crash course...

I just got in from another round of sledding behind a vehicle down the streets of Denver. My toes are trying to defrost - but everything else stayed pretty warm. There's something childishly exhilarating about flying around on snow packed roads (I even ramped a snow bank once... and landed it. Yay for me). Everyone - you should try it. Really.

So apparently a bunch of snow dumped on us the past week - thankfully the second storm didn't hit as hard expected - it would have been rough on top of all the other fluffy stuff. Western Kansas, however, was not so lucky. A terrible ice storm/blizzard hit the plains and has caused large amounts of damage. My grandparents have been out of electricity for almost twenty-four hours, and their indoor temp was fifty degrees (repairs to power lines may not be completed for two weeks!). They were finally rescued tonight by a family who has a generator. Thank goodness!

And lastly, but very importantly, my dad made it through surgery today. His rotator cuff was torn and the doctor made a lot of repairs to his shoulder. It will be a slow recovery but we're so happy that he's awake and well. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I received many phone calls from concerned friends, and that meant a lot. He'll be celebrating the New Year in a sling, mostly bed-ridden. I told him I'd take him to the clubs downtown. I don't think he was overly thrilled. Guess I will have to party for two - Happy 2007!

fancy pants...

Bridgie came to visit this weekend! Her trip came with perfect timing, as Saturady was my first company Christmas party, or as the inviation stated, "Generic, Non-Offensive, End-of-Calendar Year, Office Party Invitation." And I knew she'd be the best date because I wouldn't have to entertain her and make sure she was comfortable, not wasted, etc. (because that girl can hold a conversation and shake her tail feathers without me worrying). We had a BLAST. The place was amazing - a swanky warehouse complete with a lounge, long white sheets hanging from the ceiling, and hor devours everywhere we turned. Rumor has it there was a line-up waiting to dance with us. Ah rubbish. Okay, well maybe we did remain on the dance floor a majority of the night, with plenty of people to whirl and twirl with. Note to self - it's probably not wise to teach a co-worker new moves that consist of them pulling you through their legs. Whoops!
Here is some of the entertaining crew, John and Vince - these boys were not afraid to spank the planks!
While giving Bridge the tour of my neck of the woods, we couldn't help stopping in front of a gorgeous Christmas tree beckoning us to take a photo. So we took lots. 'Twas bit of a winter wonderland there. Sadly, Bridge didn't get to see any snow during her visit... and luckily she didn't - another day and she'd have been stuck at the DIA with about 4,000 other people. Thanks for coming Bridge - it was so great to see you. And also wonderful to have the roomie heart to hearts I've been missing. Come back again soon!

sticky...

Folks, I do believe we have ourselves a blizzard! A BIG one - I have snow sitting on my porch ledge two feet straight up (and I'm really not exaggerating - really). It's been pretty entertaining to watch it accumulate throughout the day - and I can't wait to see what it will look like in the morning. My car is stuck with a big ol' snow drift behind it that will most likely be impassable tomorrow morning. Ack - I need four-wheel drive! Today was great - I was able to work on reports from home and get things organized after my absence from the mini-vaca. Who knows what Thursday will bring (we're suppose to go dancing - I hope it stops by then!)... tonight I baked homemade cookies (they look a little gourmet-like) to give to friends and take home to family (since the work cookie-exchange thing was cancelled).

Anyway... my digital camera is in my car - doh! - so I'm trying to take some pics with my phone, but it isn't doing much justice to the amount of snow we've received. (Did I mention that I love it?) It's getting crazy - hang onto your hats!

puckadaylee...

Hi! It's probably too early on a Saturday morning to be awake, but I'm so darn excited I can't really sleep. Kind of like ski trip weekend. 4am rolled around and I was wide awake, ready to go. So here I am, with all sorts of good things to share (in no particular order of wonderfulness). Wednesday I went to my first hockey game - it's an awesome sport. The first time two players slammed each other into the wall Laura and I about jumped out of our seats! I don't know if it's the aggressiveness of the players, their "hockey hair", or what... ahem... but let's just say I will be returning to see more action. Whew. AND to top it off the Avs won! They beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Yippee! I'll post some pictures when I get them from Laura. Yeah - me of all people forgot my camera that night.

Hmm... in other news I am now officially full-timely em-ploy-ed. Can anyone else hear the choirs of angels singing? Oh... sorry - that was probably just my parents shouting with glee that they no longer have to help support their twenty-something daughter. So that's been a wonderful Christmas gift to me this year - I suppose all that schooling finally paid off. Thanks again to everyone who was thinking of me and encouraging me - your support means a LOT! The internship was supposed to end January 31st, so I figured my full-time benefits wouldn't start until then - but I'll actually be official at the end of December. Pretty cool. Warning - cheese factor ahead... I really sometimes do feel like the luckiest girl in the world. It never ever ceases to amaze me when I think of how our lives are formed and how various events shape our future. And how little things can turn into pretty big things when you least expect it. It's quite refreshing really - what happens when you take the time listen to your insides.

Okay... cheese factor is over. The last (but definitely not least) awesome thing this week is that Bridget is here visiting! Yay! Yay! (I'm doing a little dance in my PJs... lucky for you that you can't see it.) We're going to cruise the town and introduce her to "Denver: My Side of the Story" (that just means we'll probably get lost a lot - already have actually - but we'll have a lot of flipping fun in the process). I will update later on how things went. There may or may not be photos of us in cute dresses - you'll have to wait and see. But I must go - biscuits and gravy are on the menu and it's wakie wakie time for Bridgie!

please describe yourself briefly...

Hola amigos. I have an interview tomorrow (1st round) so if any of you need a break from studying, partying, finals, or even a boring work day in the office cubicle, go ahead and send some thoughts my way. Because as most of you know, I become a nervous mess in situations such as these, and I don't see that behavior changing anytime soon. Thank you again for your prayers. Hopefully by December this will all be over with. I'll keep you posted. Mwah!

do these ten layers make me look fat?

So I've had a hectic life lately (I won't use the busy excuse, but really, life's been a little crazy). Actually, I think in the last three weeks I've only worked 2.5 days. Which is kind of like a really long vacation, but parts of it weren't so much vacation-like. But anyway, I've grounded myself from the internet for awhile to be productive. And I guess it's worked. Because I had today off and probably spent five hours glued to my leather seat. And accomplished little but some photo editing and blog posts. Bleh. At least I was able to rest my sore skiing muscles. Which basically means my entire body. So I wanted to fill in the details of this weekend's adventures, if you care to know. And maybe so when I get old I'll be able to look back and remember those good ol' days.

Shawndra flew in late Friday afternoon. She came to visit, but she was also on a mission - quality girl time (no bf's allowed) and a chance to conquer the mountain. I couldn't have been happier. To top it off my cousins had also planned a trip and were getting here late that night. We all cozied around the fireplace, drank wine, and laughed our hineys off, because you put those two boys together... so much for making it to bed early. We rose at 4am bushy tailed to shower and pack. I really was bright eyed. Possibly more than a kid at Christmas. We made it out by 6am (there was a LOT to get ready, especially since we stayed the night in Summit County) and to the slopes before they opened. Day one was a learning experience, as Shawndra put up with a not-so-good ski instructor (me), the afternoon got windy and cold, and we headed to the hotel to warm up.

A friend of mine joined us for dinner out on the town. The food was expensive, but really not so delicious. It didn't really matter because the atmosphere was so darn happy. I can't really describe it any other way. I was surrounded by people I love who were chatting and laughing and sharing stories. And I was just happy - like a big hole was being filled up. Of course after eating we were ready to get our party on so we headed down the road, destination unknown. Sometimes life is more fun when you fly by the seat of your pants. Maybe most of the time I even prefer it that way.

Breckenridge was nine miles out and has a reputation for an awesome after slope hours entertainment, so off we went. En route I remembered I actually knew someone from there and he would know which places to hit. Commercial: On my flight to Florida last month I sat by a guy my age who was incredibly nice and had an intense zest for life, meaning party, ski, party, party, ski, work, party, etc. He was a spoiled, pampered frat boy flying to visit his parents and old friends, and he couldn't have been nicer. Incredibly friendly and down to earth. At the end of the flight he gave me his card and invited me and any friends to crash at his place if we were ever in the area. I knew I'd never call him , but I kept the card anyway. I suppose sometimes you never know... so that night we called him.

We ended up at a bar with a band playing live music, and they were awesome. I could have listened for hours, but eventually we started back to the hotel (much to the boy's disappointment). I was not looking forward to waking the next morning. Yikes.

Sunday skiing was more than perfect. The weather was ridiculously gorgeous, and runs were wide open. I skied with Kate, and Shawndra took professional lessons (with much more success than my teaching skills provided). Besides some cold feet (mine... big surprise) we were happy, and by the end of the day, absolutely exhausted. The drive home was long, with all the day's skiers and boarders from numerous mountains filtering onto I-70, and of course about halfway home I had to pee like, well, like me, like I always do. I refused to exit in order not lose our spot in the traffic jam, but I'm pretty sure my bladder hates me now. If it could only stretch out a little...

