Very cool. (And a $49 value, in case you were wondering.)
Monday, March 30, 2009
Why it's sometimes okay to talk to strangers on the plane:
On my way to Orlando in December, I sat next to a guy who was going to Columbia. When he told me this, I assumed South Carolina. He meant the country. Anyway, we got to talking about hiking/backpacking and other outdoorsy stuff. And he told me about this deal they have a Backwoods (a sort of small-time outdoor outfitters store), like a birthday club. Buy something at the store to get on their mailing list, and for your birthday you get a free gift. This isn't like a free two-dollar bandanna. No siree. Behold my first birthday gift of the year:
Very cool. (And a $49 value, in case you were wondering.)
Very cool. (And a $49 value, in case you were wondering.)
Monday, March 23, 2009
Why I love soccer
Yes, I am at work, and yes, the last thing I need to be doing when I've been as stressed out as I have been is surf the net. But I thought I had a meeting that had actually been cancelled, so it gave me a little unexpected time. I just wanted to share what I found. Really awesome photos.
Here are a couple favorites. Unfortunately they still have a watermark on them. But still pretty sweet.
Here are a couple favorites. Unfortunately they still have a watermark on them. But still pretty sweet.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Double the pecans
Here is a quote from a book I'm reading, somewhat unethically in bits and pieces of stolen time at Borders:
"The world would be better off if everyone ate fried foot at least one night a week, and drank coffee you could cut with a knife, and lingered with their neighbors. We’d understand each other a little better, and maybe we’d understand ourselves. Perhaps we’d ponder, over the plastic basket with the grease-stained tissue paper, the need to run so far, so fast—to have, to do, to achieve, to gain, to win—to be all that and make sure everybody knows it. A pecan pie does not toil, nor does it spin, but it sure tastes good, and it makes a fine conversation piece. In the right setting, you can talk for twenty minutes about the merits of a good pecan pie."
It makes me want to be from a small town. The book does, not that quote specifically. That quote specifically makes me want pecan pie. My dad's best-pecan-pie-in-the-whole-world pecan pie. But the rest of the book is a cross between Dancer, Texas, Stars Hollow, and the sappy parts of a Dee Henderson novel. You can understand why it's taken precedence over laundry, and cleaning my bathroom, and getting caught up on work. Not that I haven't been working a lot. It feels like that's all I did last week. And the week before, and the one before that too. I can't quite fathom what it would feel like to only have to work 40 or 50 hours in a week. It's completely beyond the powers of my imagination. I'm trying hard not to complain, because I know I signed up for this and the end is in sight and all that. (Thinking positively was never really a strong suit).
But then I wonder what I would do with all that extra time. Like Laura, I don't really have a hobby that I can call mine, that I can claim as my one excelling talent. Most of my free time right now is spent reading or watching TV. That's not any kind of hobby. I am having a sort of deja vu writing about this, almost enough to make me scroll back through my old blogs to figure out if I've written about hobbies before. Almost. If I have, then the three people who read my blog will be treated to an encore.
In a perfect world, I would have time (and money) to horseback ride, hike, play soccer, play frisbee in the park with my dog, volunteer at kids' sports camps, learn to cook/bake, paint, learn guitar, etc. Right now it taxes my energy to keep the dishes from piling up and having clean clothes to wear to work everyday. But someday...
Someday I'm gonna have my pie and eat it too.
"The world would be better off if everyone ate fried foot at least one night a week, and drank coffee you could cut with a knife, and lingered with their neighbors. We’d understand each other a little better, and maybe we’d understand ourselves. Perhaps we’d ponder, over the plastic basket with the grease-stained tissue paper, the need to run so far, so fast—to have, to do, to achieve, to gain, to win—to be all that and make sure everybody knows it. A pecan pie does not toil, nor does it spin, but it sure tastes good, and it makes a fine conversation piece. In the right setting, you can talk for twenty minutes about the merits of a good pecan pie."
