I know I don't write nearly as much as I used to and sometimes I feel bad about that. It's just that most times when I think about writing I'm in too much of a hurry to sit down and type! But I have lots to say tonight!

First off, today I had my first of three 'Bou shiftie classes. This one was on coffee basics and I was a little iffy about it because I couldn't imagine it being all that interesting. Plus I was mad at Tracy for volunteering me to drive Danielle out also, since that meant I had to drive from here to Highland Park and then to North Minneapolis. But I had to say that my experience today definitely made me really appreciate the company I work for. First off, the class was at the Caribou Corporate Headquarters, which was pretty cool to get to go and see. There were maybe 10 of us in the class and it was all about our coffees and why they're the best and why Caribou is such as awesome place. I actually had fun at the class today and it was great to be in an atmosphere with people that are just as coffee obsessed as me. I have not felt this way since YIG and it just really made my day.

So..... 5 things I learned in class today:

1. One of our seasonal blends, La Minita Peaberry, is so special because the beans are sort of a "mistake." Instead of being two beans, it is only one and because of this the beans make a really rich flavor. These beans are HANDPICKED from all the other beans and the process takes FOREVER. But it's super worth is because La Minita Peaberry is one awesome coffee.
2. One thing that sets Caribou apart from its competitors is that when we get a batch of coffee, before it is ever distributed to stores, we taste test the batch. If it doesn't meet up with our standards, it's rejected and never reaches a store or our customers.
3. A lot of our drip coffee blends are actually more than one kind of coffee bean blended together. This is done to get a better tasting coffee that just one type of bean might be on its own.
4. The process of "cupping" is a method used to taste test the coffee (this is the method used to detect the "good batches" from the "bad batches").
5. One of our coffees (and my FAVORITE of our blends), Mocha Java, is actually named after the two ports that it originated from, the ports of Mocha and Java. This is also why coffee is sometimes referred to as "mocha" or "java."

Yay! Like I said, this class made me SO PROUD that I work for such an awesome company and made me SO EXCITED to go back to work on Monday and spread all my newfound knowledge. AND Now I am super psyched for my classes next week! Eep, I think I may have actually found the place where I belong and that makes me feel SOOOOO good!!!

Okay, so a little bad news. This weekend was supposed to be Dustin's and my trip to Illinois. However, Aunt Gayle is being fairly selfish and so we're not able to go down. She basically e-mailed me two days ago to say that she's really too stressed out to have us down and that it's not such a good time for Grandma and Grandpa. Well, the entire reason I wanted to go to Illinois in the first place was to make Grandma and Grandpa feel better and to pick up their spirits. I'm pretty angry with Aunt Gayle right now. I haven't said anything back to her but this really bothers me because I've never been mad at either of my aunts before. It's a really strange feeling and so I think that's why I'm having a hard time figuring out how to handle it.

Instead, though, Dustin, Shannon, Ryan and I are going downt to LaCrosse to visit Amber and Jono, meet their new kitty Eddison, and have a GAME NIGHT! I am super excited about this because A) I haven't seen Amber in awhile, B) I want to meet their new kitty, C) I have yet to see Amber and Jono's place, and D) GAME NIGHT RULES! So it should be a pretty fun night and hopefully it will make up for the Illinois trip that.... well, wasn't.

Oh, so there's some other news about Caribou. Short and sweet, LaTricia is stealing from the store. Tracy let me know because as soon as I become a shiftie (a week from today, YAY!) she's firing LaTricia and giving me her hours. I've pretty much been promised 30-35 hours, 5 nights a week. I am really psyched about this and it's making me feel pretty important and trusted by Tracy. Lexie's a little mad because she was counting on getting me at her store part time. But already that's seeming like a bad idea because next week I'm scheduled EVERY SINGLE DAY between the two stores and my two classes on Thursday. Unreal! But hey, it's money, right?

Tonight Shan and I went to eat at Don Pablos, then did a little shopping at Pier One (I bougth some more Aspen Flour candles because they smell SO YUMMY), and then went to the shop where Shan bought her dress so she could try it on with her jewelry and what not. It's crazy that her wedding date is creeping closer and closer, it seems like she and Ryan have been engaged FOREVER.

Anyway.... Dustin should be here soon and he's bringing me a strawberry shake from McD's. Yay to that! So I'm going to go read till he gets here. More soon!

Soooo big news. I'm moving back to River Falls and moving in with Dustin and his cousin Sean. Lol, betcha didn't see that one coming! Yeah, neither did I! Except last Thursday when I went out to RF I realized that I actually miss it there, plus it'll help out with the rent that D and Sean have to pay at the place they're looking to rent. And I'm actually exctited to be living with boys, it has to be less drama than living with girls. The drive to work will sorta suck but I do like to drive so I don't think I'll mind too much. And it'll be nice to not stress about when D and I will get to see each other.

Grandma and Grandpa seem to be doing a little better. Dad's visiting them right now and I just talked to him. He said Grandpa's playing cards and Grandma's doing better although she hates her roommate. Lol, she and I can swap evil roomie stories when I'm there next week.

Last night Shannon drove out here and we did a little shopping at the mall. She had to get earrings to wear on her wedding day and I ended up buying a pair of jeans that I couldn't really afford but needed. But it's all good. Then I called Amber when I got home and we had a good talk, as always. I love talking to Amber because we sit and remember all the crazy stuff we used to do. We have some interesting stuff planned for when D and I come to visit her and Jono, which will probably be next month. I'm psyched!