Anyway, Shawndra left Monday morning and has officially made it back to KC safely. Yay! We had a wonderful time (despite some bumps and bruises) and I'm so happy that she gave the sport a whirl! She's a very determined girl, of which I am extremely proud, and can't wait to bring her up the mountain again someday.

Thanks Shawndra! And the cousins and Kate! 'Twas an excellent weekend journey.

If you want to see some photos of the trip check out a couple of posts ago. The pic here is Shawndra and I re-enacting how I helped her up after a fall. It's down to an art.

muchas muchas gracias...

Hi. Me again. I wanted to give everyone a B-I-G thank you to all who were praying and thinking of me in my preparation for the big darn deal test. It was because of you that I PASSED (yes, I still feel like shouting it from the rooftops)! I appreciate your support - really really really. And for those of you that have finals coming up, know that I am happily returning the favor. Much love!

adventure mountain...

It was finally time to hit the slopes this weekend. Shawndra journeyed to CO and we attempted to ski it up bunny style. Kate, a friend from Denver (well, technically Wichita) also joined us.
The day turned out to be, well, gorgeous. The sun was warm, the wind didn't blow, the lifts were line free, and snow from the night before made it just about the best skiing you could ever ask for.
My cousins Adam and Brendan made the trip too - we sardined ourselves into the Alpine Inn Saturday and loved us some Mexican food and margs to wash away our aching muscles.
I finally had to say goodbye to my roomie at the DIA. She's going back with a few bruises (particularly on the posterior) but many fun memories. I miss her already!

for thought...

"Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exist. A baby feels hunger - well, there is such thing as food. A duckling wants to swim - well, there is such thing as water. Men feel sexual desire - well, there is such thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

loud noises!...

Let's just say some neighbors are definitely gettin' busy this lazy Sunday afternoon. Can anyone lend me their earmuffs? Anyone? Earmuffs... pretty-please?

dude...

Check out the beach wear - long johns under a K-State tee and suede kicks. Florida was beautiful albeit the crazy winds - I was just happy a hurricane didn't stop by. The trip was awesome, the seafood INCREDIBLE, and the wine...delicious (It's official - three glasses and I'm out).
Upon return I headed to a costume party themed "Saints and Angels" with friends. Some of the get-ups were hilarious, others quite ingenious (did anyone know you could "sew" a whole dress using some sort of magic fabric tape? Me either). Pictured with me is Kate, one of my KS buddies born and raised in Wichita. Small world.
So, Halloween at work was a little ridiculous. You should have seen the looks surfer dude (Jon) received while walking downtown for lunch in a full wetsuit - surfboard in tow. Awesome.
I opted for an easy out - Go Boston! - my costume had yet to arrive in the mail... you could say I procrastinated this Holiday a little too long. Devin tried to escape the chaos but some employees brought extra supplies, leaving him with a rocker wig and boa. Mardi gras anyone?

baby blues...

Here's a view from my cubicle of the "blizzard" we had last Thursday. The foothills received 16 to 20 inches... downtown only about five. The sun is so bright here the snow melts very quickly and by Saturday everyone was walking around in t-shirts. Weird.
And now, (drumroll please)I am proud to introduce the new addition to my family (other members including all plants currently keeping warm in the living room) - skis, poles, boots, and helmet. Yes, I know this is completely dorky, but I can't help it. It's like a dream come true. Cheesy you say? I fully agree. But it's true none the less. So, I may be over my head in debt thanks to the little suckers, but they are still mine and I promise to give them a good home. Although a great snuggle buddy they are not - I'm working on it.

fame...

Happy Daylight Savings! Yay - one extra hour of sleep we could all use. So, anyway I wanted to let everyone know about an advertising contest being put on by Chipotle - select universities from around the country were invited and given pretty much free range to participate in creating 30 second t.v. spots. There are two different ways to win. First, the big champion receives $20,000 - split between the school and the student (sweet!). But it doesn't stop there - the commercials are also uploaded on youtube.com at Chipotle Ad Contest and are available for your viewing pleasure. The spot with the most views or best rating, (something like that - I can't remember which) also wins $5,000. Friday during lunch we all gathered 'round for the priemere viewing. Some aren't so great. Othres are terrible. But some are pretty hilarious, as well as a few that are mighty impressive.

I included some of my favorites to check out if interested. It's great internet entertainment... and I know we all have time to burn anyway (honestly, who isn't plugged into myspace or facebook as we speak - mmhmmm). Don't worry, this isn't a shameless plug - although it may appear to be - I simply wanted to spread the word. If you find one you like, feel free to vote!

The Wall
Dryer
Burrito Rocket
Locally Raised

Side note, I keep forgetting to mention I will be in Florida part of next week/weekend. Yes, so I shaved my "groomed for winter" legs (go ahead and eww... but ladies you know we all do it) and will hopefully be enjoying warm weather soon!

trippin'...

I was headed to work this morning - walking down the sidewalk and taking in the sunshine. A (very cute) guy a little ways ahead was walking toward me on that same sidewalk. He was looking at me. Perhaps a little distracted. And then he ran into a tree.

No really. He ran into a tree on the sidewalk.

I thought the day couldn't get much better. Until a singing telegram arrived at the office, dressed as a disheveled chicken (poofy white slip, brightly colored wool socks, Pumas, and a chicken mask - carrying balloons), and serenaded the crowd.

After something such as that, there is really nothing left to say.

go-go gadget...

So both my co-worker and my supervisor are on vacation this week, Kirk is in Florida, and I'm in the wing all by myself. Yep, just me, internet radio, and seven feet of paperwork staring at me from the cubicle. For anyone who has done much filing, you know it can be a dangerous job. I have numerous papercuts all over my hands (the ones across the knuckles are the worst) and I've even broken nails. Yowee.

Today I had been reaching in and out of an expandable file quite a bit, and it wasn't until the task was complete that I noticed it scraped up my entire left forearm. I started walking to my desk and checking out the damage. While doing so I noticed the skin under my bicep jiggle a bit. I take another step. Jiggle jiggle. What? When did this happen?! Surely not. Crap, I need to start lifting weights again and prevent the flappy underarm syndrome that happens during old age. All of this I am thinking to myself while pinching the extra... ahem... skin - in shock. I begin examining it more closely, lifting it over my head to be sure of what I had witnessed. So... why was it then that the director of development decided to pass me by in the hall. Ack! Panic. He looked at me with completely perplexed facial expression - kind of like how a dog tilts its head when confused or puzzled. Obviously there is really no way of covering up my insulation inspection and basically no way of saving much pride. So my face turns red, I muster a "hi", pretend to awkwardly scratch my underarm (as if that were the real reason I was holding it up), and duck into my cubicle.

The moral of this story? Never slack on your bench presses or reverse tricep curl thingies. You never know what type of strange predicament it might get you into.

shiver me timbers...

Holy monkeys it is snowing out there! Denver looks like a postcard today - everything is covered in snow and sparkling. Of course it looked prettier through my window than it felt walking to my car... but I'm ready for winter. No snow = no skiing, so you know where my heart's at.

Anyway, I am all snuggled up ready to battle the cold - flannel pants, oversized hoodie, and worn out slippers are necessary wardrobe items when attempting to not use the furnace. Current thermostat reading... 61 degrees. But I'm holding out. Perhaps until I wake up with blue lips or frozen boogies. It will most likely go on after that.

I wanted to share some quick highlights regarding the wonderful weekend I recently spent in Wichita. I had an awesome, awesome time and, besides the $62 spent in airport parking, the trip couldn't have been better.

Brian's mom picked me up (Godsend) and we kept company for a couple of hours waiting for the still almost newly weds to arrive. I felt like I was talking to a long lost friend - her insight and thoughtfulness was so encouraging and uplifting.

Saturday was entirely planned around college football. Our alarms were set to the pregame show (forgive me if I get some of this sport mumbo-jumbo wrong) and two televisions were carried to the basement in order to fully capture numerous team's activities - ending up with three total. Now I always thought I could multi-task, but attempting to watch three games at once is a feat I may never conquer.

Brian's mom spoiled us with a deluxe indoor tailgate, including everything from lil' smokies (my guilty pleasure) to fruits (with Ashley's amazing fruit dip), veggies, cheese dip, and more.

The main event was the Ohio State game - as their family is chalk full of die hard fans. No really, I mean it. I thought I'd seen intense K-State fans, but you college boys have nothing on them. Although I could get into more detail, it will suffice to say I was gently encouraged to change into Crimson clothing (don't worry - my KSU tee was underneath) we did push-ups everytime they scored (of course they're so good we girls eventually had to start doing sit-ups and even the dog joined in), Bruno, the stuffed mascot would sing the fight song, and we weren't allowed to nap until half-time. I loved every second of it - I was so happy to finally take part in the tradition I've heard about for so long!

