It's hard to believe that it has already been over a month since my last blog post...
It's hard to believe how much has changed in my life in that time...
It's hard to believe how okay I am with all the changes that have happened...
It's hard to believe that I've been at my job for almost 6 months...
It's hard to believe how blessed I am to have this job at this time in my life...
It's hard to believe how much I enjoyed my Easter weekend over in Utah...
It's hard to believe that part of me didn't want to come back to Colorado...
It's hard to believe that a month from today my little brother will be married to an amazing woman...
It's hard to believe that this will be the first wedding in my immediate family in over a dozen years...
It's hard to believe how many truly amazing people I have in my life...
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Fun with Counting Down
For the last several weeks I have been noticeably counting down on Facebook. I've been having a lot of fun with it to. I haven't really told anyone to what I've been counting down though some already knew and others figured it out. But there are those who have asked and asked and asked again why I was counting down. Every time I saw one of the comments asking about my count down I laughed to myself. So many people couldn't seem to put 2 and 2 together. Well, since it's almost the end of the count down and I don't think many people will read this before hand I will elaborate and explain.
On February 16 it was only one more month until my birthday. In addition to that I realized that since this year was a leap year that day was 29 days before my birthday instead of the usual 28 AND this year I am turning 29. So, why not start a count down: 29 days until my 29th birthday? This is what I posted: "To count down, or not to count down - that is the question... I think I shall count down (if you know to what then shhh, don't spoil it for everyone)...29 days...". What made it even better is that I no longer have my birthday visible on Facebook - it was a personal choice. I'd rather get 5 to 10 birthday wishes from people who actually remember than 100 from people who only saw it on a website. Like I said, it was a personal choice.
So, I continued to count down. Some figured it out. My new roommate, Heidi, took it as a personal mission to give me one card for every day leading up to my birthday. You should see my bookshelf display of cards! It's quite magnificent!!! Those who had no idea what I was counting down to were going crazy - 'twas hilarious!!!!! Several asked if they were out of the loop which I found funny because there was no loop to be in. Some thought I was counting down to St. Patrick's Day - that's one day later my friends; learn to count. ;^) Clues were left, though they were very subtle in nature. Mainly, the point of the count down was for me to have a fun way of keeping track and pique the curiosity of others. I think I did a pretty good job.
I'd explain more, but I'm getting to that point in the night where thinking clearly is becoming quite a bit more difficult. My bed is calling my name and I really want to go sleep with it. So, for all those that have been wondering, if you are reading this, you now have the answer. I have been counting down to my 29th birthday! Happy Birthday to me!!! :^D
On February 16 it was only one more month until my birthday. In addition to that I realized that since this year was a leap year that day was 29 days before my birthday instead of the usual 28 AND this year I am turning 29. So, why not start a count down: 29 days until my 29th birthday? This is what I posted: "To count down, or not to count down - that is the question... I think I shall count down (if you know to what then shhh, don't spoil it for everyone)...29 days...". What made it even better is that I no longer have my birthday visible on Facebook - it was a personal choice. I'd rather get 5 to 10 birthday wishes from people who actually remember than 100 from people who only saw it on a website. Like I said, it was a personal choice.
So, I continued to count down. Some figured it out. My new roommate, Heidi, took it as a personal mission to give me one card for every day leading up to my birthday. You should see my bookshelf display of cards! It's quite magnificent!!! Those who had no idea what I was counting down to were going crazy - 'twas hilarious!!!!! Several asked if they were out of the loop which I found funny because there was no loop to be in. Some thought I was counting down to St. Patrick's Day - that's one day later my friends; learn to count. ;^) Clues were left, though they were very subtle in nature. Mainly, the point of the count down was for me to have a fun way of keeping track and pique the curiosity of others. I think I did a pretty good job.
I'd explain more, but I'm getting to that point in the night where thinking clearly is becoming quite a bit more difficult. My bed is calling my name and I really want to go sleep with it. So, for all those that have been wondering, if you are reading this, you now have the answer. I have been counting down to my 29th birthday! Happy Birthday to me!!! :^D
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Where Does the Time Go...
