Todays assignment was to grab an old photo album, pick out the 14th picture, look at it for 2-3 minutes and write how this picture made you feel. Critiques welcome :) Enjoy!
The blue eyed, blonde haired girl about two years old is sitting on a braided wool rug in the living room at her Grammies house. One of the straps on her blue plaid sundress has fallen off of her tiny shoulder, her hair is in disarray and one of her little white socks is falling off. This child couldn’t care less, she is all smiles as she empties the contents of her Barbie pink play purse onto the rug with excitement.
Seeing this picture of my daughter at two years old (I was twenty-two) having not a care in the world brings many an emotion. Where did the time go? I hear people say, “It seems like just yesterday...(fill in the blank)” but to me, this picture, my daughter at two years old, seems like an eternity ago.
I also hear many people say, “When I think about my almost grown child, I feel so old!” To me, this picture, my daughter at two years old, does not make me feel old. I still wonder where did the time go? How did it go by so fast? I would not trade our lives for anything but I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss how easy it was to make her as happy as she was the day she was at her Grammies house cluttering the floor with her treasures.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Creative writing exercise #1
I love to write and am finding it difficult to do so because there are so many things rumbling around in my mind. Having my mind cluttered with day to day "stuff" I am looking for some writing discipline. Google led me to creativewritingprompts.com so I am going to give these a shot! The 1st prompt was for me to pick an object the room, close my eyes, think about it, open my eyes and write about the object without looking at it. So, I cheated. I was outside and I chose a planter to write about but I looked at it the whole time. Enjoy! :)
Atop a wrought iron table sits an old bowl made of metal, looking similar to an old military helmet. Through the rust you can see this bowl had been painted long ago in a vibrant sky blue. He found the bowl on an adventure in the arid deserts of Arizona and it is apparent some young fire arm enthusiast used this bowl for target shooting. The bullet holes that riddle the bowl are more rusted than any other part of the bowl creating a wonderful outlaw rustic look. When he found this bowl he knew exactly what he would use it for and now the bowl, atop a wrought iron table houses a wonderful bouquet of rosemary he can use in the creative dishes he makes for his family.
Atop a wrought iron table sits an old bowl made of metal, looking similar to an old military helmet. Through the rust you can see this bowl had been painted long ago in a vibrant sky blue. He found the bowl on an adventure in the arid deserts of Arizona and it is apparent some young fire arm enthusiast used this bowl for target shooting. The bullet holes that riddle the bowl are more rusted than any other part of the bowl creating a wonderful outlaw rustic look. When he found this bowl he knew exactly what he would use it for and now the bowl, atop a wrought iron table houses a wonderful bouquet of rosemary he can use in the creative dishes he makes for his family.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Adventures to, in, around Europe and back! DAY 3
Since we were staying Sunday and Monday at Hotel Nord in Besancon, France we did not have to wake up and rush to get out by check out time. We woke up at noon, showered and walked the town for a bit but not too long because it was Sunday and the shops were all closed. We headed up to Max's flat, he was out with his girlfriend (Julie) for the day at some friends house but was nice enough to allow us to hang out at his place and wait for him. Craig, Nicole and Wyatt spent the downtime napping, Jason did some book keeping and journal writing and I sat in a chair in the kitchen with the window open enjoying the French afternoon breeze eating cheese and bread. max's flat is roughly five stories from the bottom and it over looks a cobblestone courtyard covered with patches of moss here and there. The sky was so blue that day with the whitest puffiest clouds you can imagine and off to the right sits a church top with beautiful mosaic turquoise tiles and some terracotta looking to contrast. When we first arrived in France I noticed that every second home or apartment (aka flat) had a window of which a person was peering out of. At that moment I realized why, I was so relaxed in absorbing the outside beauty from the comfort of "my" space, I could have sat there all day.
Max and Julie came home around five and Julie cooked up an amazing dinner consisting of escargot, yep..snails, frog legs, cheese, wine and brochette with pesto and garlic on top. Absolutely amazing. Escargot is certainly not for everyone but I, for one, love me some snail!! I had only had escargot one other time before at a restaurant back home and it was served in a mushroom cap covered in garlic butter and I loved it. I was a little put off, yet still pretty confident I would like them, because the escargot was served...still in the shell and we had to take a toothpick and dig the snail out. It was delicious. On to the frog legs, I had never had had frog legs before and had been told by many, "They taste just like chicken". Not the case, to me they tasted more like fish. It wasn't bad, the texture was a little slimy but that did not stop me from eating six of them!! I don't think I need to elaborate on the cheese, wine and bread. It's France, enough said.
After dinner, Max and Julie took us on a tour of the city, we walked maybe five miles looking at all of the history. The highlight of the tour was a stop we made atop a hill that overlooked the entire city which is surrounded by a canal (somewhat like a mote) on the outside of the canal are a range of mountains, which if a circle had sides, each side had a fortress which over looked the city and protected it during ancient times of war. I am fascinated with history and to have that access to the history of that city was such a great experience, you can feel it in the air and see it on the moss covered cobble stone roads and walls. This is nothing you can learn in a classroom.
The walk back to the hotel was easy and the weather was perfect, we called it an "early" night and said au revoir to our friends Max and Julie until tomorrow.