That night we went to a haunted house. Which turned out to be a haunted forest, which is in many ways, much creepier. Now, I can look at scary people, or see creepy things, but I HATE loud noises (I know I know, Brick and I have something in common). It completely freaks me out. I get all jumpy and scream and then my heart races... you know. I was doing okay until the blasted chainsaw guy comes roaring out behind me from the middle of nowhere. I jolted so fast that Ashley and I bonked heads and kept screaming. That was probably enough Halloween for me all wrapped up into a half hour. I had a sore throat by the time we were finished. Whew.

Sunday my little bro came and picked me up. I was so happy to see him! We hung out until it was flying time, and we made our way to the airport. Actually we made our way around Wichita all day with no map, no idea of where anything was. And we found things quite successfully. Besides the time we went around the same block three times. But really it was impressive.

I apologize that this kept getting longer and longer - there is so much to share. I was also going to pass along the story of a very blonde moment I had at about 10:30 this evening. But that will just have to wait for another entry. Or perhaps I will spare myself and avoid mentioning it at all.

Thanks to everyone for making my weekend such a success! You have no idea how much your kindness and friendship means to me. I miss you already!!

mike check one two...

I have realized that in growing up, some things are harder to get used to than others. The work environment, for me anyway, has been one of them. Not that I don't like my co-workers - it is just a completely different dynamic going from being with a bunch of college kids who go out most nights of the week, procrastinate homework, and live somewhat carefreely, to adults with children and mortgages and, well, things I can't quite relate to yet. But finally, after almost three months, things are getting more comfortable and I am finding my place in the office. And although part of it simply takes time to adjust, I suppose the company is a big help in fostering a welcoming environment as well.

Today was especially reassuring. Kirk, a recruiter, promised me homemade chicken pot pie for lunch, and you better believe he delivered. He attended culinary school so his eats are always wonderful, and he's a great resource for recipe ideas and out to lunch "what is that on the menu" questions (which I have a lot). Later in the day an up and coming artist performed down the hall, and everyone gathered 'round, grabbed a beer, some chips and salsa, and enjoyed over an hour of live music. He was actually an amazing singer (and soloed on his guitar... what more could a girl ask for) so as soon as I figure out his name, I will pass it along. His music and lyrics hit the spot.

Then we played fetch with the dogs, witnessed a beagle (Boots) attempt, unsuccessfully, to steal the squeeze toy (a squishy burrito) from a black lab (Chappie), and eventually got back to work.

As I looked around the room at all the faces I am getting to know (and more people my age being employed!), it finally felt a little more like home, a little more comfortable, and a lot more inviting. Although I may hear more stories about my supervisor's kids bathing their dogs in Gold Bond powder while daddy wasn't looking, (true story) it is an adjustment that is slowly feeling like "hey, this is my life"... and I'm happy with that.

Oh! And I actually shook hands and introduced myself to the CEO today. That was kind of a big deal too.

rock on...

"Don't you know that your hand is only as big as your fist?"

-- My wonderful momma (after one too many margaritas)

My parents came out to visit this weekend. Dad said he could hardly take it - waiting one more second to get to Colorado would have been too much. And it was great to see them. I get a little more homesick here than college years... hmmm... maybe it takes awhile to appreciate all you have. My little brother hasn't made it over yet - he is busy with school and work and girlfriend stuff. But I hope he can soon. I miss him!

Sunday we went for a driving tour to see the fall foliage in the mountains. We didn't really know where we were going, but I think we found where we wanted to be. The road led us to Red Rocks - an amazing, amazing naturally made amphitheatre in the middle of the foothills. It is one of the top entertainment venues anywhere, according to artists and performers around the world. Hey, who can compete with perfect natural acoustics and an open sky? Next year I will definitely have tickets to one of many concerts hosted there!

We then traveled along a winding road, along creeks and trees and mountains. Many of the leaves have already turned and fallen, but the remaining colors were still beautiful. The day was a little cold and dreary, slightly damp and overcast - but the trip was well worth it, and we really didn't seem to notice. We ended up at a cozy Italian restaurant in the middle of an itty-bitty town, filled our bellies, and headed home.

So, in reflection of a relaxing weekend and good times with the parents, here are some pictures to capture the moment, as well as other dorky moments, brought to you by my family, goofiness and all.


Daddy and I showing off the red rock. See... it really is red!

Mom and I at the creek we hiked down to. Somehow she managed to be taller than me - not fair!
Umm... if you ever questioned where my kid-like nature came from - it's a pretty safe bet to say you're looking at him :)
Another Red Rocks photo-op with my momma.
Okay, so this one isn't family. But I think it's amazing, and I'm the photographer - so up it goes. You can see part of the seating as well as the view. Wow!

That's all for now. Nighty night.

powder puff...

Ski season is officially one month away. ONE MONTH! ...Not that I have been thinking about it much, dreaming of owning ski equipment, counting down the days, or waiting my whole life for a real ski season.

Okay, so maybe I just did an Irish square dance to celebrate the occasion. If there was a Coloradian dance I probably would have done that too.

for the purple (and the white)!...

Last weekend I finally got to make it back to the home country - what a refreshing trip it was to be reunited with my roomies and friends I hadn't seen in a long, long time. Everyone was able to get back together - quite an amazing feat for seven girls in four different cities and three states.
We kicked it off at the 'Ville Friday night, hanging out on a patio while it drizzled rain all evening. It was somewhat strange to be at the old stomping ground. It seems as though things change so quickly. People move away, new ones enter the scene, there are less familiar faces to run into. But I guess I should know by now that that's just how things go. In a way it made my visit easier, knowing that although I miss my college buddies (terribly), they will soon too be gone and on their own, forging their lives in the wonderful world of work. And although I will, and do, miss the best college town on this planet, it's also okay to move on, and forgive the cheesiness, take the memories with you. Because sometimes that's about all you can do. And although it would be nice, I can't stay a K-State student forever. (Tear)
Okay, enough sappy reflection. We all had a great time together, starting game day with an official tailgate beautifully orchestrated by Bridge and Meggie. Yummy! The girls thought of everything, all packed into Bridge's trunk and ready to go. Well... almost everything. It was a little difficult to figure out how to make eggs without a skillet... haha. But of course, that is what nice neighbors are for! The night before I had pushed everyone to wake up extra early, have a quick start on the morning, and get our booties to the field. Needless to say, uh... I was the last one up and showered. Ooops. But we were still there by 8AM. Woo-hoo! That night we played cards and pong with Meggie's boys, then headed to the bars, where dancing, shots, and drunken conversation ensued. Anna and I stayed up late that night, probably in order to avoid the next morning, when we would have to go our separate ways. We ordered Jimmy Johns, and inhaled both sandwiches, which we very much regretted the next day. But hey, it is tradition.

Perhaps one of my favorite parts of the weekend was going to church with the girls, like old times, and then having lunch after - of course, you know where. We finally said our goodbyes and headed off in numerous directions.

It was so nice (and needed) to be back! For the two days I stayed it felt as though I had been living there forever - like nothing had changed at all (minus living out of a suitcase instead of two walk-in closets, and a very adorable kitten added to the family). Thank you so much to everyone for everything - I hope to see you again soon!

on the hizzle...

So the Rockies game turned out to be a great experience once again - four out of four's not bad! As soon as we arrived we were handed free tickets for next season (mine had five stuck together...oops - guess more friends can come along). Then, while walking around trying to find the best hotdog shop, I was handed a free beer coupon, no catch, no strings attached. And just as Jeb was yelping about how spoiled I was getting, he received one too (for ladies night - haha). After our refreshing beverage we hit up the concession for the most loaded hotdogs around. The Rockie's Denver Dog is in Men's Health Top 5 "Best Ballgame Frank" - yum! As we were getting situated with our goodies, Jeb realized he forgot to pay for our dinner - so that was free too.

The night couldn't have been much better (or cheaper!). It was a little cold and hot cocoa was going for $3.75 (wowzers!), so we passed and shivered instead. Near the end of the game the Dodgers gained the lead, and it was game over from there on out. So, a disappointing loss, but a great way to end the season nonetheless. I can hardly wait to see what next season will bring.

yes ma'am...

