*Insert Witty Title Here*

I seem to average one to two posts a month. I'd like to post once a week, but blogging about nothing is pretty boring. I've been trying to get Sean to post once in awhile, but now that school has begun and he's working full-time again, he's not likely to.

Work is going well. I attended supervisor training, which lasted two full days, last week. It was pretty fun, and I liked meeting people from the other contact centers/hotels in the Salt Lake City area. One of the courses touched on professional grooming/clothing, which made me really self-conscious about the way I dress for work. So, this past weekend, I went and spent way too much money on several new outfits. I wore one of them today and received several compliments, so it's already begun to pay off.

Speaking of work, if anyone needs a good full-time job, we're hiring. If I recall correctly, pay starts at $10.50. Go to https://wss6a.unicru.com/hirepro/marriottcorp/siteLocatorForm.jsp to apply.

I mentioned that Sean went back to school this week. I, too, begin a new term at WGU tomorrow. I'm retaking two courses, Quantitative Reasoning and Communication and Visual and Performing Arts, I didn't complete last semester. I'm also taking Marketing Principles and Applications and Fundamentals of Finance, Accounting and Information Technology. I feel more motivated now than I did last week; let's hope I stay motivated enough to actually do homework.

I'm getting tired, but before I go to bed, I wanted to post this recipe. Sean and I prepared it Saturday evening, and everyone enjoyed it.

Eggplant Pasta
(recipe courtesy Alton Brown)

Prep Time: 40 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-large eggplants
• Kosher salt, for purging
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
• 4 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup cream
• 4 tablespoons basil chiffonade
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Peel each eggplant leaving 1-inch of skin at the top and bottom unpeeled. Slice the eggplant thinly lengthwise, about 1/4-inch thick. Evenly coat each slice with the salt and purge on a sheet pan fitted with a rack for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and roll in paper towels to dry. Slice the pieces into thin strips to resemble pasta.

In a large saute pan heat the oil. Add the garlic and chili flakes and toast. Add the eggplant "pasta" and toss to coat. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the cream and increase heat to thicken sauce. Finally add the basil and Parmesan and toss to combine. Season with pepper, no salt needed as the eggplant will have residual salt from the purge. Serve immediately.

In Case You Forgot, My Name is Andrew

It's been nearly a month since my last post. Time flies - I can't believe there are five months left of this year. At least I update this blog more often than Sean...

Let's see, what's happened? I guess I'll start with work (as I usually do, it seems). My first week as the ICS Supervisor went well with only a few issues I didn't know how to handle (one of them being a representative with swine flu). In fact, one of my associates commented that the transition has been easier for her than she expected. However, we began our annual associate opinion survey (AOS) this week, and John (my manager) and I believe we'll be scored low - some of our employees don't like and resist change. I guess we'll see what happens in the next few months, and regardless of the results, I will strive to be the best supervisor I can be.

Oh, remember the manager of Customer Relationship Management position I mentioned I applied for in this entry? I got to meet the guy who got the job, as well as the hiring manager and a few other corporate executives, today. He seemed nice, and it was exciting to get to know people I'd be working with at headquarters (if that is where I end up in the future). Of course, I need to get my degrees in Business Management and Marketing first...

I've continued to procrastinate schoolwork since my last post. It's terribly frustrating - at work, I have no problem completing tasks I set for myself or that are assigned to me, yet I struggle with school. I'm just not motivated for some reason, which I don't understand, since graduating from school is tied to moving up at work. It really decreases my self-esteem/confidence. I know I'm intelligent and can do just about anything, but I've always had trouble with school. I appreciate the suggestions you left in my last entry. If you have any additional feedback, please let me know.

On to lighter subjects, we (Sean, his family and his friend, Mike, and I) returned from a nice week-long vacation yesterday. We left home Saturday, August 1, and stayed overnight in Portland, Oregon. I love that city - it is so beautiful, and if I didn't want to end up in Washington, D.C., I'd want to live there. The next day, we stopped at Powell's Books - the largest bookstore I've ever been to - before driving to the house we rented in Florence, Oregon. We spent the week playing on/in the lake, relaxing inside, and visiting nearby attractions, such as the aquarium in Newport, Oregon, and Old Town Florence. It was a fantastic vacation!

Sean and I put an offer on this house before we left on vacation. According to my brother-in-law and real estate agent, Daren, we should be hearing from the bank regarding our offer tomorrow. Honestly, I don't think they'll approve the offer we made, but I hope they counteroffer with a reasonable price. I'm really looking forward to being a homeowner, and this property felt like home more than any others that we have looked at. *crosses fingers*

I have nothing new to report regarding Big Brothers - I still haven't been matched, and I haven't heard from anyone since my last e-mail several weeks ago.

Well, I think that pretty much sums up the past month. I hope to update sooner next time. Until then!