A friend sent me this from xkcd, and I just had to share, as it relates directly to the feelings I had when starting this blog in the first place. Enjoy!
http://xkcd.com/616/
Friday, August 20, 2010
Melodic Motivation
It's funny the way your current soundtrack can affect your motivation. As perhaps documented in other posts this week, I've been SWAMPED. And it's getting down the wire as I have to get this stack of paperwork on my floor finished up and turned in today.
Last night I was at the office until about 6:30-7. Started feeling mentally worn out around 2, and needed a musical pick me up. So I popped open my "Today was a Fairytale" Pandora station. Just some fun, up beat, mostly girly music. Some faves from this station:
~"Today was a Fairytale" by Taylor Swift (duh!!)
~"Ever Ever After" by Carrie Underwood
~"Life is a Highway" by Rascall Flatts
~"Magic" by Colbie Caillat
This morning I came in and figured I'd put on the same station to get me motivated. But I wasn't feeling it. Too upbeat I guess for this early in the morning. So I switched over to my Goo Goo Dolls station. Something a little lighter for the am. Some semi-light rock 90s style awesomeness!!! Faves from this station:
~"Broadway" by the Goo Goo Dolls
~"Champagne Supernova" by Oasis
~"Let Her Cry" by Hootie & the Blowfish
~"Mona Lisas" by Sister Hazel
Anyways, here's hoping it works! Thinking about starting up Music Mondays. So be thinking about your fave artists/albums/tracks you'd want to share with the world! (Or, at least the small little world that is my blog and it's followers!!)
Have an awesome Friday!
Last night I was at the office until about 6:30-7. Started feeling mentally worn out around 2, and needed a musical pick me up. So I popped open my "Today was a Fairytale" Pandora station. Just some fun, up beat, mostly girly music. Some faves from this station:
~"Today was a Fairytale" by Taylor Swift (duh!!)
~"Ever Ever After" by Carrie Underwood
~"Life is a Highway" by Rascall Flatts
~"Magic" by Colbie Caillat
This morning I came in and figured I'd put on the same station to get me motivated. But I wasn't feeling it. Too upbeat I guess for this early in the morning. So I switched over to my Goo Goo Dolls station. Something a little lighter for the am. Some semi-light rock 90s style awesomeness!!! Faves from this station:
~"Broadway" by the Goo Goo Dolls
~"Champagne Supernova" by Oasis
~"Let Her Cry" by Hootie & the Blowfish
~"Mona Lisas" by Sister Hazel
Anyways, here's hoping it works! Thinking about starting up Music Mondays. So be thinking about your fave artists/albums/tracks you'd want to share with the world! (Or, at least the small little world that is my blog and it's followers!!)
Have an awesome Friday!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Coincidence? Or Godly Evidence?
Watching: Father of the Bride
Fave Quote: "Well, that's the thing about life, is uh, the surprises--the little things that sneak up on you and grab hold of you."
OMG! I am sooooo excited about the study my small group is starting (well, started?) this week. We met yesterday and got the material and kind of did a run down of what to expect. We're doing a study called BASIC. I haven't done it yet, obviously, but from what I've read and been told so far, it's basically about learning what you have in your heart that's blocking you from being able to accept Christ's love fully and shine it back on the world, and then getting rid of whatever it is you identify. Sounds kind of weird when I put it like that, but example: this study was (is?) used at my church as training for people that go into Care Ministry, which again is not something I've participated in but from what I understand is kind of a peer-to-peer type counseling that North Point Ministries offers. It's a service area that you can volunteer in. And the point of the training is to open yourself up to God's comfort so that you can then fully understand what it means to be comforted and only then be able to effectively comfort others.
So let me back up a moment. You may have read recently in a few of my entries that I've been dealing lately with some potential life change and it's got me all confused in the head. Long story short, I was going to go back to school for my Ph.D in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (a mouth full, isn't it?) And less than 2 months ago I all of a sudden started questioning whether that was what I should/wanted to do. I started considering other things that I might want to do with my life instead and what would make me happiest. The first 2 ideas that popped into my head were marine biology and photography. The first, while definitely something I've expressed a mild interest in since I was younger, would require starting ALL OVER with school. Like, go back, take more science, get a new bachelors. I already have 2 of those. I really didn't feel drawn in that direction enough to validate going back and getting a 3rd.
But photography, now that really caught my attention. I took an intro course when I was still in college, thoroughly enjoyed it and only decided not to switch from a general Studio Art major to a more focused Photography major because I would have had to stay in school a few more semesters and I was already getting burnt out on school. Since then I have gotten my own digital camera (not saying much, as it's just a point-and-shoot, and I was the last person I know on this planet to get one) but I carry it with me everywhere I go. My boyfriend has a digital SLR and I love taking shots with that whenever I get a chance. I still have a lot to learn, but when I think about enrolling in a program and trying to make a living with photography (which I've heard enough times will be difficult. I know it takes skill and talent and hard work and luck) maybe with National Geographic (again- I know what the chances are here. I'm just talking about dream jobs here. Why not, right?) or in some industry that I haven't even been opened up to yet, I get really excited. I start thinking about all these wonderful, creative possibilities, and the idea has just stuck.
So anyways, I've begun considering it. Ph.D plans are on hold at least, until I figure out what I really want to do. The biggest challenge that going back to school for photography has thrown in my plans is financial. The majority of psychology programs I was looking at had assistantships that pretty much covered tuition. I just had to worry about living costs. Either with loans or by trying to find student housing on campus. No such situation with photography school. All of a sudden the possible student loans I'm taking out are looking like a looooot more. Granted, this is the one type of debt that I've always kind of considered ok. But still... being debt free until now, looking at $40k give or take in 2 years is kind of a daunting thought. So what do I do? Do I give in and take out the loans? Do I go part time? Overall not as cost effective per credit hour but perhaps more affordable on a quarter-to-quarter basis. Do I put it off for a few years and try to live as frugally as possible until then to see how much I can save up? To be honest, as smart as that last idea sounds, I'm so fed up with where I am now, and so ready to make a change that it is the least attractive idea currently. Now that I've identified a new path, I'm ready to get started!!!!
But I've never been one to jump into big decisions either. So I'm sitting on it. There's a program in town that offers 6 week digital courses. I can take a few of those over the next few months. Make sure that this is really what I want to do before committing to such expensive schooling- full time or not. If I find a way to stick out my current job- or at least a position within my current company through Spring of 2012 that'll be 5 years and I'll be fully vested in the pension plan they offer.
Ug. See what I mean? I can't decide. I'm torn. My responsible upbringing is fighting with my impatient desire to get on with my life. My parents give me good advice but then say that I'm not going to disappoint them with anything I do. But I worry that maybe I will. That even if they don't voice it they'll be worried about the amount of loans I'll be taking out if I enroll too soon. But is it all worth it if you end up with a job that you love?
Ok- ENOUGH!!! You get the point!!!!! That all took muuuuuuuch longer than I meant for it too. I simply meant to point out that I'm dealing with some decisions right now that are starting to make it hard to live my life on a day-to-day basis. So... I've started praying about it. I know I shouldn't wait until things get this stressful before I start praying, but I'm working on it. Lately I've been doing A LOT of praying about this.
Which brings me back to the point of this blog. (Well, the initial point, anyways.) We had a few visitors to our small group last night- the author of the BASIC material and a couple girls who have gone through, and lead, the material several times. After going through a rundown of the material, we went around and told our stories again so that we could all get introduced before starting an 8 week study together. And I kind of had an epiphany while telling my story. It was the same story I had told over a year ago to the other girls in my small group. One of on and off again church attendance, knowledge of God's love for me, and a desire to grow closer to God that I was more devoted to at some times than at others, but lacking any big-bang moment. The only new thing was what has happened over the past few months. While I was sitting there thinking about how to sum up my story, I started realizing that there have been several "coincidences" lately in my life. Now, I'm not one of those "I don't believe in coincidences" type people. Sometimes things just line up funny, and I really do believe that. But lately, things have just been connecting in more unusual ways than normal. And I can't help but wonder if someone's trying to get my attention.
First of all, the very day I started considering photography as a new possibility (I'm not lying- the VERY same day) I heard an add on the radio for an art school here in town that was having an open house that coming weekend. Secondly, that 4 week leadership program that I went to at church? Well, at the end of it they gave us the opportunity to sign up to volunteer in various areas within the church. I did not sign up for anything right then. I checked the box that said let me think about it and call me in a couple months. The area that did strike my interest though, was Care Ministries. But I didn't sign up because I didn't feel like I was ready, prepared for that kind of role. So imagine my surprise when I was reading the intro for this material and found out it was what they used to train people for that role! And lastly, if you read my last post where I was freaking out about life decisions, you would have run across a line where I was wondering if love should be my top priority in life. Well, as I was reading the intro material for this study, all of a sudden I came to a statement:
Fave Quote: "Well, that's the thing about life, is uh, the surprises--the little things that sneak up on you and grab hold of you."