I suspect God has a way of humbling us when we need it most, which today was apparently the case. As silly as it may be, I was quite intimidated by the whole airport/flying process that I endured this weekend. Not only did I have to master the terminal, baggage claim business that comes with all that, I also had to figure out bus routes, more bus routes, and a mess of schedules that somehow had to work together to get me where I needed to be. But things actually went smoothly, to my honest surprise (if you omit the part when I forgot to grab my boarding pass and a flight attendant had to chase me down before I went through security). I am the type that asks if I don't know - fully aware of my limitations and willing to rely on the kindness and helpfulness of others to give me a little guidance. I have also found that it saves me a lot of time - obviously people who have been there before know what's going on. I, on the other hand, do not. So of course in order to ensure my trip has minimal difficulties, I make instant friends with the two guys beside me at the security checks... I mean it is a rather intimate situation to begin with... he takes off his jacket, you take off my shoes, he takes off his belt... ahem... well you get the picture. Anyway, they walked me right where I needed to be and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The trip home went easily as smooth - and I actually felt a little seasoned by this point (yep, that's me getting cocky...). Right from the plane to the terminal to baggage claim to the bus and I was well on my way to work before nine. After a long, long, long, and even more so fabulous weekend (more details later) I was a little worn out and went home half an hour early to get a some R&R before I headed out again at 6:30. From the train to the bus. I was ridiculously proud of myself for orchestrating all this - a little ridiculous, I know, but it felt like an accomplishment all on my own.

The bus took off, headed right for my stop in approximately twelve minutes. Then the bus turned right when it should have turned left. And kept going and going and going. And going. Um... PANIC! Again I rely on a friendly neighbor to tell me what the @*%#! is going on. Wrong bus - he says. Really - I say. Well, right bus, wrong direction. Just before I could get off at the first stop and transfer, the "right-right" bus droned past us and a little bit of me died inside. I sat on that bus for forty extra minutes and finally reached my destination. My little black suitcase wheeled behind me and we eventually made our way home, quite deflated and completely exhausted. Live and learn as they say, live and learn.

P.S. The photo-op is a picture of what you look like at 5AM when preparing for your "what in the world were you thinking" early flight. Of course I thought the event deserved its moment (as I feel of most things) - but don't tell Shawndra, she may never be so generous again!

hurt...

I'm leaving on a jet plane tomorrow... I finally get to come home. And the whole time I've been gone, well, it's been hard, and I've missed everyone a whole lot, but it has been bearable, it's actually gone smoother than I could have planned. But tonight, tonight of all nights - the day before my arrival, I have been a mess - an emotional wreckage per se. And I can't really figure out why. Maybe it's not until the thing I have been missing most, being surrounded by those who care and love me, is finally so close that I truly realized what I have been missing - and how badly I have missed it. You all better watch out, because I do know one thing for sure, when you give me a hug consider this your warning - I may never, ever let go.

Oh how I cannot wait to see you!

candles...

I just wanted to say a quick hello and a BIG thank you to all who read this blog. It is my one hundred and eleventh post today (my belated blogging birthday!), and it has been an incredibly rewarding journey - of sorts. What started out over a year ago as a means of sharing pictures with friends, and occasionally recording stories so I could remember them when my mind was no longer able, has turned into much, much more than that. As I have mentioned before, this is often my therapy. My way of dealing with things. The way I figure things out. And I'm so glad many of you can read along and share the experiences with me. (I apologize for the boring entries, the extra long ones, and of course the cheesy ones too, but thanks for sticking it out). Thank you for your encouragement, your hilarious comments, and well, basically - thank you so much for reading! Hopefully we will have many more happy years together :) Mucho love goes out to you all...

windblown...

I just finished watching "Extreme Makeover - Home Edition" and it caused a waterworks festival in my living room. Ryan had the unfortunate experience of calling in the middle my teary escapade, once again reinforcing his fear of all things women. I don't catch these shows very often, but they never cease to amaze me. This one, however, stood out even more than the rest. The dad was completely blind. His two daughters were blind as well (only things held very close-up could be seen). The son was born deaf. The mom learned sign language to talk with the boy, however the father and son had almost no means of communication - they couldn't see or hear each other. The fact that they all had smiles on their faces each morning more than boggled my mind. I guess it puts life into perspective. We all get feeling a little sorry for ourselves from time to time - frustrated with our life, our job, our runny nose. But if you ever take the time to think about how great you really have it, I mean how really really really lucky and blessed we are, it kind of makes getting out of bed each day a little easier, and quite a bit more encouraged. As a kid I loved the book "Could Be Worse!" by James Stevenson. It's about a grandpa who, no matter what terrible situation arises, always uses that response. And really, he has a good point. I do have it pretty darn good as it is.

On a completely different topic, a friend and I went hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park today. It was a long drive, and after last night's um... beverages and entertainment (Anna, a guy from Louisiana was kind enough to dance with me the rest of the evening - haha), mixed with high elevation, thin air and curvy roads, nausea was giving me a run for my money. But I pulled through and we had a great hike. The aspens were changing color, and believe it or not, snow was falling. It looked more like sparkling dust particles floating slowly to the ground, but nonetheless, it was snow. Once again, I apologize for the picture quality. The digital will be back next weekend (YAY!) and it will be better from there on out. So enjoy. The trails weren't very long, but we scenery gazed so often it took a good part of the day. We saw huge elk and their babies (about twelve in a big group) lounging around and eating grass, but no other wildlife. Also, to explain one of the pictures - if you look closely, the river had frozen water all around it - on logs, on the plants, up the sides of the banks, etc. It really was beautiful and breathtaking. And I don't even care if that sounds cheesy.






P.S. It was windy - really really windy - in CO the last two days. For a moment it reminded me of home. Then I just wished it would go away. Not home, just the wind. :)

Oktoberfest...

I figured it out! Apologies for the quality... but hey, on a camera phone that's about all you can ask for. Notice the man in the middle. He led us in the chicken dance too!

Guten Tag...

Last night was an interesting, unexpected evening on the town. I had just left the house and was waiting at an intersection on my way to a friend's, when my row of cars got the green light to go - the same time an SUV coming from the other direction ran a red light. I swear I heard the thump before I heard breaks squealing. The driver of the car was a half second from being directly hit in the driver's side door. Luckily only the front end was smashed. I called 911, not sure of what to really do. It did not appear as either party were severely injured, as they were both able to drive their cars to side streets, but the accident made me sick to my stomach and uneasy about driving in the dark that night. I finally, finally figured out another route to leave the apartment complex (I am not kidding, it took almost ten minutes to find a legit escape path). I approached an alternative intersection, exactly one block from the previous crash, and on the same busy road, one car had completely rear-ended the other. Holy cow, what is going on here?

But what topped it off was the drive home last night. Downtown traffic was getting clogged, and as we got closer we could see flashing lights and police officers running around. Then we realized the cause. An SUV had t-boned the train. The same transportation I take daily, and feel relatively safe riding, had been plain ol' smacked into. There were at least four traincars attached to it, and the person had hit the last car. I'm not sure about you, but I am thinking it is almost impossible to hit this thing. There are lights flashing, and wooden arms come down to block through traffic, warning that a train is approaching, and, quite blatantly, it's a big, long vehicle chugging through town. How do you miss it? Luckily, once again, I don't think anyone was seriously injured, but after witnessing three accidents in a relatively short time span, I was pretty anxious about the trip home. Luckily, I made it back unscathed. Wow.

On a much happier note, I attended "Theology on Tap" last night and met a lot of people my age, which was a breath of fresh air - I didn't expect it to be so hard, but it has been rather difficult going from working with all college kids to being surrounded by, well, adults. One conversation actually had me laughing so hard I had tears, unable to even speak. And that hasn't happened for a long, long time. Afterwards some of us girls headed downtown to take part in the annual Oktoberfest. Three of us were 100% German, so it was a must-see event. I found my name in the big book, reassuring me that my ancestry was, at least somewhat correct, danced to the polka, and even participated in a "parade" directed by a lively old German man with a tiny purple and yellow umbrella leading the way. I have pictures on my cell - however I don't know how to get them onto the computer. If I ever figure it out though, I will share.

auf Wiedersehen!

swing batter...

This year I have made it to three Rockies games, which seems like a pretty good record, based on my short time span in the city. (It also helps that tickets are cheap and the setting provides great entertainment at little cost. Well... besides the beer.) The baseball games have also been the reason for some of the most positive experiences I have had since the move. I met the guy from K-State who happened to be sitting a few rows up during the first game. The second game allowed me to meet a bunch of new people at once - some of whom have taken me under their wing and led me to more people/potential friends. And last Friday during the third game, well, to be honest nothing spectacular happened, but it was absolutely perfect weather. We got there late, snuck down to the fifteenth row, and drank beer for dinner. It doesn't get much nicer than that.

So imagine my surprise yesterday, while buying groceries, after the self-check screen flashes and says "Be sure to check your receipt for a special announcement." Um... huh? The Rockies strike again - apparently when you buy too many groceries (I'm in there at least twice a week...) the store rewards you for your patronage. I won four free baseball tickets for the end of the season. And they aren't even the cheap ones. So I have one more Rockies game to attend, and hopefully it has more surprises in store.

Now, if I only had three friends...



Okay, only kidding. They are already spoken for. But I had you worried, didn't I?

Oh, P.S. - I start school tomorrow! And not exactly as a stellar student either. "Be sure to read the material before you come to class," they say. I suppose some things never change...

betty crocker...

