This is Elvis.

Elvis doesn't like lawn mowers.

Or maybe he just wants to start a collection.

Either way, he just took the zookeepers' mower.

Elvis - 1

Zookeepers - 0

I have a confession to make.

I'm a worrier.

I can't help it. When I become bothered by something, whether it's a situation at work or with a friend or family member, it just eats away at me until it's resolved.

Granted, it usually takes a while for a situation to build into one that turns me into a worry wart. Usually it happens after I find myself getting the short end of the stick over and over again and make a decision to put my foot down.

It's one of the biggest things I don't like about myself - my inability to keep myself from dwelling on whatever the situation happens to be. I think about it and think about it and think about it. It ends up affecting my sleep because I can't relax my mind enough to get a good night's rest.

Even after I've taken some action to start the resolution process, I can't stop thinking about it or talking about it (much to the fiance's chagrin, I'm sure) until that action has culminated in some sort of solution.

When a solution is finally reached that satisfies me, it's like the skies open up and the sun starts shining again.

You probably wouldn't mind working minimum wage if the price was right, right?

Well, in that respect, the city of San Francisco is about to make history.

Starting January 1, 2012, the city will up its minimum wage to $10.24 an hour. That's more than two dollars more than California's minimum wage and nearly $3 more than the federal wage.

Here in Alabama, minimum wage only adheres to the federal standard of $7.25 an hour.

What I want to know is what bonehead on Capitol Hill decided that was a good starting rate? Do they really think a person can survive on that? I barely survive on what I make, which is a little more than San Fran's soon-to-be minimum, and I'm not spending my money frivolously.

Last night we said that it was exciting news for that city, but when you really think about it, it's not all that exciting. Higher minimum wage means higher standards of living, so making $10.24 is about the same as making $7.25 when you consider how much everything costs.

But hopefully the higher minimum wage in that city will mean lower unemployment. Maybe it will make working at McDonald's a more attractive option than simply relying on Welfare and food stamps. Maybe if people feel like they aren't being underpaid at those types of jobs they'll actually take them.

The boyfriend and I decided to take some vacation time this past week.

He took a whole week - which for him is only using 2 days - and I took a four day weekend. We packed our bags and headed to Atlanta.

Our first stop: Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

The dinosaurs were by far the coolest things in there, but there were a lot of other really cool exhibits.

During the holiday season, there are dozens of Christmas trees decorated in the style of a different country. Sadly, I fell down on my photography duty and didn't take a single picture of them.

Then there was the Darwin exhibit, which took you on a step-by-step journey through his life's works.

After the museum, we checked into the hotel.

Our view was incredible. 41st floor.

After a nap, we decided to walk down to Centennial Park where the 1996 Olympics were held.

Everything was decorated for Christmas, so our stroll was really romantic.
 There was even an ice skating rink set up, but we didn't take a turn.

Chris had other things on his mind...

We sat down on a bench and were just looking at the lights. I was watching the water-sidewalk-fountain randomly shooting up...
Then he got down on one knee...

 I almost started crying...

But I said yes.

Then the water/light/music show started.



Once that was over, we walked back to the hotel...
But not before Chris took a picture with Andrew Young.

Then we had a really nice dinner at the hotel's restaurant, Sear. Biggest piece of salmon I've ever had.

The next day we went to the Coke Museum.
 We were bubble-ized.



 The vault where the secret formula is supposed to be kept.
 A holographic map of the countries where Coca Cola is.

 Did you know Coke was the first soft drink in space?

 Santa Claus looks the way he does today because of Coca Cola.

Letters people have written telling their Coca Cola stories.

The tasting room. About 30 unsupervised kids. It was madness.

Monster.com and Payscale.com have collaborated to create a list of the top five low-paying, high-stress jobs.

Mine made the list.

Maybe I should consider a career change?

But I have a feeling I fit into the little explanation they provided:

It's amazing how one person can be such a sour spot in your day or even your week.

Especially when that person jumps to multiple conclusions without even looking for evidence to support their claim that you're disappointing when it comes to your job performance.

I'm so frustrated.

It's no secret that kids today are different than kids used to be. I can tell a difference even from 15 years ago, and those differences aren't necessarily good.