Max and Julie came home around five and Julie cooked up an amazing dinner consisting of escargot, yep..snails, frog legs, cheese, wine and brochette with pesto and garlic on top. Absolutely amazing. Escargot is certainly not for everyone but I, for one, love me some snail!! I had only had escargot one other time before at a restaurant back home and it was served in a mushroom cap covered in garlic butter and I loved it. I was a little put off, yet still pretty confident I would like them, because the escargot was served...still in the shell and we had to take a toothpick and dig the snail out. It was delicious. On to the frog legs, I had never had had frog legs before and had been told by many, "They taste just like chicken". Not the case, to me they tasted more like fish. It wasn't bad, the texture was a little slimy but that did not stop me from eating six of them!! I don't think I need to elaborate on the cheese, wine and bread. It's France, enough said.
After dinner, Max and Julie took us on a tour of the city, we walked maybe five miles looking at all of the history. The highlight of the tour was a stop we made atop a hill that overlooked the entire city which is surrounded by a canal (somewhat like a mote) on the outside of the canal are a range of mountains, which if a circle had sides, each side had a fortress which over looked the city and protected it during ancient times of war. I am fascinated with history and to have that access to the history of that city was such a great experience, you can feel it in the air and see it on the moss covered cobble stone roads and walls. This is nothing you can learn in a classroom.
The walk back to the hotel was easy and the weather was perfect, we called it an "early" night and said au revoir to our friends Max and Julie until tomorrow.
Adventures to, in, around Europe and back! DAY 2
We woke up eleven A.M, showered and met everyone downstairs and headed to the tour managers (Max) home town of Besancon, France. The drive was about two hours and Max took us on a scenic route to avoid tolls and to give us a view of the countries rolling green hills filled with cows and horses grazing lazily and some amazing architecture.
We stopped by Max's friends house, Zombie (he told us his real name but I can't remember it). He lives with his parents in an quiet neighborhood with huge green yards (front and back). Zombies mom was tending to her garden and stopped for a moment for introductions, no english but she had a great smile and seemed genuinely happy to meet us.
After meeting Zombies mom, we toured the backyard enjoyed the peace and then headed to the front and hung out in the drive way. As we were all sitting around, talking and having some lager Zombies mom came and presented me with a bunch of Lily of the Valley Flowers (they look like tiny little white bells and smell so fresh!). I was told that May 1st is a holiday as a springtime celebration and women around the country a presented with bunches of Lily of the Valley flowers. Shortly after she brought a bunch out for Nicole as well and told us she made sure she gave us the roots so we could plant them in our yards and have them forever. She was so sweet to think of us and I wish customs would have let us take our plants home.
After our visit we got back on the road to get to the hotel for check in. The hotel was smack dab in the middle of town, surrounded by shops, cafe's, pubs and the architecture, wow. This town has some serious history, it's first recordings were reported by Julius Caeser and I believe was established as Besancon in the 11th century.
Parking the car to check in was an ordeal, I was driving and since the streets are so narrow the locals drive up on the curb and park on the sidewalk. I was not comfortable doing this so I woke Nicole up and made her do the parking job, I was not going to be responsible for popping a tire! After we were all checked in we met back downstairs to head up to Max's place but had to park the car somewhere because we couldn't leave it on the sidewalk. The drive up this hill to park was not bad but the walking down the hill to Max's flat brought us to the realization that we were going to have to walk back up that hill to get the car on 3 days later. At Max's flat, which was another five flights of tiny wooden spiral stairs, we relaxed, drank wine, had some cinnamon vodka and jager shots along with cheese, wine, smoked salmon and quiche. A couple of Max's friends came over and then we went out to a pub for a few hours. Thankfully, non of us had to drive because everything is in walking distance! We headed back to the hotel around two-thirty A.M. It was a long good night hanging out with the locals.
We stopped by Max's friends house, Zombie (he told us his real name but I can't remember it). He lives with his parents in an quiet neighborhood with huge green yards (front and back). Zombies mom was tending to her garden and stopped for a moment for introductions, no english but she had a great smile and seemed genuinely happy to meet us.
After meeting Zombies mom, we toured the backyard enjoyed the peace and then headed to the front and hung out in the drive way. As we were all sitting around, talking and having some lager Zombies mom came and presented me with a bunch of Lily of the Valley Flowers (they look like tiny little white bells and smell so fresh!). I was told that May 1st is a holiday as a springtime celebration and women around the country a presented with bunches of Lily of the Valley flowers. Shortly after she brought a bunch out for Nicole as well and told us she made sure she gave us the roots so we could plant them in our yards and have them forever. She was so sweet to think of us and I wish customs would have let us take our plants home.
After our visit we got back on the road to get to the hotel for check in. The hotel was smack dab in the middle of town, surrounded by shops, cafe's, pubs and the architecture, wow. This town has some serious history, it's first recordings were reported by Julius Caeser and I believe was established as Besancon in the 11th century.