OMG! I am sooooo excited about the study my small group is starting (well, started?) this week. We met yesterday and got the material and kind of did a run down of what to expect. We're doing a study called BASIC. I haven't done it yet, obviously, but from what I've read and been told so far, it's basically about learning what you have in your heart that's blocking you from being able to accept Christ's love fully and shine it back on the world, and then getting rid of whatever it is you identify. Sounds kind of weird when I put it like that, but example: this study was (is?) used at my church as training for people that go into Care Ministry, which again is not something I've participated in but from what I understand is kind of a peer-to-peer type counseling that North Point Ministries offers. It's a service area that you can volunteer in. And the point of the training is to open yourself up to God's comfort so that you can then fully understand what it means to be comforted and only then be able to effectively comfort others.
So let me back up a moment. You may have read recently in a few of my entries that I've been dealing lately with some potential life change and it's got me all confused in the head. Long story short, I was going to go back to school for my Ph.D in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (a mouth full, isn't it?) And less than 2 months ago I all of a sudden started questioning whether that was what I should/wanted to do. I started considering other things that I might want to do with my life instead and what would make me happiest. The first 2 ideas that popped into my head were marine biology and photography. The first, while definitely something I've expressed a mild interest in since I was younger, would require starting ALL OVER with school. Like, go back, take more science, get a new bachelors. I already have 2 of those. I really didn't feel drawn in that direction enough to validate going back and getting a 3rd.
But photography, now that really caught my attention. I took an intro course when I was still in college, thoroughly enjoyed it and only decided not to switch from a general Studio Art major to a more focused Photography major because I would have had to stay in school a few more semesters and I was already getting burnt out on school. Since then I have gotten my own digital camera (not saying much, as it's just a point-and-shoot, and I was the last person I know on this planet to get one) but I carry it with me everywhere I go. My boyfriend has a digital SLR and I love taking shots with that whenever I get a chance. I still have a lot to learn, but when I think about enrolling in a program and trying to make a living with photography (which I've heard enough times will be difficult. I know it takes skill and talent and hard work and luck) maybe with National Geographic (again- I know what the chances are here. I'm just talking about dream jobs here. Why not, right?) or in some industry that I haven't even been opened up to yet, I get really excited. I start thinking about all these wonderful, creative possibilities, and the idea has just stuck.
So anyways, I've begun considering it. Ph.D plans are on hold at least, until I figure out what I really want to do. The biggest challenge that going back to school for photography has thrown in my plans is financial. The majority of psychology programs I was looking at had assistantships that pretty much covered tuition. I just had to worry about living costs. Either with loans or by trying to find student housing on campus. No such situation with photography school. All of a sudden the possible student loans I'm taking out are looking like a looooot more. Granted, this is the one type of debt that I've always kind of considered ok. But still... being debt free until now, looking at $40k give or take in 2 years is kind of a daunting thought. So what do I do? Do I give in and take out the loans? Do I go part time? Overall not as cost effective per credit hour but perhaps more affordable on a quarter-to-quarter basis. Do I put it off for a few years and try to live as frugally as possible until then to see how much I can save up? To be honest, as smart as that last idea sounds, I'm so fed up with where I am now, and so ready to make a change that it is the least attractive idea currently. Now that I've identified a new path, I'm ready to get started!!!!
But I've never been one to jump into big decisions either. So I'm sitting on it. There's a program in town that offers 6 week digital courses. I can take a few of those over the next few months. Make sure that this is really what I want to do before committing to such expensive schooling- full time or not. If I find a way to stick out my current job- or at least a position within my current company through Spring of 2012 that'll be 5 years and I'll be fully vested in the pension plan they offer.
Ug. See what I mean? I can't decide. I'm torn. My responsible upbringing is fighting with my impatient desire to get on with my life. My parents give me good advice but then say that I'm not going to disappoint them with anything I do. But I worry that maybe I will. That even if they don't voice it they'll be worried about the amount of loans I'll be taking out if I enroll too soon. But is it all worth it if you end up with a job that you love?
Ok- ENOUGH!!! You get the point!!!!! That all took muuuuuuuch longer than I meant for it too. I simply meant to point out that I'm dealing with some decisions right now that are starting to make it hard to live my life on a day-to-day basis. So... I've started praying about it. I know I shouldn't wait until things get this stressful before I start praying, but I'm working on it. Lately I've been doing A LOT of praying about this.
Which brings me back to the point of this blog. (Well, the initial point, anyways.) We had a few visitors to our small group last night- the author of the BASIC material and a couple girls who have gone through, and lead, the material several times. After going through a rundown of the material, we went around and told our stories again so that we could all get introduced before starting an 8 week study together. And I kind of had an epiphany while telling my story. It was the same story I had told over a year ago to the other girls in my small group. One of on and off again church attendance, knowledge of God's love for me, and a desire to grow closer to God that I was more devoted to at some times than at others, but lacking any big-bang moment. The only new thing was what has happened over the past few months. While I was sitting there thinking about how to sum up my story, I started realizing that there have been several "coincidences" lately in my life. Now, I'm not one of those "I don't believe in coincidences" type people. Sometimes things just line up funny, and I really do believe that. But lately, things have just been connecting in more unusual ways than normal. And I can't help but wonder if someone's trying to get my attention.
First of all, the very day I started considering photography as a new possibility (I'm not lying- the VERY same day) I heard an add on the radio for an art school here in town that was having an open house that coming weekend. Secondly, that 4 week leadership program that I went to at church? Well, at the end of it they gave us the opportunity to sign up to volunteer in various areas within the church. I did not sign up for anything right then. I checked the box that said let me think about it and call me in a couple months. The area that did strike my interest though, was Care Ministries. But I didn't sign up because I didn't feel like I was ready, prepared for that kind of role. So imagine my surprise when I was reading the intro for this material and found out it was what they used to train people for that role! And lastly, if you read my last post where I was freaking out about life decisions, you would have run across a line where I was wondering if love should be my top priority in life. Well, as I was reading the intro material for this study, all of a sudden I came to a statement:
"Are you beginning to see how love is the key to life, the passion of the Father's heart, and the reason Jesus died for our sins? Now read I Corinthians 13:1-13 slowly, deliberately and ask God to help you see that love is not one of the most important things. It is the most important thing. (Ephesians 3:16-21)"
I'll let you look both those parts up for yourselves, but there was once verse that stopped me dead in my tracks:
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19
I was just throwing out those questions last week as a rant. I wasn't asking anyone in particular. But God answered anyways. Right there on the page in front of me, in black and white. I was sitting there in my office during lunch and I started crying when I realized what I was reading. An answer to a prayer I didn't even know I was praying. But I still didn't get it.
It was last night when I started telling my story, and I heard myself putting all the pieces together, that I finally started to get it. I don't have any big-bang part in my story yet, but I will. I have this undeniable feeling that God has something big planned for me. I don't know what it is, and I don't know when it's coming. But all of a sudden I just know. It's like He's been right there this whole time, reminding me from time to time that He's there, that I'm His, drawing me back to Him when I started straying too far. Keeping me close for when my time got near. Preparing me. And I can just sense that this is one more step. The ladies that have gone through this study before both had amazing things to say about it, about what it opens us up to and teaches us about ourselves and about God and about the relationships He desires with us and for us with those around us. And I am so eager to find out what it is He wants to show me through this study!
I still have questions about what I'm supposed to do with my life (obviously!!!) and I don't know how all these little things are meant to line up together. But I know they connect somehow. And I know He'll continue to show me the way as I need to see it.
I have always been one who, despite following my heart in plenty of areas, really does enjoy seeing hard evidence when faced with decisions. I have lamented several times over the lack of biblical miracles in my life. How much easier would it be to know what God wants for us if He would just show up in another burning bush, or as a booming voice from the sky one day?!!! But I've resigned myself to just praying for discernment. A few months ago though, I had a dream. I know- whatever I'm about to say is going to sound crazy when introduced that way, but it's true. I woke up early one morning a little before my alarm was supposed to go off, and I had woken from a dream. I wont' go into the details, cuz dreams always sounds crazier than they seemed when you try to describe them after you've woken up. But suffice it to say that I had an encounter with the Lord in my dream. Like, I was running around with Jesus. (See- told you it sounded crazy.) But as I woke up, there was a weight pressing down upon me. Not a physical weight, but the kind of weight that you feel when you come to an important decision, or when you're thinking about something really big. But it wasn't my own thoughts pressing upon me. It was just this impression being pressed upon me. And I heard words spoken to me. Not aloud, but still very clearly I understood them. You sometimes hear people say that they were given a message, and you wonder what they mean. Did they get a general feeling that they then interpreted into a sentence used to describe what it was they were experiencing? And I know what they mean now when they say that's not the case, that they somehow sensed a very specific message. And the message being impressed upon me was "Yes, that was Me. And you're ok." It seems like a simple, almost pointless message. But again, it brought me to tears. I lay there in bed for several moments under this impression that was just being laid upon me. And I knew that God had just spoken to me. Not to charge me as He did Noah or Moses or any other famous biblical character. But just to let me know He was there. That He had been with me in my dream, and that He was always with me. And even when the weight of His message has passed, I was overcome with a sense of calm that I've never experienced before.
I'm not sure what the point of sharing that with you was, other than to just again explain this sense I've had lately of being drawn closer to Him, of His gentle reminders that He'll be there to guide me when I need it (and even when I think I don't!!)
I know this was a super long post! And waaaay more religious or spiritual than I normally get. So if this is your first time stopping by, just know not all my entries are this heavy!! And I hope I haven't just turned you off to coming by again!
But I really am excited to see what the next 8 weeks holds for me. And I expect I'll clue you in from time to time.
