Slacker Alert!

My last blog was on July 13th!  Almost 2 months ago!  What have I been doing since then?  Wow...  Where do I start?  And yes, I'm looking through my calendar to see what I've done. :)

I've gone to a family reunion, Black Eyed Peas concert, sang at church, Journey, Foreigner, & Night Ranger concert in Cincinnati, went to a bridal shower for my friend Sarah, Gravity Ziplining w/ Adventures on the Gorge, went to Atlantic Beach, NC w/ Seth, attended the WV State Fair, church picnic at Camp Cowen, went to a birthday party for my friend's son, Connor, numerous other events with my church and Seth, planning for Labor Day Camp, and Seth's birthday fun.  This is all on top of work, chores, visits w/ Seth and other daily events.

So I've been a very busy girl!  Things just seem to be steamrolling ahead too.  September will be busy with Labor Day Camp and traveling to DC for training.  Football season begins this weekend also with Marshall vs. WVU.  I will not be attending the game but I'll have my green on!  For the past few years, I've purchased season tickets for Marshall games.  This year I decided not to purchase them.  1. I didn't have a lot of fun last year.  2. It saves me money.  3. I hate to purchase the tickets and not be able to attend.  Some days I regret the decision.  Most days I know that it was for the best just because my life is crazy busy anyways.  If I have the time and am in town, I can always go tailgate and skip the game.

Regardless... Here are a few pictures to tickle your taste buds. :)

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend!!

Journaling

This is my journal.  It isn't anything fancy.  It has battle scars, bumps and bruises.  (The binding is broken.  There are a few burns from my flat iron and makeup splotches.  The ribbon that holds my place is significantly shorter than when I bought it.)  This is, by far, the largest journal I've purchased.  It has survived the past few years. I'm on a mission to write more frequently so that I can finish it and move on to another.

It may sound odd for a 20 something to be talking about journaling.  Go ahead and laugh.  I find it rather therapeutic.  I've been writing off and on since I was about 12.  I write about daily events, things I've seen, people in my life, thoughts or feelings about things I do not discuss with others, prayers.  So many things go into my journal.  As the years go by, sometimes I pull an old one out.  (Yes, I keep them all.)  I find it funny to look back at what I thought my life was like, the horrors I had experienced, things that made me giddy with laughter, boys I've "loved" and lost.  Everything that I have written is part of me.  It has molded and shaped me into the woman I am today.


This is a typical entry for me.  Date on top.  BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. Signature. :)

On a side note, I think it is super cool to watch your signature transform.  When I first started, it was cursive writing by the book.  As I've aged, it has become less by the book and more about me.  Sometimes it is a line w/ barely enough of a curve on the top and bottom to signify an S!  Sometimes it is very fluid and others it is sharp and rigid.  All of which denote moods.


I find the disadvantages of journaling are fewer than the advantages.  I'll start with those first.

Disadvantages
1. Worrying about people reading your most intimate thoughts.  I had a minor freak out when I thought I left my journal at Seth's.  Thankfully I found it in one of my bags.  The thought of Seth being able to read everything I've said about our relationship blew my mind.  I don't know if he would actually do something like that.  I wouldn't put it past him though.  I'm fairly open in our relationship so I'm not sure what else he would gain from it.
2. The randomness of writing.  I can go for months without writing.  When I finally sit down to put in an entry, I'm amazed at how much time has lapsed.  I hate that I'm not able to remember all the specific details that have occurred during that time.

Advantages
1. Writing through confusing/trying times where I can't seem to make sense of it.  Writing causes me to slow down; to control all the information flowing through my head so that it has to line up and take order.
2. I'm able to return to it and laugh about where I've been.
3. I'm also able to remember events to see what happened.  When you are in the moment or a few days after, memories are pouring out of your brain.  If you wait a few weeks, months, years, you don't remember all the nitty gritty details.
4. It is the one time where I can be me.  I am real and alive.  I can agree or disagree with my thoughts and feelings.  I can reprimand myself.  I can praise myself.  I can say all the things I've been dying to get off my chest throughout the day.  I can dream without anyone telling me no.
5. One day, I will be able to pass them on to my future-hypothetical-children.  We've all been through the same things.  The general topic, yes.  The specific details, maybe not so much.  All children have a difficult time thinking of their parents as anything other than parents.  They have never experienced heart break.  They have never experienced failing grades or not making a sports team.  They have no idea what it is like to have parents who won't let them hang out with certain friends.  Oh what little do they know...  I think by passing on journals, my future-hypothetical-children may understand me more as a person that has experienced the same struggles that they are experiencing and less like a controlling, nagging monster. :)  Of course, I will do some editing...  They don't need to know ALL of the details!


So who else keeps a journal?  Why do you choose to keep one?  What are the things you choose to write?


“There is a part of me that wants to write, a part that wants to theorize, a part that wants to sculpt, a part that wants to teach…. To force myself into a single role, to decide to be just one thing in life, would kill off large parts of me.” -H. Prather

Birthday Festivities!

Normally around this time of the year, I'm vacationing in some southern location that I've never been to.  This year I waited too late to plan.  Seth so graciously pointed out that my birthday happens to be at one of the most expensive times of the year.  The practical part of me decided to wait to take a vacation.  I still took my birthday off though!  I find it completely repulsive to work on your birthday.  Everyone should follow my lead and enjoy your day doing whatever you like.  It is good for your soul.

Festivities began on Thursday with a day at the lake and then dinner.  Seth let me sleep in and be lazy.  We finally got to the lake around 11 with very few people in sight.  It was a great day.  The sun was HOT but a breeze kept us cool.  Just so happened that we found a great spot by trees so I got some shade for a few hours.  The water was cold so I stayed out of it for the most part.  Seth is so insistent on me swimming out to the buoys.  I'm not so keen on it so I sat out using the excuse of "It's my birthday!"  We finally headed out around 5:30pm to get cleaned up and ready for dinner.  Seth wouldn't tell me where we were headed but that is part of the fun.  He took me to Smokies on the Gorge.  It is a open restaurant overlooking the New River Gorge.  The atmosphere was great and the food was even better.  I was stuffed like a sausage!!  I tried alligator ribs which were actually quite tasty.  We kind of watched the sunset.  I think we were both really fixated on the food though. :)  We briefly thought about catching a movie but I was exhausted from being on the lake.  So we went home to watch some tv and I fell asleep long before midnight!

Friday, I headed back home to go to the eye doctor.  Dum Dum Dum...  I finally gave in and got contacts.  I really don't know how long they will last though.  I know it takes a few days to get adjusted but they don't seem to be quite right. I go back in a week or so to see how they are doing.  The actual fitting was pure torture.  I HATE for things to be in my eyes.  Anytime I had to have eye drops, my mom all but had to put my head in a vice to keep me from squirming and then pry my eyelids open with a death grip.  This doctor put up a good fight and finally got them in.  Once he had me get up and move to another station, I felt like I was about to pass out.  It was hot.  I couldn't really hear anything.  My vision started to go black.  I sat back down and just chilled for a few.  I settled back down and was able to go with the standard "How To" session.  They only lasted a few hours that afternoon.  Gradually they are staying in longer.

