and the ground. Kinda scary.

As I am almost to the Tampa city limits, my mom calls me and informs me that she in is the emergency room with my 13 year old sister. My sister crashed a neighboorhood kid's moped. She had to have sticthes in her arm, as (who knew) that asphalt will eat your skin away if rubbed at the proper speed, and her leg is in an immbolizer from hip to ankle. She is doing fine now and I hope she has a speedy recovery. Makes me think twice about riding with her once she is of driving age though. (I know she is probably reading this, and you know I am only kidding. Get well soon!)

Also, my coworker, Karen, gave birth to a beautiful boy on February 14th, Jaden George. I would like to send my congrats to Karen and her husband, George. If you ever need a babysitter.... I probably have plans that night ;) Kidding

All in all, life is good. Things have happened recently that makes you realize that you cannot take one day of your life for granted. Wake up glad that you are alive and live that day like it will be your last.

Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars,
Amanda

For those about to lose March's trailer payment betting on the Super Bowl, WE SALUTE YOU!
Mood:  flirty
It is that time of the year: Super Bowl XXXIX. New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles. Jacksonville, FL (the city that always smells like ass).

As most of you know, I love football. But, because I was an advertising major in college, I also love watching those 11 minutes that eats away at your favorite rerun of Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes: Commercials. I know these have been around for a while, but I have become even more fond of the Campbell's Chunky Soup commercials featuring Donovan Mcnabb and his mama, Wilma. Wilma is great. I smell Emmy. You get the feeliing that she really cares for her boys. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside watching the commercials. If I was a 28 year old, African American Quarterback, making $115 million, I would want Wilma as my mom. I love my mom, Sue, but your Chicken Stew ain't got shit on Campbell's Chunky Chicken Corn Chowder.

Shhh.... You hear that? In South Carolina right now, I am being disowned by my mom.

Super Bowl prediction: Eagles over Patriots in overtime.

In other news:
Well, I heard yesterday that I did not get the job that I interviewed for, so what better way to pick yourself up that to drown your sorrows in alcohol. Last night was an pretty fun night. Chris and I went to our usual watering hole, The Lost Kanagroo. If you are ever in Bradenton, FL, I highly suggest stopping in. Tell Rob, Chuck and Brian that we sent you. Just don't sit at the corner of the bar. Those seats are reserved. :) I was hurting this morning, but what can you expect when all your shots end in the word "bomb" - jagerbombs and Irish carbombs. Yum.

Tonight I am just hanging out with Zack. Not to sure what we are doing though. Maybe a movie, maybe a few drinks.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:
Chris - "Yeah, that chick is giving that guy the look like "Oh, baby, I want to have your abortion"

Drop down and get your Eagle on,
Amanda

PS:

In the year 2005 I resolve to: Sleep my way to the top. Get your resolution here.

I found this link on another friend's blog. If you click on the link, you can choose from random resolution that you too can fulfill in 2005. Good stuff.

Just some random thoughts...
Mood:  celebratory
So I went on my job interview today. It was the most nerve wracking hour of my life, but I think I came through unscathed. I hope that I get this job. Not only is the $10,000 more a year beneficial, but it seems like a great opportunity for me to move up the ranks in Wachovia. I am currently looking at apartments in the area of the branch just in case I get the job. From where I live now, it is a 45 minute drive with no traffic. No traffic in the Tampa Bay area? HAHAHA that was a good one.

Not much else is going on. A coworker is leaving at the end of the week for maternity leave. Her doctor warns here that she could go at any minute. Great, watch her go into labor on my time. They will need two ambulances. I am so squimish. I will pass out at the first sight of fluid. They do not pay me enough for this.

Trying to think of something to do for the Super Bowl this weekend. Not as excited about it as I was last year when my boys, the Carolina Panthers, were in it, but what the hell. It is an excuse to drink excessive amounts of beer and get my last football fix til September.

Also, thinking of long weekend and road trip to the Florida Keys. Only a 5 -6 hour drive. May wait til May, not to cold, not to hot. Perfect.

I am tired... so I am going to bed. Have a good one.