And I hope that you find evidence of God's presence in your life too!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Houston, We Have a Problem
Soooooo, this morning I got in the car and turned on the air conditioning. It was blowing out perfectly cool air. No problem. But my windshield was all fogged up so I flipped it to defrost for just a few minutes so that I could see. Then I flipped it back to cool AC and..........................................
Nothing.
It kept blowing hot air out the vent under the windshield. It wouldn't switch vents, and it wouldn't change temperatures. I tried turning the air on and off. I tried moving the switches back over to defrost and slowly moving them toward AC. Once I got to work I turned my car off and back on. Still nothing.
I'm hoping that after work my car will decide to start working for me again. Maybe if the engine cools off or something? I dunno. I don't know how that all ties in and what would be causing it to get stuck on one setting. So keep your fingers crossed for me! In the meantime I was getting sweated out of my own car (can you say that? Oh well. I just did.) I had to roll down the windows and let in the refreshing 75-degree outside air in order to cool off. lol. That's right, 75 is the new 60. How redic is that?
Anyways, I guess if nothing else I'll be thankful that if it's hot air, it's stuck on the vent that's NOT blowing directly in my face, and also that we're heading OUT of summer, not INTO it. Though, we've still got a ways to go. So I reeeaaaalllly hope my AC starts working again soon.
Update: No worries! My AC started up fine when I got in after work. Not sure what was going on this morning, but I'll be leaving it where it is from now on just in case!
Nothing.
It kept blowing hot air out the vent under the windshield. It wouldn't switch vents, and it wouldn't change temperatures. I tried turning the air on and off. I tried moving the switches back over to defrost and slowly moving them toward AC. Once I got to work I turned my car off and back on. Still nothing.
I'm hoping that after work my car will decide to start working for me again. Maybe if the engine cools off or something? I dunno. I don't know how that all ties in and what would be causing it to get stuck on one setting. So keep your fingers crossed for me! In the meantime I was getting sweated out of my own car (can you say that? Oh well. I just did.) I had to roll down the windows and let in the refreshing 75-degree outside air in order to cool off. lol. That's right, 75 is the new 60. How redic is that?
Anyways, I guess if nothing else I'll be thankful that if it's hot air, it's stuck on the vent that's NOT blowing directly in my face, and also that we're heading OUT of summer, not INTO it. Though, we've still got a ways to go. So I reeeaaaalllly hope my AC starts working again soon.
Update: No worries! My AC started up fine when I got in after work. Not sure what was going on this morning, but I'll be leaving it where it is from now on just in case!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
A Memorable Monday Night
It's now Tuesday. I can't even believe I've already completed 2 work days this week! I don't know if this is because I had another wonderful evening with John last night, so it kind of blurred into the weekend, or if it's just been that crazy at work. I think a little bit of both. I'm a little worried about how I'm going to get together all the new hire paperwork for 80+ people done tomorrow. I don't think I'm going to have them all in by the 3pm deadline. lol
Anyways, I really did have a wonderful evening with John. I went up to his place for the first time in a while and got to see all the kitties! :) In case I haven't caught you up on them all before, here's a run down:
~Perlita is John's. She showed up in his drive way a little over 2 years ago during band practice. He brought her inside but left the door open. After a few hours during which she showed no interest in leaving, he closed the door and called her his. She was maybe a couple moths old at the time? She's sweet and soft and doesn't always like to be picked up. She purrs alllllllllll the time and will drool all over you when she's happy if you let her.
Anyways, I really did have a wonderful evening with John. I went up to his place for the first time in a while and got to see all the kitties! :) In case I haven't caught you up on them all before, here's a run down:
~Perlita is John's. She showed up in his drive way a little over 2 years ago during band practice. He brought her inside but left the door open. After a few hours during which she showed no interest in leaving, he closed the door and called her his. She was maybe a couple moths old at the time? She's sweet and soft and doesn't always like to be picked up. She purrs alllllllllll the time and will drool all over you when she's happy if you let her.
~Next came Coco. Coco is mine. I got him a few months after John got Perlita. A friend of a friend sent a message from wherever she was staying out of town saying that they had found a little baby kitty out in the back in some bushes and he needed a home. I agreed to stop by and see him when she got back in town and I was hooked from the first time I saw him. He was so tiny- just a few weeks old- and had this giant pot belly that made him waddle when he walked. He's since grown up and is quite heavy. He's very playful and likes to pretend that he's a tough guy, but really if you get him all alone he's the sweetest cuddlebug ever. Most mornings I wake up and he's next to me in bed staring out the window.
~And lastly there's Gus. Gus is the old man. He showed up on the 2nd floor of my building a few months back and was just the saddest thing you've ever seen. I took him in, took him to the vet, got him shaved and ran some tests. Found out that he's approximately 15 years old, but in decent health. The other cats are still getting used to him, but I'm sure they'll be friends before too much longer. He's deaf, and not much bothers him. He looks much better now, but he comes with all the usual side affects of an older cat. He's a little smellier, a little messier, but he's just the sweetest thing ever. I'm so glad I took him in, because everyone who saw him initially admitted that they don't think anyone else would have.
The day I found him. You can't tell here, but 90% of his fur is matted together.
This is after the vet shaved all the matted fur off. He's put on some weight and grown back most of his fur now. The other kitties are still pretty wary of him, keeping their eyes on him at all times, but I'm sure they'll be good friends soon :)
So now you know- I'm that crazy cat lady. lol. Though, to be fair you'd have to call us "that crazy cat couple." We both actually love dogs and really want one, it just doesn't seem to be the time right now with as busy as we both are.
Anyways, so those are my kitties, and I was so happy to get to see them last night. We separate them sometimes, but we've been trying to keep them together until they all get used to Gus being a part of the family. And they've been up at John's place for a few weeks now.
After saying hello to the kitties John and I (but mostly John) made an awesome dinner. He seasoned and grilled a couple chicken breasts, then we shredded those and put them with black beans, cheese and taco sauce into some big flour tortillas and he stuck those back on the grill for home made quesadillas!
We've made these once before and had more stuff in there, and it was AMAZING!! But in order to keep it from all dripping down into the charcoal, we had to cut back on our fillings this time.
After dinner I messed around online for a bit. Joined 20 Something Bloggers and made some new friends through Life of Meg's Mingle Monday! :) If you're looking for some new blogs to follow, you should definitely check it out. I found several that were very cool and got added to my list of faves! I always love getting feedback on my posts and the chance to meet fellow bloggers out there! So if you stop by make sure you say hi down in my comments!
Later I headed up to bed and right as I was getting ready to fall asleep John stuck his head in the door and asked if I would go on a night walk around the neighborhood with him to look at the stars. Yes ladies, that's my man! :) So of course, how do you say no to that? We walked down the middle of his street and a few others with our heads thrown back, looking up at the stars and listening to the crickets. It was wonderful. I was exhausted by the time I fell back into bed, but it was well worth it. Moments like those are meant to be remembered, not to be passed up.
I hope your Monday night was as enjoyable as mine!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Weekend Review
Soundtrack: Sarah McLachlan Mirrorball
Hello wonderful people!
I was busy (busy relaxing at times) all weekend and didn't have a chance to update yall while it was all going on. So let's see:
Friday night I went to the Atlanta Falcons season opener hoping to catch John's debut on the drumline. My good friend Danielle and her husband, Jay, came along.
So a big THANK YOU to those 2 wonderful friends!!! Otherwise I would have had to go by myself, and sitting by myself in a stadium surrounded by thousands of people is not my scene. I'm not outgoing enough to make friends with all my neighboring sports fans by the end of the 1st quarter like some people. lol. But anyways, we got some cheap tickets through RazorGator. We were up high, but had a great time for $7/ticket! Of course, the food made up all the saved $$, but it was worth it! Can't beat a good ol' stadium hotdog, and we threw in a pulled pork sandwich for good measure. Jay and I actually ended up splitting everything, passing back and forth over Danielle cuz she wasn't feeling the stadium food. You know why? CUZ SHE'S PREGNANT!!!!! Hehe. She wanted to wait til closer to the end of the 1st trimester before announcing it to the world so as not to jinx things. Which I can understand. I'm soooo excited though!!! I'm gonna be Auntie Hayhay! Yayayay!
We didn't actually get to see the drumline perform too much this game. Not out on the field anyway. But what they did play sounded great! :) And our seats were perfect for being able to see where they hang out! Whenever I go with my friends that have season tickets, my view of the drumline area won't be so good, so I'm glad I got a chance to sit where I did once. Of course, from where I was sitting, I was also able to see that during a majority of the game the cheerleaders were standing RIGHT in front of the drumline. Danielle did a good job drawing my attention to this. lol. What are best friends for if not to point out the mass of skinny blond cheerleaders dancing mere feet in front of your boyfriend? lol.
I also joined Taco Mac's beer club, Brewniversity. Sarah has had 219 different beers there so far, and is almost to her Master's, at which point she'll get her name on a plaque on the wall at her local TM. She has already achieved her Bachelor's, after which you get to enjoy 20oz of ice cold brew for the price of a 16oz pint glass (hence the awesome mug in the above shots.) Not sure I'll ever catch up to her with that head start, plus I'm not actually a beer fan. But I figure it's a fun, free club that gives me incentive to try new things!
Hello wonderful people!
