Saturday, June 19, 2010

The Grass Is Greener on the Other Side - Just Make Sure You Don't Get Your Head Caught In the Fence

Welcome to my corner of the blogosphere!  I've never done this before and it's going to take some time for me to make a cute little blog like others have.....  I am doing this because my employer has decided to send me away for a full five weeks.  FAR AWAY - 1 week in Nova Scotia and 4 weeks in GUAM.  I have mixed feelings - it's really exciting but a long time to be away.  I figured people might want to know what I am doing there...or maybe not.  I am going to write it anyway because quite frankly, the TV situation does not look promising there so I will need something to do in the evenings - besides sitting on a sugar sand beach watching the sunset........

In case you are new to my world I am a project manager for a school student information system.  I am working my dream job - seriously - not many people can say that.  I love what I do because for the most part, I can do what I do in my pajamas.  I only get dressed for the day if I am expecting the UPS man.  I am also studying to be a certified project manager - a project manager professional - because wouldn't my name look cool with THOSE initials out beside it....Kristi Rhodes, PMP....I feel the need to buy a feather boa and a hat with sequins on it.  As far as my personal life goes, I am married to Robbie and have two teenage boys - Tyler and Daniel.  My parents tell me that my love of animals and my butt is from the Ford side of the family, and my mouth (and what comes out of it) and mannerisms (the good, the bad, and the ugly) come from the Henry side.  Namely Grannie Fannie Henry.  I see myself as the Aunt Fern of the family (everybody has an Aunt Fern right?) - a little crazy, a little eccentric - or maybe just letting people think that.

So why did I name my blog Country Mouse Chatter House?  Because I am a country girl - always have been- even when I lived in Nashville.  I don't care too much for living in subdivisions and when I have, I have tried to find a house that backed up to woods or property without houses.  I am also a Southerner - but I strive to stay away from the stereotype that the media has made of southerners.  For instance, I have a full set of teeth and they are all firmly attached to my skull - and I don't have cows licking the paint off the side of my house. (yes our local news reported that story a few months ago and it made it all the way to the NPR radio station).  The "Chatter" part is because I like to talk - this may come as a surprise to those who know me - but my mouth has gotten me in trouble quite a bit - this history of talking goes all the way back to my second grade teacher - Mrs. Corley - who told my parents that I should be separated from my best friend in third grade because we talk too much - never have forgiven her for that.


And you may be asking yourself why a woman like myself would want to go traipsing across the world all alone to the South Pacific....well for one, I get an all expenses paid beach trip...DUH.  I have come a long way since my first real job interview - the one where I couldn't leave the airport because the rental car company HERTZ wouldn't give me a car because I didn't have a credit card in my name - even after my dad and the people I was interviewing with tried to pay for it for me...so they had to come to the airport and do the interview there.  Incidentally I got the job and I have a long memory - I have never rented from Hertz since - even with this job.  Don't mess with me.  I am looking forward to the trip and it will be interesting to see what unfolds.  When I started this job, I had to go to California for two weeks of training - after the first week - I was on the phone crying because I wanted to come home....we'll see.  I will have to tell you that story in another blog.

That's it for now - leave me comments if you read - I will need the social aspect of it!