I am ready....

Ok, I am ready for Christmas! bring it on...........oh crap! So maybe it is a couple days to late but I really feel like Christmas now. ha! Well bring on the New year then. That I am ready for! 2010 is going to be an interesting year! I am very hopeful about this year and think it will have a lot of great things in store for myself along with friends and family!

I did have a very good Christmas even though I wasn't really ready for it. I got so many great gifts but the best thing I got this year was a small gift with the most amazing note attached to it from a completely anonymous "Santa". This person left me this gift at my parents home (where I celebrated the holiday). My Mom and I both suspected the same people but she asked them individually before I even knew about the gift and they both had the same surprised reaction and asked the same question. I don't know who it was but if by chance they read my blog I would like to say Thank You! That gift and note along with the anonymity was one of the most generous heartfelt gifts I have ever received THANK YOU!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Bring on the New Year!!!

Whoops..

I have really been thinking about blogging since August (I promise) but again I find that my thoughts don't just write themselves. A lot has been going on lately and not so much all at the same time. First and foremost some very big news, I have officially been medically cleared by the Peace Corps and now I just wait for a placement officer to contact me!!! Yes it does mean more waiting, but I am in a new stage, one step closer to the intended goal which brings me that much closer to NOT waiting anymore. See how that works.

I just returned from a week in Hawaii and it was a much needed vacation! I was on the Big Island for a week! I went snorkeling twice, saw a dolphin, two whales (pretty close up) and a jelly fish! I took my first helicopter ride and saw lava flowing into the ocean! The helicopter landed in an area that was reminiscent of Jurassic Park like settings. It was beautiful and warm and I had great company with my aunt and cousin. I will try and get some pictures posted up sooner rather than later.

My niece is growing like wildfire and I can't believe we are about to meet my nephew in just a few short months! Christmas time is here and trying to find gifts for everyone is proving to be a bit more difficult than I had expected, but then again it always seems to be. I just finished the new Jon Krakauer book, Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman. It was a great read, struggled at times because it would dive in and out of historical facts and would reference many different groups and people that were at times hard to keep track of, but he did a great job (as usual with Krakauer) of detailing the truth behind the person. He illistrates strengths and weeknesses laying out the character of Pat Tillman with what I beleive to be dedication and respect. It is a very hard sobering read! It emphasizes the best of what Americans can be, and the absolute worst that the governement is capable of when they are trying to protect their own agenda and image. His widow, family and friends have developed the Pat Tillman Foundation, which educates people and promotes leadership and change through service. I highly recommend it. If you have ever loved someone you will cry! Be prepared!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Sigh of Relief

Today, Friday August 21,2009, I mailed my medical packet off to the Peace Corps medical review office! I know I said I was hoping to do this almost a month ago, but those pesky immunization records were harder to track down than I had anticipated. None of that matters now because it is off, the ball is in their court. I can't really describe this feeling but it is great! The excitement of the Peace Corps and the process is beginning to return now. Now all I can do is pray that my body is in as good working order as I believe and think it is.

Processing Towards Progression!

Well well well, this Peace Corps thing is actually starting to turn into something now.... Actually that is a complete lie. See when I joined the Peace Corps, I worked hard getting my application ready, writing my essays, dreaming of the places I would go, people I would meet, stressing and prepping for the interview and praying for a nomination. I did all of that, got my nomination and now....Now I wait! I got my medical packet last month after my nomination and I am still trying to track down some of my old records. With any luck I will have it shipped off before the end of the week! I am hoping to be among the 15% of people that actually send it off the first time with everything filled out and all the information collected (yes it really is only 15%). What happens after I send the medical packet? I wait... I was warned this would be a waiting game and I understand that. I guess I thought I was good at waiting. But when you make a commitment and decide to change your life, you want to actually change it, not wait a year to change it! That is by far the hardest part of committing to it. I am almost hoping nothing changes in my life for a year, because depending on what does change that could influence my decision to depart. I have been trying to explain that to people, I am excited to go, but life has a way of happening! I am afraid it is coming across that I am not excited, when I am actually just trying not to get ahead of myself.

On the positive side I am almost done with my medical packet and that will get reviewed soon. Then hopefully I will be cleared and be one HUGE step closer on my wait to an invitation. Some other good news is that my Legal Clearance is currently being reviewed! That's progress baby!