Parking the car to check in was an ordeal, I was driving and since the streets are so narrow the locals drive up on the curb and park on the sidewalk. I was not comfortable doing this so I woke Nicole up and made her do the parking job, I was not going to be responsible for popping a tire! After we were all checked in we met back downstairs to head up to Max's place but had to park the car somewhere because we couldn't leave it on the sidewalk. The drive up this hill to park was not bad but the walking down the hill to Max's flat brought us to the realization that we were going to have to walk back up that hill to get the car on 3 days later. At Max's flat, which was another five flights of tiny wooden spiral stairs, we relaxed, drank wine, had some cinnamon vodka and jager shots along with cheese, wine, smoked salmon and quiche. A couple of Max's friends came over and then we went out to a pub for a few hours. Thankfully, non of us had to drive because everything is in walking distance! We headed back to the hotel around two-thirty A.M. It was a long good night hanging out with the locals.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Adventures to, in, around Europe and back! DAY 1
I cannot promise this will be an easy read. I have no idea, no rules in mind for the way this story will be told so beware and proceed with caution, it may be a long one!
Wednesday April 27, 2010
Nerves are high as I prepare for a trip thousands and thousand of miles from home. On one hand I want so badly to go travel the world with my husband but on the other hand I don't want to leave my daughter and our dogs! Needless to say I was feeling a little torn. I left work early to get things done around the house and pack. Kiah had her debut dance performance at the high school that night so I was glad I was able to see her perform! After the show, I picked Nicole up at 10:30 p.m - we came back to my house and I started to pack and of course during that process we both thought of some last minute things we should get so we took a trip to Wal-Mart (only place open at midnight).Nicole and I came up with the great idea of staying awake all night so we could get accustomed to the nine hour time difference (in the end I do believe that was a great idea but at that time man were we tired!) There are a few hours in there of which I don't even remember due to lack of sleep but no worries, I'm sure you didn't miss out on anything too exciting. Nicoles dad picked us up at my house at 0420 and took our happy, sleepy asses to the airport. Traffic was horrible and the airport was ridiculously busy for such an early hour. The line for baggage check in was insane, we get in line and poor Nicole is toting around a 30lb piece of luggage which contained CD's and vinyl records for Hogjaw to sell so I thought I'd check to see what we could do about getting that bad boy checked outside. Success! Off we go to our gate. At first they said our flight was delayed an hour because they were waiting for a part to arrive from LAX, well the part got there and installed so we were only about 20 minutes delayed. I think I slept on the flight to Atlanta but I can't remember. Atlanta to Stuttgart, Germany was uneventful, smooth flying! I know I slept on that flight, uncomfortably so but sleep it was! We arrived in Germany at 0900 on Friday morning, our luggage came out and we headed to the rental car booth. All went smooth with that as well, so far we were pretty happy with how things were going. The car was adorable and hooray for manual transmissions, fun..fun..fun! I had printed the directions from the airport to the club Hogjaw would be playing at that night so Nicole drove and I navigated. The people in Germany drive just like the people in California, maybe a little faster. Everyone has a Mercedes and if you see a Mercedes emblem in your rear view mirror...get out of the way...quickly! They are not afraid to hook themselves to your bumper and roll down the highway. The drive from Germany to Ensisheim, France was a little over two hours with a few stops here and there but it wnet by quickly as we both absorbed the scenery. Coming in from the desert with nothing but dirt, it was a humbling experience to see lush green hills with buildings older than our state.
As we arrived to Ensisheim, I let Jason know we were in town but they were still a good five hours away, they were driving from Belgium. Nicole and I happened upon the club, parked the car, went inside to meet the owner, a lady probably in her seventies, who spoke no English. The language barrier was difficult but we managed to introduce ourselves and find the restroom. We had a few hours to kill so being the amateur photographers we are, we walked the streets of Ensisheim and took pictures of amazing architecture and landscapes. We sat at a cafe and sipped espresso, I learned how to say "the key" in French, "La cles" - I needed the key for "les toilettes". We walked back to the car, that was parked at the club, and took a nap in it for about 30 minutes. Changed our clothes in the car and went inside to eat, have a drink and wait for the guys. About 20 minutes go by and I look out the front door from where I was sitting and see a big blue Mercedes Sprint van!! They were finally there!! Big greeting hugs and kisses all around, it was so good to see those stinky travelling fools! We let them get the equipment out of the van and set up and ready for sound check..one problem..no one could find Jasons drum sticks! I went to the bartender (the son of the owner) asked him if there was a music store around, we needed drum sticks. Sure there was a music store but it closed 15 minutes ago but it just so happend that he was also a drummer and said it would be no problem for Jason to use his sticks, yeah! The show will go on! The rest of the night consisted in a good group of people, great music and lots of drinks. There was one little thing that made me a little nervous. Damon, AKA Elvis DD, had a couple of friends from Germany come out to see the show and he decided since the band had the next three days off, he was going to head to Switzerland with them and meet back up with us on Monday.