For those of you who know me well, you are probably easily aware that washing dishes is on the bottom of my favorite's list. I would rather do a lot of other yucky chores than scrubbing pots and pans. Maybe it's touching ooey-gooey globby messes, maybe it's chipping off caked on leftovers, or maybe it's dipping my hands into the murky abyss; regardless of the circumstance, a dishwasher is by far my best friend in the kitchen...

This weekend I planned a cooking/baking marathon in order to stock my freezer with some hot lunch possibilities. Sandwiches were getting more than a little old. On the menu were some soups, quick breads, and homemade burritos. I won't get into the boring details, but I would like to say, overall, my kitchen skills proved successful. I tried new ingredients, made it through with no measuring spoons and no fires. Actually, I didn't even burn anything. Shwew. As the day grew on, I suppose I was getting a slightly enlarged ego for how well things were going. That was when God decided to humble me a bit.

!*@&#%^ burritos. It was all their fault. I had cooked the pinto beans on low heat for hours, waiting for the innards to get soft and mashable. After they finally passed the "squish" test, I dumped them in a bowl and prepared to turn them into a spread with the hand mixer (a life-saving gift from my brother during Christmas). The minute I hit the "1" setting, beans became airborne and took flight. Everywhere. Try again. More beans gain magical flying powers. They speckled the floor, and covered the counter top. Anywhere you looked - half smooshed beans stared back, mocking me. I realized too late in the game that my ultimate goal was near impossible. The mooshed beans kept getting stuck in the beaters, preventing the beans needing mooshed from making any progress. I was highly frustrated by this point.

I kept cleaning the beaters, trying again and again. Then, moments after I thought to myself, "What would happen if I was seriously injured while cooking?... e.g. burn, cut, etc." Bam - my right hand slipped and turned on the mixer while my left hand was, once again, cleaning out the beaters. I screamed, possibly cursed, and then most definitely cursed those blessed beans that had caused such grief.

As I nursed my bruised index finger back to life, I wrapped the bean/salsa/cheese mixture into tortillas, and felt a little sorry for myself.

I began cleaning up the disastrous mess (beans stuck to the bottoms of my flip flops, hiding under pans, etc.) and reminded myself how lucky I was to at least have a dishwasher to take care of the majority of the utensils and bowls. "It could be worse," I thought to myself. I filled it with soap and prepared to run a load.

It was then I realized my dishwasher was broken.

The agony of a cooking day gone bad.

dark blue...

"The real questions are the ones that obtrude upon your consciousness whether you like it or not, the ones that make your mind start vibrating like a jackhammer, the ones that you "come to terms with" only to discover that they are still there. The real questions refuse to be placated. They barge into your life at the times when it seems most important for them to stay away. They are the questions asked most frequently and answered most inadequately, the ones that reveal their true natures slowly, reluctantly, most often against your will."

--Ingrid Bengis


There is not a moment in the day that passes without me thinking of you. I love you. And I am sorry. I hope you can understand, that eventually we will both understand.

shifty...

My bebe was finally able to visit this weekend. Hallelujah! He flew in Friday night (the plane was delayed an hour, much to my dismay, and impatience!) and he was shown the official tour of my new apartment, which took almost two minutes. Saturday I made homemade cinnamon streusel, bread from a box, and then we set off on a surprise adventure. Knowing how much Clint likes to ride bikes, how much he enjoys adrenaline rushes, as well as a little competition, I made reservations for a twenty mile descent down a mountain close to Pikes Peak.
He was pumped, I was pumped. The trip up the mountain in a shaky passenger van provided an amazing view of the Springs, although the clouds were moving in and the chance of rain was pretty high. Being slightly (ahem) underprepared we robed ourselves with leftover jackets from previous journeys in order to protect ourselves from the elements. Clint lovingly let me carry the fanny pack (@$*%!) with the extra tire tube/kit in case of a flat. For the record he was hauling stuff too, but his was cool stuff like snacks and a hydration backpack. After getting on all of my gear, I no doubt appeared to be my mother's twin. I refuse to post photos of the ensemble to protect my pride. But trust me - it was bad.
Nonetheless we made it down the mountain safely. Clint's back tire did pop, so I assisted him in changing it by sitting on the ground and observing his craftsmanship. We hiked down a steep edge to get a closer look at a waterfall, maneuvered around tricky landscape, (he did, I sort of rode, fell, then walked my bike) and went under numerous tunnels that were so dark inside you couldn't see a boulder from a pothole. The final section was on pavement so we raced down hill as fast as we could, given we were sharing the road with vehicles and other bikers. As we pulled up to the office sprinkles of rain began to fall. We made it just in time.

The rest of the weekend was fun and relaxing as well. I ate my first "bloomin' onion" and walked Clint through a day in the life of me. I think he got a kick out of it. It was over all too soon, but I suppose all good things are. Clint arrived home at 2:30 Monday morning. How he managed to stay awake for the drive home... I have no idea.

Only one more month to go until we meet again...

early to bed...

I suppose I am quickly learning why adults whine that they have to work all day. It's 9:13pm and I am exhausted. Nine thirteen! Believe me, I feel more than a little old saying that. And I know, I know. As a student I would always say, wow, it will be so nice to have a set schedule, no homework, etc. Which that part of course, is a great, obvious perk. But, I forgot (or more likely did not even consider) other factors (downfalls) of the good ol' eight to five.

We have to wake up early. My alarm clock has not seen the likes of 6am since freshman year high school, when my blonde bangs had to have the perfect rounded curl in order to be popular. And how nice it would be to roll out of bed after eight, throw on a hoodie, wipe off the mascara smudges from the night before, and drive five minutes to class. Because now it is a ten minute drive to the train parking lot, twenty-five minute commute, and a half mile march to the office. (Thank goodness we are a casual company and I don't have to wear heels!) Almost an hour later I'm in my cube checking email. I get home after six, make dinner, which sometimes consists of cereal and peas, (tonight, for example) pick up my messes... okay now I am completely, outright, unabashedly complaining, which no one wants to read anyway. So I will stop. Because I really love my job, and I love the city. It is just hard to adjust. And I hate being tired so @%&#* early in the evening.

I guess I just wanted to remember the college days for a moment, and to remind those of you still in it - enjoy every last drop. Because 6am comes way too early. Yuck.

ponderings...

“Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be... Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before.”

--Erich Fromm


"Of journeying the benefits are many: the freshness it bringeth to the heart, the seeing and hearing of marvelous things, the delight of beholding new cities, the meeting of unknown friends, and the learning of high manners”

--Muslih-uddin Sadi

do not enter...

It is probably not a good idea to merge onto interstate going the wrong way. As in tying to go down the up ramp. Not good.

Thank you Lord for red lights. Seriously.

it's here...

My internet was hooked up today. And I was just starting to be weaned from my obssesive usage and time wasting online tactics. I've been "blogging" in a word document since my move, in order to keep my sanity. The entries start in July so if you'd like check out the archives, you can get the whole scoop on my transition thus far, it should be a fairly quick read, have no fear. And if you would like the short of it: I made it, I'm happy, it's beautiful here, and I miss everyone. A lot. It's different not seeing a familiar face around every corner. I catch your faces in people I pass on the street all the time. "Hey there's so and so... wait, no, can't be." So you are all in my heart. Aaaaaand... come visit! :)

your bucket...

I recently finished a book about buckets and ladles (I will get the title and author soon – Don something and his grandson). And no, it was not a soup cookbook. Although a simple concept, the message is beneficial to anyone willing to listen, whether it pertains to the workplace, relationships, friendships, or seemingly unimportant everyday encounters. Basically it goes like this: Everyone has a bucket, and each day you can choose to help fill their bucket, or you can take from it. As the authors wisely put, rarely does something happen that has a completely neutral outcome. Most of the time there are either negative or positive implications. And over time these events, no matter how insignificant they may seem, build up and eventually cause a greater impact on your life, including your motivation, self-esteem, as well as general feelings of happiness.

When people make “funny” jokes, poke fun, and make jabs at your expense, they are taking scoops out of your bucket. If this juvenile behavior continues a person can become deflated quite quickly.

On the other hand, if someone is offered praise, encouragement, or even a smile, their bucket can be refilled (and so will yours).

I realize that this seems incredibly simplistic, possibly a little cheesy, but it made me think. And think before I do/say certain things. The things you say and maybe more importantly how you say them have a major impact on those around you. Much more than initially meets the eye. So choose wisely before you speak – and next time try to fill a bucket instead of stealing from one.

And, if you catch me bucket dipping, let me know. I promise I will listen.

day something or other… i lost count

Great new discovery. My office building has this little cozy library full of books about work. Okay more like “human resource related, people motivation, why confrontation is important, what makes employees tick” type books, which, being the nerd I am, are some of my favorites. It was like walking into a slice of happiness. If happiness came in slices.

day eleven...