Saturday, we went to a Reds game!!!  I love watching live action baseball.  I think it is one of the most boring sports to watch on television besides golf that is.  Game time was 4:10.  We arrived shortly after with just enough time to hear the national anthem, find our seats and settle in.  This is what we saw!! 

Yep, the boy did good!  Seats right behind home plate.  The sun was out in full force so I had to pay for a teeny tiny tube of sunscreen but it was worth it.  There was plenty of people watching.  A guy in front of us had one insane head of hair!!!  It was to the middle of his back and looked like he needed a straightener or serious conditioner.  Something!!  I also had a lady come up to me to ask if I was a Reds fan.  Sure.  Well she jinxed the Reds somehow the night before so she needed to rub the head of a redheaded Reds fan.  I went along with it and she got the thumbs up from her hubby.  Totally random but I was happy to oblige.

Oh you think the weekend is over??  Not even close!!!  Sunday, we headed to the homestead.  I asked my momma to make me a birthday cake.  It is SOOO good.  Lemon cake with a special lemon icing.  I'm not a fan of real icing but I'll eat this stuff!!  We hung out there for a bit.  I searched for some younger travel pictures but I couldn't seem to find any.  I'll look another time!  But by dark we headed back to Seth's.

Monday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! - They let me sleep in until 10am!!  I felt worthless the rest of the day!  We kind of just hung out at the house.  I forgot my dress shoes for work, so Seth took me shopping.  He went in search of a case for his phone.  I went looking for shoes.  I found a pretty cool looking pair for $15.  A steal!  We went to a cookout and then I made him take me to watch fireworks.  I'm such a kid about those kinds of things!

What a fantabulous weekend!!  So many friends called, texted, left messages on Facebook to wish me a happy birthday.  It just warms your heart that someone would take a few seconds/minutes out of their day to wish you the best!  Seth did an AWESOME job of celebrating my birthday.  I told him I need to have more birthdays, that way I get what I want.  Just kidding!  He's usually pretty good about that stuff.  I hope everyone else had a great Fourth of July weekend as well!!

"I was Born with a Suitcase in my Hand."

The title is from Little Big Town's song "I'm with the Band".  Lyrics about traveling around, chasing dreams of performing, never really knowing where you are but enjoying the ride.  I'm not trying to talk about being in a band.  I gave up the performer dream when I was like 12.  Okay maybe when I was 16.  I'm not really sure when but I know it was a long time ago!  I am here to talk about traveling though!!!

As many of you do know, I've got a serious case of the travel bug.  Basically every weekend is booked with travels to see the boyfriend, home, adventures with friends, vacations, etc.  I've become very good at packing all the essentials and doing it quickly.  Blame it on genetics!  My family, well part of my family, has a serious itch to see anything and everything.  My grandmother had been to every continent with the exception of South America.  (At least I can't remember her discussing any travels there.)  She traveled with her sister, her husband, children, mother, travel groups, basically anyone that would go.  It didn't really matter.  She just wanted to see it all.  I thank her for getting out to see the world.  It definitely opened her eyes and thus opened the eyes of the rest of her family.  I'm secretly wishing I were at home so I could find some photos and post for you to see.  Places, I can think of off the top of my head, she traveled to include: Israel, Australia, Egypt, Greece, Russia.  I know there are so many more!!

Maybe I'm a little biased... My grandmother was awesome!  Funny how I'm trying to tell you about my travels and I end up talking about my grandmother...  Her name was Dorcas and she said "Call me Dork."  She was Grama to me.  I would get to their house and if I didn't see her immediately sitting in her rocking chair, I'd start yelling for her.  She'd call out wherever she was and I'd wander around until a smile was on my face.  I kinda do that with my mom now.  Grama had a crazy sweet tooth and read constantly.  To say she was a book worm would be an understatement!  She used to take old boxes and put contact paper on them to us as her organization system.  And wow she left notes for everyone, everywhere!  Made the best pies and apple cake.

I digress.... Grama valued education.  It was instilled in her even during a time when money was tight and women were supposed to be homemakers.  She graduated high school and went off to college.  She passed on the importance of an education to her children and grandchildren.  She also made it a point to say that I could get married whenever I liked.  "Don't worry about boys." she said.  But to her, I think part of education was traveling and exploring.  You learn so much from seeing different things, tasting different foods, experiencing different cultures, trying to understand people with different accents and even different languages.  I remember reading an article that said if you travel with your young children, they are more likely to be open to new things when they are older.  I believe it!

I remember when she was in the hospital around September sometime.  It was a good day for her and things seemed to be going well at least for the time being.  There were all kinds of things wrong with her.  She had a tracheotomy and wasn't able to talk without some type of device.  She mouthed to me to ask if I had traveled anymore lately.  Shamefully I hadn't.  I mentioned going to Jamaica with my sister and friend.  She just grinned.  Previously over the summer, I had gone to concerts, visited different cities, talked about future plans with her.  Her eyes sparkled as I highlighted the food, sights and even misfortunes.

Right now, my sister is hopefully in her bed sleeping after a whirlwind European travel excursion for her birthday.  I won't tell her age but let's just say that it is one of those that really hits hard.  :P  She put something on Facebook about traveling to keep Grama close to her.  At first, I thought she had committed a gaffe.  I'm not one to declare emotions or feelings in public.  But here I am writing about them.  I suppose my sister is right though.  Traveling helps keep memories of people, places and things alive.  Maybe that is part of why I'm going to share my adventures with you.  To keep the memories of my Grama and my adventures alive.  So as another summer is in full force, I'm going to give you a series of blogs on my travels.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  My travel bucket list.  Travel traditions I have created along the way.  Keepsakes and mementos that I've collected too!  I will also try to grab some pictures of Grama in her travel adventures just to share with you. 


"What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do - especially in other people's minds.  When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then.  People don't have your past to hold against you.  No yesterdays on the road."  ~William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways

Where has June Gone??

Really is it already June 23?? My most favorite month is over half way gone. :(  So sad.  To brighten my day, I'll tell you what I've been doing as of late.

House projects

I mentioned a LONG time ago that I was working on painting my living room wall of paneling.  It is nearly completed.  I still need to paint the trim.  Other than that, it is well on its way.  I didn't take a finished photograph before I started putting everything back on my bookshelves.  I was WAY too anxious about being finished.  I will give you all the photographs on another blog.  The project was super easy.  It was just dedicating the time to get it done.  I've rearranged my furniture also.  This way it focuses on my newly painted wall!

I've also been planting some flowers and greenery around the house.  Trying to spruce it up.  I absolutely hate weeding flower beds.  I've procrastinated long enough on these tasks.  I guess I'll get cracking on that later tonight.

Couple weekends with the beau.

I spent a few weekends with Seth and his family.  I enjoy it because not only do I get to spend quality time with Seth but it is also so calm and peaceful.  When I stay at home, there is always a list of things to do, people to see, places to go.  There is no agenda at Seth's.  Just peace and quiet.