Wednesday April 27, 2010
Nerves are high as I prepare for a trip thousands and thousand of miles from home. On one hand I want so badly to go travel the world with my husband but on the other hand I don't want to leave my daughter and our dogs! Needless to say I was feeling a little torn. I left work early to get things done around the house and pack. Kiah had her debut dance performance at the high school that night so I was glad I was able to see her perform! After the show, I picked Nicole up at 10:30 p.m - we came back to my house and I started to pack and of course during that process we both thought of some last minute things we should get so we took a trip to Wal-Mart (only place open at midnight).Nicole and I came up with the great idea of staying awake all night so we could get accustomed to the nine hour time difference (in the end I do believe that was a great idea but at that time man were we tired!) There are a few hours in there of which I don't even remember due to lack of sleep but no worries, I'm sure you didn't miss out on anything too exciting. Nicoles dad picked us up at my house at 0420 and took our happy, sleepy asses to the airport. Traffic was horrible and the airport was ridiculously busy for such an early hour. The line for baggage check in was insane, we get in line and poor Nicole is toting around a 30lb piece of luggage which contained CD's and vinyl records for Hogjaw to sell so I thought I'd check to see what we could do about getting that bad boy checked outside. Success! Off we go to our gate. At first they said our flight was delayed an hour because they were waiting for a part to arrive from LAX, well the part got there and installed so we were only about 20 minutes delayed. I think I slept on the flight to Atlanta but I can't remember. Atlanta to Stuttgart, Germany was uneventful, smooth flying! I know I slept on that flight, uncomfortably so but sleep it was! We arrived in Germany at 0900 on Friday morning, our luggage came out and we headed to the rental car booth. All went smooth with that as well, so far we were pretty happy with how things were going. The car was adorable and hooray for manual transmissions, fun..fun..fun! I had printed the directions from the airport to the club Hogjaw would be playing at that night so Nicole drove and I navigated. The people in Germany drive just like the people in California, maybe a little faster. Everyone has a Mercedes and if you see a Mercedes emblem in your rear view mirror...get out of the way...quickly! They are not afraid to hook themselves to your bumper and roll down the highway. The drive from Germany to Ensisheim, France was a little over two hours with a few stops here and there but it wnet by quickly as we both absorbed the scenery. Coming in from the desert with nothing but dirt, it was a humbling experience to see lush green hills with buildings older than our state.
As we arrived to Ensisheim, I let Jason know we were in town but they were still a good five hours away, they were driving from Belgium. Nicole and I happened upon the club, parked the car, went inside to meet the owner, a lady probably in her seventies, who spoke no English. The language barrier was difficult but we managed to introduce ourselves and find the restroom. We had a few hours to kill so being the amateur photographers we are, we walked the streets of Ensisheim and took pictures of amazing architecture and landscapes. We sat at a cafe and sipped espresso, I learned how to say "the key" in French, "La cles" - I needed the key for "les toilettes". We walked back to the car, that was parked at the club, and took a nap in it for about 30 minutes. Changed our clothes in the car and went inside to eat, have a drink and wait for the guys. About 20 minutes go by and I look out the front door from where I was sitting and see a big blue Mercedes Sprint van!! They were finally there!! Big greeting hugs and kisses all around, it was so good to see those stinky travelling fools! We let them get the equipment out of the van and set up and ready for sound check..one problem..no one could find Jasons drum sticks! I went to the bartender (the son of the owner) asked him if there was a music store around, we needed drum sticks. Sure there was a music store but it closed 15 minutes ago but it just so happend that he was also a drummer and said it would be no problem for Jason to use his sticks, yeah! The show will go on! The rest of the night consisted in a good group of people, great music and lots of drinks. There was one little thing that made me a little nervous. Damon, AKA Elvis DD, had a couple of friends from Germany come out to see the show and he decided since the band had the next three days off, he was going to head to Switzerland with them and meet back up with us on Monday.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Interesting
Some of you may think I am a complete quack after reading this blog and some of you have already come to that conclusion long ago.
April 20th was when Jason and the rest of the Hogjaw crew flew overseas to start an amazing adventure of which I will be taking part of in the next few days. Most of you know, from previous posts, I have a hard time sleeping as it is, add Jason being overseas to the mix and now I really feel like I'm missing out on something. In the end, I am missing out on some good rest!
I stay awake until my eyes will no longer stay open, usually around midnight or one A.M.
The first night of my late night sleep was interrupted at two-twenty five A.M - dogs barking like crazy. I get up and head to bed (I fall asleep on the couch watching mindless television) after shushing the mutts, sleep until six in the morning and go about my daily duties. The next night, same thing...same time..dogs barking, I shush them and head to bed, sleep until six in the morning and go about my daily duties, tiredly.
At a friends house, while talking about it, I came to the conclusion....my dad has been checking in on Kiah and I since Jason left. It is neat to think about and certainly makes me feel good to know that even in his after life he is watching and concerned but I am so tired!!
When I got home last night, before I fell asleep, I told dad that although I love the idea of his being here, I need him to come at a decent hour because I need some sleep, six a.m would be preferable because that's what time I am supposed to wake up. I fell asleep around one a.m., two-twenty five rolls around and I am still fast asleep! Obviously, I was not awake to think "Sweet, he listened!" If I was awake I am sure that's what I would have said!! Three-seventeen....dogs are barking..I head to bed and so the story continues.
I am not sure what to expect tonight but I have another theory. Those of you who have met my dogs know that most people who come to visit are not welcomed with happy come into our home yips until the fourth time you've come to my house. With that said, the mutts didn't get a chance to meet dad, he has (or so I believe) been here three times, tonight will be the fourth. If there is barking, maybe the mutts will never get used to the other worldly spirit that is now my dad. If there is no barking, maybe the mutts have accepted him OR maybe dad is confident Kiah and I are O.K.
Either way, it's been an interesting few days without the man of the house!!