I was busy (busy relaxing at times) all weekend and didn't have a chance to update yall while it was all going on. So let's see:
Friday night I went to the Atlanta Falcons season opener hoping to catch John's debut on the drumline. My good friend Danielle and her husband, Jay, came along.
So a big THANK YOU to those 2 wonderful friends!!! Otherwise I would have had to go by myself, and sitting by myself in a stadium surrounded by thousands of people is not my scene. I'm not outgoing enough to make friends with all my neighboring sports fans by the end of the 1st quarter like some people. lol. But anyways, we got some cheap tickets through RazorGator. We were up high, but had a great time for $7/ticket! Of course, the food made up all the saved $$, but it was worth it! Can't beat a good ol' stadium hotdog, and we threw in a pulled pork sandwich for good measure. Jay and I actually ended up splitting everything, passing back and forth over Danielle cuz she wasn't feeling the stadium food. You know why? CUZ SHE'S PREGNANT!!!!! Hehe. She wanted to wait til closer to the end of the 1st trimester before announcing it to the world so as not to jinx things. Which I can understand. I'm soooo excited though!!! I'm gonna be Auntie Hayhay! Yayayay!
We didn't actually get to see the drumline perform too much this game. Not out on the field anyway. But what they did play sounded great! :) And our seats were perfect for being able to see where they hang out! Whenever I go with my friends that have season tickets, my view of the drumline area won't be so good, so I'm glad I got a chance to sit where I did once. Of course, from where I was sitting, I was also able to see that during a majority of the game the cheerleaders were standing RIGHT in front of the drumline. Danielle did a good job drawing my attention to this. lol. What are best friends for if not to point out the mass of skinny blond cheerleaders dancing mere feet in front of your boyfriend? lol.
(It's ok Dan- I forgive you :P)
Saturday was wonderful. I did end up getting to spend all day with John as I had hoped. Slept in til around 11. It was so overcast that I couldn't tell what time it was at all when I woke up. But once we got up and got moving we went to see Inception, which was AWESOME, just like everyone said it would be! Definitely one I'll have to go back and watch a few more times before I'm able to keep track of everything. Then we went to try a new Chinese restaurant that's supposed to be the best near what is soon-to-be my new apartment complex. It's called Lucky China and I totally love it! I'm not normally a fan of Chinese food. I don't hate it, and I can always find SOMEthing to order on the menu, but it's never my first choice. But John loves it, so I thought he might like to know what our options will be at the new place. Anyways, this place was soooo cool! Not the traditional decor you expect at a smaller Chinese restaurant. The majority of their seating consisted of a series of tables that had a booth against the wall across from chic red ottomans on the other side of the table. The soy sauce is kept in little teapots on the tables instead of the container it comes in. And the food was all presented so nicely. I ordered some crab sushi and it came out on a smoking plate! (Thanks to some dry ice that the waiter made sure to tell me not to drink!)
The picture doesn't do it justice cuz I was a little rushed. But the presentation was gorgeous!
After coming home and taking a short nap (I loooooooooove naps! Totally don't get to take advantage enough!) we headed over to a party at a friend's place to finish off the evening.
Sunday I slept in again. Talk about relaaaaaaaaaaxing :) Around 2 I got together with my friends Sarah and Stephanie. Sarah has started a beer blog, Catholic Drinkie, and it is BLOWING UP already! So you should totally go check it out. Sarah is a devout Catholic, and KNOWS her beer, and has already been interviewed several times by some big name Catholic radio programs about this new blog of hers! You can check out a pod cast of her interview with GRN Alive in San Antonio here. And she asked me to take some pictures for her blog. So we spent the afternoon at Taco Mac (a favorite drinking hole of both of ours) having drinks and queso, taking pictures, and catching up.
I also joined Taco Mac's beer club, Brewniversity. Sarah has had 219 different beers there so far, and is almost to her Master's, at which point she'll get her name on a plaque on the wall at her local TM. She has already achieved her Bachelor's, after which you get to enjoy 20oz of ice cold brew for the price of a 16oz pint glass (hence the awesome mug in the above shots.) Not sure I'll ever catch up to her with that head start, plus I'm not actually a beer fan. But I figure it's a fun, free club that gives me incentive to try new things!
After finishing up at TM we headed over to Park Tavern at Piedmont Park for Unplugged in the Park, courtesy of 99X. Bands playing this weekend were Branded with Fear, The Kicks and Civil Twilight. It was fun. We got stuck a bit close to the stage so I we couldn't really talk, and once the floor filled up I was getting knocked in the head every time someone walked by, lol. But it was a good time. I'll definitely have to get The Kicks' album, cuz I really enjoyed their set. Of course, that's the one group I didn't get a picture of. Oh well.
That pretty much sums up my weekend. It sounds busy. But I got plenty of sleep, and I got to see lots of friends! So over all, I'd call it a success! And I'll leave you now with a few more cool shots from the weekend :)
Update: It was just brought to my attention that The Kicks have their new single as well as a full album available for free download on their site. Enjoy!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Make it a Freaky Friday to Remember!
HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH!!!
I'm not superstitious, so I'm not going to tell everyone to be careful or watch out for mirrors and ladders and black cats (I have a black cat and he happens to be very sweet!) But I will tell you to make sure that you make this a memorable day. Go do something crazy or unexpected. Meet a stranger, or try something new! Go out of your way to make sure that today is not a day that fades into the blurry background of your life.
I have a horrible memory- anyone that knows me well at all can testify to that. And it makes me sad every time I think of all the things that I can't remember! From childhood moments to time spent with John- little things that just slip away before I realize I should have taken the time to savor the moment and etch it into my memory.
Unfortunately I think that's the norm. Anyone who can vividly recall a majority of their days has been blessed in a very rare way. But we can try to make moments last. Donald Miller mentions this in his blog today, Creating Memorable Scenes. He mentions it in A Million Miles
also, when he talks about knowing someone who wrote down everything they could remember.
Can you imagine how many pages you would fill if you wrote down every thing you could remember? If at the end of the day you sat down and wrote out a detailed description of your day? It might seem worthless at the time, but how much of that is stuff that would be gone within a day? A week? A year? To be able to pick up a journal or click to a blog entry from 5 or 15 or 50 years ago and read exactly what you did on that day- that just seems so precious to me. Sure, it will be filled with a lot of "Had another bowl of cereal this morning," but imagine the precious moments you could save that would be lost otherwise? Moments you were sure you would always remember but have since forgotten? Or even moments that seemed unimportant at the time, that you have since come to cherish? Your last interaction with a lost loved one? Your first day as a wife? A mother? A grandmother?
I want to challenge anyone out there to try something. Sit down tonight and write down everything you can remember from these past 7 days. What you ate, what you wore, who you spoke with, what you watched before bed. Then for 7 days, starting tomorrow, sit down at the end of each day and write what you remember just from that day. Then next Friday, on the 20th, I want you to compare everything you have written down from that week to everything you were able to recall today from this past week.
Then come back and tell me about it!
I know this is a tough challenge. I'm not sure I'll be able to stick to it myself. It means setting aside time to do this every day. But I'm pretty sure it will be worth it. Will I end up sticking to this for the rest of my life? I can guarantee I won't. But the exercise will most definitely make me more aware of what I'm doing, what I'm remembering, and most importantly, what I'm doing to make sure the moments I'm creating along the way are memorable.
I'm not superstitious, so I'm not going to tell everyone to be careful or watch out for mirrors and ladders and black cats (I have a black cat and he happens to be very sweet!) But I will tell you to make sure that you make this a memorable day. Go do something crazy or unexpected. Meet a stranger, or try something new! Go out of your way to make sure that today is not a day that fades into the blurry background of your life.
I have a horrible memory- anyone that knows me well at all can testify to that. And it makes me sad every time I think of all the things that I can't remember! From childhood moments to time spent with John- little things that just slip away before I realize I should have taken the time to savor the moment and etch it into my memory.
Unfortunately I think that's the norm. Anyone who can vividly recall a majority of their days has been blessed in a very rare way. But we can try to make moments last. Donald Miller mentions this in his blog today, Creating Memorable Scenes. He mentions it in A Million Miles
also, when he talks about knowing someone who wrote down everything they could remember. Can you imagine how many pages you would fill if you wrote down every thing you could remember? If at the end of the day you sat down and wrote out a detailed description of your day? It might seem worthless at the time, but how much of that is stuff that would be gone within a day? A week? A year? To be able to pick up a journal or click to a blog entry from 5 or 15 or 50 years ago and read exactly what you did on that day- that just seems so precious to me. Sure, it will be filled with a lot of "Had another bowl of cereal this morning," but imagine the precious moments you could save that would be lost otherwise? Moments you were sure you would always remember but have since forgotten? Or even moments that seemed unimportant at the time, that you have since come to cherish? Your last interaction with a lost loved one? Your first day as a wife? A mother? A grandmother?
I want to challenge anyone out there to try something. Sit down tonight and write down everything you can remember from these past 7 days. What you ate, what you wore, who you spoke with, what you watched before bed. Then for 7 days, starting tomorrow, sit down at the end of each day and write what you remember just from that day. Then next Friday, on the 20th, I want you to compare everything you have written down from that week to everything you were able to recall today from this past week.
Then come back and tell me about it!
