morning's light

intentional living

intentional living for me = taking time to read

intentional living for me = getting enough sleep

 

intentional living for me = preparing for a day the night before - including picking out an outfit

 

all images via pinterest

 

intentional living

Until tonight, I hadn't realized how intentionally and deliberately I'd set up boundaries in my life. The purpose of designing my life like this over the past 10 years was to limit my commitments and activities so that I can listen to what my body, mind and soul need. I read the Bible, and it says to "Love your neighbor as yourself."  You cannot love others until you love and take care of yourself. Once you have your needs (not wants!) met, you can then reach out to others and love them and be there for them. Sounds simple to me but ohhhh we as women have a difficult time with this. 

After hearing from various friends how stressed they are with too many things to do and too many people to do them for, I found a new appreciation for my own schedule.  I have busy weeks filled with work, family commitments, volunteer work at church, and meetings to attend, along with the myriad of details it takes to organize a home and personal life!  So I set up boundaries that help me, and no one's objected so far. There's nothing new here but I'm intentional about following them which has allowed much stress to leave my life in the last 10 years. 

 

Scheduling:  

• I don't go out during the week because I need to be home by 9 to get enough sleep for work the next day.  
• If I do have to go out, I don't go out two nights in a row. Like this week. I have youth group Wednesday night, so I am choosing to not see a movie with friends on Thursday night so that I have energy and focus  for a dinner on Friday night.  
• I turn my phone off at 9 PM daily, and it's known that I won't respond to a text or phone call until the next day. And it turns out my alarm on my phone still rings loudly even when the phone is set to silent. 
• To speed things along in the morning (I'm not a morning person at all.), I take 15 minutes at night to prepare lunch for the next day, shine my sink (thank you, flylady!), set out clothes, shoes and my bag for the next day, and I set things by my front door that I simply cannot forget the next day. I've been known to put out my makeup on the bathroom counter in the order in which I put it on, and get all my smoothie ingredients ready the night before so it's 75% done and the non-awake-me can finish making my breakfast without much thought in the morning. 
• I keep Sundays free of set plans so that I'm available after church to go with friends to coffee or lunch, watch football or relax in the pool and hot tub.  (We hit the gym so often on that day that we now call Sundays "Hot Tub Sunday").  I make plans to be home by 6 PM so I can prepare for the week - doing laundry, preparing food for weekday meals, reading, and getting loads of sleep before monday morning.

 

Commitments:

• I have carefully chosen commitments - work of course, then volunteer work with teens at church on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings, and another media ministry involvement once a month.  A myriad of opportunities are out there, but I simply cannot say yes to them.  As a wise person once told me, focus on doing a few things and doing those things well. 
• It took me years to realize there is nothing I do that has to be done by me alone. I am not the only person in the world who can bake cookies, help with an event or give someone a ride. 
• If I decline a request made of me outside my chosen commitments, I do not have to give an explanation as to why I am saying "no". It is not their business, and if someone insists on knowing, my stubborn side emerges and I refuse to give a reply.  Politely, of course.

 

Money:

• It's not the most fun economy at the moment, so I don't have a huge budget to go out to eat, go to movies and shows, or take road trips and vacations like many of my friends do. If something is too expensive, I will turn down the opportunity.  If I can do a compromise, I will. For instance, some friends meet halfway across the state every summer for a weekend at a hotel and casino. It's their fun weekend to catch up and do some gaming as well.  Their budgets are a bit higher than mine, so I compromise.  I avoid the hotel and gaming costs by going out to dinner with them to catch up on their lives, then I might spend $20 or so on a machine, then call it quits. It's way more fun anyway to watch others play the slot machines - and rejoice with them when they win back their money!  
• I go out way less than I used to but that's okay.  Like many other bloggers, I've found joy in things that don't cost much if anything at all:  reading all the books I want from the library (not to mention the movies and CDs I check out constantly - to explore all kids of movie genres and music styles I'm not familiar with), game nights with friends, calling friends and family around the country, making meals at home and baking more, and meeting friends for dinner.  Sleep, fresh air, organizing my home, donating items to thrift stores, reading on my deck...... those are free as well.  I live a rich life.

 

Resources:

I read the following blogs which have helped me tremendously in setting priorities and goals and in letting things go from my slightly cluttered, need-to-come-up-with-an-organization-system apartment. 

zen habits

the minimalists

becoming minimalist

flylady

cat's meow

valhalla

 

 

edited:  Wanted to add that I learned this year to not be intimidated at the gym or in pricey shops or let advertising get to me.  

At the gym, we are all on our own workout program, and in fact, we don't know if the person next to us recently gained 20 pounds, lost 50 pounds, or has stayed the same size for 20 years!  I won't let them look down their nose at me as I work out the best that I can and leave the gym feeling satisfied with how I feel.

Similarly, advertisers don't know my personal story.  A dozen commercials may air that insist I buy products to sleep better, drive more quickly and accurately, feel better, and have a safer place for my money, but really and truly, "they" don't know me or my story but they are doing their jobs. I could have ten million dollars in the bank or fifty cents in my purse.  I'm the only one who knows my story and what my budget, life and priorities can handle.  "Just say no."  Yeah - I just went there.   

 

 

office makeover + life makeunder

http://www.thedilemmamovie.com/ 

 

 

Makeovers are superduper fun. To see Chris Gardner's office's before photo - scroll way down to the bottom. What a great job Chris did!  I'm particularly enamored with the macro shots of the office and craft accessories!  