It makes me want to be from a small town. The book does, not that quote specifically. That quote specifically makes me want pecan pie. My dad's best-pecan-pie-in-the-whole-world pecan pie. But the rest of the book is a cross between Dancer, Texas, Stars Hollow, and the sappy parts of a Dee Henderson novel. You can understand why it's taken precedence over laundry, and cleaning my bathroom, and getting caught up on work. Not that I haven't been working a lot. It feels like that's all I did last week. And the week before, and the one before that too. I can't quite fathom what it would feel like to only have to work 40 or 50 hours in a week. It's completely beyond the powers of my imagination. I'm trying hard not to complain, because I know I signed up for this and the end is in sight and all that. (Thinking positively was never really a strong suit).
But then I wonder what I would do with all that extra time. Like Laura, I don't really have a hobby that I can call mine, that I can claim as my one excelling talent. Most of my free time right now is spent reading or watching TV. That's not any kind of hobby. I am having a sort of deja vu writing about this, almost enough to make me scroll back through my old blogs to figure out if I've written about hobbies before. Almost. If I have, then the three people who read my blog will be treated to an encore.
In a perfect world, I would have time (and money) to horseback ride, hike, play soccer, play frisbee in the park with my dog, volunteer at kids' sports camps, learn to cook/bake, paint, learn guitar, etc. Right now it taxes my energy to keep the dishes from piling up and having clean clothes to wear to work everyday. But someday...
Someday I'm gonna have my pie and eat it too.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
You wouldn't ask Jesus what kind of cheese to buy
This week, as inspired by my weekly discernment group, my goal was to talk to Jesus. I was going to try to tell Him things as they came up, be in dialogue with him throughout the day, be aware of the thoughts, feelings, and desires of my heart and share them, and not be afraid to ask for help.
Well, Jessi asked Him to fix her lawn mower. I need Him to fix my stupid apartment. Last time the sound of running water coming from my ceiling woke me up after a fair amount of sleep and on the morning of a day off. This time, after only an hour and a half of sleep, and I have to go to work tomorrow. Jesus was a carpenter, so he should be able to figure something out, right? Okay, I'm gonna go in the dining room and wait for the emergency maintenance guy. I hope they don't charge me for utilizing the on-call technician twice in two months.
Pray for my sanity.
Well, Jessi asked Him to fix her lawn mower. I need Him to fix my stupid apartment. Last time the sound of running water coming from my ceiling woke me up after a fair amount of sleep and on the morning of a day off. This time, after only an hour and a half of sleep, and I have to go to work tomorrow. Jesus was a carpenter, so he should be able to figure something out, right? Okay, I'm gonna go in the dining room and wait for the emergency maintenance guy. I hope they don't charge me for utilizing the on-call technician twice in two months.
Pray for my sanity.
Friday, February 13, 2009
In case 25 weren't enough
Here's what I have just discovered: the mix of a glass of white wine, a super long week at work, freshly fallen snow sparkling outside my window, and blaring Taylor Swift is a very quick way to make me want to sing and blog and dance and forget my stress. I'll start with the singing and blogging since I don't think I can dance and type at the same time and to be honest, trying to make my fingers type one thing while my mouth sings another is enough of a challenge with the wine.
I have two things that I want to blog, and one I don't think I'm brave enough to right now. So I'll start with the other which is sort of an extension of the 25 Random Things About Me notes that have been plaguing facebook. I wrote mine and thought that I had been satisfied with my answers until I started reading other people's and realized that there were whole categories of qualities about myself that had been left out. So here I will try to rectify that situation. And bear in mind that my mind is a little scrambled. Mostly from my week at work, and a little bit from the alcohol. It's not like half a glass should affect me that much, but I am already exhausted and loopy so who knows.
1. I love Friday the 13th and am what one might call a triskaidekaphilic. But don't ask me to walk under a ladder, or climb a ladder, or stand on a ladder. They scare me.
2. There are certain songs that I want to share with the whole world and I feel their lives are not complete unless they care about these songs as much as I do. Perfect example: Many Sparrows by Dan Craig is now playing on my computer. Other songs might include Drifting by Sundry, Martyrs and Thieves by Jennifer Knapp, Come Monday by Jimmy Buffett, etc.
3. Sometimes I get these really strong desires to experience scenes from my favorite books. A weekend on the coast from Sundays at Tiffanys, riding bikes and sleeping in late at a Bed and Breakfast. A baseball game on a warm spring day or watching old home videos from Danger in the Shadows. The magic of an adventure and the sense of coming home again from Orthodoxy. Thanksgiving dinner from The Things We Do For Love. It's like I can picture myself there and hope that God has something that wonderful in store for my future.