And well goofiness :)


Camping trip with the Youth Group

The kids headed out Thursday to stay at Beech Fork.  I unfortunately had to work so I didn't make it out there until Friday evening.  I'll tell on myself.  I totally drove out to Wayne to only find out that I had to drive back into town and go down Rt. 10 to get to the camping portion of the lake.  Thankfully there was a State Trooper there to guide me back.  I was only there for a night but it was wonderful.  I'm almost always at peace in nature.  The kids were great.  A little slow in the morning but great.  We wanted to go play on the lake but nature decided that it wanted to rain... So we called it a day.

Shoop's 4th Annual White Party

Some of my girlfriends and I hit up Shoop's for Shoop's White Party.  Yes I just did that.  He jokes that he has a bar just for the party.  I doubt that.  Regardless, I had a wonderful time.  I'm always game for dressing up!  I purchased the dress on the Internet for relatively cheap.  I found the shoes at Macys on clearance.  On another trip, I found the jewelry on clearance as well.  I used a gold Coach clutch (which I also got on massive discount!) that I've had for a while.

I also had some great conversations with friends.  I don't get out much anymore so it was nice to catch up with old friends and meet a few new people.  Of course, I hit up the dance floor for a while.  I'm a bit out of practice though so my feet and legs were hurting!  I finally called it a night around 1am and left the girls to keep the party going. ;)  And surprisingly I didn't take a ton of pictures like I normally would.  I only took a few and here is what I think is the best one of me.  Plus you can see part of the dress and jewelry!

So many more things have been going on but these are the main events.  I've been crazy busy at work trying to finish a report.  As always, I've been doing the normal household chores - dishes, laundry, cleaning, etc. 

Life is a crazy adventure.  It's nice to know you can take a few moments to sit back and enjoy it all.

One Day At a Time

People have said that I have the patience of a saint.  They must not know me then.  Well I take that back.  They must not see the real, nitty gritty, backed against the wall Sarah.  Few people actually get to see that side of me.  To be honest, I prefer no one see me like that.  It is scary.

Sure when I worked at Macys, I was the one that customers gravitated towards when they were looking for an item.  As long as they were willing to wait, I would track down an item for them at different stores.  As you continue to do this, you quickly learn the things to not do!!  I learned to not call Florida stores because I couldn't understand most of the associates nor could they understand me.  (I swear I do not have a typical West Virginia accent!)  I also remembered from my own shopping days that Pennsylvania is usually cheaper because they don't tax merchandise.  So the tax/shipping costs balance out.  It was all part of the job.  It just seemed to customers like I went above and beyond.  I didn't find it a hard task at all.  It was just a matter of how badly the customer wanted it.  Determination.

Now flash forward to today.  I'm struggling to find my way.  I have completely lost my patience.  I feel like I'm floundering trying to make every aspect of life work.  Correction - I don't have to make my relationship work thankfully.  It is going along swimmingly. :)  So every aspect except one.  (And again, I'm sure I'm exaggerating this.  You get my point though.)  I would almost venture to say that I have lost my faith.  I really haven't though.  I've just lost touch with reality and God.  I'm struggling to follow his will instead of my own.  I know he's there.  I pray and read my Bible.  I'm just kind of ignoring him.  And as the collective gasps and sucks the Earth out of its rotation, even the strongest of Christians struggles with doing God's will.  I'm not claiming to be anywhere close to the strongest.  Again, trying to be honest here.

I think everyone struggles at some point in their life thinking about if they are doing what they are supposed to be doing.  Maybe it is the money, the enjoyment, the time, the non-monetary reward, etc.  I don't know.  I would venture to guess that it all boils down to happiness.  They say money can't buy happiness.  I'm not looking for money here.  I'm not happy and I just want to be happy.    Am I blessed, YES!  I'm very lucky to have a job and benefits in this time of recession.  I don't care what people say.  We aren't out of it and won't be for a long time.  That is off the subject though...

I feel like God is calling me to something.  He's whispered things for a few months.  A few weeks ago, he was squeezing my heart.  Trying to get my attention.  I heard what he had to say and cried.  I've never felt so uneasy in my life.  Then of course, I let life take over.  Consuming me with busyness and ignorance.  Surprise... He hasn't gone away.  Still patiently waiting for me to respond.  I asked my pastor on Sunday.  I didn't give details - just like I'm not giving you any details.  He said that he's struggled with the same thing before.  I just have to surrender one day at a time.  Really?  There is no quick fix?  Well crap.  I knew that though...  I was looking for a way out.

So how do I go against everything that I've been taught and/or believed?  I don't know.  Somehow I just give up every day though.  I suppose I should become more open to the thought.  Maybe research the subject.  Those may be good starting points.  To be perfectly honest, God hasn't given specifics.  Just said I want you to do this.  It is such a broad area.  I don't know how or when or why or where or anything.  Just that it is what he wants me to do.  I have a sneaky suspicion on where he is leading me.  I don't exactly know how I'm going to do that with my current education and work background.  So here I go into the world of the unknown.  Say a little prayer for me that God will direct me slowly and steadily (and that he gives me the peace and assurance I need along the way!)



"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." ~ Galatians 6:9

Cable. What cable??

Goodbye Comcast!!  I feel like I should celebrate.  This evil company is out of my life.  Since June 1, my life has been quieter.  I've had a little more money in my pocket though!

Here is the back story...  I've had cable for I don't know how long.  They bait you in the promotions price and then once you've been with the company for so long, they jack the prices back up.  In addition to receiving a new flyer with price increases every May.  I just got sick of calling in to complain about the price of cable and internet services.  I would complain and they would do a promo price again for me.  Without any promotions, discounts, etc. Comcast wanted me to pay $120 and some change for BASIC digital cable and ECONOMY internet.  REALLY???  When you break it down to a daily cost, it is roughly $4.  A little more reasonable.  With promotions, my cost was around $85 which equated to a little less than $3 a day.  Even better. 

But wait.... who is actually home 24 hours a day for every single month.  Definitely not this girl!!  If you think about it, most people are away from their homes at least 8 hours a day.  (That is if they have a normal 9 to 5 type of job.)  So that leaves 16 hours.  Don't forget about sleep.  We all wish to get 8 hours a day but it is usually 6 or 7.  Let's go with the larger amount though.  Now we have 8 hours left of our day spent at home.  Then think about the time spent doing extracurricular activities such as dinner with friends, family visits, church, shopping, running errands.  We'll say that takes another 1.5 hour a day away from home.  6.5 hours.  What about household chores??  Some things you can do while watching television such as laundry or doing dishes.  You just do it during the commercials. :)  But what about mowing, bills, etc?  So we're down to 5.5 hours a day. 

Final tally 5.5 hours to use the internet and/or television a day.  Definitely more time than what I was getting but I digress.  What about weekends??  There are some weekends where I'm not home.  There are some weekends where I am home but I'm running around like crazy and don't even turn it on.  So I'll give you two weekends of 6 hours a day.

That isn't a whole lot of time.  I simply could not justify paying that much money for so little time to use it.  I'll admit that I'm craving my internet usage.  The television isn't a big deal.  I've got my iPhone.  I look up the weather there.  I watch movies to fill in time and for noise.  I'll get used to it eventually.  But now I have the time to do the things I need to do around the house.  No more distractions.  I've already read two books in the past few weeks.  It has been forever since I've done that!

Anyone else seriously considered it?  (And I apologize, I'm a numbers person.)

"Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than each other."  ~Ann Landers

Promise that I am alive

I'm taking a quick and I mean SUPER QUICK break from work to let you all know that I'm alive.  I really have actually had so many things to blog about but haven't really had the time.  With the start of summer has come so many new things for me to get busy with.  Unfortunately, this report that I've been working on for what feels like forever is possibly finally coming to an end.  This means I am cracking the whip.  I got to work before 7am this morning.  I'll probably stay late hoping to finish one issue.  Then on to editing and probably writing more for the second issue.  I've already finished one and the boss is tweaking it.  Church is having VBS this week and I've had to skip out on it because of work.  I did go last night but probably should have stayed at home to work.  I'm also trying a new "diet" and I use the word diet loosely.  I'm meaning diet in the sense that I'm changing the types of foods I eat and what vitamins/minerals I supplement.  I felt kinda crappy Monday so that went out the window.  Maybe I will pick it back up next week. 

With all of these things and so much more, I've been feeling crazy overwhelmed.  When I get to that point, I start shutting down.  So if you think I'm flaking on you, I apologize.  I'm not good at being completely swamped.  I kind of had a break down last week.  It was more of a break down between me and God.  I think he is calling me to something but I don't know.  It is scary and wracking my nerves.  Who knows!!  It may be a couple weeks before I give you anything of substance. :P

"Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness."  ~Richard Carlson

Let's Hear it for the Boy!

"My baby he don't talk sweet, He ain't got much to say, But he loves me, loves me, loves me, I know that he loves me anyway... Let's hear it for the boy, Let's give the boy a hand, Let's hear it for my baby..."  "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams and the soundtrack to Footloose.  Talk about a throw back - 1984!

That pretty much sums up the weekend events for me.  I really truly try to avoid getting all mushy gushy and revealing too many details.  I am so strongly urged to tell you this once though.  Seth gets the awesome title for the week (maybe even the month but I didn't want it to go to his head)!  This past weekend, Seth came in for a visit.  We did the usual Memorial Day cookout thing.  A day of napping and off to see the new Pirates movie (which was good.  They totally left it open for more movies.)  Then we spent ALL of Monday doing yard work.  He did the "heavy lifting" ie cutting bushes and putting up my hammock.  I mowed and bagged all the clippings.  Several bags (6 lawn bags plus big stuff that wouldn't fit in a bag) later... it is 8:30pm and we are both burnt and exhausted.  I don't need expensive gifts or money to make me happy.  Just a boy that isn't afraid of work and willingly offers to help me out.

The yard looks 10 times better than before.  I'm trying to keep the yard as little maintenance as possible but still look nice.  I potted some wave petunias a few weeks ago.  I absolutely LOVE them.  Just water and watch them grow!  I also purchased some hosta plants and need to get those in the ground.  I tried one spot last night but the ground was rock hard.  Now I'm just trying to figure out how I can still plant it there or find a new spot to put it.    I've also got to weed and mulch my lilies.  I separated them earlier this spring and am hoping that they will still bloom.  Speaking of separating flowers, I need to separate a peace lily that started out big and has completely outgrown the pot!  Let's just say my Grandmother is still around in her own way. ;)

And sorry I didn't take any pictures.  Maybe once everything is completed, I'll give you a glimpse.  More importantly, is anyone else doing yard work this summer??  If so, what jobs are you working on?

It is JUNE!!!

"How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways..."

Yes.  I totally went all Shakespeare on you!  I absolutely love June.  Seeing as how today is June 1, I thought it would be a perfect read for you. :)

1. Summer begins June 21!
2. SUMMER. CLOTHES.  Shorts, skirts, dresses, sandals, tank tops, etc.  Nothing is better than finally being able to shed the layers of winter clothes.  Summer clothes are so lightweight and comfortable.  Only downside is keeping it office appropriate.
3. West Virginia Day! June 20, 1863, West Virginia officially became a state.  I'm a huge fan of WV.  And it just so happens that as a state employee, I get the day off which sweetens the day that much more.
4. My BIRTHDAY! (Obvious but I felt I should remind you.)
5. Fun activities such as cookouts, playing on/in the water, camping, star gazing, baseball games, etc.
6. Spending time in my hammock.  I almost have an obsession with my hammock.  I apologize if you get sick of reading about how much I love it.
7. Fresh veggies and fruit. Numm.

So why do you love summer??

Attitude

I've had this draft sitting in my queue for a week now.  I am forcing myself to focus and finish this thing before I don't remember what I was going to say!  I must add that the week has added more to my perspective.  :)

****

Usually I end the post with a quote but I think today I'll switch it up.  There are really so many that describe what I'm feeling so I'll only give you a few...

• "A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit." ~ Proverbs 15:13, NLT
• “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.”~ Brian Tracy
• “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” ~ Jimmy Dean
• “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll

Can you tell where I'm at right now?? Yeah I'm swallowing a big piece of humble pie.  Not that it was caused by someone's actions or words to get me to wake up.  It was my own.  Crazy how life kind of happens to us sometimes.  I've been Negative Nancy for a while and I hate it!  I really, truly HATE being sad and depressing.  I enjoy waking up with the sun shining in my face, thanking God for a new day.  I'm finally back to that point!  

I've been struggling with a few things since November/December and it put me into a funk.  Maybe one of these days I will inform you of what happened.  It was just a series of events that sent me spiraling out of control.  For those of you who know me, I HATE not being in control of my life.  I'm pretty easy going and don't mind just running with the pack.  However, I usually know how things will happen.  For example, when I go stay with Seth, we don't really make plans.  We do whatever the family is doing.  Not a big deal.  I expect that to happen.  Another example, going to Walmart to use competitors coupons and then telling me that you can't use them.  Didn't expect that and was super annoyed because it was a waste of my time.

So how did I get out of the funk?  I kind of had an out of body experience.  It was like I was watching myself speak to people, act around people, do things by myself.  It all looked horrid!  I thought to myself "Who was this person?  I wouldn't want to be around her."  And with that, I figuratively kicked myself in the hind end!  I made it a point to change my outlook.  I can only control so many things in my life.  One of those being my ATTITUDE.  There is no need for me to be so cranky and blah.  I am blessed beyond belief!  I serve a loving, forgiving, gracious God.  I have an amazing boyfriend, wonderful friends, a family that I can depend on.  I have a job with insurance and benefits.  Etc, etc... Some days are easier than others to remember to keep my chin up.  It is all so worth it in the end.  (For me and everyone around me!)


Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!

Monday Madness

Sorry to those of you who were trying to access blogs last week but didn't make it through.  There was something messed up w/ Blogger but everything should be back to normal!

I have written several topic based blogs lately.  Not too much about my totally random life though.  I figured I would get you caught back up.  Really and truly, I've been pretty busy and pretty lazy all at the same time.  If you look at my calendar, weekends are OVERBOOKED!  I don't have any set in stone plans for Memorial Day weekend.  I definitely have a lot of ideas though.