I know this is a tough challenge. I'm not sure I'll be able to stick to it myself. It means setting aside time to do this every day. But I'm pretty sure it will be worth it. Will I end up sticking to this for the rest of my life? I can guarantee I won't. But the exercise will most definitely make me more aware of what I'm doing, what I'm remembering, and most importantly, what I'm doing to make sure the moments I'm creating along the way are memorable.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Busy Day at Work
Hello again! Goodness today was crazy! There are several people out at my office currently, all of whom I'm covering at least partially for, so my to-do list has just gone through the roof. And as much as I wish I were, I really just don't think I'm a very good multitasker. I really like getting one thing done at a time and being like "Yes!! Ok- what now?" If it's a few items I can handle it, but when the list gets longer, and everything on it is "high priority" (which tends to happen when you have 6-12 different people all giving you things to do) I start stressing out and I get a little paralyzed trying to figure out what actually needs to be done first.
A couple good things have come out of it though. First, I've been approved to go into OT if necessary. I don't really want to HAVE to work any extra hours, but the extra $$ would be nice. On the other hand, it would be nice to have that as an excuse if I can't get everything done- "Sorry! I hit 40 hours and was sent home!"
Second, I think I'm finally making a new friend at work! haha- I don't really have a lot of friends at work. Some people would be fine with that. They like to keep business and personal separate, and it doesn't bother them not to have friends in the work place. For me, though, it makes tough days a lot easier to get through if I have someone I know and trust and can talk to and have fun with. I have 1 person like that in my office currently, and a couple others that I can talk and laugh with on a surface level. But not as many as I'd like. Mostly it's just due to demographics- most of the people I work with are older and in a different part of their lives. But I find myself skipping our all-hands meetings more because I don't feel like going and sitting by myself than because I don't care about the content of the meetings. Anyways, there's a lady that's not super new, but has been here several months. She doesn't work in my department, so I don't work directly with her, and I only interact with her occasionally, but lately our conversations when we have to call each other have been longer and not solely business related- we'll complain about our jobs in the normal way, and talk about other things outside of the office some. I shared John's music video with her and we were talking about that this morning and I was so happy about it when we got off the phone! If I were a guy it'd probly sound like I have a new crush. lol. But I'm just excited about possibly finding a new friend :)
Speaking of John- I have found a few friends to go to the Falcons game with me tomorrow, so I'm super excited about that! And I'm also excited because it sounds like John and I might be spending Saturday together just hanging out. Between my brother leaving, and John getting ready for drumline and all of his released material we've both just been swamped lately and it's taken a toll on our one-on-one time. He's been so sweet and has surprised me twice recently with unexpected visits, but neither was a time when we could really hang out and enjoy each other's company. And even when we have seen each other, it's been with other people. So it's sounding like we might be spending all day Saturday together doing whatever we want. Another friend is having a party Saturday night, so we'll hang out then go to that together I think. And I am just so excited about that prospect. It's still a play-it-by-ear idea right now, but even just that possibility made my day whenever I thought about it today. I'm just so tired mentally that I could really use some time with someone I love and who makes me feel special.
I did get to spend some time unwinding last night with my amazing small group. We had a spa night at one of the girl's places. We turned off all the lights and lit candles and put on records (yes! records! she had a genuine record player! so cool!) and we all put on face masks and did nails and hand massages and all sorts of fun stuff! It was soooooooo nice! A nice way to break up the week for sure!
Now I think I'm going to head to bed early to get an early start tomorrow. Try to knock out a decent amount of work before the weekend gets here so that the people that get back in the office on Monday will see that I HAVE been working!
Just a few random parting notes:
~Finding out you missed free doughnut holes is a very sad experience. I walked into the break room late in the day today and saw a box of them in the share/free-for-all area but it was empty :(
~Loco's to-go straws are waaaay too feeble. Between trying to open it and then stick it through the top of my drink, I think mine bent/cracked in about 6 different places.
A couple good things have come out of it though. First, I've been approved to go into OT if necessary. I don't really want to HAVE to work any extra hours, but the extra $$ would be nice. On the other hand, it would be nice to have that as an excuse if I can't get everything done- "Sorry! I hit 40 hours and was sent home!"
Second, I think I'm finally making a new friend at work! haha- I don't really have a lot of friends at work. Some people would be fine with that. They like to keep business and personal separate, and it doesn't bother them not to have friends in the work place. For me, though, it makes tough days a lot easier to get through if I have someone I know and trust and can talk to and have fun with. I have 1 person like that in my office currently, and a couple others that I can talk and laugh with on a surface level. But not as many as I'd like. Mostly it's just due to demographics- most of the people I work with are older and in a different part of their lives. But I find myself skipping our all-hands meetings more because I don't feel like going and sitting by myself than because I don't care about the content of the meetings. Anyways, there's a lady that's not super new, but has been here several months. She doesn't work in my department, so I don't work directly with her, and I only interact with her occasionally, but lately our conversations when we have to call each other have been longer and not solely business related- we'll complain about our jobs in the normal way, and talk about other things outside of the office some. I shared John's music video with her and we were talking about that this morning and I was so happy about it when we got off the phone! If I were a guy it'd probly sound like I have a new crush. lol. But I'm just excited about possibly finding a new friend :)
Speaking of John- I have found a few friends to go to the Falcons game with me tomorrow, so I'm super excited about that! And I'm also excited because it sounds like John and I might be spending Saturday together just hanging out. Between my brother leaving, and John getting ready for drumline and all of his released material we've both just been swamped lately and it's taken a toll on our one-on-one time. He's been so sweet and has surprised me twice recently with unexpected visits, but neither was a time when we could really hang out and enjoy each other's company. And even when we have seen each other, it's been with other people. So it's sounding like we might be spending all day Saturday together doing whatever we want. Another friend is having a party Saturday night, so we'll hang out then go to that together I think. And I am just so excited about that prospect. It's still a play-it-by-ear idea right now, but even just that possibility made my day whenever I thought about it today. I'm just so tired mentally that I could really use some time with someone I love and who makes me feel special.
I did get to spend some time unwinding last night with my amazing small group. We had a spa night at one of the girl's places. We turned off all the lights and lit candles and put on records (yes! records! she had a genuine record player! so cool!) and we all put on face masks and did nails and hand massages and all sorts of fun stuff! It was soooooooo nice! A nice way to break up the week for sure!
Now I think I'm going to head to bed early to get an early start tomorrow. Try to knock out a decent amount of work before the weekend gets here so that the people that get back in the office on Monday will see that I HAVE been working!
Just a few random parting notes:
~Finding out you missed free doughnut holes is a very sad experience. I walked into the break room late in the day today and saw a box of them in the share/free-for-all area but it was empty :(
~Loco's to-go straws are waaaay too feeble. Between trying to open it and then stick it through the top of my drink, I think mine bent/cracked in about 6 different places.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A Few Quick Takes
No big story today- just a few small items to mention/take care of:
~Praise and thanks for my friend, Dena, who finally accepted a new position today! She had a job before, which today is enough to be thankful for, but she has been extremely unhappy for a very long time. It was a weight off of MY shoulders today to hear that she had found something new.
~That book I'm reading that I told yall about yesterday? A Million Miles in a Thousand Years? Well apparently I've been off line for so long (plus I suck at putting 2 and 2 together) but Donald Miller is actually also the author of that What If... challenge that I blogged about a few months back. Apparently I really like his stuff! Turns out, once I re-familiarized myself with my homepage, I'm already following his blog! haha- GO ME!
~My talented boyfriend has just released months and months worth of projects, so go check them all out! His album can be found on iTunes or at Amazon Music in MP3
or Audio Disc
format. His new music video is on YouTube. And his site has just been revamped, so check that out for all of this and more!
~John is also playing on the Atlanta Falcons drumline for the first time this Friday at the pre-season opener versus Kansas City. I hope to be there, so if anyone wants to join me let me know!
Well, I think that's it for me today. Can you believe it?!?! :)
~Praise and thanks for my friend, Dena, who finally accepted a new position today! She had a job before, which today is enough to be thankful for, but she has been extremely unhappy for a very long time. It was a weight off of MY shoulders today to hear that she had found something new.
~That book I'm reading that I told yall about yesterday? A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
? Well apparently I've been off line for so long (plus I suck at putting 2 and 2 together) but Donald Miller is actually also the author of that What If... challenge that I blogged about a few months back. Apparently I really like his stuff! Turns out, once I re-familiarized myself with my homepage, I'm already following his blog! haha- GO ME!~My talented boyfriend has just released months and months worth of projects, so go check them all out! His album can be found on iTunes or at Amazon Music in MP3
or Audio Disc format. His new music video is on YouTube. And his site has just been revamped, so check that out for all of this and more!~John is also playing on the Atlanta Falcons drumline for the first time this Friday at the pre-season opener versus Kansas City. I hope to be there, so if anyone wants to join me let me know!
Well, I think that's it for me today. Can you believe it?!?! :)
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Inspiring Ideas
I have been so confused lately. About all sorts of things, but mainly centered around what I want to do with my life! I know I'm still young and have plenty of time to figure it out, but I'd like to have a pretty good idea and be well on my way towards making it happen by the time I'm married with kids and complicating my life in all sorts of wonderful related ways. And as some of the ideas I'm bouncing around include going back to school for various lengths of time or taking out student loans in various amounts, I've been stressing over the decision a bit lately.