Ciao,
Amanda

Another day older and deeper in debt
Mood:  energetic
Well, today was a pretty good day. I guess as good as any day in a dead end job can be. I found out today that I have an interview Wednesday Feb. 2nd at 3:30 for another position with Wachovia making a LOT more money. I hope I get the job since I continue to dig the hole known as credit card debt deeper and deeper. I went to the mall after work for the sole purpopse of paying on my Victoria's Secret and Best Buy credit card bills. Well, I end up with 2 pairs of shoes, 3 DVDs, a CD and some beauty products from Victoria's Secret. Damn sales lady for tempting me with the free gift if you buy a certain amount of stuff. Best Buy did not get paid. I am crossing my finger that my W2 comes soon...

Got some good DVDs though. After throwing some quotes back and forth with my new gentleman friend, I bought the Goodfellas DVD. Also Friday Night Lights (reminds me so much of back home in Lancaster, SC plus I love me some football) and I bought Steel Magnolias - my ultimate favorite chick flick. Still looking for Animal House on DVD. For some reason, no Best Buy around here carries it. I think it is a conspiracy if you ask me.

After the incident Saturday night, looks like all is right in my dating world. Looks like me and the new fella are going to give it a try again this weekend, which I am happy about. About the only decent guy that I have found in Florida. Oh well... we will see. We have only been dating around a month. Am I required to do the whole Valentine's Day gift thing? I need some male input on this one.

Tomorrow's agenda: laundry. I know, you are jealous of my active life. Also, gotta start planning for my road trip. Going to South Carolina from February 13 through the 21st. Should be interesting. Will be the first time I have been back to SC for more than a weekend since I moved here. Gotta get the Road Trip 05 CD mix together. 7 hours is a long time in a car. I-95 is not that bad, except through Georgia. Straight roads, almost no exits. Just trees and swamps. Lovely state.

By the way... no matter what anyone says, I did not stay up til 2am last night downloading Reba McEntire songs off WinMX. Vicious rumors... yeah...

Until we meet again...
Amanda

Welcome! Take a seat
Ok, it is after midnight. I slept til 2pm and then took a 3 hour nap, so needless to say, I will probably be up most of the night. After trying to do something to the USC webpage (usctampabay.tripod.com) and not getting to work, I gave up and decided to make a blog. Why you might ask? I don't know... why do I do a lot of the things I do. Well, it is mostly a way for friends and family back home in South Carolina to know what I have been doing and an online journal of sorts where I can rant and rave. Good stuff.

What have I been up to... well a lot, actually. After some serious thinking and a few road trips, I decided to pack up and move out of Columbia, SC and move to lovely St. Petersburg, FL (just 20 miles outside Tampa, on the Gulf of Mexico). I say this because 75% of my family still tell people I live somewhere in Florida. I should have gotten them maps for Christmas. I arrived in the Sunshine State on July 22nd and started my new job with Wachovia on July 26th and officially hate the job by August 1st. Such is life. I am currently apply for jobs within the company and I quickly realized that while I am a people person, being a teller is not what I was cut out for. Life is great here in Florida. Oh, sure we had that whole 4 hurricanes thing, but the area I live it was relativley untouched by the storms. We were very fortunate. The weather is great. I love talking to my mom back in SC and she is going on and on about the ice storm while I sit back in sunny, mid-70 temps.

Chris overthrew the president of the USC Tampa Bay Alumni Association so he is now commander-in-chief (I was kidding about the mutiny). So, in the land of "it's who you know, not what you know", I made him make me Vice-president. We are trying to build the association back up. It will take some time, but I think we have the talent and resources to do it.

I have dated a few guys here and there while being down here, each one different (and a little more crazier than the next). Oh well, I am 24. I am not worrying. I am currently seeing one guy, but we will see how this one plays out.

Plans for tomorrow: Work at 7:30, then to the mall to pay some credit card bills.

Until then...
Amanda

PS - Go buy The Killers CD. Awesome band, awesome music. And, if anyone can score me some Jimmy Buffett tickets for Feb. 26th at the Ford Ampitheater in Tampa, I would love you long time.