This is the makeover portion of the day.   Below will be the life makeunder section.

There. I'll sandwich it in between two fun photos and use loads of exclamation points now!!!!

It's been quite a week.  I have been on an anti-depressant for two years - starting on it after a few months of anxiety and a known family history of depression and anxiety.  It is an expensive drug, and I have been fortunate to have gotten samples from my doctors office every few weeks for two years except this week.  

I had this nudge from God when the office continually didn't have samples for me despite my daily calls - that maybe I should go off of it (Lexapro).  I decided to and then googled "Lexapro withdrawal" and read of some awful, awful side effects that happen when people go cold turkey.  (Which makes me hesitant now to put that in my body- it's some strong stuff!)  I'm chancing it and am on Day Three and have had no ill side effects from the withdrawal....yet.  I've kept my meals free of sugar and filled with protein and vegetables and some smoothies and gotten enough sleep.  

Have to admit that Days Four and Five may be the most difficult - and I'm happy they fall on a weekend. 

WHEW! There, we made it.  Are you okay?  I'm okay.  I'm smiling. I'm not crying.  Am feeling cheerfully hopeful.  

[This is my current experience. I know that medicines are needed -my friends and relatives are on them so I know.  I'm just hoping I don't need to be on this anymore. ]

If you're thinking, "What's so 'life makeunder' about that story?!", I thought of makeunder as a way to portray the drug leaving my life and leaving me behind with a better life!  Perhaps decluttering my pantry closet would help as well.

It has been fun to look for ways to nourish my body as it goes through this "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?" stage.  So this weekend will include seeing the new romantic comedy that Adam Sandler is in, playing cards with some former students of mine, and going to a pizza 'n bowling night to celebrate the birthday of two friends!  

What are you doing this weekend?

Look! Below these next photos!  It's more fun questions for you!  

 

After reading this entry on Marta's blog, I'm curious about blog content.  

+ What do you look for in a blog?
+ What would you like to see more of or less of on this blog?  
+ What kinds of blogs do you subscribe to?
+ What are your favorite blogs?

 

 

 

photos via Unpluggd  

 

EDITED: Indulged in two movies tonight: "The Dilemma" and "Just Go With It". Actually began liking Vince Vaughn in The Dilemma...felt drawn to his character somehow... and then laughed a lot while watching Just Go With It.  I liked Jennifer Aniston's acting and her character, the kids were adorable, and Adam Sandler was his usual self.  Have to say I liked the Adam Sandler movie the best.  Now.... time to sleep in then work out in the pool! 

kitchens + cars

  

Warning: Blonde Moment ahead.  

I drive an older Honda Civic called Sophie.  (Well, her name is Sophie when the car is tidy on the inside and sparkling blue on the outside. When all is not well, I just pat the dashboard and tell Sophie I'll make it all better soon.)

 

Meanwhile, aren't these images by Julian Wass gorgeous?!  

 

Anyhoo...Sophie is not doing well and has three oil leaks ....because she's old.  She's 13 years in car years this year ...which is the human equivalent of...86?!  

I have to diligently keep up with the oil levels in the car because of the three oil leaks.  

A couple weeks ago, my car began making this very loud noise - which a car friend supposed was an exhaust manifold problem.  Then a coworker saw oil on the front of Sophie's hood and gasped, warning me that my car COULD START ON FIRE.   I shrugged and said I'd check with my car guy.

 

When Philip, the car guy, finally had time to look at my car, we both laughed at what he found.   The oil cap was missing - which is what caused the oil to spill all over the engine (very bad, I know, I'm hanging my head in shame) and also the loud noise.  The fix was $10 for a new oil cap and a car wash. 

 images via desire to inspire  

 

 

Philip then checked the oil.  After three weeks of the car spilling oil, the oil levels remained above normal.  Another not good thing.  I was gently scolded about the importance of checking the oil levels before putting more oil in the car. 

*sigh*

Agreed.  

 

 

 

I bet if I were driving my dream car of a cherry red toyota rav4, I wouldn't have these stories about sophie!  

 

 

white attic bedroom

I dreamed of a bedroom like this when I was younger and an avid reader - a room tucked away in an attic-like setting..all white! It's now that I appreciate the industrial edge the desk gives the room.  Cute cute cute.

Am typing this out in a cough-medicine, lack of sleep-induced daze.  I literally don't know which way is up..yet I'm driving and working and getting some things done.  Forgot to get creamer for my coffee so am making do with Coke which, since I haven't had it for awhile (umm four days), tastes too sweet to me today. 

I'll tell you one thing though. This dazed state lends itself to being a truth serum, so if you have any questions for me, ask away.  I'll tell you all I know. 

image via simply magnifique 

a handmade book

I WON!!  Joyce of Slateblu made some notebooks and gave away two of them. I just found out I won one of them!  Such pretty books!  Thanks, Joyce!!

   

images: slateblu

greatest fear is underwear getting stuck in the washer

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Good evening!  It's Friday evening of a U.S. holiday weekend. Enjoyed a dinner of french toast with peanut butter and real maple syrup on it...then read my book a little more.  Jumped up from the couch to transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer and discovered some underwear wound tightly around the agitator..underneath all the fin thingies.  (I'm sooo technical!)  Thought it would require a quick pull on the underwear to get it loose but it wasn't that easy.