In a word, I would say I am just restless. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that what I thought I wanted to do isn't in fact what I want to do anymore. I am not happy in my day job anymore. I am envious enough of my brother's brand new adventure to be asking God for forgiveness most nights. I find myself wishing for adventure but hesitating to pick up and just leave the things that I have going for me right now.
I think I have a good idea of what I want to start pursuing, but I have to find a way to fit a beginning for that life into my current life. And it's all just got me mood-swinging like crazy! One minute I'm weepy over my indecision, the next I'm taking control of my life and making bold decisions about what my next steps should be, only to find myself second guessing it all again a few hours later.
Luckily, I've had the chance to sit down with the people that mean the most to me in life and talk with them about everything that's been on my mind. One of those people I spoke with regarding all this chaos lent me a book I mentioned earlier: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
. And I just have to say that I am LOVING it!! Has it solved all my problems? No- absolutely not. It probably hasn't solved anything at all. But it has given me a wonderful perspective on what I'm going through. And it has just given me some insights into life in general that I think I was desperately lacking. I can't highlight all the wonderful tidbits that I find as I want to return the book as I received it, so I've decided to record them all right here! So that you can all benefit from them as well, and so that I can come back and remind myself of them whenever I need to. And who knows- maybe somewhere along the way you or me will have some inspired epiphany of our own!
Some of these are longer passages, some shorter. Some thought provoking and some just refreshing observations. Enjoy:
"We get robbed of the glory of life because we aren't capable of remembering how we got here. When you are born, you wake slowly to everything. Your brain doesn't stop growing until you turn twenty-six, so from birth to twenty-six, God is slowly turning the lights on, and you're groggy and pointing at things saying circle and blue and car and then sex and job and health care. The experience is so slow you easily come to believe life isn't that big of a deal, that life isn't staggering. What I'm saying is I think life is staggering and we're just used to it. We all are like spoiled children no longer impressed with the gifts we're given--it's just another sunset, just another rainstorm moving in over the mountain, just another child being born, just another funeral."
"I've wondered, though, if one of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don't want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgement. We don't want to be characters in a story because characters have to move and breathe and face conflict with courage. And if life isn't remarkable then we don't have to do any of that; we can be unwilling victims rather than grateful participants."
"I also knew from the McKee seminar that most of our greatest fears are relational. It's all that stuff about forgiveness and risking rejection and learning to love. We think stories are about getting money and security, but the truth is, it all comes down to relationships."
"If the point of life is the same as the point of a story, the point of life is character transformation.
...
in nearly every story, the protagonist is transformed. He's a jerk at the beginning and nice at the end, or a coward at the beginning and brave at the end. If the character doesn't change, the story hasn't happened yet. And if story if derived from real life, if story is just a condensed version of life, then life itself may be designed to change us, so that we evolve from one kind of person to another."
"'People get stuck, thinking they are one kind of person, but they aren't.'
...
'The human body essentially recreates itself every six months. Nearly every cell of hair and skin and bone dies and another is directed to its former place. You are not who you were in February,' he told me.
...
I also wondered if he wasn't right, that we were designed to live through something rather than to attain something, and the thing we were meant to live through was designed to change us."
"My friend went on to say he was more in love with his wife than ever, which is not something men usually say to each other, even if it's true... So I know he must really be crazy about his wife.
...
'She's amazing,'...'A baby came out of her body, for crying out loud. And now she produces food. She keeps the baby alive.'"
"I realized that the idea a character is what he does makes as much sense in life as it does in the movies... the stories we tell ourselves are very different from the stories we tell the world."
And my absolute favorite idea from this book so far:
"You get a feeling when you look back on life that that's all God really wants from us, to live inside a body he made and enjoy the story and bond with us through the experience."
As cliche as it sounds, I think a lot of my anxiety is currently coming from not knowing what the meaning/purpose of life is. Because if we really knew, we wouldn't have to figure out our priorities, would we? They'd be set:
~"The purpose of life is to find love? Well ok then! The people I love are all right here. I'm set! I'll just find a job that provides the most so that I can provide the most for them."
~"The purpose of life is to learn as much as we can about the world around us? Well then screw the cost, I'm going back to school! And I'm traveling! And I'm going to see as much and learn as much as I possibly can in the 80-some odd years I have on this planet."
~"The purpose of life is to grow as close to God as humanly possible? Then I'll quit my job, go to seminary school or get a position with the church and sign up for as many missionary trips as I can."
See what I mean? Ok- so maybe I was a bit extreme in those instances, but the point still remains that if I knew exactly what it was I was supposed to be trying to achieve, or what I was supposed to be trying to find, I'd have a much better idea of what I should be doing at this point in my life. I know no one has an answer they can give me, and I'm not expecting a letter from God to show up in the mailbox explaining it all to me just because I whine a bit.
So I'm just trying to pray as much as possible, get guidance from the people God DID put in my life, and open myself up to any direction He may subtly throw my way. And that last tidbit from Donald Miller did a HUGE amount in helping to ease my worry over such an epic question. I hope you found it as inspirational and thought provoking as I do!
In a word, I would say I am just restless. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that what I thought I wanted to do isn't in fact what I want to do anymore. I am not happy in my day job anymore. I am envious enough of my brother's brand new adventure to be asking God for forgiveness most nights. I find myself wishing for adventure but hesitating to pick up and just leave the things that I have going for me right now.
I think I have a good idea of what I want to start pursuing, but I have to find a way to fit a beginning for that life into my current life. And it's all just got me mood-swinging like crazy! One minute I'm weepy over my indecision, the next I'm taking control of my life and making bold decisions about what my next steps should be, only to find myself second guessing it all again a few hours later.
Luckily, I've had the chance to sit down with the people that mean the most to me in life and talk with them about everything that's been on my mind. One of those people I spoke with regarding all this chaos lent me a book I mentioned earlier: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
. And I just have to say that I am LOVING it!! Has it solved all my problems? No- absolutely not. It probably hasn't solved anything at all. But it has given me a wonderful perspective on what I'm going through. And it has just given me some insights into life in general that I think I was desperately lacking. I can't highlight all the wonderful tidbits that I find as I want to return the book as I received it, so I've decided to record them all right here! So that you can all benefit from them as well, and so that I can come back and remind myself of them whenever I need to. And who knows- maybe somewhere along the way you or me will have some inspired epiphany of our own!Some of these are longer passages, some shorter. Some thought provoking and some just refreshing observations. Enjoy:
"We get robbed of the glory of life because we aren't capable of remembering how we got here. When you are born, you wake slowly to everything. Your brain doesn't stop growing until you turn twenty-six, so from birth to twenty-six, God is slowly turning the lights on, and you're groggy and pointing at things saying circle and blue and car and then sex and job and health care. The experience is so slow you easily come to believe life isn't that big of a deal, that life isn't staggering. What I'm saying is I think life is staggering and we're just used to it. We all are like spoiled children no longer impressed with the gifts we're given--it's just another sunset, just another rainstorm moving in over the mountain, just another child being born, just another funeral."
"I've wondered, though, if one of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don't want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgement. We don't want to be characters in a story because characters have to move and breathe and face conflict with courage. And if life isn't remarkable then we don't have to do any of that; we can be unwilling victims rather than grateful participants."
"I also knew from the McKee seminar that most of our greatest fears are relational. It's all that stuff about forgiveness and risking rejection and learning to love. We think stories are about getting money and security, but the truth is, it all comes down to relationships."
"If the point of life is the same as the point of a story, the point of life is character transformation.
...
in nearly every story, the protagonist is transformed. He's a jerk at the beginning and nice at the end, or a coward at the beginning and brave at the end. If the character doesn't change, the story hasn't happened yet. And if story if derived from real life, if story is just a condensed version of life, then life itself may be designed to change us, so that we evolve from one kind of person to another."
"'People get stuck, thinking they are one kind of person, but they aren't.'
...
'The human body essentially recreates itself every six months. Nearly every cell of hair and skin and bone dies and another is directed to its former place. You are not who you were in February,' he told me.
...
I also wondered if he wasn't right, that we were designed to live through something rather than to attain something, and the thing we were meant to live through was designed to change us."
"My friend went on to say he was more in love with his wife than ever, which is not something men usually say to each other, even if it's true... So I know he must really be crazy about his wife.
...
'She's amazing,'...'A baby came out of her body, for crying out loud. And now she produces food. She keeps the baby alive.'"
"I realized that the idea a character is what he does makes as much sense in life as it does in the movies... the stories we tell ourselves are very different from the stories we tell the world."
And my absolute favorite idea from this book so far:
"You get a feeling when you look back on life that that's all God really wants from us, to live inside a body he made and enjoy the story and bond with us through the experience."
As cliche as it sounds, I think a lot of my anxiety is currently coming from not knowing what the meaning/purpose of life is. Because if we really knew, we wouldn't have to figure out our priorities, would we? They'd be set:
~"The purpose of life is to find love? Well ok then! The people I love are all right here. I'm set! I'll just find a job that provides the most so that I can provide the most for them."
~"The purpose of life is to learn as much as we can about the world around us? Well then screw the cost, I'm going back to school! And I'm traveling! And I'm going to see as much and learn as much as I possibly can in the 80-some odd years I have on this planet."
~"The purpose of life is to grow as close to God as humanly possible? Then I'll quit my job, go to seminary school or get a position with the church and sign up for as many missionary trips as I can."