To anyone who may be wondering: When the box says “easy assembly, few tools needed” what it really means is “this takes almost five hours to complete, even with an electric drill and super handy father – avoid at all costs unless ready to deal with excessive frustration and extremely heavy lifting.” I do have a beautiful desk now, but even better than that, a very, very patient dad (and thank goodness he has always been that way).

day nine...

The moving company finally delivered my thousands of boxes (I’m barely exaggerating) two days ago. Although I couldn’t be happier sleeping on my new deluxe mattress, courtesy of my parent’s generosity, (okay, I know I’m bragging, but with a down comforter it’s like sleeping on a little cloud in heaven) I may have been better off pre-delivery. Basically the problem is this – I have too much stuff. Too many clothes, too many kitchen gadgets, too many shoes, too many hair products, too many knick-knacks, too many, too many, too many. Not that I have all sorts of fancy things. I just have a hard time parting with my belongings. I work hard for most things, and we all know money doesn’t come cheap. So even though those chunky heeled leather boots went out of style two (or maybe more) years ago, I still feel like I’m tossing $50 bills out the window. You get the picture. And my little apartment is filling up fast with no place to go.

I’ll give you an example in order to better visualize. I currently have two dining room tables (long story, one of which will eventually go to my brother). My computer desk was broken in the move, so my computer remains planted on the carpet. For me to be able to reach the keyboard I have to belly crawl underneath one of the tables, lay cattywampus with my hips swung to the side, feet sticking out, and type at a very awkward angle. If blogging wasn’t my therapy, believe me, all that maneuvering would not be worth the commotion!

No matter, my parents should be here in a little over an hour and they will graciously help me dig out of my unorganized mess/disaster/chaos. And I can’t wait to have company!

day six...

I took the wrong train today. Just hopped right on without even paying attention because I was positive my ride was next. It did not hit me until way too late (my nose was buried in a magazine) so I pretended as hard as I could not to appear panicky. Or more like completely freaking out! Crap crap crap. This is not right. Nothing looks right. Where the world am I? Obviously not on the correct route. Crap.

Thankfully Nancy’s words rang in my head and I jumped off the stop she had originally suggested if this situation were to ever occur. (Of course I never thought I would make that mistake.) I actually made it to work earlier than the other way, it just included a lot more transfers, stops, and walking. Next time I will be paying more attention. Believe me.

Tomorrow I get a computer at work and hopefully!!!!! my belongings will finally be delivered to my house too. I have been eating meals on this light cream carpet, watching T.V. on this carpet, (all three channels) and typing on my computer on this carpet for too many days. Things might start getting a little crazy over here if I don’t get the delivery soon. Red spaghetti sauce on the carpet for example. I can only be lucky so long.

day five...

So I love my building and I even love my cubicle, if that’s possible. Nothing too overwhelming… not yet at least. I basically got to chat with my supervisor all day long, go out to eat, do a little paperwork and then head home.

Immediately after work I purchased a microwave. I felt it only appropriate to have popcorn for dinner (and yogurt) after craving it as long as I had. It hit the spot perfectly.

day four...

I start my job tomorrow! I start my job tomorrow!

The plan was to sleep in late because nothing is going on all afternoon. Well, besides the internet guy coming over to hook up my computer. But other than that, no plans. Just relaxing. Maybe some sun soaking, etc. Early morning phone call wakes me up. And following it I just lay there. Staring at my white, white ceiling. My air mattress is going flat, the sun is shining bright through the blinds, and me trying to go back to sleep is borderline worthless. So I begin my day, groggy eyed, but somewhat bushy tailed. Um… what to do… what to do… Okay, gourmet breakfast burrito for starters. Yay. That was fun. Clean the apartment. No, I don’t want to clean my apartment! It feels so empty I think I’d rather keep it full of boxes and papers in order to take up space. Finally I get to cleaning and it looks pretty darn good. I cannot wait for my stuff to get here!

I was picked up for the baseball game at 4:15 by my second cousins and their four kids. They have been more than gracious toward me, and much to my delight invited me to use the spare ticket they had. Thank goodness, then, that I at least had Saturday night plans (okay, so I spent most of it with a children under the age of ten, some of whom thought we were watching hockey, but I had a great time nonetheless). And we enjoyed the works. Hot dogs loaded with toppings, $5.50 “fresh squeezed” lemonades, and ice cream for dessert. Yes, my stomach is not exactly agreeing with this evening’s dietary choices, but once in awhile I suppose one must splurge.

Toward the end of the night I was turned around in my seat people watching, which is what I do at all baseball games when there is a pause in events. Actually it is one of my favorite parts. I mean really, you get all sorts at a baseball game, which makes crowd scanning even more enjoyable. Of course there was the fifty-year old woman dressed and acting seventeen, the rich couple dressed in fancy pants and high heels, and the somewhat scary, partially balding, sno-cone/beer/cotton candy selling guy with such an abrasive and intrusive voice that you can’t help give him your attention, as well as half your wallet.

So there I was, scanning as usual, when all of the sudden my eyes focused on something strangely familiar. No way. Can’t be. I blink, refocus. Holy schmoley! A guy from college who was in the same club I joined a couple of years back was sitting five rows up. Here I am, in a completely different state, in the middle of a big city and BAM. Right there, someone I know, of course not “know” as in really, really well. He is more accurately described as an acquaintance, but still, a familiar face is worth a million dollars when you know less people than you can count on three fingers. He was just as shocked and excited as I was, and at first even a little dumbfounded. Couldn’t believe it. We caught up on each other’s whereabouts and will hopefully meet up sometime.

Although I knew it is true, the old saying never ceases to amaze me, “It is a small world after all.”

day two...

Today it was time to test my wings with public transportation. I was never much one for wandering around aimlessly in this world. If I have a question, such as what aisle something is in a store, or where a certain place is located, for example, I pretty much ask the first person I see for assistance. Call it naïve, but I suppose I just expect the majority of people to at least be a little helpful, and usually I am right. Today was no exception. As soon as I got to the station I walked over to a woman standing alone, looking fairly approachable. She definitely was. And a talker too. Nancy was a lifesaver today. She taught me about what rides to take, what to avoid, schedules, all sorts of things. And by the end of our journey I also knew routes to take for good hiking, camping, and amazing views. I never got a chance to read the book I had planned, but she was more resourceful than most knowledge one could gain by reading. I am hoping to meet up with her in our future travels.

Following my practice run to the jobsite, I stopped by a coffee shop and enjoyed banana bread on the patio. My solo trip back home was successful too – thankfully. I then spent my two weeks wages on apartment supplies. So no worries. I now own a pasta spoon, light bulbs, a shelving unit, and a paper shredder, among a thousand other items. Should be set. Ha.

After all of my purchases were put in place (sort-of) I laid out in the sun. It felt strange to finally have my own pool, and not be trespassing on the neighboring apartment complex’s swimming hole. Oops. We never used to do that. Err… only got caught once.

My big Friday night plans consisted of cozy visit to Blockbuster. Three rentals for $9.99. Oh please, oh please, I need to make friends quick! I couldn’t wait to dive into my popcorn – as pathetic as it is, I had actually waited all day to relax with a bowl and watch a movie on my 8” big screen. And then I had a devastating realization. No microwave. How can an apartment have no microwave?! *#@&^$%!!!

A stay-in movie is just not the same with a cold bowl of cereal.

P.S. I found my first shortcut today. Yes, I was/am ecstatic.

day one...

It is always key to pack certain things when moving. Such as toilet paper. One roll is all you need, but obviously a crucial component to remember. I however did not. Which leads me to mistake number two. Trash bags. Do not forget those either. Kind of a pain as well. Other than that you are pretty much good to go.

on the road...

I am moving. Tomorrow. AAAAAuuuuuuuugh! And in exactly four minutes I will be disabling my computer temporarily, which will be a trying time. I have no idea when my items will be delivered to my new home, so for a week or two I will be living with a 13" t.v., an air mattress and three folding chairs. That is honestly basically it. So bear with me as I give this relocating thing a try. It should get interesting.

see you again soon...

My grandpa died two days ago. He battled stomach cancer for almost a year, and I am so proud of him. He is the first grandparent I have lost, so I suppose that makes me pretty lucky - I have had the chance to make many memories of him, grandma, and the farm. Of course I think my grandpa is amazing. First and foremost he has six daughters. Six! No boys. One bathroom. You do the math. School mornings could not have been pleasant around that house. Yikes. My mom is the oldest, so she had to do "boy" things like drive a tractor to help out. She said she only fell asleep at a few times. Oh, how his patience must have been tested raising all those girls with grandma.

There are a few things that come to mind most when thinking of grandpa. He loved, loved Pepsi. I remember bottles and bottles and cans packed into the fridge in the shop. But he never drank it straight from the can. He liked it ice cold, poured into a glass. Even as he got older and the doctors suggested cutting back on sugar, he stuck by Pepsi like a best friend. I remember making him a glass, with added water (at his request) to weaken it a little. Man, that was dedication.