Then came this phone conversation with my friend Tina:

me:  "Ummm.....I've got underwear stuck in the washer.  Am too short to reach the bottom of the washer when I lean into it so I'm standing on a stepstool. I can now reach the underwear and have scissors in hand to cut the underwear but am afraid I'll pull too hard and knock myself out and stab myself in one move....Can you BELIEVE I got underwear stuck in the washer??? Who does that???"

tina:  "That's my GREATEST FEAR!!"  [dramatic]

me: "What? Your greatest fear is getting your underwear stuck in the washer???"

tina:  "Right." 

me: "oh..it's being unconscious...."

tina: "yep..and people not finding you for days."

Because I didn't want to be left unconscious for days nor have a repairman be called thus requiring me to run around and tidy up the living and dining rooms before a repairman could be allowed into the home, I managed to get the underwear free of the machine - in little cloth pieces but they are free.

What kind of night is it when your greatest triumph is that your underwear is FREE of the washer?!

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A small, cool Sunday

 Sunday was busy and fun. The morning held the final Ignition  service for the school year.  Then I dashed off to a city two hours away to see my new nephew, C, who was born a mere 10 days before my visit.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C's older brother H was still sleeping when I arrived, so Mom and I played a quick game of cards..but I had to take a photo of H sleeping!

When he woke up, I whisked him off with his older siblings to shop at Target. H got to pick out whatever he'd like for his birthday…within reason. He ended up with three things: a set of Thomas Train bath toys, a big microphone in which he sings his version of Staying Alive (sounds like "Chin Live" or "Chin Lice"), and a plastic bag from Target. He seemed to view the bag as part of his gift.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

We then had a cookout for dinner and the birthday boy loves his chips.

 My mom gave me a tour of her studio apartment attached to my brother's house….and it's adorable. She has impressively paired down her belongings from an 1800 square foot ranch home that she lived in for over 20 years – to a mobile home with limited storage – and now to a studio apartment with even less storage than she's ever had before. She's done a wonderful job and has declared that she's given up rummage sales and browsing her favorite stores (Pier1, Target, World Market).

Here you see her Murphy bed pulled down so H could nap.

 

 

 

 

And here is where the bed is stored upright and leaves room to walk around the main room.

  

She has an armoire for clothing and miscellaneous storage (no closet!) along with a small kitchen with a bar area. (Her front door is to the left of the kitchen.)

 

This is the living area kitty-corner from the kitchen. Her TV armoire, couch and glider fit nicely into the corner.

The house and apartment overlook a city park, so the views are incredible. The builder (my brother) included a large window in the living area to encourage light to come in and access to the stunning view.

  

Not shown are the three grandkids who burst into and out of the doors at all times of the day as they visit Gramma or run through to the backyard or have to tell her a story RIGHT NOW!.

I had so much fun there I didn't want to drive home!

 

Photos by sunnygirlsf

Please pardon the funky formatting. Am using Microsoft Word again and am figuring out the formatting options. Thanks for your patience.

yellow kitchen!

Definitely a pretty kitchen. Yellow is becoming more and more a new favorite color of mine.  And how did Real Living Magazine know that I'm looking for an old school, big clock for my apartment?! Mind readers!

Need more time in the next few days.  Today is only one day but it needs to hold nine hours at work, two hours of a dinner with a family friend in town + some card playing, packing for a retreat for tomorrow, gathering items to hold the food at the retreat so some of my personal style will be there in the kitchen and dining room of the retreat house (10+ bedrooms!  10+ bathrooms!  not too shabby! and that's just the girls' house). Add to that packing for the gym tomorrow (5:45 AM class), working a morning, then gathering all items plus stopping to pick up containers of donated pasta e figioli soup to serve 35 people at lunch on Saturday.   Did I mention that I also want to clean my apartment thoroughly so that I have a nice surprise waiting for me when I return home?!  Yeah - that's not gonna happen.

Luckily for my packing time, the retreat items I need are comfy clothes, Bible, notebook, pen, "a good attitude" (according to the retreat organizer), toiletries and that's pretty much it.  However, I don't travel lightly, so I consider my pillow, a small throw, and comfy socks to be "necessities".  I'm sure the guys attending the retreat will spend three minutes tossing a toothbrush, toothpaste, underwear and the books they need into a small bag and calling it a day.  Lucky!! (said in my best Napoleon Dynamite voice which I hear on my NP keychain)

All this to say, blogging from "morning's light" will be kinda light (hahahaha. ok not funny) the next few days but I will return with photos from the retreat (of people snoring during the sessions, of people stuffing their faces, and of pranks being pulled) and bits of the funniest moments.  Because there will be some. I guarantee it.

Ooohhhhh...Amy did introduce me (and the bajillion other readers of her blog) to Aunty Cookie... a very fun and pretty Australian blog!

images: real living

 

Here's my kind of Christmas tree decorations: pink and red and lots of sparkle!

I have two days to spend at home.  My car is doing an odd thing where I'll be driving along and suddenly I'll hear the locks click and then I know I've lost power in my car...the motor quits (but the radio, fan, lights, etc. still work).  I'm able to drift to the side of the road, put my flashers on, and then wait a minute before starting my car.   I continue on my way but drive with the knowledge that it'll stall.. again.  It's baffling the mechanics who can't get the car to stall.  I have to give them my Christmas money that's been given to me - to diagnose the problem, so I hope they find the cause!  I love my little Sophie (my blue Honda sedan, age 11), but it may be time for a new-to-me car.

