law of the garbage trucks

I got something similar to this via e-mail from my mom a long time ago, and found it again today while going through the process of cleaning out e-mails...I enjoyed it...hopefully you do too...

"Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it, and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take THEIR garbage and spread it to work, home, or people on the streets."

{The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day}.

welcome little one

Let me tell you a little story...

My cousin Blaine (who my brother and I have adored since we were young tots!) had been out of state for a few years post-college for work. He eventually returned to Denver, and met a girl...Miss Whei Wong. The two worked together, but then seemed to be spending a ton of time together (we didn't even totally scare her off at family functions!). Blaine and Whei ended up getting a pup...Sambuka (who I think we DID scare at family functions, but he still tolerates us ;o)). Anyway, I'm not good with dates, but Blaine proposed to Whei and they were married a few years back. Whei has been around the family now for years and is considered as much a cousin as Blaine. For the past nine months, Blaine and Whei have been preparing the arrival of their first child! Blaine is the oldest of the cousins on my Dad's side of the family, making him the first to have a child, so obviously we are all very excited for them! I mean really, who doesn't want an adorable little baby hanging around the family!

[so, without further delay, let me introduce the newest addition to our family]

Keenan Kai-Ming Howerton

8 pounds, 8 ounces

22.5 inches long (!)

July 27, 2009 at 11:28pm

I obviously haven't met this little one yet, but all I keep hearing about is his full head of dark hair and long feet! I think he may end up super tall like his dad! ;o)

And here are the proud parents and ready-to-spoil-a-grandchild-grandparents of little Keenan...What a joyful day for the whole family! He already has been and will continue to be a blessing...I am so excited to watch these new parents raise this little baby.

[welcome to the world, little one. it's a wonderful place, and you're going to love it.]

*and i can't wait to meet you

recession 101

Alright.

As usual, let's be honest for a minute...

We are in bad economic times (I know that you are shocked by that statement and as you read this you are gasping).

Please understand this before I continue: I am in NO way trying to downplay the severity of the situation, as I personally know a number of people who's lives are pretty tough right now due to the economic downturn. I, myself, am feeling various pressures as a result of the recession.

However.

I read a billboard the other day that I liked...it kinda brings some positive perspective to the situation. It said...

[ Recession 101: It's a test, not a final. ]

So here's my bottom line for today...

YES - we are in a recession

YES - times are tough

YES - people are losing jobs

YES - it seems grim

BUT, we sure hear a lot about this terrible economy, so it's nice to be reminded that this isn't going to kill us.

***let's focus on the positive***

This is just a chance for people like me (who spend WAY too much money) to take a step back and correct some bad old habits.

I'm a believer that we're not put in situations that we cannot handle, and while certain things seem hopeless to a lot of people right now, I think we'll all be better for going through this.

Hang in there...it has to end soon!

best words, part 6

Here is a little something that Sara found recently, and I think it describes both of us perfectly...

"Good taste is the worst vice ever invented."

- Edith Sitwell

the brick

Ok, so I have received this via e-mail in the past (which makes me think the same may be true for many of you) but I got it again recently and like it...a lot.

Coming from someone who generally gets EXTREMELY agitated in the madness that is Atlanta traffic, this is definitely a good thing to think about.  Here's my paraphrased version of the story...(the forwarded e-mail is quite long, but you'll get the idea)...

A successful business man who drives a super nice car was driving FAST through a neighborhood where children were playing.  As he passed, a brick slammed into the side of his car.  Angered by this, the guy backs up to where the brick was thrown, and gets out of the car, where he finds a child.  

He yells at the kid and asks why he threw the brick, and points out that his car is very expensive and the repairs will also be costly.  The child begins to cry, and tells the man that that was the only way he could get someone's attention, and explains that his brother was in a wheelchair and had fallen off a curb.  The brother had been injured.  The boy was unable to help his brother get back into the chair by himself, and was just trying to get some help.  The boy is now sobbing.  