April 20th was when Jason and the rest of the Hogjaw crew flew overseas to start an amazing adventure of which I will be taking part of in the next few days. Most of you know, from previous posts, I have a hard time sleeping as it is, add Jason being overseas to the mix and now I really feel like I'm missing out on something. In the end, I am missing out on some good rest!
I stay awake until my eyes will no longer stay open, usually around midnight or one A.M.
The first night of my late night sleep was interrupted at two-twenty five A.M - dogs barking like crazy. I get up and head to bed (I fall asleep on the couch watching mindless television) after shushing the mutts, sleep until six in the morning and go about my daily duties. The next night, same thing...same time..dogs barking, I shush them and head to bed, sleep until six in the morning and go about my daily duties, tiredly.
At a friends house, while talking about it, I came to the conclusion....my dad has been checking in on Kiah and I since Jason left. It is neat to think about and certainly makes me feel good to know that even in his after life he is watching and concerned but I am so tired!!
When I got home last night, before I fell asleep, I told dad that although I love the idea of his being here, I need him to come at a decent hour because I need some sleep, six a.m would be preferable because that's what time I am supposed to wake up. I fell asleep around one a.m., two-twenty five rolls around and I am still fast asleep! Obviously, I was not awake to think "Sweet, he listened!" If I was awake I am sure that's what I would have said!! Three-seventeen....dogs are barking..I head to bed and so the story continues.
I am not sure what to expect tonight but I have another theory. Those of you who have met my dogs know that most people who come to visit are not welcomed with happy come into our home yips until the fourth time you've come to my house. With that said, the mutts didn't get a chance to meet dad, he has (or so I believe) been here three times, tonight will be the fourth. If there is barking, maybe the mutts will never get used to the other worldly spirit that is now my dad. If there is no barking, maybe the mutts have accepted him OR maybe dad is confident Kiah and I are O.K.
Either way, it's been an interesting few days without the man of the house!!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday morning
It was a good weekend. Friday Jason and I, with a couple of friends, went to the Blooze Bar to support our local music scene. Being at out, in a club, with Jason on a night he was not playing? It felt a little odd, nice, but odd. I wasn't at the merchandise booth, I wasn't taking pictures, I wasn't sober and Jason was able to hang out with me. The music was OK, I had seen them play once before and have never been a fan of the singers style. She has a great voice, but she over uses the greatness which makes her seem desperate. This time, I was not as annoyed. Maybe it was the two seven and sevens that it easier for me but I am pretty sure, she might be taming herself. All in all it was a good night.
Saturday morning was spent couch surfing, watching the History Channel. One of my favorite channels. Around 10AM I decided I was going to make eggs, bacon, toast and coffee for breakfast.
Singing random songs that pop into my head dancing around the kitchen while the bacon is sizzling I realize!!!! OH NO!! It's 10:15 in the morning, we have a birthday party to go to that starts at 11AM!! 45 minutes, to eat breakfast, shower, change, go to the store to buy a gift (because that's how I do) pick out a card and get to the party.
I think to myself, forget the shower and ran upstairs to change quickly, brush the teeth, kiss Jason see ya later and tell him "I'll be back in 30, we're gonna be late to the party." Which, everyone knows, is typical fashion for Kristi.
I head out to shop for the 6 and 4 year old little girls, yes, it was a birthday party for two sweet little girls. Which was also part of my mental justification for being late, kid parties never start on time.
I went to Barnes and Noble and was so proud of myself! This is one of my favorite stores and I could piddle around there for days BUT I was on a mission to find the girl's gifts and I was on the phone with the bank trying to reconcile a deposit I made and they lost..I can multi-task.
Once I found the gifts I thought the girls would like I sped on down the road to pick Jason up, Kiah was still sleeping so she did not make it, she is seventeen you know and it was 1130 in the morning.
The party was perfect, the weather was decent, there was a princess castle moon bouncer of which I managed to contain myself and did not invade the children's fun, even though I really wanted to!! We had burgers and hot dogs and cake and soda before the presents were opened. It was fun to watch the girls open their new toys and toss aside clothing. The festivities over and it was time to head home and relax for a couple of hours and then Kiah and I spent some time together at Starbucks, then went to a park on an small indian reservation because I wanted to take some pictures of her. It was a quick little spontaneous photo shoot, quick mostly due to the sign that said, "No Trespassing", that and she had plans with her boyfriend so I had to drop her off at their friends house. They went to the high school hockey game, of which Centennial was obliterated 1-11, and I went back home to watch a movie with Jason. We've both been wanting to see "Cyrus" so we watched it. There were some funny parts in it but it was mostly a slow dark humored movie, I was a little disappointed because I thought I would be laughing throughout the film. I don't think I would recommend the movie to anyone because it was just OK.
Here it is Sunday, 1030AM and I am contemplating what I should spend my time on today.
I hope you all had a great weekend as well, until next time!
Saturday morning was spent couch surfing, watching the History Channel. One of my favorite channels. Around 10AM I decided I was going to make eggs, bacon, toast and coffee for breakfast.
Singing random songs that pop into my head dancing around the kitchen while the bacon is sizzling I realize!!!! OH NO!! It's 10:15 in the morning, we have a birthday party to go to that starts at 11AM!! 45 minutes, to eat breakfast, shower, change, go to the store to buy a gift (because that's how I do) pick out a card and get to the party.