4. I get really frustrated when I walk behind people who walk slow. I'm naturally a fast walker. It stresses me out as much as working with incompetent people and being late.
5. I love it when people call me 'Mitchell' because it makes me feel loved. Something about having a nickname. I don't know.
6. I wish that other people would try as hard at Oreo racing as I do. It would be nice to have some competition every once in a while instead of slaughtering everybody all the time.
7. Sometimes it scares me how low my self-esteem is. My whole life, I have been able to accomplish everything I've ever wanted to, and I still can't seem to find the confidence to get me through daily life.
8. Making people laugh is one of my most favorite things. My future husband better think I'm funny. Or at least have lots of friends who do.
9. My favorite type of tree is a blue spruce. Mostly because of the crooked one in my front yard growing up, but also because I should've gotten the blue spruce--they're lighter.
10. Not that this should come as a surprise, but everything about Colorado makes me feel at home. The mountains, walking around barefoot, driving by STM, watching the sunset off the back deck, Invesco Field, the french fry building, the cemetary outside Julesburg, the flag, the license plates, the massive amounts of people that always want to spend as much time as possible outside, the bike trail along C-470, REI, Area 5 at the JPII Center, etc. I can't wait to come home.
Ten is enough because it's time to watch a movie. I bought about 7 movies in the last two weeks, and it's time to be a little self-indulgent.
I have two things that I want to blog, and one I don't think I'm brave enough to right now. So I'll start with the other which is sort of an extension of the 25 Random Things About Me notes that have been plaguing facebook. I wrote mine and thought that I had been satisfied with my answers until I started reading other people's and realized that there were whole categories of qualities about myself that had been left out. So here I will try to rectify that situation. And bear in mind that my mind is a little scrambled. Mostly from my week at work, and a little bit from the alcohol. It's not like half a glass should affect me that much, but I am already exhausted and loopy so who knows.
1. I love Friday the 13th and am what one might call a triskaidekaphilic. But don't ask me to walk under a ladder, or climb a ladder, or stand on a ladder. They scare me.
2. There are certain songs that I want to share with the whole world and I feel their lives are not complete unless they care about these songs as much as I do. Perfect example: Many Sparrows by Dan Craig is now playing on my computer. Other songs might include Drifting by Sundry, Martyrs and Thieves by Jennifer Knapp, Come Monday by Jimmy Buffett, etc.
3. Sometimes I get these really strong desires to experience scenes from my favorite books. A weekend on the coast from Sundays at Tiffanys, riding bikes and sleeping in late at a Bed and Breakfast. A baseball game on a warm spring day or watching old home videos from Danger in the Shadows. The magic of an adventure and the sense of coming home again from Orthodoxy. Thanksgiving dinner from The Things We Do For Love. It's like I can picture myself there and hope that God has something that wonderful in store for my future.
4. I get really frustrated when I walk behind people who walk slow. I'm naturally a fast walker. It stresses me out as much as working with incompetent people and being late.
5. I love it when people call me 'Mitchell' because it makes me feel loved. Something about having a nickname. I don't know.
6. I wish that other people would try as hard at Oreo racing as I do. It would be nice to have some competition every once in a while instead of slaughtering everybody all the time.
7. Sometimes it scares me how low my self-esteem is. My whole life, I have been able to accomplish everything I've ever wanted to, and I still can't seem to find the confidence to get me through daily life.
8. Making people laugh is one of my most favorite things. My future husband better think I'm funny. Or at least have lots of friends who do.
9. My favorite type of tree is a blue spruce. Mostly because of the crooked one in my front yard growing up, but also because I should've gotten the blue spruce--they're lighter.
10. Not that this should come as a surprise, but everything about Colorado makes me feel at home. The mountains, walking around barefoot, driving by STM, watching the sunset off the back deck, Invesco Field, the french fry building, the cemetary outside Julesburg, the flag, the license plates, the massive amounts of people that always want to spend as much time as possible outside, the bike trail along C-470, REI, Area 5 at the JPII Center, etc. I can't wait to come home.