The man now (rightfully so) feels like a total jerk, swallows hard, and goes over to lift the fallen boy back into his wheelchair.  He wipes the boy's cuts and scrapes, double checks to make sure that no injuries are serious, and then watches as the boy pushes his brother back down the street.  The driver then leaves the scene.

The driver never repaired the very noticeable damage on his new car door: he kept the message to remind him of a very important lesson learned that day...

[here comes the take-away...are you ready!?]

...Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

I know that on some days, a whole palate of bricks might be required to pull me out of whatever zone I'm in, and on those days, I need to be reminded of things like this.

*stop and smell the roses, or whatever other scents are surrounding you in your life. good or bad.  sometimes, it is NOT about me.*

good stuff.

mind over matter

Now, since I know all of you live and breathe by my blog {wink, wink}, you remember that I wrote a post in January in which I listed a few of my New Year's resolutions.  I am happy to report that after successfully surviving and enjoying five and a half months of 2009 (WHERE DOES TIME GO?!) I am keeping to my goals quite nicely...for the FIRST time in my life.  [SIDE NOTE:  Please be aware that I a) rarely even set New Year's resolutions, and b) never keep the ones I actually set, so we're talking about a small miracle here. ...Resolutions of the past would be "This year, I'm going to journal every day," and then at the end of the year, the only entry in the journal would be January 1st...you get the point].  Anyway...

Ok, now let's be real for a minute...

...I am an over-weight human being.  I know...you had NO idea ;o).  

In an effort to reduce my overweight-ness and increase my overall health, I have taken up running.  Now, I thought running would be just a method of exercise that would help me achieve better physical health, but in the mean time I have discovered that running (and intense exercise in general) is much more than that!

Maybe all of the amazing marathon runners / great athletes of the world already knew this and I'm just a late bloomer, but I have been totally amazing by how much of the running game is mental and not physical.

For me, while running, I have to have a constant conversation going with myself...

..."i can't make it up this hill. i should walk..."

..."RUN. c'mon. suck it up. you can do it..."

[And then after deciding that voice #2 is correct, I am partially up the hill when the next conversation begins...].

..."ok, i already made it more than i thought i could have...maybe i 

should walk the rest of the way up..."

..."c'mon, look, you're halfway there already, and getting closer 

every step.  just take one step at a time..."

Note that this is an extremely paraphrased version of my mental conversations with myself, but you get the point ;o).

[And then, MUCH to my surprise and excitement, I have made it to the top of the hill...Then the conversation goes...]

..."YOU DID IT...even though you didn't think you could..."

And I generally have an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and excitement and surprise.  And then I feel stronger.  And I realize that running, like most things in life, is a mind-over-matter type deal.  Sure, part of the battle is physical, but I am finding that most of the time, when I "can't" do something, the only reason I didn't keep going was because I gave up mentally...not because my muscles, lungs, and heart couldn't keep going.

So yes, I'm getting physically stronger from running, but I think the mental strength that I am discovering is the surprising part and perhaps the most rewarding.  I can talk  myself into a lot more things these days (compared to when I first started), and it's always fun to try to out-do myself.

Another thing I think about while I'm running is that running is the ultimate metaphor for life...

*Sometimes it is best to focus on the step-by-step / right here, right now, but others it is the best to gaze off into the distance towards the goal...depends on the day.

 

*There are uphills, downhills, and plateaus, and for one reason or another, each are good for their own reasons...also depends on the day and the route you take.

*Sometimes it's a sprint, and sometimes it's a marathon.

*Sometimes I want to listen to music and be distracted.  Other times, I want to hear my feet hit the ground, hear my breathing, and hear the sounds around me. 

*Above all else, the important thing that I am learning is to keep the conversation going so that I continue to push myself to achieve things that I never thought possible.

It really is [mind over matter].

fargo

[Disclaimer:  I have been in process with this blog for about three weeks, so it may be a bit past due, but I wanted to finish it anyway!]

No, not the movie...