I think to myself, forget the shower and ran upstairs to change quickly, brush the teeth, kiss Jason see ya later and tell him "I'll be back in 30, we're gonna be late to the party." Which, everyone knows, is typical fashion for Kristi.
I head out to shop for the 6 and 4 year old little girls, yes, it was a birthday party for two sweet little girls. Which was also part of my mental justification for being late, kid parties never start on time.
I went to Barnes and Noble and was so proud of myself! This is one of my favorite stores and I could piddle around there for days BUT I was on a mission to find the girl's gifts and I was on the phone with the bank trying to reconcile a deposit I made and they lost..I can multi-task.
Once I found the gifts I thought the girls would like I sped on down the road to pick Jason up, Kiah was still sleeping so she did not make it, she is seventeen you know and it was 1130 in the morning.
The party was perfect, the weather was decent, there was a princess castle moon bouncer of which I managed to contain myself and did not invade the children's fun, even though I really wanted to!! We had burgers and hot dogs and cake and soda before the presents were opened. It was fun to watch the girls open their new toys and toss aside clothing. The festivities over and it was time to head home and relax for a couple of hours and then Kiah and I spent some time together at Starbucks, then went to a park on an small indian reservation because I wanted to take some pictures of her. It was a quick little spontaneous photo shoot, quick mostly due to the sign that said, "No Trespassing", that and she had plans with her boyfriend so I had to drop her off at their friends house. They went to the high school hockey game, of which Centennial was obliterated 1-11, and I went back home to watch a movie with Jason. We've both been wanting to see "Cyrus" so we watched it. There were some funny parts in it but it was mostly a slow dark humored movie, I was a little disappointed because I thought I would be laughing throughout the film. I don't think I would recommend the movie to anyone because it was just OK.
Here it is Sunday, 1030AM and I am contemplating what I should spend my time on today.
I hope you all had a great weekend as well, until next time!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Taboo
Close friends are gathered around a fire pit in one's backyard on a Friday night. Throughout the week each individual has had their share of stress from the previous five working days. This Friday night is a night to relax around the fire with good friends, share stories, have a few adult beverages and make plans for future adventures.
This is a group of people who live to explore the world and most of them are preparing themselves for a trip to seven countries in twenty-one days. With the exception of one member of the fire gathering, the only language spoken is American. Somehow the subject is turned to America and one states, “If you can’t speak our language, you do not deserve to live here.” Uh-Oh! Someone has introduced a topic of taboo into the conversation.
This statement, of course, sets the scene for another member to chime in with, “How do you think your ancestors arrived here? Do you think your Great-Great Grandfather Lombardi knew how to speak American when he arrived to this country?” These two sentences started the argument and it was on a roll each coming back with a comment more unrealistic than the last until they were so heated one of them had to walk away.
Everyone knows there are many taboo topics which should not be discussed among a diverse group of people, especially, if they are good friends. Politics is one of these topics.
Fortunately, the situation was diffused but had these two not been such good friends or had there been more drinks had, it could have gotten ugly.
Why are these topics so controversial? Each of us is entitled to our own opinions and beliefs. Not one of us has a thought process that is wrong, just different.
Regarding Politics and Religion our differences can be related to our social background, up bringing and even how our brain processes information.
Liberals tend to tolerate the gray areas of life more than conservatives. Sorry, I am not generalizing, I read an article in the journal "Nature Neuroscience" outlining an experiment conducted by both NYU and UCLA that provides strong evidence of this statement.
A person who is left brain dominant processes information in the following ways:
Linearly - step by step in logical progression with detail
Sequentially - in order first to last
Symbolically - with the use of symbols, letters, words, math
Logically - weighing options carefully, using logic to solve problems
Verbally - using thoughts and ideas through words to process information
Realistically - Bases thoughts on reality, tending to focus on rules and regulations.
A person who is right brain dominant processes information in the following ways:
Holistically - tend to see the big picture first not detail focused
Randomly - typically jump from one task to another without priority
Concretely - process things that can be seen, touched, "real" objects
Intuitively - makes choices that "feel" right
Non-verbally - thoughts are based on illustrations rather than words
Fantasy oriented - creatively, less focused on rules and regulations.
Regardless of how your brain processes information, what your political beliefs are or how you were brought up, the next time someone brings a taboo topic into conversation, don't judge. Their brain simply works differently than yours.
This is a group of people who live to explore the world and most of them are preparing themselves for a trip to seven countries in twenty-one days. With the exception of one member of the fire gathering, the only language spoken is American. Somehow the subject is turned to America and one states, “If you can’t speak our language, you do not deserve to live here.” Uh-Oh! Someone has introduced a topic of taboo into the conversation.
This statement, of course, sets the scene for another member to chime in with, “How do you think your ancestors arrived here? Do you think your Great-Great Grandfather Lombardi knew how to speak American when he arrived to this country?” These two sentences started the argument and it was on a roll each coming back with a comment more unrealistic than the last until they were so heated one of them had to walk away.
Everyone knows there are many taboo topics which should not be discussed among a diverse group of people, especially, if they are good friends. Politics is one of these topics.
Fortunately, the situation was diffused but had these two not been such good friends or had there been more drinks had, it could have gotten ugly.
Why are these topics so controversial? Each of us is entitled to our own opinions and beliefs. Not one of us has a thought process that is wrong, just different.