Meanwhile, I was given rides by friends to and from church today and now am settled in at home with no commitments and no car to get anywhere, and since I'm out in the country - cannot get to anything by walking.  Soooo I have many possibilities facing me:  closets to tidy, piles of items for the thrift shop to create, pictures to hang on the wall to personalize my cozy space even more, baking to do, episodes of Criminal Minds to watch (my latest guilty pleasure), plus a stack of library books to peruse.  And yes, my "treasure" of a stack of Domino magazines found last week in a used bookstore.  I have those to finish getting inspiration from.

Hope your weekend is well.  Are you shopping? or cozying up at home?

~ s.

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google reader + volunteer work

Hello, friends!  It is late, and I just arrived home from tonight's youth group at church.  Another amazing night with the girls.  Eighth grade is an interesting time for these girls - as they're no longer children but they're young adults - growing up and preparing for high school.  I really enjoy them.  This Saturday we're spending the day at the local nursing home - and will be helping with things like Bingo and also Wheelchair Square Dancing!  Sounds fun, doesn't it?  Twelve of the fifteen girls in the group are showing up to help.  (A majority of the girls shown above will be at the nursing home with me.)

Wait..this has nothing to do with Google Reader...the reason I sat down to write to you about.  I subscribe to this blog in Google Reader and over the weekend I realized that when I refreshed the feed, it seemed stuck on the Parisian Apartment post from October 27th.  I did a lot of research and finally changed one setting that seemed to work as the blog posts (14 of them!) all popped up as new entries.  (That makes it sound so easy..but truly - when I was feeling overwhelmed and near tears after work today, one of the things I was praying about was the problem with Google Reader - and feeling like it's too small for God to worry about.  Why did I worry about that!  He did help a solution be found despite my lack of technical knowledge!)

This week feels odd to me.  Like something is not right, things are out of sorts, I'm neither happy nor sad - more contemplative.  As a task-oriented person, I tend to focus on, well, the next task!  With a lot to get done in two days, then a full weekend of volunteering with the girls, there's been little time to relax and think about nothing.

Too much to do:

• Work deadlines (of Friday at 5 PM)
• Weekend volunteering and finalizing details for our group's time at the nursing home
• Laundry (2 loads)
• Flylady's "Weekly Home Blessing" (spending a quick 60 minutes doing six items like taking out all the trash, quickly cleaning all the mirrors and windows in the home, vacuuming the "middles" of the rooms, etc)
• Getting a haircut 
• Running errands (Target, Walmart, thrift store)
• Watching the Twilight DVD a friend loaned me.

weekend + french home

Aren't four-day weeks after a holiday weekend the longest weeks?! This one was made nicer for me by two things:  my early-morning water class started up again at the gym and I was given a bike that I took out for a ride last night. (Hadn't ridden a bike in ten years!!!)  Both activities are so much fun that I may now say "Treadmill?  What treadmill???"  

The weekend holds swimming, biking and the kick-off weekend for the youth service at church.

Oh yes...my weekend goals also include going through my kitchen and donating much of what I haven't used in the 3 years I've lived here...then neatening the remaining items.  If I could bring the colors found below into my dining area, that would be lovely too!

Last two images via Le Journal de la Maison.  Thank you, Marianne!

instant thrifting

photo: pixeljones on flickr

instant thrifting...A stack of items for the thrift store sits by my front door, waiting patiently, I think, to be taken to the thrift store.  I could go after work or at lunch, but I seem to wait for a minimum of ten items to be in the pile before I take a donation in.  I should be more like the guy who seems to have perfected the insta-donate action.  I was helping the thrift store employee unload items from the backseat* of my car once when a young guy drives up, hands the employee one sweater, and then drives off.

*note... Normally one would put items for donation into the trunk of a car but the trunk of my car is 90% full.   Quite embarrassing at the grocery store parking lot when I want to load groceries and look around to see if anyone sees my full trunk.  I glance over with envy at people who open a trunk, pop in their few cloth bags of groceries into a clean trunk, shut the door and go merrily on their way - no guilt hanging over them about needing to clean out the trunk.  

Sophie...When my little Honda sedan is clean, her name is Sophie.  When it gets a tad messy, I apologize to Sophie while I pat the dashboard for the car not looking perfect.  When the car trunk is full and there are items out of place in the front seat?  Then the car has no name.  

Apartment Therapy - San Francisco + Orla Kiely

Over the weekend, I was browsing some of my favorite sites - a list that is topped by the oh-so-inspiring Apartment Therapy.  I read the San Francisco one since I lived there for years, the Chicago one because it's the closest to me now, and the New York one because it's New York City!

At AT:SF, I see a familiar photo of Orla Kiely's office that I adore and showed last week. Thanks, Monika, for linking here on AT!  What a treat!

This is Kindergarten???

It's back to school time and am reading all sorts of stories of kindergarteners and first graders - and how the tears flow.

We lived in California on my first day of kindergarten.  I looked around at all the kids crying and clinging to their parents and didn't get it.  Why cry?  "Babies," I thought, scornfully.  (Yeah - a pretentious five year old.  NICE)  

Let's fast forward a few days in the week to when I'm the Student of the Day* who gets to deliver papers from the classroom to The Office.  I wander the school, cannot find the office, and end up at HOME (next door), CRYING my heart out because I can't find my way, and have to be led back to my classroom. In tears.  