I keep meaning to write something more on this little blog of mine. I come up with great titles for posts and cool topics to include. The next thing I know more time has passed than I realize and I still haven't written anything. I was going to post something last week when I heard about Davy Jones from the Monkee's passing away (the song Daydream Believer is one of my songs and where I got the name for this blog). Then I was going to post something about Dr. Seuss. Now I just feel like writing something would be a good start...
How about I catch everyone up on my crazy life?
A month ago I was very content with living by myself. I have a nice little one bedroom apartment in a lovely part of the South Denver Metro area. I spend a lot of time with friends so I mainly only sleep in my little apartment (though I do have people over on occasion). But things slowly began to change. I felt myself becoming more lonely than I had been in a while. I used to be someone who could be perfectly content at having a whole night alone to just relax. Now I feel like I don't know what to do with myself if I have "that much" time alone. I like being around people more than I ever thought I would. I also became aware of a friend's predicament with her living situation. It wasn't a bad situation but she was facing some very tough choices with deadlines on those choices coming up rapidly.
There had already been a couple of times where she had spent the night on my couch because it was safer for her than driving home drowsy. Then the times that she would stay with me became more frequent and I knew that something was up. I sat down to talk with her and - one thing leading to another - I asked if she wanted to move in with me. That was 2 weeks ago. We both gave the idea plenty of thought and prayer and felt like moving forward with this idea was a good thing. We got mixed reactions from family and friends, but ultimately it was our decision, not theirs. I got rid of my dining room table and chairs that I'd had since 2004 when I moved into my first apartment in Monroe (I hadn't used it as a dining set since September anyway). We got some good friends to help us and moved her in with me. That was just over a week ago.
If you had told me last month that I would have a roommate again - and not one out of necessity - I would have laughed in your face. But this really has been a great move for me. Miss Heidi Jo has helped me feel not so lonely. She and I are getting along great. We have a friendship based on being blunt with each other so we know we can say things like "Hey, this thing you did really bugged me." or "I really like that you did this." I've had roommates where the communication was almost non-existent. That only adds to the tension of living with someone day in and day out. I am a firm believer in good communication which is why I truly believe living with Heidi will be even better than I originally thought!
How about I catch everyone up on my crazy life?
A month ago I was very content with living by myself. I have a nice little one bedroom apartment in a lovely part of the South Denver Metro area. I spend a lot of time with friends so I mainly only sleep in my little apartment (though I do have people over on occasion). But things slowly began to change. I felt myself becoming more lonely than I had been in a while. I used to be someone who could be perfectly content at having a whole night alone to just relax. Now I feel like I don't know what to do with myself if I have "that much" time alone. I like being around people more than I ever thought I would. I also became aware of a friend's predicament with her living situation. It wasn't a bad situation but she was facing some very tough choices with deadlines on those choices coming up rapidly.
There had already been a couple of times where she had spent the night on my couch because it was safer for her than driving home drowsy. Then the times that she would stay with me became more frequent and I knew that something was up. I sat down to talk with her and - one thing leading to another - I asked if she wanted to move in with me. That was 2 weeks ago. We both gave the idea plenty of thought and prayer and felt like moving forward with this idea was a good thing. We got mixed reactions from family and friends, but ultimately it was our decision, not theirs. I got rid of my dining room table and chairs that I'd had since 2004 when I moved into my first apartment in Monroe (I hadn't used it as a dining set since September anyway). We got some good friends to help us and moved her in with me. That was just over a week ago.
If you had told me last month that I would have a roommate again - and not one out of necessity - I would have laughed in your face. But this really has been a great move for me. Miss Heidi Jo has helped me feel not so lonely. She and I are getting along great. We have a friendship based on being blunt with each other so we know we can say things like "Hey, this thing you did really bugged me." or "I really like that you did this." I've had roommates where the communication was almost non-existent. That only adds to the tension of living with someone day in and day out. I am a firm believer in good communication which is why I truly believe living with Heidi will be even better than I originally thought!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Guilty Pleasures... Minus the Guilt
So, I have recently rediscovered three of my "guilty pleasures", only there's very little (if any) guilt involved. I have been spending more of my time in these pursuits and find myself to be more relaxed and at ease when indulging in these pleasures.
