Old habits like you, are hard to break...

I have a few friends who knit and blog and we've decided to embark on a blog project that has nothing to do with knitting. We're going to take turns coming up with a topic every Thursday and we each have to blog about it by the end of that day and post links to each other's blogs so that people can see our different perspectives on the same topic.
-Thanks to Merryland Girl for this explanation of the Thursday Blog Project.

This week's topic comes from me: Tell me about your worst habit(s)

Other contributors to the Thursday Blog Project are:

Desperate Madness

Froggie Knits Like Crazy

Merryland Girl

I must admit that this topic comes pretty easy for me, and for those of you who have seen recent Facebook status updates, you know that I recently quit smoking.

I have smoked, consistently, since I was 15 years old.

I will not lie and say how FANTASTIC I feel not smoking, or how clean everything smells and how much better everything tastes, because at this point - I just want a cigarette.

Granted, it's only been a week and I still catch myself thinking "Ooh! It's almost time for a break, I can go have a smoke."

Or thinking about lighting up when I get in the car after work.

As I am typing this, it feels very counterproductive. I should probably tell you why I chose to quit, rather than drool at my screen while I long to light up.

* My health - a few months ago, I wrote about making changes in how I take care of myself and I realized that it doesn't matter if I am working out, eating right and taking a vitamin if I still smoke a pack a day.

(For the record, I am still not working out...baby steps...)

* My company is offering a non-smoker discount which gives me a $30 credit per pay period to be smoke free during the next plan year. So not only am I saving money not buying cigarettes, I am also getting $60 a month off my insurance.

* I plan on getting pregnant in the next year, and I would have quit then anyways. It's a different story when it's not just affecting my health.

So, I am getting through it.

I am edgy, irritable and pretty much shove anything in my mouth that I can chew violently on.

Yesterday, I bit a huge chunk out of my tongue while angrily chewing gum.

The pros?

I have yet to brutally murder anyone & I have been knitting a lot more.

...So don't be afraid to let them show...your true colors

I have a few friends who knit and blog and we've decided to embark on a blog project that has nothing to do with knitting. We're going to take turns coming up with a topic every Thursday and we each have to blog about it by the end of that day and post links to each other's blogs so that people can see our different perspectives on the same topic.
-Thanks to Merryland Girl for this explanation of the Thursday Blog Project.

This week's topic comes from Shara @ Desperate Madness
If you were a color, what color would you be?

Other contributor's to the Thursday Blog Project are:
Merryland Girl
Froggie Knits Like Crazy

I think that if I have learned anything from doing the Thursday Blog Project, it's that I can never choose just one thing - whether it's a quirk, a favorite time, anything.
This post is going to be no exception!
When I was little, I LOVED royal blue, that bright shiny blue that you often see on old muscle cars, or on kid's bikes.
Anything in that color, I was always drawn to.
As I have gotten older, I found that I prefer combinations of colors - like, lime green and chocolate brown, or Tiffany box blue & matte black.
Those two are my favorites at the moment.

"...na na why don't you get a job?"

I have a few friends who knit and blog and we've decided to embark on a blog project that has nothing to do with knitting. We're going to take turns coming up with a topic every Thursday and we each have to blog about it by the end of that day and post links to each other's blogs so that people can see our different perspectives on the same topic.
-Thanks to Merryland Girl for this explanation of the Thursday Blog Project.

This week's topic comes from Tracey @ Froggie Knits Like Crazy

"one of my favorite parts about my life is . . ."

Other contributors to the Thursday Blog Project are:

Merryland Girl

Desperate Madness

One of my favorite parts about my life is...

My work ethic, and how much it has changed.

Until a few years ago, I made up every possible excuse to miss work or even to quit a job.

I was very much "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", I had flat tires, car troubles, illness, illness in my family - all of these made up.

I was chronically late to work, and after awhile, no one believes your excuses any more.

I have lost more than one job in my working years from absenteeism, or tardiness.

The thing is that I have always been good at my job - no matter what I was doing. I just couldn't get there on time.

I had made up excuses to leave work early, come in late - I've made excuses that I won't even repeat because they are AWFUL.

It wasn't until I spent 5 months out of work that I had an epiphany: If I hadn't bullshitted my way through so many jobs, I would probably still be employed right now.

I took a long, hard look at myself and wondered "Is this how I want to live my life? Jumping from job to job, temp agency to temp agency until I have burned all my bridges?"

I received a job offer in July 2009 to work at an online payroll company in Schaumburg, IL. The pay was several dollars lower than what I was used to making, and the drive was further. However, after being unemployed and having no unemployment benefits for almost 6 months, I decided to give it a shot.

I went to a group interview determined to dazzle my potential employers and made a promise to myself that if I got this job, I would use this opportunity to pull my reputation out of the dumps.

Well, I dazzled them alright!

And after 8 months on a temporary position, I was hired permanently.

There was a substantial pay raise and a benefits package that is OUT OF THIS WORLD.

It wasn't hard to change my ways, and being on time wasn't as hard as it used to be. I love my work and my co-workers, so unless I am truly sick - I never miss a day. There were a few times when I tried to go to work, got there and got sent home for looking like death.

When I have called in sick, no one assumes that I am lying - when I come back, they are genuinely concerned about my wellbeing. There is a lot to be said for being trustworthy.

At my mid-year review, my supervisor was going over my performance and said that my attendance was outstanding.

I made her repeat herself and wanted to cry, because in my entire life no other employer had ever said that before.

Virtual Friendships

I have a few friends who knit and blog and we've decided to embark on a blog project that has nothing to do with knitting. We're going to take turns coming up with a topic every Thursday and we each have to blog about it by the end of that day and post links to each other's blogs so that people can see our different perspectives on the same topic.
-Thanks to Merryland Girl for this explanation of the Thursday Blog Project.

This week's topic comes from Melissa @ Merryland Girl

What is the longest relationship you've had with someone whom you've never met in person? (Talk about how you met, what your friendship has been like, etc.) Do you think you'll ever get to meet them?

addendum to the topic....if you don't have such a relationship (or have already talked about it in a different blog), please write about the strangest way you have ever met someone and what your friendship with them is like (different from the unexpected friendship question from our first topic ever).

Other contributors to The Thursday Blog Project are:

Froggie Knits Like Crazy

Desperate Madness

Wow. Can it be? A blog topic in which I have nothing to contribute?

I have never maintained more than an acquaintance-level friendship with someone I've never met in real life before doing this blog project.

I have to say that my virtual friendships happen in reverse - case in point - Melissa: I met her through a mutual friend and thanks to Facebook, we've remained in touch even though she is now in MD.

The same goes for my friends, Laura & Angeli, we met as co-workers at Washington Mutual - Laura moved to NV and Angeli moved to the city and we all still stayed in touch via the internet and would visit whenever they came to town.

I can say that I look forward to finally meeting Tracey & Shara! Tracey has graciously invited me to join her at her Thursday Knit Night and if I can ever get my act together I would love to join her!

And as for Shara - I can't believe we live in the same town and haven't met yet!

Soon!