Everything else is good. I'm a little stressed about having to move again so soon but then again I was never one of those people that had an easy time settling. I am super psyched about moving in with Dustin, it'll be a good adventure, I think, and I think living so close to his friends and cousin will help him adjust to living with me. I think it'll be a good experience.

ANYWAY! Must go dry my hair. More soon!

Okay so.... eh, my life is a little topsy turvy right now although I'd rather not write about it. Why it is that I have such issues living with other girls I don't know. Although this time 2 out of 3 of them like me so who knows.... I can't wait to move in with D, living with a boy has got to be easier!

Work is better..... Tracy's actually treating me like a human being rather than a halfwit so that's nice. I have classes for my shiftie training on the 23rd and the 2nd of March and then I will officially be a shift supervisor, hurray! Today Tracy taught me how to do the milk order, which we do on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and it's SUPER easy so that's nice. I also learned how to do overrings so yay to that! March 2nd (and my raise) can't come fast enough!

Grandma and Grandpa aren't doing very well right now which is all the more reason for D and me to hurry up and visit. Ryan's coming with, too, and Mom may meet us down there. Hopefully with all the family around they'll feel a bit better. I just don't know how to react to all of this, I've never had anyone this close to me be so sick and I'm not sure if my reactions are right. Most of the time I just try not to think about it and I think I'm almost in denial about how bad things are. I just cannot imagine them not being around anymore. It's a really scary thought.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and for once I'm not dreading it! Dustin got the day off, thanks to Gabe, so we'll be out here sometime tomorrow afternoon. I made him a scrapbook (I'm fairly sure he doesn't read this so I feel safe writing about it) and I'm really excited to give it to him. Tomorrow night we're getting together with Shan and Ryan for a "hot double date." Should be fun, I'm pretty excited.

So that's about all right now. I have to go to bed early tonight because I open tomorrow and on top of my open to 11 shift I'm working 11 to 1 for Tracy because she has a meeting. So it'll be a LOOOOONG day for me. But the added hours will be nice so I'll try not to complain too much.

Anyway.... better go relax. More soon!

Just a quick entry before I head out for the day. Today is going to be a good day, better than it could have been, so I'm pretty excited. Originally I was going to be spending most of the day by myself, which I've already done for the past two days. Tonight I was supposed to be going out with work people and others to the 90's. However, the more I thought about it the more I really didn't feel like going. It's not really my scene anymore and I didn't much feel like waking up hungover.

So instead today Dustin and I are going out to check out his dad's new house which should be interesting. Afterwards I guess we're hanging out around here for awhile and then heading out to Shannon and Ryan's for dinner and then a movie afterwards. Maybe all of that sounds boring to some people but it sounds like an absolutely perfect day to me!

Dustin and I had a fight on Friday that really freaked me out. We both said some mean things to each other which resulted in me hanging up the phone and not answering when he tried to call back. Eventually we talked and we both felt bad and, in the end, things were better. I worry that he sometimes wants to just hang in the moment, not having too many responsibilities. I know I should just trust in the fact that Dustin's trying as best he can and he wants our future just as much as I do. I just get worried when he spends so many nights over at Bubba's playing video games and drinking beer. Blah, I need to stop worrying!!!

Anyway.... I am still not fully awake yet and I have a few more things to do before I head out. So more soon!

I hate being disappointed. It's funny because I was watching a TV show today and someone said something about how if you didn't have expectations about people then you wouldn't get disappointed by them. I guess that sorta makes sense. But it's still hard when two people make plans with you and then they both cancel. Even if they have good reasons it doesn't make you feel any less bad. Especially when it's not like you have a million other people that you can call to fall back on. That's the problem with only having a small group of close friends: when you get screwed over it kind of takes away your world. Now I got to be bored today, I'll be bored Friday, and I'll be bored Saturday. Joyful.

So something good has happened in the last, oh, say 36 hours or so. Dustin and I had an honest to goodness discussion about moving in together. I bring it up a lot and I know I'm being awfully pushy but I guess that's kind of my way when I want something bad enough. He admitted he's scared to leave RF because that's ALWAYS been his home. I guess I can't relate because I've called Bartlett, Woodbury, Winona, RF and Maplewood my homes (and some I liked better than others). Then again, it's not like RF is that far away and it's not like he'll be banned from ever going back. And he needs to get away for at least a little while, experience someplace new. It sounds like if he finds a job soon enough we could be living together VERY soon. Otherwise I'll have to sit through a 6 month lease, which would kind a blow but I guess I'll have to survive.

I went shopping by myself tonight, since I was sad, had nothing better to do, and really feel like otherwise my roommates will start thinking I'm a boring loser. Bought a cute new top and a necklace and earrings to go with it. I'm trying to learn to accesorize even though generally I'm more comfortable not wearing a bunch of jewelry. So I guess I feel better, at the expense of $31 that I don't think I should have spent.

My trip with D to Illinois at the end of the month is pretty set and I'm excited. I'm a little scared to see my grandparents, what with my grandpa now having to deal with cancer (that's the 3rd of 4 grandparents, joyful) and my grandma being in so much pain. It's been good that I have Dustin to talk to because otherwise I think I'd explode. I try not to act like it bothers me because I don't want people to think I'm always about to cry. But I'm having a hard time dealing with the fact that my grandparents will probably not be around much longer. The two adults who have supported me the most in my life and they'll be gone. That makes me feel pretty lost.

Anyway, I'm tired, that happens when I cry more than once during the day. Time for sleep. Tomorrow I get my honey to cuddle with.

More soon.