The other thing I remember, and will miss the most was his jokes, and the way he laughed at a good story. Grandpa always had a blonde joke for me and the other blonde grandkids. He delivered mail up until the cancer set-in (talk about a hard worker) and the people along his route always passed on the good jokes to him. He would tell it to all of our eager ears, and I never heard the same one twice. My uncles always had jokes for him too, that he could pass along. And when he got tickled he would laugh out loud, with his hand on his over his eyes, and shaking his head back in forth. That's when you know you told a good one. I know I will miss that.

Some of the favorite childhood memories I have are out on the farm. All of his girls grew up and had babies, leaving nineteen grandchildren for grandpa and grandma to spoil. And did they ever. Maybe not the way some grandparents do, with lavish gifts and such, but I thought it was even better than that. Every summer we got to go on a week visit with three or four other cousins. We played in the tree rows for hours upon hours. Built forts, booby traps, hideaways, and escape paths. That farm was a little piece of heaven for our make-believe days. Of course grandpa did not appreciate us using the tree-clippers to chop down branches that were in our way, or to clear a bigger path for our crazy imaginations, but he forgave us. Eventually.

At night we would settle in for movies with the lights off, all cozied up on blankets and draped over couches, anywhere you could find a seat. Then grandma would bring out a big bowl of ice cream or Doritos or popcorn, and grandpa would cut apple "O's" for us to munch on during the show. I don't think I ever really enjoyed the movies we watched, but that never seemed to matter, because we were all so content sitting together.

We, the older ones, continued those farm trips clear up to high school. The little ones still visit. I hope they have as much fun as we always did. And got into as much trouble. There are so many stories I would love to share about him and the time on the farm. I think of them and can't help grinning. I will remember them forever. We all will.

I know grandpa was ready to go. He wasn't used to being trapped to a bed when there was work to be done. And although I will miss him terribly, we all will, I am so happy he no longer has to work or worry, about how to make ends meet, or if the crops were going to get hailed out again this year. I hope he knows how much he is loved. And that he will never be forgotten.

I love you grandpa.

ka-BOOM...

We celebrated the Fourth of July at Clint's hometown. It's small town living at its finest, and I love visiting - not to mention his parents spoil us like crazy. I happen to be a huge fan of the red, white, and blue holiday. Of course I enjoy the huge displays and fancy shows, but most of all I can't ever hardly wait to light them myself. Call me a kid but going through the rinky-dink fireworks stand and picking out my favorites to shoot off later makes me pretty darn excited. At first I thought this was probably because it's one of the few times I feel really young again, but then I remembered I also continue to hunt for Easter eggs, dress up on Halloween, wake up early for Santa's deliveries on Christmas Day, umm... so I'm a kid at heart. There are very fond memories of my dad, brother and I spending an hour finding the best bargains we could come up with. Roman candles, saturn missiles, parachute men, worms, and smoke bombs frequently found their way into our shopping bag. Oh what we do for entertainment. Of course Clint easily got into the 4th spirit as well - we went to the fireworks stand with all the cash we had and happily returned home with $10 worth of goodies. As you can tell by the photo - I'm pretty darn happy to show off our purchases...
In our family we always seem to purchase a dud. Of course most people typically experience dud fireworks, but ours are consistently the ones we have the most expectations for. A huge firing army tank, spitting turtle, speeding sports car, you know the type. We have our hopes up for a great finale, only to be let down by a sputtering flame of disappointment. Well this year Clint's keen eye caught our future dud. It was in the shape and resemblance of a Budweiser bottle, and we just had to have it, failure or not (which I knew it would be). After all of our other fireworks had been lit and extinguished, and our show nearing its end, Clint proudly brought out the beer bottle, hoping for the best. Amazingly enough, it turned out to be the best one we had - a crazy sparkling fountain - at least his mom oohed and ahhed for us, and that may just be what I needed to change my mind about those darn flashy duds.
The next day we lounged around, the boys played golf, his mom and I grabbed a cappucino and chatted, etc. - just general relaxation. It was pretty muggy outside but we needed a break from the indoors, so Clint and his dad rigged up a very interesting version of Polish horseshoes. Although it is generally used as a college drinking game, we knew his parents would have a good time learning - and that we did. Three games later we were worn out and ready to head back in. I am embarrassed to say I was the biggest loser that day - the only one who lost every single game. Humbug. Must have just been bad luck :)

dippity-doo...

Why I ever convinced myself that the exercise of walking home from the bars justified eating a whole jar of queso around the table with my roomies at 2AM... I have no idea. And regret it terribly.

mi casa...

After many painful hours of searching, I have finally found a new place to call home. So everyone make plans to visit. Well not quite yet. But soon. I love company!

06.15.06...

It's a beautiful, wonderful, amazing day. And I feel like I might burst if I couldn't shout that to the mountaintops. So I will tell it to my blog instead. And hope that everyone understands.

dictionary...

change (chnj)
v. changed, chang·ing, chang·es

1. To cause to be different
2. To become different or undergo alteration
3. To undergo transformation or transition
4. To go from one phase to another
5. Something different; variety

So many definitions. But no explanations; no advice on understanding it, accepting it, challenging it. I suppose you just stumble along, often without even realizing the changes that occur. Under the surface. Out of your reach. Out of your control. And eventually, maybe, you find what you have always been looking for. In yourself. In others. And in your life.

home...

postsecret.blogspot.com

moo...

Work has been a little monotonous lately. Summertime brings slow time and I have not gotten to run any superviser shifts because a few crew people are training to advance and need the practice. But anyway, I get actual breaks when working the line, so I suppose that's a perk, instead of running around and grabbing a bite at 9PM or something. I try to bring in fruit on a daily basis, first of all because I always need a little sweet something after eating salty food, but secondly because I'd like to think I am being healthy. We all know how it feels now that swimsuit season has rolled around and we must battle the bulge. Yep, you know exactly what I mean. Okay, eveyone except those naturally skinny girls that don't even have to exercise to stay thin, and they just don't count.

In order to combat my additional winter layering, I occasionally bring cereal to work. I just bought a little squeeze bottle at Target that holds the perfect amount of milk and I could not wait to use it tonight. I know, it's the little things that keep me going. Finally break time rolled around and I got everything ready to go. I learned fairly quickly that my "squeeze" bottle does not exactly "squeeze." It is actually very stiff and awkward. I squeezed and then it squeezed - cold skim milk ALL over me and the desk. It just sprayed out every which way, except the bowl of course. My pants, white shirt (I was informed my bra color become easily obvious - bleh), neck, face - soaked in milk. It finally dried. And when it did I smelled ferocious. Mmmmm... burrito anyone?

lights out...

You never really know when an adventure may be forced upon you, as one was last night for the ladies of the MC. It was a typical evening. I had just awoken from a nap, Meggie was watching "The Hills" downstairs, Anna was showering, etc. My rumbling tummy was in need of dinner, so I headed to the kitchen to grill the tilapia I had been defrosting. That baby was pretty thin so it wasn't taking long in the ol' Foreman, but just as I was getting ready to lemon-pepper it, our electricity flickered out. Well, sort-of. After the popping noise and darkness, most things came alive, but only halfway. The lights were on really dim, the television was fuzzy, my fish was burning but I couldn't see it, and none of the breakers were flipped. Wha..huh? Anna pulled out the mac-daddy flashlight so I could season my food and we could see in general. Megs let out a yelp because she could hardly see her show, and Sarah, a new sub-leaser we have staying with us, came downstairs looking very confused. As were we.

We all transferred to the other Maygan's room (she wasn't home) because she got the best t.v. reception and attempted to watch the rest of the show. And then everything went out. Except the bathroom lights. We were stumped. There was no thunderstorm or strange thing going on outside, no explanation. Ten minutes went by and things started coming on - back to halfspeed again. We called the electric company. They paid us and our transformer a visit.

Apparently half of the transformer had turned off, which makes since considering the circumstances. That whole ordeal took over an hour, but little did we know there was more creepiness to come.

With all of our electronics working again, we decided to rent a movie. Back at the house the four of us sprawled comfortably around the living room and watched "RENT". For about fifteen minutes. When our smoke detectors decided to go off. And when one goes they all go. I swear I have never heard more shrill alarms in my life. It is difficult to even function when those things are shrieking! They went on for ten seconds. Off for ten seconds. On for ten seconds. Off. On. Off. On. We searched the house and found no smoke, no sign of fire or trouble. Then we all freaked out that we were getting carbon monoxide poisoning and figured that was why they were going off. With no explanations, and no way off shutting the damn things off, we called our landlord at 11:30pm. Long story short, he said it was probably a wiring issue that got messed up with the electricity escapade, and no, they were not CO detectors too, and we should be fine, he'll have someone out first thing in the morning. They kept going off. And on. And off. Not exactly pleasant sleeping conditions. And I think poor Sarah was reconsidering living in our spooky house much longer.