Pleasure #1 - Crochet
Back in September I found myself itching to do something productive with my hands. I decided to look through my stash of yarn and came across a skein that was just asking to be made into a scarf. I found a particularly interesting pattern in my crafting library and set to work. I took it with me to a friend's house and worked on it while watching season four of The Big Bang Theory. A couple of weeks later I had this:
But the itch was still there. It was getting closer to Christmas time so I returned to my stash of yarn and crafting library, this time focusing on Christmas related items. I found something that piqued my interest and set to work again. The weekend before Christmas I had this to wear to church:
And it looked like this with my awesome gray dress:
I was very pleased with my recent creations and enjoyed showing them off, but it was time for me once again to make something for someone else. I was given the perfect opportunity for that since I went to Utah for Christmas weekend and my little brother had recently become engaged to a wonderful woman. I wanted to make something for my future sister-in-law, Adria, so I found out her favorite color, had some help in picking the perfect yarn, and fell back on one of the easiest patterns I know to make her this in less than two days:
Yep, it's a scarf and here she is wearing it right after I finished it:
It was kind of funny because she saw me making it, asked what it was, but didn't know it was for her. Once I finished it she said, "It's beautiful." I replied, "I'm glad you like it because it's yours!"
You'd think that would satisfy my itch for crochet, but there are still more projects asking to be done (like the afghan for a dear friend that I started over three years ago and really only have to piece it together to finish it). This video says it better than I ever could:
Thanks, David, for sharing this video with me!
Pleasure #2 - Puzzles
I enjoy working on puzzles of all kinds. The make me feel like I am still using my brain instead of letting it atrophy. Sure, I use my brain at work, but it's not quite to the level of challenging most of the time. I was recently feeling the need to pull out one of my puzzles that have been sitting in the box waiting for the day that I would challenge myself and find the picture in the chaos. I pulled it out one night a couple of weekends ago when I had nothing going on and need a distraction from the worry that had come upon me. I was not planning on becoming as focused as I did but the next thing I know it's after 3AM and had this for a finished product:
Yep, that's the Salt Lake City Temple and I finished the whole puzzle on my own in less than 12 hours. I left it sitting on my coffee table for a couple of days trying to decide what to do now that it was all put together. I could have used the puzzle glue, framed it, and put it on display but I really wanted to start another puzzle without having to mess with all of that first. So, I grabbed the box, took it apart, and put it away to repeat another time. I am working on another puzzle, this one of a castle, but it's taking me a little bit longer. I enjoy the process even when I can't seem to find the piece I'm looking for though I've picked up every piece at least four times! There's a particular pleasure that comes when I do find that piece and have even taken to giving the smallest of audible shouts for joy at those times no matter if I'm alone or have a friend over. I will finish this puzzle, and when I will proceed onto the next puzzle!
Pleasure #3 - Reading!!!