So if you've found yourself wondering what's wrong with kids these days, I think I have a theory.

Parents let them watch all the junk that comes on Cartoon Network and buy them games like this:

 

Last week I talked about moving in with my boyfriend next year, and someone made the comment that there is a 50% divorce rate in this country. While that statistic is sadly accurate, it still leaves some pretty good odds - 50% of marriages succeed.

I'm not a naive person where marriage is concerned, and although I don't have any intention of getting divorced once I get married I do know that sometimes it's necessary. Discounting those who get married and divorced as many times as normal people take a shower, some relationships really are not meant to last and it takes a marriage to show it.

My biological parents are divorced. I have no doubt in my mind that they were in love when they got married, but in the end they just weren't compatible with each other. My biological father has been married three times, each of those times shorter than the last. He did (and still does) drink too much, did (and still does) have an affinity for not going to work, and in the end all of that plus a lot more added up to a negative.

It's people like my biological father who contribute to that 50% divorce rate.

My mother, on the other hand, has been married to her current husband and the man I call my dad for nearly 20 years now. Theirs is a successful marriage that will fulfill their wedding vows - til death do us part. They still hold hands and kiss each other. They laugh together and do everything else together. Sure they fight, but what real couple doesn't argue every now and then? She takes care of him when his diabetes goes haywire, and I swear he'd do anything to protect her.

My paternal grandparents have been married for more than 50 years. They say my papa was a woman-chasing, fast driving chain smoker before her. He's still a speed demon who likes to 'let the horses run', but he's been true to my mema for all these years.

He's not doing so well now, and whenever I get a chance I drive back home to see them. The last time I was able, Papa asked me to find his pictures on his phone for him. So I did, and as he was flipping through those photos he got to one of Mema. He just stopped on that photo, smiled and said, "That's my lady."

I want that.

And I think I've found the one person who can give it to me. So that 50% divorce rate can count me out. We're in it for the long haul.

 

"We're moving in together."

Four words most parents dread hearing from their child. Four words my boyfriend and I told our parents a few months ago.

We've decided to take the next step in our relationship but not until May. And this isn't a decision we've taken lightly at all.

He's not just some boy, after all. He's the one. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true.

By the time May rolls around, we'll have been dating for nearly two-and-a-half years, and I've done my research. The two-year mark is the milestone most relationship experts say you should pass before moving in together. That's how long it takes for the warm fuzzies to wear off and reality to sink in. By that time you should know enough about your partner to determine if you really want to spend forever with him/her or if you want to cut the cords.

I've always said I wouldn't live with someone before we were married. I've even advised friends not to uproot themselves for a guy who hasn't at least given them a ring (I still stand by that advice). But the timing is just right.

I can't imagine my life without him in it. We're already spending every day/night together. He has stuff at my house, and I have stuff at his.

We've looked at, tried on and priced rings for the both of us. We've looked at house plans for our future home. We've talked about kids.

And we're paying double bills when we don't have to.

I'm sure people from both of our families will frown upon our decision, but that's just it. It's our decision and shouldn't be looked upon as the two of us 'shacking up'. Because it's so much more than that.

 Not exactly scarecrows, but I liked them.

And now we'll go to the fair.

 One of the few rides we went on.

Honoring the boyfriend's request with this one, haha.

I'm a nerd.

A nerd who likes to read and whose favorite animal is a giraffe.

My idea of a vacation is going to the beach/lake and sitting in a chair by the water with a good book.

I enjoy reading blogs, news articles online and nothing beats the smell of a freshly-printed newspaper.

My favorite books are the ones that require a lot of research to write - historical fiction/romance - and a lot of times when I finish reading them, I find myself online doing research of my own to learn more about the characters or time period.

I'm also pretty sure I was born in the wrong time. I wish I could have experienced the era of true investigative journalism, that time when the hard work that went into uncovering sinister truths actually meant something and resulted in reform.

I'm interested in almost everything, and because of my job I know a little about a lot of topics.

I'm a nerd, right down to the glasses I almost never wear (they're nearly always lost) and the amount of research I (willingly) do on a daily basis. But I don't mind it at all. Nerdiness is the new chic.