Betcha all the other kids were like, "What's with Crybaby over there?  Kindergarten's no big deal.  I'M KING OF THE HILL!!!"

*Let's not get excited here.  My last name begins with "B" and I assume they just went down the list alphabetically.  Okay - DO get excited.  STUDENT OF THE DAY!!

Target Clearance Goodness

image by sunnygirlsf

I find the best things in Target's clearance sections.  A quick jaunt at lunch scored a $4.24 black knit skirt - perfect for tossing on to run errands or on those days when *ugh* there's nothing to wear at all.

Also picked up a four-pack of greenroom (70% recycled) notebooks for $1.24.  (regularly priced $5)  Funny I found those as I was walking the store with a shopping list recorded in a passport-sized greenroom notebook that I got last year on clearance (74 cents for a 3-pak).

The fun purchases of the day were m&m's and a mood magnet with a beauty queen proclaiming her mood of the day to be:  "Miss Happy-Go-Lucky" or "Miss Funky".  When you visit, one glance at my fridge front will reveal the mood o' the day.

edited: wow...that computer speaker in the background is u-g-l-y you ain't got no alibi.  

never ask someone, "are you a psycho killer?"

The Photo in question

sooooo.

okay.

how do I start this?

A friend pulled me aside at a party last month and asked if I was dating anyone.  I said I wasn't, and she said "You should!!"  We figured out that many happily married couples we knew met online, so we thought the plan should be that I try e-harmony.  Good idea but my budget doesn't allow for that. So I tried one that brags about having a lot of members.

I sign up then browse the profiles of the men in my age range and quickly realize there's no one "my type" there.  

Within a day, a nice guy has written me and is the first to receive a reply from me. We correspond on the site for two weeks, talk on the phone once for four hours, then exchange personal emails for a couple days.  We meet for one date and both recognize there's no chemistry.  After our mini golf game, he asked if I wanted to get some wine.  He drove, and before I got in the car, I said, "YOU'RE NOT A PSYCHO KILLER, ARE YOU??"

In the car, he turned to me and said, "You know, you REALLY SHOULDN'T ASK SOMEONE THAT."  And still, I thought nothing of it.  (Now..your mind may jump ahead and think that he turned out to be a killer.  He wasn't. I'm alive. But he's got somethin' missing.)

He wrote to me a day or so later and said that I needed to change my photo on the dating site because I look nothing like that photo.  (He's dead wrong. Oops..I don't mean dead. I mean he's wrong. It was taken of me a few months ago and is me - with fabulously straight hair that I can't recreate unless I'm in my stylist's chair  by which I mean SHE gives me the straight hair that's amazing.)

Thus begins the Week of Critical Emails.  By today, I realized that the guy (ahem, man, as he's in his mid-forties) had a fixation on my straight-hair-photo and had criticized everything about me from my cell phone provider to my sunglasses.  Nice guy, eh?  Wait, there's MORE!  

His criticisms of me included the following:

• My hair wasn't straight enough
• I should have been wearing sunglasses on our date 
• My clothes were ugly
• My car is too old
• "You should work out. You'll feel better."  (hint: I can kick his butt. I work out four+ times a week and am quite healthy.  but because I'm not a size four, he thinks that I am worn out and tired and lazy)

There's so much more but it's too tiring to list.

The kicker (email) arrived moments ago.  His final words to me were this.....in all caps exactly as I'll show you:

PLEASE DON'T CONTACT ME BY TEXTING OR EMAIL OR PHONE. 
 
I TRUSTED YOU, AND YOU VIOLATED THAT TRUST. I WILL CALL THE POLICE IF YOU CONTACT ME ONE MORE TIME.  THEY WILL TRACE YOUR EMAIL ALONG WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBER BACK TO YOUR HOUSE AND TALK WITH YOU IF YOU CONTACT AGAIN.
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ANY CONTACT OR I WILL CONTACT THE POLICE RIGHT AWAY.
NO CONTACT MEANS NO CONTACT ON ANY SITE OR EMAIL OR TEXT OR PHONE.
 
I HOPE YOU CAN GET HELP FOR YOUR PROBLEM.

Now. I don't have a "problem" (apart from his silly emails to me) and I have no clue where this anger came from.  I do recall during our date that he mentioned HIS PREVIOUS WIFE AND GIRLFRIENDS HAVE ALL CALLED THE POLICE ON HIM.  How could I have forgotten THAT?  Clearly, I have some learnin' to do. Also, what's this "trust" thing?  We had ONE date!  

If you'll excuse me, I have to go make dinner then curl up on the couch to watch the end of "Lost in Austen" - an AMAZING UK miniseries about a Jane Austen fan who finds herself in the house of Elizabeth Bennett - at the time where Pride & Prejudice begins - so the JA fan decides to help with the matchmaking!   I'm loving the miniseries! Got it from netflix.

So,  about this dating thing.  I just need Dr. Phil to show up and ask me, "How's that workin' for ya?"

bedroom storage + blind date survival

images found here

wishing for... an IKEA Expedit bookcase as in the first photo. Time to buy one!  

watching...Drop Dead Diva, Design Star, and The Closer

reading...Dune Road (by Jane Green)

surviving...blind date on Saturday night.  How the HECK do people do this whole dating scene?  My married friends all sigh and say they're happy they're not dating.  Saturday Night's Date (SND) was a nice guy but there was no chemistry.  Add to that our small age difference of five years seemed magnified because he looked older than his years and I look about 10 years younger than my age. We agreed to go our separate ways...and I may be happy single!  Mentioned the whole dating thing on facebook and got a myriad of responses from "prayer!" to "lots of drinks" to specific online dating sites recommended.  

sunday...was a nice relaxing day with a refreshing lack of drama  

wednesday wackiness

a new-to-me blog: apple likes orange.