Ten is enough because it's time to watch a movie. I bought about 7 movies in the last two weeks, and it's time to be a little self-indulgent.
Friday, January 30, 2009
TGIF
My day today:
Sleep in. Hot granola and juice. Browse Barnes and Noble, then read for an hour while savoring a grande half-caf Americano with milk. Watch Mad About You. Pasta and cookies for lunch. Meeting at work. Boo that. More coffee, this time a decaf nonfat mocha, with Mary at Caffeine Dreams. Got my CDs back--yay DeYarmond Edison. Bought Dr. No and X-Men for a total of $14. Went to dinner with Marijo. New restaurant called Blue Planet. Portabello and Swiss veggie burger, sweet potato fries with chipotle lime cilantro organic ketchup. Yes, it was that kind of restaurant, but very tasty. Home now to watch one of my new movies. What a lovely Friday.
Sleep in. Hot granola and juice. Browse Barnes and Noble, then read for an hour while savoring a grande half-caf Americano with milk. Watch Mad About You. Pasta and cookies for lunch. Meeting at work. Boo that. More coffee, this time a decaf nonfat mocha, with Mary at Caffeine Dreams. Got my CDs back--yay DeYarmond Edison. Bought Dr. No and X-Men for a total of $14. Went to dinner with Marijo. New restaurant called Blue Planet. Portabello and Swiss veggie burger, sweet potato fries with chipotle lime cilantro organic ketchup. Yes, it was that kind of restaurant, but very tasty. Home now to watch one of my new movies. What a lovely Friday.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Lenten Resolutions
Well, I haven't found enough time or motivation to sit down and hash out my New Year's Resolutions for this year. I mean, I have goals that I have set to accomplish. Climb at least 2 14ers. Go to a WPS game. Survive my residency. Buy a house. But nothing really on the longitudinal scale of a New Year's Resolution.
Speaking of resolutions, I have, however, discovered what my Lenten journey will NOT involve this year. I will NOT be giving up caffeine. I used to laugh that my mom had her Diet Pepsi and popcorn every afternoon at work for as long as I can remember (until she had to radically change her diet). And then I had a 24-pack of Diet Coke in my apartment courtesy of my loving parents who do their darndest to spoil me from 500 miles away. And after a month of Diet Coke every afternoon at about 1:00, I ran out at the end of last week. I couldn't figure out why I had been so tired this whole week when the clock hit about 2:00pm. Today, I had an epiphany. My body became severely dependent upon that caffeine fix after lunch. When you average 10-hour days, you need a little boost midway through. So I will be making a grocery run shortly. Probably not tonight because Knight Rider is on, and I love my guilty pleasure TV. But tomorrow for sure. Or Friday. Which I'm taking as a PTO-burn day. Basically I saved up so much PTO that I get to burn days as "mental health" days to break up my 12-in-a-row. Only I have to go in for an hour meeting that I scheduled without thinking. Oops. Only myself to blame.
I got interrupted by a phone call from a wonderful friend and as I sit back down, I am no longer in the blogging mood. Until next time.
Speaking of resolutions, I have, however, discovered what my Lenten journey will NOT involve this year. I will NOT be giving up caffeine. I used to laugh that my mom had her Diet Pepsi and popcorn every afternoon at work for as long as I can remember (until she had to radically change her diet). And then I had a 24-pack of Diet Coke in my apartment courtesy of my loving parents who do their darndest to spoil me from 500 miles away. And after a month of Diet Coke every afternoon at about 1:00, I ran out at the end of last week. I couldn't figure out why I had been so tired this whole week when the clock hit about 2:00pm. Today, I had an epiphany. My body became severely dependent upon that caffeine fix after lunch. When you average 10-hour days, you need a little boost midway through. So I will be making a grocery run shortly. Probably not tonight because Knight Rider is on, and I love my guilty pleasure TV. But tomorrow for sure. Or Friday. Which I'm taking as a PTO-burn day. Basically I saved up so much PTO that I get to burn days as "mental health" days to break up my 12-in-a-row. Only I have to go in for an hour meeting that I scheduled without thinking. Oops. Only myself to blame.
I got interrupted by a phone call from a wonderful friend and as I sit back down, I am no longer in the blogging mood. Until next time.
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