This past weekend, I stayed in Huntington on Friday evening running errands and cleaning around the house.  I was pretty lazy during the week putting off dishes and laundry.  I usually buckle down under pressure though.  So I was able to finish up those tasks.  Saturday was the special election for Governor.  Being a Saturday primary, voter turnout was REALLY low but it is still my civic duty to cast my ballot.  (I hope the rest of you did.)  I didn't know who I was going to vote for until that morning.  I woke up thinking one guy and ended up voting for another!  After that, I packed up to head to Seth's for the weekend.  I made several stops along the way.  Starbucks.  Dropped off lilies in Charleston.  Pictures along the way.  Oil change.  Then finally to Seth's house and he wasn't there!  Thankfully, I've been around the family enough to feel comfortable alone with them.  That evening we attempted to go bowling but ended up watching "Water for Elephants".  I owe Seth for that one.  He was such a trooper!  It looked great from the previews but my honest opinion was that it was a good movie.  Definitely not something I would purchase.  FYI - it had a lot of animal violence in it which I absolutely hate!  I covered my eyes for parts of it.

Sunday was even better.  Church, nap, food, nap, movie, ice cream and Wii.  It was a very lazy day.  I think we were all pretty worn out!  But here I am, back to reality trying to write a report.  I have three issues laid out but so much work to do to each of them.  I did, however, just hoof it out to my car to get my camera cord to show you some of my pictures.  You better enjoy them.  Every last one of them! :P

I hope that your week is off to a great start and you also had a wonderful weekend!!

“Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Awesomeness

How AWESOME is the God that I/we serve???  He continues to amaze me.  Really and truly.  I'm sure the youth group kids are so sick of me talking about it.  But I am honestly so amazed at the way that God is moving in my life and in the lives of the people around me.  Maybe it is just because I am becoming more attuned to his influence in my life.  Maybe I'm just becoming more aware in general.  Don't get me wrong.  I've known God is always there.  I just get distracted by being busy or lazy or woe is me kind of attitude.  Sure we all have our good days and our bad.  Being a Christian isn't easy.  God never said it would be.  However, knowing that God is there to provide and comfort us helps on those bad days.

Here in the past week or so, God has thrown so many things in my face.  Not in a harmful, spiteful way but in a loving wake up call kind of way.  I think that I've openly admitted to the fact that I am somewhat hardheaded.  Okay.... I can be extremely hardheaded.  It takes a good jolt to get my attention.  But wow has he jolted me!  Maybe explain it as being in a funk.  But I think I'm out of it.  I hope so at least!

Now... I have all these things going on in my life.  I have to prioritize and figure out what is the most important.  A huge part of this requires me to petition God and actually listen to his answers.  Sometimes I have to be patient to hear his answers.  This is another area where I struggle.  I'm a typical generation x kid.  I want it now if not 15 minutes ago. Please and Thank You!! :P  But I have struggled.  I have kicked and screamed.  I have pouted.  Finally I gave up.  After a little bit of time, God just waltzes back in giving me what I want.  With all that excitement, I don't know what to do with everything he is giving me!  Such craziness, I know. Guess I'll just have to keep praying. :)

I just wanted to share with you that I am so very blessed!!  (And you are too!)

Being Quite Frank

As I am going through my "Edit Posts" pages, I have so many drafts.  Usually they are too revealing for me to post on here.  Part of "Identifying Sarah" is well - hard.  I was raised in a very small, rural area.  Population roughly 7000 in the entire county!  One high school, NO fast-food chains or Wal-mart, a blinking caution light, and farm land.  I was blessed to live close to my grandparents and spend a lot of time with them.  It was the kind of town where the village helped raise the child or I like to think so.  I knew that if my parents weren't around and I did something I wasn't supposed to... Well I got in trouble then and when I got home.  I appreciate the way that I was raised.  I grew up very sheltered and naive about the world.

Saying that, I could be pretty close-minded and judgmental growing up.  Since leaving the small town and experiencing the big world, I've grown up.  I understand that not everyone thinks or feels the same way that I do.  Heck, very few people are like me!  Everyone is raised differently.  Everyone is taught different things and experiences life in different ways.  That is what makes the world go round.

Something has been on my mind for the past couple of days.  Seth told me I need to loosen up.  This isn't the first or hundredth time someone has said that to me.  Knowing where I came from and being able to recognize characteristics of my life (good and bad) hasn't helped me determine why I'm so uptight.  To be honest, I don't really think about it.  It is just who I've always been.  As years go by, I've lightened up a little.  Obviously not as much as other people would like me to be.  Boy if I had HALF of a penny for every time someone had said that I need to loosen up or that I'm wound too tight, etc. etc.  I would not only be a millionaire but well on my way to being a billionaire.  Seriously!

As I mentioned, I've grown older and let go of my close-minded, judgmentalness.  It is still there but just not as much as it once was.  I try to understand where other people are coming from.  I may not agree with it.  However, it is your life.  You do what you want.  I would appreciate it if you treated me the same though.  Just because I don't drink or smoke or do drugs or vandalize people's property does not mean that it gives you the right to call me uptight.  If you choose to do anything, that is your choice.  You will reap the rewards or consequences of your actions.  I have no problem with that.  I do have a problem when your actions could possibly affect me or any of my friends/family.  Examples - Egging my car, driving under the influence of whatever, etc.  Just because I don't live life the way you do, does not mean I don't enjoy it and loosen up.  To each their own. 

Now, I agree that sometimes I get wound too tight.  I let things fester.  I overbook my life.  I worry about what people think of me.  I have trust issues.  I've been burnt in the past as I'm sure many of us have.  Here's the general scenario: You let your guard down.  Let someone into your life.  They see more of the real you.  They learn intimate details of your life.  You go on thinking that you can trust this person as more and more time goes by.  Then all of a sudden one day they are gone.  POOF.  Disappeared. OR  They end up telling someone information about you that shouldn't have been told.  It all boils down to the fact that they betray your trust.  They have hurt you.  Trust is one of those things that will make or break any relationship.  With it, everything is so much easier to handle.  Without it, there is no relationship.  If it is broken, it is so very, very hard to rebuild.  But.... all of that stuff, makes me who I am today.  I may be a little biased but I like who I am.  Sure there are things I could do better.  But as I have told Seth... love me or leave me.

I'll let you in on a little secret though.  You ask "You say that you loosen up on your own terms but how do you do it?"  I do it all by myself. :)  I have late night dance parties.  I travel to far off places.  I go to concerts.  So there.  I loosen up.  You just aren't privileged enough to see it.  Well I suppose you see it after the fact when I post pictures on Facebook or a few here.  Technically those are censored though...

(PS - I'm not writing this blog specifically to Seth.  I'm writing this to anyone.  Maybe you know people in your life that are uptight.  Give them a break!  Appreciate them for who they are.  Show them that they can trust you.  But don't push them to "loosen up".  Let it happen on their time.)



While looking for a quote, I found this gem and couldn't pass it up! :)

“While the rest of the species is descended from apes, redheads are descended from cats.”

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!

Giving Thanks

I'm having one of those blah moments.  I think it is important to remember the good times instead of focusing on the not so good especially when you're in a grumpy mood.  So by swallowing a bit of my own medicine, here goes!

Today I am thankful for the following:

• Friends.

• Family.
• God, church, the kids in the youth group, overwhelming peace.
• FOOD!!