Bean & I

Re-Building Bridges

Sometimes friendships end for a reason, maybe there is a big falling out, maybe there is just a mutual separation of ways. Whatever the cause or reason, after some time has passed, depending on the friendship, it just isn't important any more and it is worth it to re-build that bridge. I have recently reconnected with two people that had been great friends of mine at one time or another, and it feels awesome!

1)The past couple months I have slowly been rebuilding a friendship that ended or maybe went on hiatus about 11 years ago. This girl and I had a bit of a falling out as often can happen with friends, especially in high school. It was nothing major we just went our separate ways. She ended up contacting me while I was in college and we emailed back and forth for awhile only to lose contact again. Fast forward to present times and we have reconnected via Facebook and recently we made the big step into exchanging phone numbers. She called me last night and we chatted and it felt really good to talk to her, but to also know that we are different people now, and the past is right where it belongs, in the past!

2) So in college I had a very close friend, Teri. She and I did everything together, we were both incredibly active in our school and community and did so much of that as a team. We were inseparable until about half way through our junior year, when we had a pretty bad falling out. Truth is we lived together, and friends should never live together! We have not spoken in years and for a long time I had NO interest of attempting contact. Of course my cold heart began to thaw, I grew up and wondered what happened to my one time great friend. Fast Forward to a couple weeks ago I am in a bar talking with a couple cute guys, when this girl comes over (boobs pouring out of her shirt, and committed the female equation of cock blocking for guys!) So we all start chatting and she mentions she is from New York. Teri was from up-state New York and whenever she said she was from New York everyone automatically thought NYC, until she clarified. So being aware that New York actually has more land mass than the city I casually ask her where in NY. Come to find out she is from the same town Teri is from! I just chalked that up to a weird twist of fate, and maybe I should reach out and email her after all. Less than one week after that happened Teri sent me an email and stated that she was back in our old college town for a grad. class and saw a Subaru (my old car) with Oregon license plates! Isn't that CRAZY! (I went to college in a very small town in Colorado in case you don't know why that is crazy.) I haven't told her my story yet, but I am sure she will think that is the worlds way of saying we should be reconnecting at this juncture in our lives. I cannot tell you how much it lifts my spirit to finally have things in a good place with her. After so many years I really didn't think it had any effect on me, but it did. Even if nothing more comes of it, I have positive resolution.

It isn't always easy to reach out to an old friend especially when the separation was rocky. I have been rejected before (to be honest I expected it) but I have also had people tell me how excited they were to hear from me. The truth is both of these friends reached out to me and wanted to pursue that friendship with me again and it feels good! Is there someone your missing or wish you could see how someone is doing? I encourage you to reach out, you never know what you will get good or bad but I believe the reward does out way the risk!

Vitamin D-eficient

Just got a call from my Nurse Practitioner. She wanted to go over some of my lab results and she found that I am really low in my Vitamin D levels. She said I was somewhere around 13 and she wanted me up around 50! So I have some work to do, and some supplements to take. I did a little research on Vitamin D and found a ton of information, and just how incredibly useful Vitamin D can be for our cancer fighting abilities and bone strength!

I heard Dr. Oz talk about this on Oprah one time, and my LPN echoed his sentiments that we should be outside with no sunscreen for about 10-15 min a day in the sun. Granted that doesn't happen a lot in Oregon, but it is time to make it my job!

How are your Vitamin D levels?

Music & PC News

Music is the story of my life! Whenever I am going through something all I have to do is turn on the radio, put in a CD and there it is, someone singing to me about my exact situation, and reminding that people survive and even come out unscathed! This morning it was The Rolling Stones "You can't always get what you want." .