...I am talking about Fargo, North Dakota, a place that is a sort of second home to my family and me, and where I visited 4+ times per year up through high school for one reason or another.  For me, Fargo sums up like this...

• mosquitos doubling as the state bird 
• TONS of bug spray to go with those mosquitos
• humidity (hence, the mosquitos)
• black dirt / mud (always ruining my brand new white KEDS each summer...a moment of silence for the KEDS please!)
• fun on the lakes (Mom - when can we go back to Lake of the Woods?!)  [My mom's maiden name is "Boone" and so the lake house that her parents owned for many years was called the "Boonedocks"...how cute is that!?]
• VERY cold in the winter, in fact it actually can literally take your breath away when you first walk outside.  It hurts sometimes.  
• my aunts and uncles living in Fargo
• my Grandpa's farm a few hours away from Fargo (though I was scarred for life when that bird died on the roof...Mom, Dad, and Andy...you know what I'm talking about.  I could never look outside that window on the stairs again.)
• the most awkward shower EVER at my Grandpa's farm (see through doors with a straight shot to the house main entry!)
• learning to drive a golf cart at the farm (God bless the family members taking turns in the cart with us...we NEVER got sick of it...I'm sure THEY did...)
• strawberry milk at Mary Jo's house
• the coolest sugar shaker EVER at Judy's house and Duane's milkshakes
• the playground behind Judy and Duane's old house
• good food always
• Norwegian jokes (we are all a bunch of norski's and believe it or not, there are quite a few norski jokes...don'cha know?  KIDDING...Sorry, Mom.)
• family
• photos
• Lilian (+ Jan and Yvonne...and all of the "little something" type meals they have prepared for us over the years)
• Duane's buick
• many interesting, sick, long, four-stop trips to get to Fargo [turns out...it's not the easiest place to get to...] 
• mostly, I love the fact that it always feels like home when we go.

ANYWAY, the reason I bring up the place that holds so many fond memories for me is because of the recent flooding events.  North Dakota had a record winter, and as a result, found themselves in a situation where the Red River was rising and they were preparing for the SECOND 500 YEAR FLOOD in less than 10 years!  I can't even understand that much water, but anyway, on to the point...

In 1997, the first 500 year flood came, and we went to visit No Dak shortly thereafter.  Pretty incredible.  We have pictures of Andy and myself with water lines OVER OUR HEADS in downtown Grand Forks.  Water damage everywhere.  Fire damage everywhere (weird how floods and fires go together, eh?).  Tree branches stuck in bridge structures with water 40 feet below (ie the water had been as high as the bottom of the bridge at one point but was now back to normal at 40 feet below...crazy).  Needless to say, picturing THAT happening in Fargo was difficult.

At the worst, the River became 9 miles wide.  It passed the 1997 record by multiple FEET.  I can't even grasp that at all! 3,000,000 sandbags were filled and used.  12 miles of dikes were installed.  The nursing home where my grandfather spent the last years of his life was evacuated (which makes it hit a bit closer to home).  Overall, a pretty terrifying situation.

BUT....

I kept kind of chuckling to myself when I heard the media talk about the impending flood... They were always shocked and amazed at the number of volunteers that had showed up to help sand bag, build dykes, provide food, etc. like it is a revolutionary concept to do what it takes to protect your life and your property.  When Homeland Security folks recommended evacuation, some Fargoans laughed and said "that's not what we're here to do."  I laugh because clearly these reporters have never been to North Dakota or met a North Dakotan (or any mid-westerner for that matter).  They are just straight up, hard working, do it themselves type people, and OF COURSE they are not going to evacuate!  If they are going to go down, they are going to go down fighting.  

I have heard many stories throughout this whole ordeal from my family members that are up there, and many of them are very touching, but perhaps my favorite was the large group of folks from New Orleans that came to "return the favor."  A bunch of North Dakotans had gone down after Katrina hit to help in Louisiana, and so in appreciation of help years prior, the same folks headed north to fight the flood.  People helping people.  Music to my ears.