I am a librarian by education but not by profession (thanks a lot, economy!) but that does not deter my love of books and reading. With my new job as a Data Analyst, which I started on Halloween 2011, I occasionally find myself having some free time at work. I do my work but sometimes the work comes in slower than what I'm able to finish. For a while, I was very strict on myself as far as staying focused on work even though I would have nothing to do for hours on end. I was going stark-raving-mad! I was extremely stressed! I needed something that I felt was productive to do while waiting for more work to come in. So, even though I have shelves full of books I haven't quite gotten to I splurged and bought the last book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle
My reading dry-spell seemed to have been broken. I finished Inheritance by the first full week in December. I had a bit of an incentive to finish it because I was flying to San Francisco the second week in December and while I wanted to take something along to read on the flights that book was a bit big for the journey. Luckily I had plenty more to read. My little sister, Frances, had brought some of her books over when she came for Thanksgiving because she'd been bugging me to read them for a while and that was the easiest way for me to get my hand on them. By now you're like likely asking "what books?" and wishing I'd hurry up and tell you. Well, without further adieu, I give you:
These were some of the best books I have ever read!!! I started reading The Hunger Games on my flight from Denver to Phoenix and continued it on the unexpectedly extended flight from Phoenix to San Francisco. Having that book with me was such a blessing! I became so engrossed in the story that the flights seemed to just fly by (ha ha, pun intended!). I flew out Tuesday night, flew back Friday night, and finished reading book one early Saturday morning. The very next day I started reading book two, Catching Fire. I had to know what happened next! I took it with me to work and on my flight to Salt Lake City to spend Christmas with the family. My timing was impeccable since I finished reading the last sentence as the plane came in to land. Thank goodness I had the foresight to bring book three along on the journey so I could start reading Mocking Jay on my flight home. (I couldn't really start it while in Utah since my time was taken up by Pleasure #1 as well as helping Mom and Dad, spending time with family, and occasionally sleeping.) I don't remember exactly when I finished Mocking Jay, but I do know it was before the new year. Three books in less than three weeks - my reading mojo is officially back and here to stay!!!
I have read at least two more books since completing The Hunger Games. Instead of going out and spending money on books I really do want to read I decided to peruse my shelves to see what I could find.
Meet the Billy twins (they are a bit fuller now than when this pic was taken last summer). They are home to most of my personal library though I still have quite a few books in boxes and may need to turn the twins into triplets at some point. I settled on a book my big sister, Katie, gave me for Christmas 2009 and began to devour Let the Great World Spin. The storytelling in this book was eye-opening. It's told from several different perspectives but everyone is connected in someway. Discovering the connections was a big part of the magic that sucked me into this book. That book took me about two weeks to finish (I'd become busy at work and life was dealing me some emotional blows at that time) but once I was done I knew exactly which book to pick up next.
Christmas of 2009 Katie gave Frances a book as well. I managed to find a copy at Goodwill and added to my library The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Oh! My! Goodness! I finished this book in less than three days and discovered a new favorite literary character in Miss Juliet Ashton. I don't know what more to say than I absolutely LOVED this book!!! Now I have moved back to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series which I started back in early 2010 but failed to continue until now. I'm over halfway through book two and can hardly wait to find out what happens next. Books three and four are patiently waiting on the shelf and I will get my hands on book five one way or another.
As you can tell I have found a few things to help me relax and move forward with life. I was really tense for a while, so much so that one of my friends who gives really good back massages could not make a difference when working on me. This past weekend that same friend was able to work out one of the larger knots in my back and commented on how much more relaxed I am now (he thinks it's because of all the reading I've been doing lately and I am inclined to agree).
There are many more things I want to do, many more books I want to read. I feel like my rediscovery of these little pleasures are helping me rediscover my identity. I am not the same person that moved away from Louisiana nearly five years ago, but there are still parts of that person in me that got buried in all the flirting and socializing along the way. I am still flirtatious and social, but I have returned to my pleasures in order to maintain who I really am.
Pleasure #1 - Crochet
Back in September I found myself itching to do something productive with my hands. I decided to look through my stash of yarn and came across a skein that was just asking to be made into a scarf. I found a particularly interesting pattern in my crafting library and set to work. I took it with me to a friend's house and worked on it while watching season four of The Big Bang Theory. A couple of weeks later I had this:
But the itch was still there. It was getting closer to Christmas time so I returned to my stash of yarn and crafting library, this time focusing on Christmas related items. I found something that piqued my interest and set to work again. The weekend before Christmas I had this to wear to church:
And it looked like this with my awesome gray dress:
I was very pleased with my recent creations and enjoyed showing them off, but it was time for me once again to make something for someone else. I was given the perfect opportunity for that since I went to Utah for Christmas weekend and my little brother had recently become engaged to a wonderful woman. I wanted to make something for my future sister-in-law, Adria, so I found out her favorite color, had some help in picking the perfect yarn, and fell back on one of the easiest patterns I know to make her this in less than two days:
Yep, it's a scarf and here she is wearing it right after I finished it:
It was kind of funny because she saw me making it, asked what it was, but didn't know it was for her. Once I finished it she said, "It's beautiful." I replied, "I'm glad you like it because it's yours!"