Still remaining slightly skeptical and also worried for our lives, we made a unanimous decision to sleep on the deck that night. Hopefully that way we could not be poisoned, and if the house started on fire, we could surely jump. So the four of us braved the spiders and squawking crows, curled up in sleeping bags and blankets and slept outside.

I am sure it was quite a scene, but at least we lived to tell about it.

posted...

I wanted to post today. But then decided I really didn't want an entry with today's date. Call me crazy. So maybe I will post tomorrow. And then again, maybe I won't.

Don't worry, I changed the entry date manually to yesterday. Ha. You really did think I was crazy didn't you?

sweet caroline...

Sometimes there is nothing better for a broken spirit than an evening out and Tuesdays with Chappy. Chappy is a plump older man, probably is his sixties, with a delightful array of tunes he strums on his guitar while serenading a crowd of halfway interested college something or others. One lesson recently learned about such a night: if you do not have a large group to associate with, do not sit as two women, simply out for an enjoyable night. You may be hit on, and it may be even a little less than complimentary. Especially when you realize they sell magazines door to door and cannot wait to have another notch on their bedpost (as if it weren't blatantly obvious before). Yech. And Anna and I were in the middle of such a wonderful talk. That is until "crooked teeth, I am so smooth" boy told me I dropped something. Confused I said "what?". He said, "your smile." Oh dang, that was a good one. Pickup lines like that win me over every single time. I am such a sucker. Wait. Um, Anna I think we should leave now. As in immediately. Oh what's that, you have already finished your drink? Thanks boys but we have to run. Man, Chappy I miss you already, but don't worry we'll come back next week. And hopefully they won't.

But it was a good talk. Good talk Bonanas, good talk.

peep show...

Note to self: Knee length skirts on 50mph windy days work great for full frontal exposure at outdoor wedding receptions.

No kidding. It was so gusty on Saturday that once the skirt went up, I could not get it down. Apparently it needed to momentarily defy gravity. And at first I was thinking, phew, it is only family. Until a woman from the in-law side introduced herself and said don't worry, her son enjoyed the view. It was at that point that my cheeks turned a healthy crimson and I immediately disappeared into a hole in the ground.

Next time I will be checking the weather. And wearing pants. In fact, I may just wear pants forever.

banana boat...

With all honesty I finally get to say I have been too @#*%)! busy to update my life. Especially for those of you I never get to call... this blog lifeline has not been very supportive of you lately and I apologize.

For starters - summer is here! Yay! Even though it feels like I have not stopped running since I had the pseudo diploma in hand (which was amazing by the way) I would take a hectic summer over a crazy school year anyday. Okay, who wouldn't, but nonetheless, it has been nice. Clint and I took a roadtrip up to KC this past weekend to do some shopping and BBQing, and then headed to Lake of the Ozarks for a mini-vacation. One of his friends owns a lakeside condo, so I guess you could say we weren't exactly roughing it. Breakfast at noon, boat around all day, lazy river (yes, their resort had one of those too), etc. Perhaps coming from a small town has not prepared me for the luxury of this lake, but holy toledos. There were million dollar homes scattered on the shore every which way the eye could see. Personal docks with yachts, speed boats, and five Seadoos attached were the norm. Um... and I thought my parents 15 footer was nice. Ha.

The trip was wonderfully relaxing, well, until the end. The end when I discovered I have motion sickness when traveling 60mph around curves and hills galore. The type of hills that your stomach stays at the top and your heart sinks for a few seconds. What happened to the daredevil rollercoasters of my youth? Crap I am getting old. Twenty-two going on sixty. Not that sixty year olds are... well... old, but you don't see many at theme parks. Anyway, we pulled over at a gas station until my head stopped spinning and my stomach decided to hang onto its breakfast. I doped up on some Dramamine and we headed onward. Of course the meds didn't really take effect until long after we were out of the winding roads, but it was comforting never the less. The drowsying effect was also useful to blame me oversleeping work the next morning. Oops... But we made it, and have better tans (my skin is still probably partially see-through) to prove it.

Side note, it is thundering and storming like a mother trucker outside right now. Dang.

I guess that's all I will live to tell about for now. I have an early morning, which, followed by a late work night, are not usually very pleasant to wake up for. So sleep tight everyone, and sit tight as well. I will be back soon.

Oh! And I posted a few pics at the lake. Check it out.

Apparently our condos were the place to be on the lake this summer. Don't take my word for it, the sign says it so it must be true.
Our wonderful captains and tour guides.
My first bar on a lake experience. Hey, I am used to redneck lake trips - cabins, wakeboards, and hotdogs. This million dollar lake was a whole new thing for me.

chapter2...

I graduate tomorrow. From college. The day that seemed forever and ever away. Four years can sneak up on a person pretty quick. So I will finally have a degree. And a chance at that big job, a real career. But all I can think about is everything I am leaving behind. It's so easy to see why adults talk about the college years with glazed over eyes. They remember what it was like, what they left behind. You meet your best friends, get away with hell on earth, and somehow survive to tell the story. Well, at least the parts you can remember.

So for a day that is such a wonderful celebration, it wraps up a period that most of us aren't quite ready to let go of. The family I forged from six amazing girls, all of which impacted me in their own little way, more than I could ever express or thank them in words. Molding a wide variety of personalities into one little house, and sticking together for better or worse, because hey, that's all you have. It's your friends who party like rockstars with you at fraternity parties (until you realize that they are really not cool), your friends who take your temperature and put a cold cloth on your forehead when you're too sick to move, your friends that turn a staircase into a gigantic mountain that must be conquered with a sled, and your friends that let you bawl your eyes out and curse the crazy bastard who broke your heart again, even when they saw it coming all along. They let you steal their groceries. Give you rides when there's no way you will ever make it to class on time. Buy you matching tube socks, with stripes. Pick you up at 3am with a smile on their face. Put off their homework when you need to talk. Give pick-me-off-the-ground hugs that brighten your whole day. Dance to 80's music without reservation. That's what friends do.

And then you have to leave them. And grow up. But I am not ready. I'm not ready to leave that behind.

Anna, Bridget, Liz, Maygan, Megan, and Shawndra. Thank you for you. And thank you for putting up with me. I couldn't ask for better roommates or friends. May the memories of the BR and MC live on forever :)

zowie!!!...

Tuesday morning I awoke after the seventh alarm and clawed my way over to my dresser to shut it off. And then I realized I could not move my head. It was stuck in a downward and to the right kind of way. And the second I attempted movement my neck screamed otherwise. I could barely walk, I definitely could not lay down. In fact, I could hardly hold still enough for it not to zing me with pain. Always a procrastinator, I still had a paper to finish that morning before class. Dang. I finished it up with little head movement, as typing is, obviously a fairly low contact sport. But my morning had just begun. I scheduled a massage immediately, but doubted they could help something so severe. My head would not have even been able to lay properly on the head rest. Getting dressed was basically out of the question. Okay, I suppose I'll wear sweats today, and just forget the desperately desired shower I had planned on taking. Bridge put my hair in a ponytail, and I attempted mascara, also a lost cause. I was still going to try to go to class, but after realizing how far I would have to walk I would have been late anyway, and probably not even be able to see the projection screen as messed up as my neck was. So I skipped. Yippee!

Anyway, I talked my mom into letting me see a chiropractor (finally!). Since about July or August I have had a chronic neck pinch that comes and goes in severity. But because my family is a bit of a critic when it comes to such doctors, I have had to settle for massages (okay, I'm not complaining) but the problem has never gone away. And this day was above and beyond ridiculous.

Still in my kinked position I drove five blocks down to a recommended chiropractor, thanks to Bridge, who was generous enough to squeeze me in for an appointment. I did not know what to expect, hearing mixed reviews and outcomes of various treatments. But my doctor was wonderful. And understanding of my situation. I think he felt sorry for me. Heck, I felt sorry for me. The first thing he asked was if I slept with the fan on the night before. I had, but saw no relevance to the current situation. "What about your window," he asked. Yep that was open too. And he said that was what probably did it. Huh? Umm... am I missing something here doc?

Apparently it got pretty cold in my room (the temp had dropped a lot), because I woke up freezing, and my entire body was most likely very tense during the majority of my sleep trying to keep warm. Therefore my shoulders were scrunched into my neck all night. And the strange thing is I'm pretty sure he was right. Who'd have thought. All this pain could have been avoided by shutting a window four inches. Are you kidding me?!

He finally got me loosened up - not all the way but enough to let me face straight ahead. And then I was hooked up to those little electric pulsating thingies, which I am not sure I'm a believer in yet. Only time will tell.

Moral of this story? Well, there really isn't one. But if you wake up one morning cursing about the pain and your lack of movement, don't say I didn't warn you. Keep those windows shut!

Oh - and on a completely different note, I wanted to thank thank thank Brian and Ashley for visiting during the spring game festivities. It was so good to see you and I can't wait for the wedding! Bring on the foxtrot. : )