• The fact that it is time to pull out my hammock and lay in it. :)

• Seth.
• Creativity.  I love being able to come home at night and break out of that restricted business atmosphere.  I love being able to decorate, play with colors, shapes, textures, etc.  I miss the free flow of thinking.
• Animals!!

• Music.  A good beat gets me moving!  Raw instruments give me cold chills especially when blended together.  Silence, tension, crescendos, etc.
• Self-control and will power.
• Travel!!

Hope that you are having a blessed day or by reading this, it makes you appreciate life!  God Bless!

Relationships - Tres

In case this is your first time viewing my blog, this is the first multiple-post blog topic I have written.  This all began because a friend asked me a relationship question and I decided to write something about it.  Please go check out Relationships.  Then read Relationships 2.0 to get you caught up to speed!

*Drum roll please........*

Back to the original question and my answer. Yes.  Finally an answer!

Q - "Why do girls you ignore 'love ya' and the ones you show attention to take it for granted?"

A - Girls that you ignore, want your attention.  They want to feel wanted.  They want to feel desired.  They want to feel pretty and special.  If you all of a sudden just fall off the face of the Earth, that shakes our world.  We don't know if we have done something wrong.  We analyze and over analyze every word, thought, outfit, conversation, date, etc.  We reach out to you by calling, texting, showing up where we know you'll be.  Sometimes it goes to the extreme of making ourselves lose sleep, break out in a rash, stop eating.... (Yes, I've been there.  I thought I was "in love" with the guy.  His loss.)  Guys - That is why you need to be honest with us ladies.  And you might hate me for calling you out but MEN you want all of the same things.  You hate it when we ignore you just the same.

The latter part of the question can be answered by the sheer fact that we take it for granted when we can have something all the time.  It is just like family, friends, a favorite store, the park, God, etc.  The unfortunate fact is that if something is always there, we know we can get it whenever we want.  We take it for granted.  I think that is why we appreciate the seasons so much more.  We endure temperatures and inclement weather because we know that the next season is right around the corner.  We appreciate each season for what it is and know that it won't be here forever.  I'm not saying that we are justified in the fact that we take things for granted.  I think it is again part of human nature.  Also, if someone is ignoring you, it is probably because they are not interested.  Truth is that if someone is interested in you, they will show it whether it is phone calls, texts, making plans together, visiting you at work, etc.  VERY RARELY are they ignoring you because they are preoccupied with something else. ie. family problems, work stress, financial issues, etc.

I think it boils down to honesty.  Honesty from both parties to yourself and the other party.  First off, you have to know what you want.  If you are just looking for someone to entertain you and not a relationship, then you shouldn't be getting all bent out of shape.  If you are looking for a relationship, then you should have already completed the work on your end.  You know who you are and what you're looking for.  In Patti Stranger's book, she instructs the reader to create a list of 5 things that are non-negotiable and 5 things that are negotiable.  You should stick to your list.  Even carry it around with you.  Look at it often.  I posted it on my cork board at work and even took a picture of it with my phone.  For instance, a smoker is a non-negotiable for me.  If I met a smoker, a switch flipped in my brain to not feel anything for them romantically.  This actually helped me tremendously.  Remember boys and girls, you cannot change someone.  You have to accept AND appreciate the person for who they are today.  Not who they were or who they will be.  The list prevented me from wasting my time on guys that didn't fit my list.  Now my negotiables are somewhat negotiable.  Not saying this happened but for example... If a guy fit all of my requirements but wasn't exactly tall or outgoing.  I should give it an honest effort to see what could happen.

Secondly, if both parties are honest with each other from the get go, it cuts out a LOT of drama and hurt feelings.  If you're looking for a relationship and the other person isn't, don't waste your time.  Add them to your network and move on!  Being honest can be scary.  You're putting your feelings out there.  Trust me it is SO worth it.  I don't know about you but I can't read minds.  I can assume something but we all know where that leads...

Now before you go out and practice this, please use discretion.  Don't go on a first date or even when you're first meeting someone and tell them that you are looking for the future father/mother to their children.  That is just creepy.  Get to know the person.  If you feel those sparks flying, wait a little bit longer.  Then wait a little bit longer and then casually bring up the conversation.  This advice is the same for marriage or anything that is a major life decision!!

I hope you've learned something from this topic.  I've certainly enjoyed writing about it.  Relationships are tricky things.  Some of us are lucky enough to figure them out early on in life.  Others... well we have to bang our head against a brick wall several times before we finally learn our lessons!  Regardless, everything happens for a reason.  Every encounter you have builds you into the person you are today and someone, somewhere will love that person for exactly who he/she is. :)  Now go have some fun!



“Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.”

Relationships 2.0

*Go check out the previous blog for this topic at Relationships.*


Cheap Trick anyone?  Come on a good high energy relationship-ish type song.  My thoughts exactly!

"I want you to want me, I need you to need me, I'd love you to love me, I'm beggin' you to beg me..."

Both the male and female sex want all the above.  Something is ingrained in our brains that we need to belong to a group or person or a something.  Maybe it is part of the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.  You remember from psychology and every other class that they taught this in...  We have specific needs met as we gradually climb the pyramid to reach self-actualization.  I've put a pretty little diagram just in case you've forgotten. :)

Love/Belonging is right there in the middle.  Above Physiological and Safety needs.  Below Esteem.

So why is it so hard to get that attention that we so desperately seek?  I could go with the obvious family background and the way you were raised.  However, I'm going to go the safe route and say that whoever decided that technology and the fast paced life were needed... blame it on them.  I'm not saying that technology is a bad thing!!  I love having my iPhone and television and Facebook.  All of these things and so much more have caused society to constantly be running around like a chicken with our head cut off.  I can point fingers because I am SO guilty of this!  I shouldn't be pointing fingers though.   I haven't really spent any time with my boyfriend in several months.  (The time equates to about 3 days in April.)  There are many reasons for this.  Partially because I didn't feel that I was wanted.  So I created things for me to do so I felt wanted.  My excuse is that I have all kinds of things that I "need" to do.  Why do I feel that need is there?  Because I want to belong.  I want to be needed.  I decided that if I couldn't feel that with my boyfriend, I'll feel it somewhere else.  Not saying that was the most mature approach.  I never claimed to be the best at relationships!  Just that I've been around the block a time or two, stumbled across the pavement, got a few cuts and scrapes, but I still keep walking. :)

Both males and females want to be wanted.  Men may not admit to it as much as a woman would but they still want to be wanted.  Fixing stuff around the house, opening jars because they are stronger, being your protection, being the PROVIDER, etc.  Men thrive on that kind of stuff.  Women... well we are more emotional.  We 'mother'.  We fix meals, make sure the house is clean, everyone is taken care of, etc.  As I'm typing this, I kind of hesitate on the woman's side of things.  Strange that I can't put into words what women want and the ways that they demonstrate this want.  Makes me laugh a little because I tell a lot of guys when they ask about women, "Women don't know what they want... but they want it all."  You know why oftentimes women don't know what they want?  Simple.  We've been ingrained to fulfill the wants, needs and desires of everyone else in our lives before we fulfill our own.  Maybe this is a generalization for southern women instead of women everywhere.  I think it fits to some degree though.  The mantra of "If everyone else is happy, then I'm happy."  But what about the line "If momma ain't happy, then nobody's happy."  I've painted quite a conundrum for myself.  Is it just a vicious cycle?  Is it an unspoken rule that momma rules the land?