Outside my window...blue sky with clouds (reminds me of The Simpsons sky in the opening credits) + lilacs

I am thinking...glad I woke up in time to get to the water class this morning

I am thankful for...the little things - especially when they're unexpected (like a surprise passion tea lemonade from a friend on a hot day)

From the kitchen...leftover tuna pasta salad that I made on Monday night

I am wearing...a fun sundress that looks like a painter's palette - topped by an azure cardi and the outfit is completed by a pair of shiny black ballet flats.. my "shiny shoes"!

I am creating...documents and more documents.  something I'm good at doing! 

I am going...to run errands at lunch instead of sitting on my bum and reading during lunch. 

I am reading...Knit Two - the sequel to The Friday Night Knitting Club

I am hoping...I can learn to do a proper manicure of berry polish that doesn't smudge within 90 seconds. 

I am hearing...a small oscillating fan 

Around the house...A closet containing a plethora of "stuff" - items with no home.  Have been gazing at laura cattano's blog and flickr photos to gain inspiration for living clutter free. 

One of my favorite things...this week it has been air conditioning - at home, in the car, in stores... everywhere!

A few plans for the rest of the week: work, see The Proposal, do some crafts with a friend, shop for summer clothes, watch New in Town (current Netflix selection). 

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Call me addicted to drinking beverages in cute cups.  Here are two days' worth of cups.  

[use your words]

...and there's this deadline today at 9:30 AM.  Must get SM (senior manager) out the door to a critical meeting with two originals + eight copies of contracts and backup documents to distribute.  Two of us are working with him to get final corrections completed and copies made and sorted into piles to be finalized.

It's chaos. Paper is everywhere. Piles are, well, piling up. There's yelling amongst the three of us and The Person Who Pushes My Buttons (TPWPMB) just stands there, mezmerized... and is not contributing one darn thing. 

SM finds an older document he needs to take with him. There's no time to make copies.  So I copy the cover sheet of both sections, with a note to self to make additional originals for the file.

TPWPMB moves closer to me and tells me to make copies of the covers of each document and says she'll remind me to print out the originals.  I was in the middle of doing just that (making copies) and tried to look up and formulate a response but no words exited my mouth. 

[If my friend Kathleen had been here, she would have said the same thing she says to her three year old son, coaxing him to "use your words!!" when he's got strong emotions and doesn't know how to communicate what is wrong.  USE YOUR WORDS.  I needed to hear that.]

I look up at TPWPMB and look down at the copier and keep going.  It's not worth it to cause a scene and ask TPWPMB to please continue answering phones so that the group of three of us can continue finishing this project.

However, my blood began boiling (a little bit) after all was said and done and SM was out the door, documents in hand. 

How does it help anything to stand there, gawking, and wanting to order people around, but we're fine on our own, thank-you-very-much??!

breathe.  just breathe.

covert operation

Who has the best doctor ever?  Me, that's who!

He arrives in the office, my Rock Star Doctor who is handsome and used to have a shoulder length blunt haircut.....thus Rock Star! Anyhooo...he offered samples today of a new medicine that may work for me......

Doc: "....so just call us when you need more, and it'll be waiting for you up front."

Me: "...ooh...exciting...as if I had my very own supplier!!!"

Doc: "That could be arranged.  We meet in a dark alley - I bring the drugs, you bring the cash....."

Me: "Ooohhhh...or one day, I could just drop off a present for you...."

Doc: "Orrrrrr we could meet at Starbucks and casually make the exchange..."

Me:  "Right! Starbucks!  A Starbucks gift card!"

Doc: (crashes back into reality with a thud) "Oh no.  That's okay."

At least I got to meet with the nurse and be handed a plain paper bag with pills in it.  HAHAHAHA.

Who's happy now?

{friends visited for the weekend}

Spent the weekend with some little people (LP) from my childhood.  They accompanied me everywhere this weekend.  I'll let Mrs LP tell you her story.....

We're waiting for Sunny to pick us up...hanging out in front of our house that reminds me of the bright yellow fold out house that was my childhood home.

We introduce Sunny to a bunch of our friends....but we have to rush off to meet Sunny's mom for lunch and some card playin'.

We won it all.  Didn't know skip-bo was that much fun!

Hurried off to eat dinner with Krysta before the concert.  Couldn't resist smoochin' my man.  The waitress put up the beverage menu, shielding us from the other diners and calling us "indecent".  Hrmphh..indecent my foot (if I had a foot, that is).

Sat with Carolyna, Erin and Hannah K. at the Chad James + Ginny Owens concert.

Went to church.  Because we're little they wanted us in the nursery.  But we heard about the youth service called Ignition..and hurried downstairs to check it out.

Woah...we're now groupies of the worship band.  Gettin' some t-shirts made up this week. They rock!

Ran the computer during the service.  After all, running media shout is "just" pressing the space bar!

Time for a mocha latte at Ignition's coffee bar.  Yummm.

A little too close to the youth pastor, Bryan Roe.

A little refreshment after a workout with Sunny at the gym.