You'd think that would satisfy my itch for crochet, but there are still more projects asking to be done (like the afghan for a dear friend that I started over three years ago and really only have to piece it together to finish it). This video says it better than I ever could:
Thanks, David, for sharing this video with me!
Pleasure #2 - Puzzles
I enjoy working on puzzles of all kinds. The make me feel like I am still using my brain instead of letting it atrophy. Sure, I use my brain at work, but it's not quite to the level of challenging most of the time. I was recently feeling the need to pull out one of my puzzles that have been sitting in the box waiting for the day that I would challenge myself and find the picture in the chaos. I pulled it out one night a couple of weekends ago when I had nothing going on and need a distraction from the worry that had come upon me. I was not planning on becoming as focused as I did but the next thing I know it's after 3AM and had this for a finished product:
Yep, that's the Salt Lake City Temple and I finished the whole puzzle on my own in less than 12 hours. I left it sitting on my coffee table for a couple of days trying to decide what to do now that it was all put together. I could have used the puzzle glue, framed it, and put it on display but I really wanted to start another puzzle without having to mess with all of that first. So, I grabbed the box, took it apart, and put it away to repeat another time. I am working on another puzzle, this one of a castle, but it's taking me a little bit longer. I enjoy the process even when I can't seem to find the piece I'm looking for though I've picked up every piece at least four times! There's a particular pleasure that comes when I do find that piece and have even taken to giving the smallest of audible shouts for joy at those times no matter if I'm alone or have a friend over. I will finish this puzzle, and when I will proceed onto the next puzzle!
Pleasure #3 - Reading!!!
I am a librarian by education but not by profession (thanks a lot, economy!) but that does not deter my love of books and reading. With my new job as a Data Analyst, which I started on Halloween 2011, I occasionally find myself having some free time at work. I do my work but sometimes the work comes in slower than what I'm able to finish. For a while, I was very strict on myself as far as staying focused on work even though I would have nothing to do for hours on end. I was going stark-raving-mad! I was extremely stressed! I needed something that I felt was productive to do while waiting for more work to come in. So, even though I have shelves full of books I haven't quite gotten to I splurged and bought the last book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle
These were some of the best books I have ever read!!! I started reading The Hunger Games on my flight from Denver to Phoenix and continued it on the unexpectedly extended flight from Phoenix to San Francisco. Having that book with me was such a blessing! I became so engrossed in the story that the flights seemed to just fly by (ha ha, pun intended!). I flew out Tuesday night, flew back Friday night, and finished reading book one early Saturday morning. The very next day I started reading book two, Catching Fire. I had to know what happened next! I took it with me to work and on my flight to Salt Lake City to spend Christmas with the family. My timing was impeccable since I finished reading the last sentence as the plane came in to land. Thank goodness I had the foresight to bring book three along on the journey so I could start reading Mocking Jay on my flight home. (I couldn't really start it while in Utah since my time was taken up by Pleasure #1 as well as helping Mom and Dad, spending time with family, and occasionally sleeping.) I don't remember exactly when I finished Mocking Jay, but I do know it was before the new year. Three books in less than three weeks - my reading mojo is officially back and here to stay!!!
I have read at least two more books since completing The Hunger Games. Instead of going out and spending money on books I really do want to read I decided to peruse my shelves to see what I could find.
Meet the Billy twins (they are a bit fuller now than when this pic was taken last summer). They are home to most of my personal library though I still have quite a few books in boxes and may need to turn the twins into triplets at some point. I settled on a book my big sister, Katie, gave me for Christmas 2009 and began to devour Let the Great World Spin. The storytelling in this book was eye-opening. It's told from several different perspectives but everyone is connected in someway. Discovering the connections was a big part of the magic that sucked me into this book. That book took me about two weeks to finish (I'd become busy at work and life was dealing me some emotional blows at that time) but once I was done I knew exactly which book to pick up next.
