I need some help!

Ok so it really isn't me needing the help it is my girlfriend.  I need some advice.  I am the maid of honor in my friend's wedding and she is really going through a tough time.  I don't know what to tell her.  Here is the story.......

My friend and her future husband have been dating off and on since I don't know sixth grade.  So as you understand there is a lot of history with them.  The real troubled time in their relationship was about 3 years ago.  She was going through a phase where she was trying to find herself and find out what she wanted from her life.  As anyone knows your early 20's is a time of discovery and learning about yourself.  At this time in their relationship a lot of feelings were hurt by both parties.  So as it turns out they came back to each other and are now planning on getting married.  Happy ending???? 

Nope!!!  The problem lies in her future brother-in-law(bil).  Now three years ago when all this shit was going down he got very mad at her for the things that she had done.  Bil did not think that they should be together and he really let his brother(groom) know this.  He has all along made his distaste for the bride known.  Now that they are getting married things are really getting sticky.  The bride and groom have moved past their problems.  The bride is ready for this to be over the problem is the bil is not.  They are trying to figure out how/if to include the bil in the wedding.  The mother in law and father in law are starting to get involved and saying that the NEED to have the bil in the wedding because he is the groom's brother and it would look bad if he isn't.  The groom's family is really pressuring the groom to involve his brother and the bride really doesn't want someone in her wedding that despises her.  It is getting to the point that it is causing a HUGE rift not only with the bride and the groom's family but is really affecting the relationship between the bride and groom.  The bride has cried herself to sleep already three days this week.  Please Please help me by giving me some advice that can I tell the bride???  What can I offer as a solution??  How can I help her get through this????  Please help both me and her!!!!!!

D day

It is D day for more than one reason. First of all today was the day that I had to give my first presentation at my new job... The good news is this. Yesterday the head honcho of our group sent out an e-mail saying that he was unable to make it to the meeting today. He was not planning on canceling the meeting. So he just had a co-worker of mine run the meeting. My co-work is considerably less scary than him. So before the meeting I went through my slides again and practiced what I was going through. I really wish I would have procastinated a little more because I feel like I rememeber things a little better when you do things RIGHT before they are do. The united alliance of procrastinators would agree with me I am sure!!! So ANYWAY!!! I gave my presentation. It went pretty well I think. I was nervous so I rushed or atleast I think that I did. Everyone told me I did a great job. I guess I don't feel like it becuse doing these types of presentations is a new thing to me. I was never allowed to do anything like this at my old job. I really liked it. It was a little outside my comfort zone but hey that is what makes you a well rounded person.

The second reason is that my company's second quarter results came in and apparently they aren't very good. Stock prices for IVG stock have dropped significantly. I am not too big on the money mumbo jumbo, but as long as I still have my job I am ok. I didn't invest thins time around. Maybe I will get a lower stock price then when it comes around. Who knows.. Better get to work I am wasting company money...................

a Sunny Monday

Given the frustrations that I have felt the past week or so this Monday is looking up.  Knock on Wood.....  I was having problems with one of my test on Friday afternoon.  Today I think that I may have found an answer.  Isn't that a great feeling?  I think so.  It is a total weight off of my shoulders.  I cannot believe it.  Hopefully my hypothesis is right.  I cannot take another blow at this point. 
 
My weekend was awesome.  It is hard to believe that when I worked almost three hours this weekend from home.  Saturday, I came into work for an hour to pass some cells.  I stopped and paid off half of our honeymoon.  I went and bought stuff for my girlfriend's shower invitations.  They are gonna be SUPER cute.  Thanks for the idea Heidi!! I started registering for gifts.  How fun is that???  You go shopping and don't spend a cent!!!  I loved it I cannot wait to do more of it....YEAH!!! 
 
My grandparents who live in Florida were in town.  It is always nice to see them.  My grandmother has been in pretty tough shape.  She has had to have shots of Erythropoeitin(Epo) because her blood cell counts have been low.  Her back and hips are giving her problems.  I am not sure what is all going on with her.  My grandpa doesn't really want us to worry about things.  I think that he feels that is his job.  You know it is funny, they fight like cats and dogs sometimes but when it comes down to it he really loves her and would do anything to help her. 
 
So I got to talk wedding stuff with my grandma.  It was really nice.  I miss her so much.  She is a great link to my dad.  Because I never got to know my dad it is nice to have that.  When I was younger I never really heard the stories of my father.  Now that I have gotten older people are being freer with the stories.   It has really helped me to come to peace with what happened and has helped me move on.  Although no one can replace him in my heart it isn't fair to myself and others to dwell on it. 
 
Ahhh Monday.     As a fellow co-worker says...."Boy are we having fun!"

100 days to go?

Today has just been one of those days that you want to end but doesn't. I have been having problems with my projects at work. They just aren't working like they are supposed to.   I just want to cry.  Not only are things not going so well with my tests, I have to give a presentation on Wednesday.  Have I started???  Of course not.  They say "Oh nothing formal, just a 15 minute talk about the pathways of your cell line, where it holds promise on the disease front and where you are with the project.  The big deal is that this is the first time that I have given a speech at work.  This is like a test to prove that I am a competent employee.  I know that it isn't really true but I don't want to look like a total ass in front of my co-workers. 
 
Not only are things at work not so great we have now hit 100 days to the big day.  I know that may seem like not a big deal but a year ago it was 465 days.  I have watched the days slip by slowly at first now they are slipping through our hands like water.  Each day I grasp for the time that was lost that day.  I feel like the day is going to be here before we will know it and will we have everything done by then?  I sure hope that we can make it through the next 1o0 days.....
I don't know with the road construction on highway 14 I hope I can keep my sanity. 

Be Nice to Me...........I Gave Blood Today!!!

Today was the blood drive at Research Park in Madison. I haven't given blood since 10/99. I could not believe that. I used to give blood like it was an addiction. Well atleast twice a year. I always felt that it was my civil duty to do so. I have been hemming and hawing about giving since the flyer came out at the end of June. Well this morning rolled around and I thought that I should go. Now getting people to go is another story. I asked several co-workers if they planned on going. I found two people that would go with me M & J. M had given three times until he was hassled to give because he has a rare blood type. J had never given blood before. He seemed like he wanted to do it but need some encouragement or just someone to go with.

So the three of us hiked up the hill and across the road. I am a speed reader so I read all of my information and was ready to go. M was careful to read the information. J was reading VERY intently not wanting to miss anything. I gave first and was done before M had started. J kept looking at his watch nervously. We were doing pretty good until the needle in J's arm started to move. That is bad enough to have them harpoon you, but then have the arm move too. Yugh. I would have passed out but he held on like a trooper.

So my mission today is to encourage everyone to donate blood. Here are the reasons why:
1. 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 people.
2. Every two seconds, someone in the US needs a blood transfusion. Yet, only 3% of Americans donate.
3. Bring someone with you because most people don't donate because they have never been asked.
4. People really need to donate in the summer because there are higher incidences of accidents and few student donors.
Please go out and GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE!!!!!