See what I mean? Ok- so maybe I was a bit extreme in those instances, but the point still remains that if I knew exactly what it was I was supposed to be trying to achieve, or what I was supposed to be trying to find, I'd have a much better idea of what I should be doing at this point in my life. I know no one has an answer they can give me, and I'm not expecting a letter from God to show up in the mailbox explaining it all to me just because I whine a bit.
So I'm just trying to pray as much as possible, get guidance from the people God DID put in my life, and open myself up to any direction He may subtly throw my way. And that last tidbit from Donald Miller did a HUGE amount in helping to ease my worry over such an epic question. I hope you found it as inspirational and thought provoking as I do!
Another List of Accomplishments
You might have noticed another addition to my side panel. I have decided to keep track here of the books that I read. Mainly because I read a LOT more than I get around to baking or painting or any of the other items on the list of things I hope to achieve in coming months. So maybe by keeping track of this I'll actually be able to take a look and feel like I've done SOMEthing, even if it's not what I said I was SUPPOSED to be doing. haha :)
So currently this list includes any books that I've completed in 2010. The first few pick up in the middle of a series I started last year. And this isn't necessarily the order in which I've finished these books, this is just the order I could remember them in. But from here forward, it'll probably be a pretty accurate representation of the order in which I'm reading things.
I'm also not opposed to re-reading books I've enjoyed. I re-read the Harry Potter series up through whatever book was most recently released at the time before reading the newest addition, so I've read some of those several times over. And this was my 3rd or 4th time reading Ender's Game. So seeing a title on this list doesn't necessarily mean that this was the FIRST time I've read the book.
As you can tell if you follow the links, these are all fiction titles. That tends to be what I enjoy most, but occasionally I'll read a biography or some other non-fiction. Currently I'm on a bit of a fantasy kick- again, kind of obvious with the exception of just a few titles. I expect I'll be reading on my own as well as whatever my book club (see previous posting) is reading, so that will probably keep things fairly broad. I also have a book club going at work. They are, of course, all related to teamwork or leadership, etc, but so far they've all been good reads, so I haven't minded.
So check back often and let me know if you have any suggestions I should check out!
So currently this list includes any books that I've completed in 2010. The first few pick up in the middle of a series I started last year. And this isn't necessarily the order in which I've finished these books, this is just the order I could remember them in. But from here forward, it'll probably be a pretty accurate representation of the order in which I'm reading things.
I'm also not opposed to re-reading books I've enjoyed. I re-read the Harry Potter series up through whatever book was most recently released at the time before reading the newest addition, so I've read some of those several times over. And this was my 3rd or 4th time reading Ender's Game. So seeing a title on this list doesn't necessarily mean that this was the FIRST time I've read the book.
As you can tell if you follow the links, these are all fiction titles. That tends to be what I enjoy most, but occasionally I'll read a biography or some other non-fiction. Currently I'm on a bit of a fantasy kick- again, kind of obvious with the exception of just a few titles. I expect I'll be reading on my own as well as whatever my book club (see previous posting) is reading, so that will probably keep things fairly broad. I also have a book club going at work. They are, of course, all related to teamwork or leadership, etc, but so far they've all been good reads, so I haven't minded.
So check back often and let me know if you have any suggestions I should check out!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Ramona and Beezus
I spent some time earlier today complaining about movies I don't like, and I guess the universe thought it only fair that I spend some time on a movie I loved!
So let me just come right out and say that Ramona and Beezus is absolutely one of the best movies I've seen in a long time :)
It's not an epic love story, or a wild adventure, or a brilliant mystery. It is, simply put, a very very good, feel-good family movie. Perhaps it's just exactly what I needed right now. It was a casual, but heartfelt reminder of all the joy that can come from leading a simple life doing the things you enjoy, surrounding yourself with people you love, and having a little imagination.
Wanting the house and family portrayed in the movies has always been a bit of a cliche, but normally it refers to a big expensive house with perfect landscaping and a lived-in but still somehow perfectly coordinated and tidy interior. And I'd be lying if I said I haven't dreamed of the same thing many times over. But, tonight at least, I can honestly say that if I end up with the kind of home portrayed in this movie, with a cluttered basement and a creaky attic, crayon drawings tacked up on the wall, a quirky family I love more than anything in the world and nosy neighbors that are really just extended family, I would consider myself blessed beyond my wildest dreams.
I give this movie 6 stars. If you like laughing, crying, or simply remembering all the good things in life, you need to go see this movie as soon as you can.
So let me just come right out and say that Ramona and Beezus is absolutely one of the best movies I've seen in a long time :)
It's not an epic love story, or a wild adventure, or a brilliant mystery. It is, simply put, a very very good, feel-good family movie. Perhaps it's just exactly what I needed right now. It was a casual, but heartfelt reminder of all the joy that can come from leading a simple life doing the things you enjoy, surrounding yourself with people you love, and having a little imagination.
Wanting the house and family portrayed in the movies has always been a bit of a cliche, but normally it refers to a big expensive house with perfect landscaping and a lived-in but still somehow perfectly coordinated and tidy interior. And I'd be lying if I said I haven't dreamed of the same thing many times over. But, tonight at least, I can honestly say that if I end up with the kind of home portrayed in this movie, with a cluttered basement and a creaky attic, crayon drawings tacked up on the wall, a quirky family I love more than anything in the world and nosy neighbors that are really just extended family, I would consider myself blessed beyond my wildest dreams.
I give this movie 6 stars. If you like laughing, crying, or simply remembering all the good things in life, you need to go see this movie as soon as you can.
3D or Not to Be: A Challenge to Hollywood and Optometrists
I just want to rant for a minute about the epidemic of 3D movies going around currently. I, like most other people out there, appreciate the novelty of the occasional movie that is released in 3D in order to enhance certain aspects of production or give it that "edge" it needs to succeed in the box office.
However, it seems like today every other movie I hear about is coming out in 3D. It is no longer limited to animated films, and in some cases I have to wonder if it's even appropriate. I mean, really? How many people need to see the blood and gore of the Saw franchise in 3D? And sometimes it's hard to even find a theater that has an option to NOT see certain titles in 3D! Based on memory and a quick search online, here is a (non-comprehensive) list of the major movies from 2010 that have been, or are yet to be, released in 3D (the label "major" being subjective here). In no particular order:
~How to Train Your Dragon
~Clash of the Titans
~Shrek Forever After
~Toy Story 3
~Despicable Me
~Cats & Dogs: the Revenge of Kitty Galore
~Step Up 3D
~Saw VII aka Saw 3D
~Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
~Tron Legacy
~Alice in Wonderland
~The Last Airbender
~The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader
~Avatar (I realize this was released in 2009 but it was in theaters for so long I thought it appropriate to include it)
I realize these were not all released solely in 3D, and I again want to point out that I enjoy the occasional 3D movie. But if this trend continues, I'm afraid that I'm going to be forced to pay an extra $2+ and wear those uncomfortable 3D glasses through every movie I have any desire to see in theaters in coming years. Based on this site, there were 165 movies from 1953 to 2009 released in 3D. That's over a span of 56 years. There are (again, according to that same site) currently 94 movies that have been released or scheduled for release in 3D from 2010 to 2012.
And with the invention of 3D DVDs and TVs (which, from what I can tell, you still have to wear those glasses in order to benefit from) I don't see a stop to this trend anytime soon.
I love the movies. I am a classic movie lover. Ask any of my friends, and they will tell you that I am probably the exact target audience that most movie producers are trying to cater to. I laugh, I cry, I scream- a LOT. I've been told more than once that going to see a movie with me actually enhances the experience for others because of how much of a kick they get out of seeing my responses. I don't say this with any personal agenda in mind, but simply to further express how much I truly love movies. Schedule and bank account allowing, I am pretty much always willing to spend the extra $$ on the stadium seating, popcorn, coke and candy that "going to the movies" involves. And I want it to stay that way!
But between the headache I always come away from a 3D movie with- either due to the way the glasses sit on my nose, or from trying to watch without the glasses to give my nose a break- and the spike in ticket costs for 3D showings, I'm not sure I'll feel the same if things continue in this direction.
So I am officially lodging a complaint and making a plea to Hollywood and/or eye doctors everywhere: Let's either cut back on the 3D production, or start developing some truly comfortable, uniquely fitted 3D glasses available for permanent, PERSONAL purchase. If theaters don't have to provide glasses for everyone coming to see 3D films, perhaps the cost will drop back to that of a normal movie ticket, and we can all go back to simply enjoying a night out at the movies!
However, it seems like today every other movie I hear about is coming out in 3D. It is no longer limited to animated films, and in some cases I have to wonder if it's even appropriate. I mean, really? How many people need to see the blood and gore of the Saw franchise in 3D? And sometimes it's hard to even find a theater that has an option to NOT see certain titles in 3D! Based on memory and a quick search online, here is a (non-comprehensive) list of the major movies from 2010 that have been, or are yet to be, released in 3D (the label "major" being subjective here). In no particular order:
~How to Train Your Dragon
~Clash of the Titans
~Shrek Forever After
~Toy Story 3
~Despicable Me
~Cats & Dogs: the Revenge of Kitty Galore
~Step Up 3D
~Saw VII aka Saw 3D
~Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
~Tron Legacy
~Alice in Wonderland
~The Last Airbender
~The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader
~Avatar (I realize this was released in 2009 but it was in theaters for so long I thought it appropriate to include it)
I realize these were not all released solely in 3D, and I again want to point out that I enjoy the occasional 3D movie. But if this trend continues, I'm afraid that I'm going to be forced to pay an extra $2+ and wear those uncomfortable 3D glasses through every movie I have any desire to see in theaters in coming years. Based on this site, there were 165 movies from 1953 to 2009 released in 3D. That's over a span of 56 years. There are (again, according to that same site) currently 94 movies that have been released or scheduled for release in 3D from 2010 to 2012.