That song hit me so hard this morning because some very big news came in yesterday! I know I have only eluded to my desire to join the Peace Corps in previous posts but in mid-April I turned in my application and started myself on the process of changing my life. I had an interview about two weeks after I submitted my application, and just last night I got my nomination!!! I was nominated for a program starting June 2010 in Eastern Europe working in Organizational Development particularly with Non-Profits and Non-Government Organizations (NGO). It is a dream job in the last place I wanted to go.. I struggled with that, and I cried alot (like a baby) then with the help of some great friends and family I got over it and decided I am open to Eastern Europe and that I have my own story to write and to tell! I am committed to this adventure. I am very excited about this oppurtunity, I am really interested in my potential work assignment, and I am even getting excited about possible countries in E.E.
I do not know where I am going or the exact date which I am leaving. I won't find that out until 3 months to 6 weeks before I actually leave. The application process into P.C. is a 6 step process: Submit app, Interview, Nomination, Medical & Legal Clearances, Invitation, Staging (or departure). The overall P.C. process is also broken up into 6 stages: Applicant, Nominee, Invitee, Trainee, Volunteer (PCV), and Returned Volunteer (RPCV). However one very important step is left off both of those lists.....Waiting!!! Things are done on the PC timeline and no one elses which is totally fine with me, but good to know before you join!

Catch up!

Just some random stuff!

This is a double rainbow that was out the other day, but the bottom rainbow was SOOOO bright!!

This is my beautiful niece, who is posing as a diva in this picture!

The kick a$$ kickball team I have been playing with for 3 seasons now!! We are starting our 4th season together in June for summer kickball!!! (when the beer really starts flowing)

These are photos from my birthday party! I had a fantastic time hanging with the girls and drank a whole-lotta Vodka which is evident in the photo below which actually captures me the instant I am spilling my drink all over myself!!! Good news, my jeans caught all of the spill, I didn't even get any on my white shirt!!!

Dear Women Who Wear White Pants,

Please know that I think your white pants and skirt are lovely. They offer a great option of clothing to wear in the Spring & Summer that are fresh and airy. White clothing gives a nice clean look and brightens up every outfit. When you purchase white "bottoms" it is important to note the type of fabric, as a light white fabric is going to be see through in every kind of lighting condition. I like to do the hand test, if I slide my hand on the other side of the garment and I can see my hand perfectly, I will not purchase that article of clothing. You should note that as a rule of thumb no matter what your white pants or skirt are made out of, if they are white they ARE going to be see through in one form of lighting or another. It does not matter if you are wearing a thong, or some other sort of special underwear the entire world will see it at one point or another! Just the way you see other woman's underwear when they wear white, we see yours! I see two clear ways to avoid the inevitable fancy panty peep show, #1 if you are wearing a white skirt for goodness sakes by a damn slip AND wear it!!!! #2 Buy Spanx or some other form of thick nude nylon undergarment. It doesn't have to be a full set of nylons but mid thigh is preferable. We are going for the Barbie look (you know when you lift up Barbie's skirt she has two legs but no anatomical issues!) Puh-LEASE take these words of advice to heart because we are just beginning the peep show season and I do not want to see it! Enjoy your white pants and skirts and may the sun not shine to bright or cast to strongly on your drawers!

Sign Sign Everywhere A Sign

Been looking for signs lately? I have, and nothing fails to give you a clear and direct sign quite like a fortune from a fortune cookie. Apparently the universe was really trying to send me a sign because one of the two fortune cookies I had actually had two fortunes........

Here are my signs:

• Watch for a stranger to soon become a friend
• Next summer, you will dance to a different beat
• You will find your horizons suddenly broadened.
  

Thank you universe!!! Message received!

Whole Foods...

Did you hear about the story out of an Oklahoma Whole Foods where they found the worlds deadliest spider (The Brazilian Wandering Spider) just hanging out in the produce section!!!! Holy cow I would have died if I had found it (who am I kidding I would have died if I had SEEN it)!!!

"On Sunday an employee found the spider wandering across the bananas in the produce section"

Apparently this sort of thing "happens all the time" but this is such a dangerous and aggressive spider with a really strong venom (30 min. after a bite your toast). It is going to be awhile before I can go to a produce section again!!! Thankfully the local farmer markets will start opening soon and I won't have to worry about an attack from a deadly spider.......

Goodie!

Found another new blog, well new to me, apparently old to most others! It is called "Stuff White People Like" It is hilarious and awesome! In the celebration of St. Patricks day here is the link to their blog on St. Patricks day! Enjoy

Bumper Stickers

Sometimes I like bumper stickers, sometimes they make me mad and then there are the times that it seems like you were meant to be behind this car and read this bumper sticker. As I was overwhelmed with my unusually high stress and life load lately (see previous posts) I was driving to go pick up some stuff for work and saw this bumper stick:

"Dont Be Afraid."
-God


Perfect!