Regarding Politics and Religion our differences can be related to our social background, up bringing and even how our brain processes information.
Liberals tend to tolerate the gray areas of life more than conservatives. Sorry, I am not generalizing, I read an article in the journal "Nature Neuroscience" outlining an experiment conducted by both NYU and UCLA that provides strong evidence of this statement.
A person who is left brain dominant processes information in the following ways:
Linearly - step by step in logical progression with detail
Sequentially - in order first to last
Symbolically - with the use of symbols, letters, words, math
Logically - weighing options carefully, using logic to solve problems
Verbally - using thoughts and ideas through words to process information
Realistically - Bases thoughts on reality, tending to focus on rules and regulations.
A person who is right brain dominant processes information in the following ways:
Holistically - tend to see the big picture first not detail focused
Randomly - typically jump from one task to another without priority
Concretely - process things that can be seen, touched, "real" objects
Intuitively - makes choices that "feel" right
Non-verbally - thoughts are based on illustrations rather than words
Fantasy oriented - creatively, less focused on rules and regulations.
Regardless of how your brain processes information, what your political beliefs are or how you were brought up, the next time someone brings a taboo topic into conversation, don't judge. Their brain simply works differently than yours.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2011 - The beginning of the second decade of the "new" millennium!
Tomorrow, December 31, 2010 represents the end of the first decade of the millenium. I am not quite sure why it seems so significant but it is neat to think about. There is an old saying that "Time flies when you're having fun" and in my life this statement rings only too true. I have a great family that I have fun with and time flies by when we are together. I have a pretty fun job and time flies by while I am working. I have fun with school and time is flying by with that as well.
As the new year approaches, I am thinking back, what changes have there been in my life since this time last year? The first part of 2010 was somewhat uneventful. I was working at a trucking company as an "account executive", going to school and happy with the home life, all was content. Somewhere around May, I started thinking I wanted to start working for myself from home and I started getting all of my ducks in a row to get to that point. In the back of my mind I was afraid, such a move would mean I would not have the security of a steady salary and benefits. Part of me did not believe I would actually take such a risk but the other part of me knew, based on company expectations and the current state of our economy, I would soon not have a choice. My intuition was correct as usual. I was laid off from my job. I was still afraid but also knew that I am good at what I do and I would be just fine. As soon as I left the office, I called a friend of mine in the industry and told him the news. It just so happened that he and another colleague were in talks with a company in Chicago about opening a franchise branch here in town! The meeting was set for that very same day I told my friend I was in and met with them later that afternoon. Change number one, new job. Scary but so far so good, the freedom I have is an amazing feeling, I honestly don't think I will ever be able to work for someone else again. Granted, I am going to school to become a nurse and technically I will be working for a hospital when I am finished but the difference is that I will be contributing to the difference in my patients lives. Knowing that I will be working directly for children and their families will make it worth while for me to "punch in and out" on the days I will be working.
Change number two, adjusting to working from home and a nice sized pay cut. I have never been the domestic type, I don't like to pick up after myself or anyone else. I never had chores growing up, I had a stay at home mom who did everything for us. Luckily enough, our family dynamic works well, Jason and Kiah are good picker uppers and I am good about making sure (on the occasion) the nooks and crannies are cleaned.
When I was working for a company I would get into the office between seven-thirty and eight-thirty in the morning (I was supposed to be there at seven but I am never on time for anything). I would get home around three in the afternoon, do some work on the computer and be done at five. That would leave time to brainstorm with Jason over the menu for the night, we'd eat and then it would be time for school work. Weekends were for the real cleanings and of course our house was still brand new, it was only a year old this time last year, so we were very good about keeping our new prized possession pretty spotless. It worked, each of my duties had a time slot. Working from home, for yourself, the lines are easily crossed now I don't have time for anything but work (and my favorite computer game on Facebook, Bejeweled. I wake up each morning between six a.m and eight-thirty a.m, as of late it is closer to the eight thirty a.m time slot, crawl out of bed, head down stairs to start the coffee and immediately begin to work. I work at the kitchen table and sometimes from the couch even though I have an office upstairs equipped with a phone, fax machine, printer, copier and a computer of which I do not use. I use the office equipment but I do not use the office. This time last year, Jason bought me a nice walnut desk to put in the nook upstairs, the nook has three large windows that are on the opposite side of the desk area which for a "normal" person would be the perfect place to work. Not me, I don't feel comfortable there. I am not sure if it is claustrophobia or what but I do know it is a feeling like I am missing out on something downstairs where all the action happens. Oddly enough, between the hours of seven a.m and three p.m I am the only one home. So what could I be missing out on? So, the kitchen table it is and my new walnut desk in the nook sits there all alone collecting dust, it looks good though. I feel comfortable at the kitchen table and I get things done. Three p.m rolls around, the girl comes home from school, the husband arrives shortly thereafter and I am still working for the next three to four hours. Dinner does not get discussed and school work is put on the back burner, I am still working. This is as much of an adjustment for me as it is for the family, you see when you work from home everyone assumes you have all the time in the world to do laundry, prepare dinner and keep the house picked up. I have not yet found that balance but am hoping to in 2011. I have gotten a head start, this week has been historically slow in the shipping industry and has proven to be in my case as well so I have had some good study time to prepare for my final exam and have dinner ready for the family by six p.m the past three nights. My goal for 2011 is to start my work day, between the hours of seven and eight-thirty a.m (I am not going to kid myself and attempt to put a start time of seven a.m on a daily basis because I know that I will fail everyday, I am an optimist but not unrealistically so) at noon I will put the computer down, fix myself lunch, do some laundry and clean one room a day. I am pretty sure I can get all of that accomplished during my lunch hour. Maybe my word for 2011 will be DISCIPLINE.