WOW... I've digressed.  In life, we all want to be wanted.  Once we've left childhood and partially the teenage years, we tend to gravitate towards the opposite sex.  We are looking to be wanted by the opposite sex.  We are trying to fulfill that societal and physiological role of finding a mate.

Now just to let you know.  I have already finished typing my spiel to answer the original question.  I took the end of this blog and created another so it wouldn't be too long.  So check back in a few days for "Relationships - Tres"


"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." ~ Lao Tzu

Blogging Thoughts

I haven't been blogging for long but it is really addicting!  A couple of weeks ago, I would check my "Dashboard" every couple of hours for new posts from fellow bloggers.  Dashboard is kind of like your homepage for those of you who do not use Blogger.  That week I was also in a writing mood and wrote all kinds of stuff.  Some of which I didn't end up posting just because it was far too personal.

I've tried to be very cautious in what I write and then post.  Because my post is public, anyone, anywhere can read my blog.  It is kind of scary and super cool all at the same time.  I have readers in India, UK, South Korea, Denmark, Germany, etc.  How awesome is that???

I also love to see how many people view the different posts.  It is interesting to me which topics get the highest ratings.  For instance, my post yesterday titled  "Relationships" has had the most viewings with the exception of one other post.  In one day, it has beat everything else out.  You want to know why?  Plain and simple.  Everyone is intrigued by relationships.  I'm sure some readers thought that I would dish on current or past relationships.  HA!  Fooled you! :)  Again, there is no point in airing dirty laundry.  It only hurts people and makes me look silly.  Also, there are always at least two sides to every story.  By the way, this was the first blog that I've been nervous about posting.

Some topics that I try to avoid are anything and everything to do with work.  Also, relationships, family, gossip, arguments, etc. are off limits.  I try to give very generic thoughts or descriptions.  Also, I limit the amount of future events.  (We've all heard stories of people posting their life schedules only to be used against them by criminals.)

Fellow bloggers: Are there things you have avoided or enjoy discussing?  What do you love the most about blogging?

Relationships

I recently had a male friend come to me and ask "Why do girls you ignore ‘love ya’ and the ones you show attention to, take it for granted?"  With his encouragement, I thought this was a great blog topic!!!  How many times do we wish we could understand the other sex?  I'm going to go ahead and say at least once a day.  Whether it is regarding relationships, fashion, sports, food selections, sense of humor, etc., we all wonder why the other sex does the things they do.

Am I an expert on relationships and the differences between the two sexes?  HECK NO!  My degree is in business!  I do have a complete and utter fascination with the differences and similarities between the two sexes.  Because of this, I have done plenty of my own research.  Books that I have read include (but are not listed in any particular order): 

1. Become Your Own Matchmaker: 8 Easy Steps for Attracting Your Perfect Mate by Patti Stranger (You may know this author from the show Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo.) 
2. Wild At Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul by John Eldredge
3. Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge
4. Women are from Mars, Men are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex by John Gray
5. He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys by Greg Behrendt (There was a movie based on this book.)
6. Men, Love & Sex: The Complete Users Guide for Women by David Zinczenko

Not to mention excerpts from other books, countless articles found in print and web magazines, nights spent journaling, on the phone w/ girlfriends and even guy friends analyzing what happened, what I did wrong or what they did wrong.  Plenty of relationships to reference...  I'm not saying that every relationship is the exact same but relationships have certain aspects that will occur regardless of who is in it.  PS - I will not air out dirty laundry from my past relationships.  I don’t think that would help anyone at all.  I will say that when it comes to male/female relationships, I was a late bloomer.  I didn’t get any guidance from family which can be considered a blessing and a curse.  At least I can say that I have figured this one out on my own and at my own pace.  I dated two guys in high school, a couple serious relationships throughout college and several “relationships” that took place out of boredom.  I was and still can be a terrible flirt.  I’ve messed with guys’ heads and broke a few hearts.  I’ve dated a few good guys and quite a few duds.  Every step of the process has led me to where I am today.  Everything has happened for a reason.  I have gained knowledge and experience from it all.

Please do not misinterpret, I’m not bragging at all!  I’m merely trying to explain that I feel justified in writing about relationships because I have experienced almost the full spectrum with exception of engagement, marriage, and divorce.  Everyone develops and matures at their own speed.  I again, have chosen to take the longer road.  Had you told me in high school that I would still be single at 25, I would have laughed.  My plan was to go to college, meet some guy, fall in love and then we would marry once we were both finished.  HA!  After 5.5 years of higher education and working for about 2.5 years, I’m not close to marriage.  Yes, I am currently dating someone and everything is chugging along.  No wedding bells chiming though.  Enough said.

Before I start spewing my opinions, if you choose to disagree, that is your prerogative.  Please be respectful of my writings.  I have already claimed to be no authority on the subject.  I am merely giving opinions based on research and observation.

Now you'll have to come back for some of my sage advice in "Relationships 2." :)


“In your life, you meet people. Some you never think about again. Some, you wonder what happened to them. There are some that you wonder if they ever think about you. And then there are some you wish you never had to think about again. But you do.”

Complete and Total Randomness

Ever have so many thoughts going on that you don't know where to start??  Well that is me today!  Spring finally came and so has my social calendar!  I've basically got something planned every weekend in April.  May doesn't have much going on, YET. May already has a couple of weekends booked with bridal showers, election and Memorial Day.  June is getting busy too.  I've got a "To Do" list just for today that keeps growing.  Even as I'm typing this, I've thought of a few things to add to it!  (Dear Lord, please help me make it through this day!)  Take a deep breath and hold on.  PS - This will give you a slight glimpse into my life!

I have a list of summer concerts that keeps growing.  Last year I think I attended 11 or 12 concerts from March to October.  Some weeks, there were several events.  Needless to say, I spent a chunk of change on this.  I'm trying to be more reasonable this year.  I've got 3 that I really, really want to go to.  Michael Buble, Greenbrier Classic (which is 2-3 concerts) and Maroon 5 w/ Train.

Along with concerts, my summer includes a SOLO birthday vacation.  I met up w/ a friend last year and it was horrible.  So I'll keep it solo!  I've hit Asheville, NC and Charleston, SC the past few years.  I really had my heart set on Savannah but now I have no clue.  I've toyed with the idea of going to DC just for the fireworks.  I really enjoyed being at the beach last year though.  Decisions, decisions!

My Thirty-One business is busy, busy this week!!  I'm closing an order from last week.  I'm also planning for a Relay for Life fundraiser on Saturday.  I will be donating my commission to the fundraiser.  Hoping that good karma will come back to me!!  So if anyone has been wanting to place an order, this weekend is a great time to contact me!  You get what you want and research for the cure for cancer is continued!  Speaking of Thirty-One, I ordered business cards a few weeks ago.  Opened up the package and glanced over it, everything looked fine.  When I was getting ready for my party last weekend, I took the rubber band off the cards.  I had to do a double take... They left off the last digit of my cell phone number!  Major GRRRR!  I checked my order and it was not an error on my part.  I contacted the company but I'm doubtful that the new cards will be here in time for Saturday.  Disappointing when I'm trying to drum up some business!