We had so much more fun than is pictured here.  Check out our weekend photo album!

a weekend with little people (toys)

perfect ending to a weekend

who knew? a spontaneous trip to chuck e. cheese would be a perfect ending to a weekend! especially when the collective pool of 800 tickets results in your walking away with a star wand that "cost" 500 points. note to self: do not make the wand flash its blue and red lights while in the backseat of a car because it may result in a panicked driver assuming the police are pulling him over and setting him up for a heart attack as well.

who knew? that the movie Penelope would be better than expected - with a classic feel to the clothing, accents (mix of european and american), homes, and city featured.

who knew? that if you forget to change the full-screen setting on the film "Little Miss Sunshine" to wide-screen, you will watch a more creative, artsy version of the film....with half-faces on the screen and voices offscreen providing the dialogue.

who knew? that you could enjoy 50 degree temps one afternoon then wake up in the morning to snow and ice everywhere?

welcome to monday.

high maintenance?

Double tall, whole milk, extra hot, easy whip mocha anyone?  Guaranteed to fill the recipient with warmth and warm fuzzy feelings, and provide an increase in energy - with which you may choose to take on challengers who feel that the above order is bordering on high maintenance.

Which means I have to ask.  If one orders the above beverage, does that make them high maintenance in life in general?

how i got out of my garage this morning...

photo by: sunnygirlwi

After being snowed in yesterday, I resolved to leave early this morning. Here's what really happened:

7:15 AM  Left my apartment to get a little everything-bagel-with-onion & chive-cream-cheese for breakfast before work.

7:20 AM  Got stuck in a snowdrift while attempting to leave the underground parking garage + faced another car stuck trying to enter the garage. Backed in while avoiding a fishtail maneuver into the brick walls.

7:30 AM  Discover that two women using little snow scrapers does not dig out two cars from the snow.

7:45 AM  Gratefully accept help from another neighbor who'd like to leave for work.  As we're all clearing snow from around the tires, I hear the woman say to her son, "Let's pray and see what happens."  I think, "Well..it's good that they want to pray...I'll keep working."   Then I hear the other neighbor say, "OK!!" and I think "Wow, he's going to pray too?"  Right.  No.  Turns out the woman said "Let's TRY and see what happens."  Good ears there, Sunny!

8:00 AM The other two cars have gotten out and it's now my turn.  Back way up into the garage and speed toward the garage entrance and YESSS victory!  Got up the little hill and through the snowdrifts to the road. It's about time.

SERIOUSLY? Leaving 45 minutes early to commute had me arriving 15 minutes late?!   Saw the patio table above and had to snap a photo for you.  Can you even believe it?!

I will never call in to a radio station again. ever.

My radio station's morning show was about embarrassing moments today, so I called in with a story of my own.  I tried unsuccessfully to cram a two minute story into two and a half seconds, and had the following dialogue:

Announcer (A):  Good MORNING, Life1025!!!

S: Hello? I have an embarrassing story.

A: What's your name???

S: Sunny

A: Well, SUNNY, what's your story????

S: I once went to a BASEBALL GAME? and I didn't know ANYONE? I bought a ticket from SOMEONE I DIDN'T KNOW???? and a foul ball was HIT?? and I stood UP!  and I REALIZED that people around me WEREN'T STANDING and that I WAS REACHING FOR A WHITE MOON ON A DARK NIGHT.

*silence*

*crickets chirping*

S: and I LEFT A FEW MINUTES LATER!

A: (clears throat)..okay, Sunny, thanks for sharing your stoCLICK

what is there to do in las vegas?

going here in a few months...(vegas baby vegas)

do you have any ideas for a fun weekend there?

1. I have been to Las Vegas before.
2. It's a small group weekend.
3. Looking for things to do other than shows.
4. We already have a hotel in mind (a bit off the Strip).

old before our time

Saw the film Juno yesterday with a friend followed by lunch near the theater.  We settled into a booth and noticed two women in their seventies in a nearby booth who were clearly enjoying their lunch and conversation, chatting up a storm. Visiting as my mom would say.

I didn't pay much more attention to them but focused on my friend.  We had our own great, chatty lunch. Then as we were moments away from leaving, the two women across the aisle prepared to leave.  One of the women  lost her black glove and began to exclaim loudly that her glove was gone, and so she bent over, practically lying down in the booth as she commenced her search for the missing glove. 

I  pointed out that she was standing on a glove, to which she exclaimed loudly, "Thank you!!!"  and bent to retrieve the glove. Her friend added, "Don't ever get old!!  We told ourselves that years ago, yet here we are!"

As my friend and I paid the bill and prepared to leave, I noticed something. "Ummm...where are my gloves? I can't find my gloves!!!"

Thus commenced a search for the gloves. As I was practically lying down on my side of the booth, searching under the table for the gloves, I did notice that our situation bore a slight resemblance, if you will, to the one we'd just witnessed.  I did find the gloves on the floor under the table.  So you know what this means? Right.  Old before our time.  Darn it!

The Story of the Parking Space

You decide to run to the mall on Saturday because you need two more gifts. It might not be that crowded, you reason, so you drive the half hour to the mall and suddenly see a line of cars stopped at the freeway exit.  They couldn't be...yes, they are.  You're all going to the mall.  The lot of you begin trolling for a parking space, driving up and down the aisles.