The last part of 2010 has been focusing on preparing for changes in 2011. So far on the to do list for 2011 is a trip to San Diego for me and Kiah to visit with friends and family, a trip to Europe with a friend Nicole in support of the husbands band "Hogjaw" and two other trips that are brewing in mind. I will keep you in suspense on those other two trips. 2011 is going to be a year of exploring! Happy New Year everyone!
As the new year approaches, I am thinking back, what changes have there been in my life since this time last year? The first part of 2010 was somewhat uneventful. I was working at a trucking company as an "account executive", going to school and happy with the home life, all was content. Somewhere around May, I started thinking I wanted to start working for myself from home and I started getting all of my ducks in a row to get to that point. In the back of my mind I was afraid, such a move would mean I would not have the security of a steady salary and benefits. Part of me did not believe I would actually take such a risk but the other part of me knew, based on company expectations and the current state of our economy, I would soon not have a choice. My intuition was correct as usual. I was laid off from my job. I was still afraid but also knew that I am good at what I do and I would be just fine. As soon as I left the office, I called a friend of mine in the industry and told him the news. It just so happened that he and another colleague were in talks with a company in Chicago about opening a franchise branch here in town! The meeting was set for that very same day I told my friend I was in and met with them later that afternoon. Change number one, new job. Scary but so far so good, the freedom I have is an amazing feeling, I honestly don't think I will ever be able to work for someone else again. Granted, I am going to school to become a nurse and technically I will be working for a hospital when I am finished but the difference is that I will be contributing to the difference in my patients lives. Knowing that I will be working directly for children and their families will make it worth while for me to "punch in and out" on the days I will be working.
Change number two, adjusting to working from home and a nice sized pay cut. I have never been the domestic type, I don't like to pick up after myself or anyone else. I never had chores growing up, I had a stay at home mom who did everything for us. Luckily enough, our family dynamic works well, Jason and Kiah are good picker uppers and I am good about making sure (on the occasion) the nooks and crannies are cleaned.
When I was working for a company I would get into the office between seven-thirty and eight-thirty in the morning (I was supposed to be there at seven but I am never on time for anything). I would get home around three in the afternoon, do some work on the computer and be done at five. That would leave time to brainstorm with Jason over the menu for the night, we'd eat and then it would be time for school work. Weekends were for the real cleanings and of course our house was still brand new, it was only a year old this time last year, so we were very good about keeping our new prized possession pretty spotless. It worked, each of my duties had a time slot. Working from home, for yourself, the lines are easily crossed now I don't have time for anything but work (and my favorite computer game on Facebook, Bejeweled. I wake up each morning between six a.m and eight-thirty a.m, as of late it is closer to the eight thirty a.m time slot, crawl out of bed, head down stairs to start the coffee and immediately begin to work. I work at the kitchen table and sometimes from the couch even though I have an office upstairs equipped with a phone, fax machine, printer, copier and a computer of which I do not use. I use the office equipment but I do not use the office. This time last year, Jason bought me a nice walnut desk to put in the nook upstairs, the nook has three large windows that are on the opposite side of the desk area which for a "normal" person would be the perfect place to work. Not me, I don't feel comfortable there. I am not sure if it is claustrophobia or what but I do know it is a feeling like I am missing out on something downstairs where all the action happens. Oddly enough, between the hours of seven a.m and three p.m I am the only one home. So what could I be missing out on? So, the kitchen table it is and my new walnut desk in the nook sits there all alone collecting dust, it looks good though. I feel comfortable at the kitchen table and I get things done. Three p.m rolls around, the girl comes home from school, the husband arrives shortly thereafter and I am still working for the next three to four hours. Dinner does not get discussed and school work is put on the back burner, I am still working. This is as much of an adjustment for me as it is for the family, you see when you work from home everyone assumes you have all the time in the world to do laundry, prepare dinner and keep the house picked up. I have not yet found that balance but am hoping to in 2011. I have gotten a head start, this week has been historically slow in the shipping industry and has proven to be in my case as well so I have had some good study time to prepare for my final exam and have dinner ready for the family by six p.m the past three nights. My goal for 2011 is to start my work day, between the hours of seven and eight-thirty a.m (I am not going to kid myself and attempt to put a start time of seven a.m on a daily basis because I know that I will fail everyday, I am an optimist but not unrealistically so) at noon I will put the computer down, fix myself lunch, do some laundry and clean one room a day. I am pretty sure I can get all of that accomplished during my lunch hour. Maybe my word for 2011 will be DISCIPLINE.
The last part of 2010 has been focusing on preparing for changes in 2011. So far on the to do list for 2011 is a trip to San Diego for me and Kiah to visit with friends and family, a trip to Europe with a friend Nicole in support of the husbands band "Hogjaw" and two other trips that are brewing in mind. I will keep you in suspense on those other two trips. 2011 is going to be a year of exploring! Happy New Year everyone!
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