Christmas of 2009 Katie gave Frances a book as well. I managed to find a copy at Goodwill and added to my library The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Oh! My! Goodness! I finished this book in less than three days and discovered a new favorite literary character in Miss Juliet Ashton. I don't know what more to say than I absolutely LOVED this book!!! Now I have moved back to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series which I started back in early 2010 but failed to continue until now. I'm over halfway through book two and can hardly wait to find out what happens next. Books three and four are patiently waiting on the shelf and I will get my hands on book five one way or another.
As you can tell I have found a few things to help me relax and move forward with life. I was really tense for a while, so much so that one of my friends who gives really good back massages could not make a difference when working on me. This past weekend that same friend was able to work out one of the larger knots in my back and commented on how much more relaxed I am now (he thinks it's because of all the reading I've been doing lately and I am inclined to agree).
There are many more things I want to do, many more books I want to read. I feel like my rediscovery of these little pleasures are helping me rediscover my identity. I am not the same person that moved away from Louisiana nearly five years ago, but there are still parts of that person in me that got buried in all the flirting and socializing along the way. I am still flirtatious and social, but I have returned to my pleasures in order to maintain who I really am.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Turn and Face the Change
Change happens much faster than I could have ever anticipated. It was my intention for 2011 to write at least 2 blog posts for each month yet this is my first post in 4 months, it's now 2012, and I have a lot of catching up to do.
September:
October:
November:
December:
September:
- Got to see Les Miserables with my big sis for her birthday. The production was amazing as was getting to spend time with Katie.
- Finally got to go to the Taste of Colorado with a good friend. I was going through a bit of a rough patch (basically, the Louise to my Thelma walked away from our friendship and made me feel like it was because of something I did) and my good friend worked to help me feel better.
- Went to my first professional hockey game (Avalanche) with amazing friends and made it on the big screen for at least a minute! That was a dang good time!!!
October:
- Lots of meetings, spending time with friends, helping my sister with her kids, and trying to keep up with life.
- Found out my little brother is in a serious relationship - through Facebook!
- Applied for a permanent job as a Data Analyst at InterCall.
- Temp assignment with InterCall ended early (I worked myself right out of a job).
- Had a first and second interview for Data Analyst job before leaving the company.
- Got another temp assignment through Office Team staffing agency at Baxa Corporation.
- Found out my big brother is in a serious relationship - through Facebook!!
- While working at Baxa had interview for a job at a logistics company, Baxa wanted to interview me, and was offered the Data Analyst job.
- Spent time with the whole fam when they came to town for my niece's birthday and baptism (my own mother didn't recognize me that morning though I was front and center).
- Danced up a storm at the annual Halloween Dance.
- Started my new, permanent job at InterCall on Halloween!!!! I'm on salary, baby!!!
November:
- Discovered with the new job comes the benefit of getting to work from home, especially when it snows like crazy!
- Celebrated Grandma's 90th birthday with the fam.
- Spent more and more time with friends.
- Learned more about my job and how amazing it feels to be supporting myself with a regular paycheck.
- Had a nice Thanksgiving with my family.
- Avoided the craziness of Black Friday!
December:
- Got to try Stake 'N Shake for the first time - loved it!!!
- Little brother got engaged!
- Came down with a cold that really knocked me off my feet (missed church for the first time in ages).
- Spent lots of time with good friends several times each week.
- Went to San Francisco on a business trip. It was a good trip business wise, but quite lonely...
- Got to see one of my good friends get married in the temple.
- Met little brother's fiance. Pretty awesome girl - she has to be to fit into my crazy family.
- Went to Utah for Christmas - two crazy days of family time!
- Dancing and partying with friends to bring an amazing end to 2011
~~~Bring on 2012~~~
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