Glen

I don't know if any of you folks out there know who Glen Hansard is, but he is a really great musician. He sings one of my favorite songs, Falling Slowly with Marketa Irglova. Anyhoo he was on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and did the most beautiful cover of Hairshirt, by R.E.M. give it a listen when you have some time or want to chill...

Glen Hansard, Hairshirt

Update: for some reason I linked to the wrong video, so NOW here is the right video (hopefully!!)

Third time is the charm!!! The link will take to you the song, no video....

Shhh!

I wish I could quiet my mind!! It is just raging right now, trapping me in constant thought and not relinquishing! I am not talking in a schizo or psychotic way, I mean like in a way that I am so lost and out of sorts that it just won't let me stop to breath! It has been about a month since the stress started hitting me (my complexion is proof of that) but it was a couple weeks ago that after a VERY rough day at work, that reality stepped in and I realized I had to move on, and find what I am supposed to be doing out there, in the big cruel world. Most of you who know me know this isn't really a surprise, knowing that where I am at in life (mentally and physically) isn't exactly fulfilling, but it has certainly given me opportunities that I have always tried to take advantage of. What changed though is that my heart, mind and my consciousness (also known as the hold out!) are all screaming at me now.....Where do I go? What do I do? This is my problem, this is my dilemma. So if you see me and I don't seem overly happy, or preoccupied please understand I am trying to plan out my entire life and future and it just doesn't seem to be working out to well. In an ideal world I would find the rewind button! However, what I can't go back and fix/change I need to go forward and adjust!!! I know I need to take a leap, and just jump, but where am I jumping?!?!?! to jump without an intended landing place seems a bit ummmm reckless, careless, immature, stupid!!! So I have been thinking about joining the Peace Corp. but to be honest that scares the sh*t out of me, not enough that I don't stop thinking about it over, and over, and over again all day and all night until I can finally sleep. Most people have been supportive of the thoughts leaving me to be an antagonist to the idea. I had a great conversation with my friend that was the first realistic conversation I have had about it. We talked about worms and diarrhea and squatting to go to the bathroom, and skin infections and insects, it felt good to talk about it, the real experiences not just the fluff version! So I have my application filled out half way, and keep feeling that this is the best way to shake things up in my life, as well as be able to put myself in the path of a career I would want to pursue, and a masters degree, as well as leaving a footprint (albeit small) in the world, but do I really want to do this? Part of me thinks I should just go to graduate school. I just don't know what to do with myself..............................This is definitely an almost 30 pre-mid life crisis, crisis!!!!


I feel so much better having laid it all out there. Well not all of it, but you get the gist of it....

No comprendo

I have been reading on the BBC news website that the ICC (International Criminal Court) has issued a warrant for the arrest of Omar al-Bashir, the president/dictator/radical leader of Sudan (where all the atrocities of Darfur are taking place, you should look it up if you haven't heard of it). I was excited and thought this was finally a good move in the right direction for thousands of people being raped, murdered, starved, and tortured, however there seems to be an even bigger enemy than they aforementioned al-Bashir and that is.......... politics.
Not only has al-Bashir now kicked out 10 different aid agencies that supply food and water to over an estimated 1.5 million people but he is telling his followers at huge rallies that these organizations were only using their aid relief as a cover and really are just there for their political agenda's.. How long before he kicks the rest of the relief organizations out?

There are also a number of countries, China included, that is telling the UN and the security council essentially to back off because this may make al-Bashir upset....... Really?! The estimated 300,000 dead, and 2.7 million displaced not to mention all the unbelievable acts occurring in between these two numbers, and the UN should just back off????

My favorite part is where this man (if you can even call him that) says this wonderful quote:

"They claim that human rights are being violated in Sudan," he said."We defy them to come here in Sudan and show us what's happening here."

Ummmmm what?!?!?! You're kidding right?????

The BBC article is very good, and you have access to a lot of history regarding Sudan and the Darfur region that has been so widely publicised lately. I don't understand how the whole world can pussyfoot (excuse my language) around this person who is responsible for ordering and carrying out all of these crimes against humanity. I don't understand politics, but they sure do piss me off when it comes between life and death and human rights.