My second blog.  I know I mentioned that I have another blog in the works.  Because I've been so busy with life, I haven't had any time to write.  I have all the ideas on a list and started to take pictures for some of the posts.  Hopefully, I can get that in the works towards the end of the month.

Because I have so much going on in my life, I'm not as interested in my work.  Major bummer.  I'd rather be at home doing everything else! :)  Speaking of work, I wish I could telecommute or be able to work flex hours.  This commute is sucking the life out of my paycheck!

How do you decide what party to vote for?  I see both sides of the fence.  I've registered as one party but I'm not sure if it is right.  I don't want to be someone who bounces between party lines.  I want to pick one and stick with it.

I'm listening to the Righteous Brothers through Myspace music.  I'm mildly disturbed by one of their songs.  You know them for "Unchained Melody", "You've Lost that Loving Feeling", etc.  This song is titled "Lighten Up."  Basically, it is talking about a woman putting on weight after they get married, telling her that she's fat and needs to lose the weight.  REALLY?  No wonder she lost that loving feeling....

I have been journaling like CRAZY lately.  Normally it was just thoughts and previous events.  Now I'm doing anything and everything.  Prayers, quotes, scriptures, events, thoughts, hopes, dreams, etc.  It is so cathartic!

Speaking of hopes and dreams.  I think I'm supposed to be working with children.  I know this sounds crazy.  I already work with the youth group at my church.  I don't know to what extent this is but I keep feeling this pull.  I really want to get into photography.  I have a plan for that.  So I'm hoping that is what I'm supposed to be doing.  I HOPE!

I have tomorrow "off" in order for me to go to the doctor.  Well make that two doctor's appointments.  I'm also working on Easter eggs w/ the youth group.  My sister will be arriving late tomorrow night also.  Bring on the madness!!

Last but not least, I have a pair of blue suede platform sandals that I am DYING to wear!!  I need to go through my closet and find an outfit.  I'm DESPERATE because they are absolutely gorgeous! :)



"Pursue one great decisive aim with force and determination." ~ Karl von Clausewitz

...Boy am I off!

Finally Friday!

I gather from reading a few other blogs that EVERYONE has been busy this week!  It is such a blur to me at where all my time went this week.  Monday I started writing a blog that will probably be a 2 or 3 part series.  I wrote SO MUCH!  I'm excited to finish it and post it.  I think it is a really good topic and hope everyone will give their feedback.  I have also been writing at work.  Mostly I've been dealing with analysis and figures.  So it has been hard for me to switch back into writing mode.  Thirdly, I've been writing in my journal a lot lately.  I've written in some form of a journal since middle school.  Most of which I still have.  Someone asked me what the purpose of journaling was.  To me, it is such an easy way to get everything out of my brain.  I've been known to over think things or obsess about an issue.  So I write it out.  It also helps for me to realize what my thoughts and feelings truly are.  I start writing and almost blank out.  My thoughts come out more freely that way.  I try not to lie to myself.  That would just be silly!  But also, I think it is funny to look back and see what I have wrote.  So many times, I make a mountain out of a mole hill.  Hind sight is 20/20 though.  One other thought on journaling, I think it would be cool to give my hypothetical future children my journals.  We've all been there thinking that our parents don't have a clue what we are going through.  I could tell my children that I do know and I can prove it.  All entries are dated. :)  I may have to black out certain parts because they may not need to know every nitty gritty detail of my life.  But again, hypothetically speaking. ;)

I've also been on the phone basically every night making contacts, talking with family, Seth, etc.  CRAZINESS!

I've also been planning for several events.  I have a Thirty One party tomorrow.  I've also agreed to do a booth at a Relay for Life booth.  While I won't be making money off of it, I hope to get contacts and book a few parties from it which would make me money!  My sister will be visiting.  I'm busy with church activities.  Making Easter eggs, cookie and candy bouquets and crafts with the Youth Group to fundraise.  AND a concert.  Easter is coming up of course. YAY for momma's home cooking and family!

In addition to all of that, I'm working on some home improvements, reading a book, purging household stuff, desperately wanting to do some flower gardening, trying to plan summer trips and concert events.  It seems the change of weather has breathed life into my social calendar.  Hip Hip Hooray!!


Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.  ~Grandma Moses

Music: Plain and Simple

If you Google the word "music" you'll see search results such as music videos, music lyrics, music downloads, free music, etc.  But what is music?  If you ask 10 different people separately, you will get 10 different responses.  Music means something different to every person.  Some people just simply aren't moved by music.  Possibly they are moved by art, nature, poetry, etc.  I am definitely not one of those people.  I get chill bumps at the sound of a beautiful voice, a good three part harmony, powerful lyrics or simply the tickling of the ivories.  Sometimes I get chill bumps even after I've heard a song hundreds of times.  For some reason, it just hits me harder in one moment compared to all the previous moments.

Friday night I sat in my bed bawling my eyes out because of a song.  We've all heard it more times than we can count.  "Stand By Me"  Originally sang by Ben E. King in 1960.  Written by legendary song writers Leiber and Stoller with some help of King. 

If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me-e, yeah

Coming back to you now?  Well I wasn't listening to the original version or any of the versions by John Lennon, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Ronnie Milsap, Seal or U2.  (Just to name a few.)  I was listening to a version created by an organization called Playing For Change.   Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people.  My mom had sent me the link because she thought I would like it.  Kudos for my momma knowing what I like!  I had received it a few months ago on a bad day so of course it cheered me up.  Friday was kind of a rough day for reasons I won't go into.  Regardless, I was seeking any type of music to get me out of the funk.  I was going through my emails and found this.  I listened to it repeatedly!  It worked again.  Renewed my spirit and allowed me to finish the day.

I was ready for bed, sitting there with my journal, a book and my Bible.  I was trying to find so many answers and couldn't find it (or maybe I just wasn't listening).  I thought hey why not see if you can get that link on You Tube.  Who would have thought that it would be there with so many more songs!!!  I started listening to it and chills went up and down my body.  Then the water works came.  If you know anything about me at all, you know that I am not a cryer.  I HATE crying in front of people.  I really don't even like to do it in private.  If I do, it lasts a few minutes and I'm over it.  I just kept crying and crying sitting in my bed all by myself.  How totally random is that.  I kept listening to the song over and over, eventually transitioning to the other songs created by Playing For Change.

I know I've got you sitting on pins and needles so here is the link to their You Tube site.  http://www.youtube.com/user/PlayingForChange

Please, please start with "Stand By Me."  Listen to the rest of their songs.  Check out their website.  Pass on this to other people!!

But back to the original paragraph...  What is music to me??  Music is such a powerful and amazing blessing.  It has the ability to change my mood at the drop of a hat.  I can be in the deepest depression and with the strum of a chord or whisper of a voice, I am at peace.  I can also be having a ho hum day and a song with a great beat comes on.  I'm energized.  Sometimes it isn't the lyrics of the songs, it is the instruments, the melodies, the silence...  Music is a breath of life straight from God!


Leave me your thoughts on music.  Love it.  Hate it.  Let me know!



“Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.”