A job, Free food. And the best deal of my life.

Hey everyone!

Last week, as I was finishing my classes, I started training for my new job at Panera Bread. Many of you may not be familiar with Panera Bread. It is a franchised bakery-café. The food is great, fresh, and healthy, maybe except for some of the pastries, which--by nature--are sinfully delicious and fattening. :D The people seem quite friendly and I am, so far, very impressed with the company, how it treats customers, and how it treats employees. When I went for my training sessions last week, the manager was very accommodating to my schedule and sent me home with a BIG bag full of free samples and a sincere "welcome!"

Imagine this, times 2 and plus 4 items more. That is what I got in free samples!

So, yesterday I went to the Goodwill nearby to buy some work clothes. (This is where the best deal of my life comes in. . .). I wanted to get something sorta nice so that I could wear these clothes for more than just work at the café. So, I looked for button down shirts rather than polos. I have wanted a red blouse, so I looked there first. "hmmm, what´s this iridescent one here?" It was a 100% silk Ann Taylor bouse, my size. $4.99. I could not pass it up. I wondered if they might have anything like it in blue. Well, what did I find? A blue 100% silk Ann Taylor blouse, $4.99. Wow, what luck! But it was not too uncommon to find, so I wondered about a bouse in purple. Holy moley. A 100% silk Ann Taylor bouse in rose purple, $4.99. I got them all. So, I am demoting my other bouses to work blouses and these are my new daywear and officewear bouses. Aren´t they beautiful? (Sorry the picture isn't better, but I had to use my webcam).

In all, I am well. Happier everyday as my life begins to settle here in Minnesota. Last night, I went with Pete and Angie to see Les Miserables in concert, a production by local high school students. It was extremely well done -- and I am not just being nice. Some of the performers seemed like they were, in fact, from Broadway. In particular the girl playing Fantina (I Dreamed A Dream), the young man playing Jean Valjean (Bring Him Home) and the couple playing the Thenardiers (Master of the House and Beggars at the Feast). Bravo!

Also, I have included this, for fun. . .
"Who Am I"

1. What time did you get up this morning? 12 pm (I was up late reading/finishing We the Living, Ayn Rand)

2. How do you like your steak? Well

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The New Star Trek

4. What is your favorite TV show? I don't watch enough tv to make a fair judgement. Maybe Discovery, History documentaries?

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Right now, the Oregon-California border.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Left-over Chinese haystacks. It was lunch-time afterall.

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican

8. What foods do you dislike? I sorta don't like olives, but they are growing on me.

9. Favorite Place to Eat? El Rancho

10. Favorite dressing? Italian

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? My bike. :D

12. What are your favorite clothes? My white pencil skirt a button-down shirt and my oxford flats.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Antarctica or Tierra del Fuego

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Depends on the beverage really.

15. Where would you want to retire? Retire-what? Not for me.

16. Favorite time of day? Dawn

17. Where were you born? University of Utah Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football, soccer not American football

19. Who do you think will not tag you back? Irrelevant.

20. Person you expect to tag you back first? " "

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? This is for me. . .out of boredom

22. Bird watcher? Not formally.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning if I have work, night if I am left to my own devices.

24. Do you have any pets? Yes. Sort of, but not really. They are at my parents' house, where I will not likely live again.

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I got the fabric for my wedding dress! ivory silk dupoini.

26. What did you want to be when you were little? A singer, an artist, President.

27. What is your best childhood memory? Playing with fluffy cattails on the railroad tracks with my Dad.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Dogs. Always dogs. I sincerely dislike felines.

29. Are you married? Emotionally. Legally, not quite yet.

30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes.

31. Been in a car accident? Yes. . .Craig Lake roll-over

32. Any pet peeves? Fewer and fewer.

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? broccoli and tomato with white sauce

34. Favorite Flower? Sunflower.

35. Favorite ice cream? Vanilla with Rick's cocoa sauce and strawberries.

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Subway

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Not once.

38. From whom did you get your last email? Mom, I was pinked.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Probably more likely to happen at REI or backcountry outlet, but I do like Victoria's Secret and Anthropologie a lot.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Gave some bread to the street musicians in Minneapolis.

41. Like your job? Yes.

42. Broccoli? Yum.

43. What was your favorite vacation? Hiawatha Music Fest./ Craig Lake or Continental Divide Trail

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Mom and Dad.

45. What are you listening to right now? ClassicalMusicAmerica.com

46. What is your favorite color? Green

47. How many are you tagging for this quiz? No one prolly.

48. Coffee Drinker? sometimes

49. What time did you finish this quiz? 15.28

First Post!

Life in Minnesota is wonderful.

Granted, the first two months have been a whirlwind, with their difficulties (missing Rick, adjusting to a new home, going without work and trying to make new friends. . .). And, deciding to live with one's parents-in-law has potential to be dicey. Just the same I feel that after six weeks I have begun to settle in well, and I have enjoyed getting to know Pete and Angie as family. Things have also started to fit together the way I imagined. On Monday, I was offered a job working for Panera Bread full-time and I had another promising interview at Dress Barn for evenings and weekends. Also, I am still hoping for a interview with the Minnesota Environement Intiative working on their Project Green Fleet. This job, in particular, is closely realted to my long-term career interests.

In my social life, I have plans to go out with a friend, Danielle, to see a show, Les Miserables. I was introduced to her by Angie at a church brunch. We have had plans to see the new Harry Potter movie, but so far, our schedule haven't matched.

My classes at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Intro to Chemistry and Intro to Statistics, went well; I have my finals for both of these classes this week. Both of the classes were accelerated. What normally would be covered in sixteen weeks, we covered in eight. And, despite recommendations to only take one 4 credit course, I took two. It felt like about an 16 credit course load, which -- thankfully -- I am very used to after all of my doings at Alma College.

Wedding planning is moving along well, I need only to get going on making flowers and programs :D. If you want to see a little about how things are coming and when things are scheduled, see our wedding website. If you are family, particularly Joki family, I would like you all to know that you are invited to the celebration of our wedding (we are keeping the ceremony very small and intimate grandparents, parents and brothers and sisters). I have been looking for family emails to send you all save-the-dates, but haven't had much luck. Please go to the website for details. Also, we will be having a gathering in the Upper Peninsula so everyone who can't make a Sunday reception can meet Rick. I will be posting information about that reunion on the website when I get details about where and when. I can't wait to see you all again. It has been too long and I regret that I didn't have more time when I visited for Paul's funeral.

That's about it for a comprehensive update. I will be updating regularly, at minimum every couple days. Please check back often and stay in touch via this blog, via email (see profile), or via Facebook.

Love,

Kimmee

“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.”

—Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981); pacifist, peace-activist