Let's blow this Popsicle stand!

Do you ever get the feeling like you just need to get away. I am not just talking about a vacation, I mean you just need to leave right now and drive or fly anywhere away from where you are right now. I don't mean to run away from a problem or a person or situation, we have all felt that. I mean sometimes I am in the car, and I am literally running through places I could go right now. Sometimes I just want to get away. My Mother says I am full of wanderlust, I suppose she 's right. I feel tied down right now, knowing that I don't have any big adventurous trips planned. Usually they will come up on there own, but it is hard not having a trip booked. I am supposed to be in Egypt right now, maybe that is why I am having a hard time with my lack of travel plans, or maybe it is because I am changing my files over at work and bored, or maybe I am just lost right now...

Thought, Pause, Thought

Hello to all! I am hoping you all had a good weekend. I had one of my "winter weekends", even though Saturday was a beautiful day. One thing that I do on Monday's (when I remember) is to hit one of my favorite new websites and get a good laugh or atleast a smile across my face. This site is new to me, but apparently old to most others. It will brighten your day! I found this one this morning....






Also, on a completely different subject does anyone else take issue with McDonalds advertising their burgers as 100% beef..........Anyone? I feel like that is one of those things that SHOULD be a given, but now that they are saying it, doesn't it make you wonder what they were before they started saying it? I mean it isn't even like they are saying Angus beef, or USDA choice, they are simply saying 100% beef.......uh, it is a burger, it should be......Yet another reason why I do not eat red meat from that fine establishment.

TV for Tuesday

I love me some TV, I know it isn't healthy, I could be doing so much more with my time, it drains your imagination, blah blah blah, I love it so deal with it. Some of my (more) guilty pleasures in the TV department are found on the BRAVO TV channel. That's right, it is the Real Housewives of OC, New York, and Atlanta! I love these ladies, well sometimes I love to despise these ladies but all the same it is damn good entertainment. Most the time they are a great example of how NOT to handle yourself, but every once in awhile they surprise me and say or do something mature! The ladies of New York (pictured above) are a fiesty bunch, not to be taken lightly! But the original ladies of Orange County (pictured below) are almost alway shocking, especially how these people raise their children!!! Season ending of the OC and beginning of NYC a good night to have a DVR!!!

Another Question for Tuesday

I had another question and it just happens to be a Tuesday so maybe this will be a new segment on my blog that I can feature. What else is a Tuesday good for really, it is not the beginning, middle, or end of the week. It is like the middle child that doesn't even get to be THE middle child!

Question: Does it count as recycling if my dog eats it?

Cutie Pie

I stole this picture from Lindsey, it was to cute not to share!! Look how cute Ivy is in her little outfit.

Question for Tuesday.

Last night I was preparing my salad for dinner, and I remember I had some blue cheese in the fridge (I buy the already crumbled version because I just like to put it on the salads). I had just opened it a couple weeks ago, not to terribly long ago, but it looked a little fury. So I chose not to put it on my salad. So here is my question.....

Does blue cheese go bad? And if yes, what are the indicators that it has in fact gone bad?

Scared!

So this weekend I watched a documentary called FLOW (For Love Of Water). It scared me and gave me the heebie jeebies!!! What are they doing to our water, and how in the heck can anyone own, and shut off rights for anyone else to have water!!! When I visited the website for the movie where you can "take action" it had some really interesting links to different organizations with good quality products to buy, or ideas of what you can do to help the worldwide issue, and even petitions to sign. I urge you to check it out, and check out the cause of saving our water!

I really enjoy watching documentaries, I think that they give us a special kind of insight into the world that is very unique, and specific to whatever issue or genre they are filming. They make me cry, they make me laugh, and generally make me aware of something I may not have known was an issue before. Some hilarious documentaries are : Trekkies, Spellbound. They are just great!

More Pictures of Ivy...

Ivy Christine....

When she heard her Daddy's voice she would stop crying and try and find him....

I think they are in love, what do you think? Look at that head of hair!!

I was very excited to finally meet my niece!

Well done Ben & Lindsey!

Introducing......

Everyone, this is my niece Ivy, she showed up at 1:00pm on January 27th, weighing in at 7lbs 12.5 oz! She is adorable and we all (of course) adore her every sound and movement already!