You know you have to get to a Major Bookstore and a Department Store and look! there they are - side by side.  So you begin your search for a space nearby, and you go up and down the same four aisles - for about 15 minutes.  Then you reach your breaking point and CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! 

Just then, you see someone back out of a space close to the stores..but no... the truck ahead of you will get it, and surely it's a handicapped space or a "10 minute only" sign... but no, it's NOT. The driver ahead of you overlooks the space, choosing to prolong their search for a spot.  If they only knew what they passed up.  You pull into the FRONT ROW parking space gleefully and in somewhat a bit of shock.... because WHO DOES THIS? Who gets to the mall and gets a front row spot mere steps from a store's front doors? YOU DO!

You go in, complete your errands, linger a bit too long, then see the time and rush out the door.  You pause to take a photo of your blue car because this moment MUST be documented.  Then you stand by your car and try to catch the eye of a driver who surely must want THIS SPOT!  Two drivers of two vehicles gaze over your head as they sigh and contemplate a left or a right turn because surely it doesn't matter...no spaces are free.  You look at them like, "HELLO???" 

As you turn back, you notice a car full of young women who see you and recognize what you're trying to do.  "Yes" you smile and point to your spot, "THIS spot is free."  Immediately there's shrieking and laughing so you smile as you get in your car, confident that you'll be able to back out safely and also bring joy to those women who are worthy of The Best Parking Space at the mall a mere three days before Christmas.

The End.

Concert 'n stuff

Britt Nicole + Krysta, originally uploaded by sunnygirlwi.

Britt Nicole was one of many artists performing in the Christmas Promise concert this week - including Todd Agnew, Matthew West and New Song.

I am looking forward to seeing P.S. I Love You on Friday and then hosting my junior high girls for our Christmas/slumber party.

On Sunday, the youth are responsible for the two services - with Youth Guy speaking on family dysfunctions (I'm sure the audience will be empty as we all have perfect families!).

Monday and Tuesday will be family time, movie time, and more family time!

Todd Agnew

Matthew West signing a photo for one of my junior high girls, Kaylen. This is a good photo to explain the foyer of my church.  It's huge and easily holds two hundred people.  It's for this reason that Sunday morning attempts to find friends between services can be a challenge!

freaky friday

nah..it's not a freaky friday.  it's just FRIDAY! with Christmas and New Year's not far away! was immersed in a long project all day then found myself with a free night.  got together with a friend, krysta, for her belated birthday celebration.... dinner and a browse through barnes & noble. 

[above I'm practicing my driving skill of "If I don't look at you, you don't exist, therefore the stupid driving move I just completed doesn't exist either.]

it's going to be a good weekend. a little youth group leadership meeting, a little listening to the christmas choir, some ice skating, a family christmas party, and a little time at home in a cozy apartment.

fruit + morning

tribute, originally uploaded by abchao.

ever have one of those mornings?  I got up at 6 AM and still felt late as I ran out the door at 7:40 AM.  complained to a friend that I got nothing done.  She responded that our lists were completely different and that my morning made her morning look positively sluggish. (Yet I know she's in her office looking chic and fabulous... even with a quick beauty routine this morning!)

my morning

+personal hygiene, shower, dressed in a nubby sweater, black skirt, black tights, and black flats
+checked email
+ate a tangerine and took a vitamin
+unloaded the dishwasher
+watched last night's project runway (laughed + enjoyed kit's designs the most)
+styled my hair into some kind of order (thanks to a cute pink bobby pin)
+blended a smoothie to enjoy while driving + ran down to the parking garage while juggling my purse, tumbler holding smoothie, purse and keys. 

as my friend describes her morning

-hit the snooze for an hour
-decide to skip the shower
-fling on whatever clothes are on the back of my couch
-run downstairs to tori's car holding my shoes and trying to button my shirt

fun in the olden days

Tuesday was Annette + Annie + Nick Day

Annette and two of her kids are in town from Tennessee and spent the day with me in Milwaukee at the art museum and at a fine Thai dinner.

Annette + Annie in a museum art piece.

the museum pavilion - including the Burke Brise Soleil, a sunscreen that closes & opens throughout the day.

the highlight of the afternoon was when nick and I were sitting on a bench, contemplating a particular wintry painting when a group of third grade students swept in with their tour guide who asked if we could all share the bench.  we could, of course, and scooted over to let them in.  I then reverted to being eight years old myself as the guide would ask various questions while leaning over and speaking to us (as a group) as if we were all three years old.  I would actually RAISE MY HAND to answer one of her questions forgetting I hadn't been in school in...forever and a day and a half.

"What season is in this painting?"  [hmm..lots of snow and they are traveling in horse drawn SLEIGHS, so I have to go with summer.  FINAL ANSWER, REEG.]

"How many sleighs are there?"  [an infinite number of sleighs exist in the world.  shall I go on? ohhh..you mean in the painting.  rightyo....I don't know. never learned to count. PASS.]

"Do you see a DOG IN THE PAINTING?"  [there is a creature with fur and with brown and white spots on it, hanging out of the summer sleigh, so I gotta go with goldfish, so no, no dog in the painting]

"Is it a warm or a cold day?"  [again, wondering about the well being of this guide, who seems to be ignoring the surprising amount of snow on the ground on this wonderful summer day.  can she not see that it's obviously tropical? so 92 degrees with low humidity.  NEXT?  oh, we're DONE?  why ever is that the case?]

artsy

spent yesterday at an art museum. will post photos soon!