And with the invention of 3D DVDs and TVs (which, from what I can tell, you still have to wear those glasses in order to benefit from) I don't see a stop to this trend anytime soon.
I love the movies. I am a classic movie lover. Ask any of my friends, and they will tell you that I am probably the exact target audience that most movie producers are trying to cater to. I laugh, I cry, I scream- a LOT. I've been told more than once that going to see a movie with me actually enhances the experience for others because of how much of a kick they get out of seeing my responses. I don't say this with any personal agenda in mind, but simply to further express how much I truly love movies. Schedule and bank account allowing, I am pretty much always willing to spend the extra $$ on the stadium seating, popcorn, coke and candy that "going to the movies" involves. And I want it to stay that way!
But between the headache I always come away from a 3D movie with- either due to the way the glasses sit on my nose, or from trying to watch without the glasses to give my nose a break- and the spike in ticket costs for 3D showings, I'm not sure I'll feel the same if things continue in this direction.
So I am officially lodging a complaint and making a plea to Hollywood and/or eye doctors everywhere: Let's either cut back on the 3D production, or start developing some truly comfortable, uniquely fitted 3D glasses available for permanent, PERSONAL purchase. If theaters don't have to provide glasses for everyone coming to see 3D films, perhaps the cost will drop back to that of a normal movie ticket, and we can all go back to simply enjoying a night out at the movies!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Another attempt
So here I am again. Umm..... about 3 months after my last blog? Anyways, this will consist of whatever brief update I have time for in the 10 minutes before dinner is ready. Prepare for a random list, but hopefully I'll expand on several items in later posts.
~I finished P90X- kind of wimped out at the end, but then I did a month-long boot camp: an hour workout at 5:45am 5 days a week. It kicked my butt in a good way. I'm currently on an exercise hiatus, lol. Hoping to start running either during lunch (I found a shower at work I can use) or after work sometime soon.
~John and I got all dressed up and went to the fabulous Fox theater to see the Phantom of the Opera's farewell tour. One of my favorites!!! It was wonderful. I cried at the end like always!
~I've signed the non-renewal form at my current apartment complex and am looking forward to moving into a new place- I've figured out the complex, I just have to decide on the unit, but I think after today I'm much closer to a decision.
~I have actually baked ONE item since going on and on about how excited I was to get into that! It wasn't anything out of any of my new cookbooks, however. It was a German Chocolate Cake for John's birthday :) We celebrated with his family one weekend during a family reunion at Brosnan Forest in SC, and then the next weekend he and I celebrated with a trip to the Stone Mountain Laser show, a behinds the scene tour at the Ga Aquarium, lunch at the Sundial restaurant down town, and then with a surprise party at my place! I think it all went over very well :)
Mom- I still owe you a banana cake. Don't worry- you'll get it soon!
~I have also started a couple paintings. There's not much there yet, but there are 2 fewer blank canvases sitting in my apartment at this moment, so that's a start!
~I recently co-founded a book club with some of my friends. Our first meeting is scheduled for middle of next month. For our first meeting we'll be reading The Wildwater Walking Club. I've also started reading a book my friend lent me, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. So far I'm loving it!
~I'm currently trying to figure out whether I want to continue down the path I had laid out for myself school/career wise, or if I want to try a different yellow-brick-road. I'm leaning toward the latter, I just have to figure out the details. Definitely more on that to come later.
~John's family unfortunately saw each other again not too long after that same family reunion mentioned above. His grandfather passed away unexpectedly and I went with him and his siblings down to the funeral in Savannah. The ceremony was a beautiful celebration of Ryan Garner's life. I'm sad I didn't get a chance to know him better or play that game of one-on-one Scrabble, but I can testify that he was a man that believed in hard work and loved his wife and his family and the Lord above all else. He will be missed but remembered fondly for a very long time.
~I'm still enjoying my church small group. I also recently attended a 4 week leadership program through the church. We heard different speakers on what it means to be a spiritual leader, got to find out what kind of leader we are and were given the opportunity to sign up for various leadership roles within the volunteer community at the church. I haven't signed up for anything yet, but I'm doing a little soul searching and am looking forward to picking a role. I have been to church the last 3 weeks in a row- very proud of myself for that. Missed today as I was home with family all weekend, but perhaps I can watch today's message online and get back on track next week.
~My brother left today for a year long placement teaching English in South Korea to elementary- to middle-school aged children. My fam saw him off at the airport and I cried. I'll miss him a ton, but I'm so proud of him for doing this. He's really an inspiration to me sometimes. As you might expect, I spent this whole weekend with my family hanging out and saying goodbye to my brother. We were unsure when he was leaving at first, so we spent last weekend having a goodbye party for him and spending a day/night at Calloway Gardens. When we found out his flight was today, we got to spend another weekend together. The siblings (plus John) headed to the Andretti Karting facility in Alpharetta for a day of fun, followed by Davey's last Mexican meal for quite a while.
This morning he got his last Waffle House breakfast before we saw him off.
And for now, I'm going to finish watching Inkheart with my dad and sister before heading back to my place for the night. Hopefully you'll hear more from me before 3 months next time :)
PS- Davey, wherever you are over the Pacific right now, I hope you're loving it!!!
~I finished P90X- kind of wimped out at the end, but then I did a month-long boot camp: an hour workout at 5:45am 5 days a week. It kicked my butt in a good way. I'm currently on an exercise hiatus, lol. Hoping to start running either during lunch (I found a shower at work I can use) or after work sometime soon.
~John and I got all dressed up and went to the fabulous Fox theater to see the Phantom of the Opera's farewell tour. One of my favorites!!! It was wonderful. I cried at the end like always!
~I've signed the non-renewal form at my current apartment complex and am looking forward to moving into a new place- I've figured out the complex, I just have to decide on the unit, but I think after today I'm much closer to a decision.
~I have actually baked ONE item since going on and on about how excited I was to get into that! It wasn't anything out of any of my new cookbooks, however. It was a German Chocolate Cake for John's birthday :) We celebrated with his family one weekend during a family reunion at Brosnan Forest in SC, and then the next weekend he and I celebrated with a trip to the Stone Mountain Laser show, a behinds the scene tour at the Ga Aquarium, lunch at the Sundial restaurant down town, and then with a surprise party at my place! I think it all went over very well :)
Mom- I still owe you a banana cake. Don't worry- you'll get it soon!
~I have also started a couple paintings. There's not much there yet, but there are 2 fewer blank canvases sitting in my apartment at this moment, so that's a start!
~I recently co-founded a book club with some of my friends. Our first meeting is scheduled for middle of next month. For our first meeting we'll be reading The Wildwater Walking Club. I've also started reading a book my friend lent me, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. So far I'm loving it!
~I'm currently trying to figure out whether I want to continue down the path I had laid out for myself school/career wise, or if I want to try a different yellow-brick-road. I'm leaning toward the latter, I just have to figure out the details. Definitely more on that to come later.
~John's family unfortunately saw each other again not too long after that same family reunion mentioned above. His grandfather passed away unexpectedly and I went with him and his siblings down to the funeral in Savannah. The ceremony was a beautiful celebration of Ryan Garner's life. I'm sad I didn't get a chance to know him better or play that game of one-on-one Scrabble, but I can testify that he was a man that believed in hard work and loved his wife and his family and the Lord above all else. He will be missed but remembered fondly for a very long time.
~I'm still enjoying my church small group. I also recently attended a 4 week leadership program through the church. We heard different speakers on what it means to be a spiritual leader, got to find out what kind of leader we are and were given the opportunity to sign up for various leadership roles within the volunteer community at the church. I haven't signed up for anything yet, but I'm doing a little soul searching and am looking forward to picking a role. I have been to church the last 3 weeks in a row- very proud of myself for that. Missed today as I was home with family all weekend, but perhaps I can watch today's message online and get back on track next week.
~My brother left today for a year long placement teaching English in South Korea to elementary- to middle-school aged children. My fam saw him off at the airport and I cried. I'll miss him a ton, but I'm so proud of him for doing this. He's really an inspiration to me sometimes. As you might expect, I spent this whole weekend with my family hanging out and saying goodbye to my brother. We were unsure when he was leaving at first, so we spent last weekend having a goodbye party for him and spending a day/night at Calloway Gardens. When we found out his flight was today, we got to spend another weekend together. The siblings (plus John) headed to the Andretti Karting facility in Alpharetta for a day of fun, followed by Davey's last Mexican meal for quite a while.
This morning he got his last Waffle House breakfast before we saw him off.
And for now, I'm going to finish watching Inkheart with my dad and sister before heading back to my place for the night. Hopefully you'll hear more from me before 3 months next time :)
PS- Davey, wherever you are over the Pacific right now, I hope you're loving it!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)