(Here is Grandpa holding Ivy for the first time with the new Daddy watching carefully!)

What a trip!

I am back at work today after arriving home yesterday from my awesome trip to Washington DC. I don't even think words could describe how amazing this trip was (but of course I will try!) It was a mixture of great food, fun company, and historic events. Here is a list in no particular order about just some of the most memorable times, and my favorite parts........

~ The food!! Oh my goodness, the food, the food, the food!! We started off my trip with a visit to this very small local fave called "Ravi Kabob House" HOLY CRAP it was delicious!!! I was so full but I did NOT want to stop eating! Then as if that place wasn't good enough, we had the most amazing bagels from "Brooklyn Bagels" for breakfast the following morning, I had the french toast bagel with the maple, walnut, raisin cream cheese, YUM!!! I liked it so much I got it again when we went back. For lunch we had falafel from the "Amsterdam Falafelshop" this place is located in Adams Morgan, and lets just say it was so good that it didn't matter that we had to sit outside in the freezing cold to eat it! That night we had "Rays Hell-Burger" what a burger!! Sam and I decided to split one, seeing as how we had a mighty big lunch that day....We continued our eating fest with Malaysian food, which had a Laksa soup that I hadn't had since my trip to Singapore and to say it was delicious and perfect is an understatement. This meal was perfect for warming us up and giving our feet a nice rest after the inauguration! We also ate Ethiopian, which was pretty good, compared to the rest of the things we ate it wasn't my favorite but it was good. Like I was saying the food was pretty awesome!




~ Seeing the office of Hillary Clinton and being able to personally tell her and her husband (Yes, both of them) Congratulations on becoming Secretary of State, seconds after she was sworn in!!! This was the coolest thing ever. It was just Brian and I in the hall with Hillary & Bill Clinton (okay maybe a few Secret Service men) but they waved at me, and said thank you, after I told her Congratulations!!! It was the most AMAZING thing ever!! I was within a few feet of a former (two-term, last good one we had) President, and his former Senator, and now newly sworn in Secretary of State wife!!! Can you tell I am still a little excited about this??


~Seeing our 44Th President Barack Obama be sworn into office, hearing his speech, and knowing that this is a huge shift for our country and the way we have been conducting ourselves, was a feeling that I cannot describe. I was filled with pride!


~Watching with my own two eyes, the Presidential helicopter taking the FORMER president and his family to Andrew Airforce base where they left Washington FOREVER!! (the picture above is just so perfect!!!)

~Walking around the buildings that house all the Representatives and getting to meet some of them including Dennis Kucinich.

~ Walking around one of the Senate buildings and getting to see the offices of Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and Joe Biden.

~Seeing more lost single gloves than I can count. Someone had the brilliant idea for me to bring these back as souvenirs for friends that had asked me to bring them something back. I didn't, because most of them were pretty dirty and that might actually be a little weird, but they were everywhere, lonely single gloves!!!! Also and this is a little more random, was an abandoned double (side by side style) stroller! In the middle of the park, by the Lincoln Memorial, I spotted the stroller the day after the inauguration. Weird right??

~Getting to spend 3.5 days with one of my best friends and family members, Sam, and getting to know and hang out with her boyfriend Brian was what made the trip that much better!

~ Visiting one of my favorite cities in the World!

New Year, New Look

So I decided to change the look of my blog.....again. I needed a new look, for the new year. I am leaving for DC on Sunday and I am so excited. By the time I return I will probably be an Aunt, seeing as how my brother and his wife are about to go into labor at any minute! I can hardly wait. Also it just hit me last night that I am going be among millions of people at the inauguration. That is a little daunting if you think about all of those people within one small area, at one single event! (Lets keep our fingers crossed I don't have any panic attacks surrounded by mass crowds.)

Since it is a new year I wanted to make up a list of things I am looking forward to, thankful for having, and excited to continue in the new year:
1) Becoming an Aunt!
2) Trips to visit my friends and family.
3) Starting a new Kickball season
4) Starting a "Gathering Group" with my friends
5) The new book club I joined with some new friends
6) Autumns new work schedule
7) Zoe's first birthday


I hope the new year finds you all well!!