To those of us who come from mountainous places, it is hard to imagine that much standing water, but I heard it described like this...Picture dumping a gallon of water onto a flat, wood table.  The water just sits there, and has no place to go.  Now, if you've been to North Dakota, you know that it is FLATTER than a table...  You know where I'm going with this.  

Anyway, it's pretty amazing...the coming together of people to help each other out.  If I had posted then when I planned on it, I'd say let's pray for the people of North Dakota.  But now, since I'm late, let's just be thankful that the worst has passed and that they were prepared.  

Visit North Dakota.  

It's the only state in the union with a surplus.  

They make good potatoes there.

And the people are fantastic.

CLICK HERE for some amazing photos...[Check out all the people inside working out the sandbag situation!]

tap...as in water

[Two posts in a row: my lovely Adriene strikes again!]

Adriene has been volunteering for what I consider to be a very worthy cause, and I'd like to pass on some goodness to you (is anybody out there?!).

In an e-mail to friends and family, she writes...

"I am writing to tell you about the Tap Project; a US Fund for UNICEF project that involves restaurants asking their patrons to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for free, with all funds raised going to UNICEF's efforts to bring clean and accessible water to millions of children around the world.  According to the World Water Council and UNICEF, 1.1 BILLION people have little or no access to clean drinking water, and 4,200 CHILDREN DIE every day from water borne diseases.  That's ONE CHILD EVERY 20 SECONDS, just to give you some perspective."

[Danika again now]...

Here's how it works...You go out to eat at a participating restaurant (you all probably eat out at least once a week anyway, so just select the right place!) between March 22-28, you add at least $1 to your bill, and for each $1 that you pay, a child gets a 40 day supply of clean drinking water.  I can say with some certainty that $1 in the grand scheme of your life or my life is nothing, and water is nothing...but to them, it's |everything|.  

HERE you can enter your zip code and find a list of participating restaurants...

HERE you can watch the video...

HERE you can check out the website... (This includes stories of how receiving water impacted a child's life.  One writes that since he did not have to make the long journey for water anymore, he was allowed to go to school!  Think of THAT...a lack of water was preventing a child from receiving an education...).

Let's all do this...something we normally do anyway, but with added value this time.  Can you even imagine life without clean water?!  No.  And no one else should have to either.  

'her morning elegance'

As usual, my dear friend Adriene has shown me something fantastic!

Check this out...I thought it was |sweet|.

"her morning elegance"  Oren Lavie

yeah.

joy riding

A few days ago, I mentioned to my dear friend Tasha that I did not understand how people could drive on the interstate with their windows open.  It just seemed like loud, messy hair.  Plus, if my windows were down, all the other ding dongs on the road would be able to hear my car singing ;o).  

Well today, the weather was just SO perfect, that I couldn't bring myself to roll my windows back up on the on-ramp like I normally do....SO, I thought I'd take a drive on the wild side and cruise at 80 mph down GA 400 and leave my windows DOWN...

It almost changed my life!  It was a glorious ending to my Monday, even if the geezer in the beater next door got a free show to my car concert.

VERDICT: Next time you're driving down the interstate, live a little...roll down the windows...crank up your favorite tunes...and take a [joy ride].

the worst four letter word...can't...

for the first time in my life, i know i CAN

[and it is good]

stubborn as an ox

The Chinese New Year was recently celebrated all over the world, as the year of the OX was welcomed in.  Oddly enough, the Ox has some interesting attributes that are strangely applicable to our current state of affairs in the world...So, I now plan to bestow my wisdom (or lack, thereof) onto you regarding the Ox (though I may be better versed in the art of being stubborn...).

My good friend Wikipedia has taught me a few things about the the Ox(en)  [boxen?  moosen?!]...

• They are a sign of prosperity by way of hard work
• They are capable of achieving great things
• They are dependable, calm, patient, and do not complain
• They use logic and common sense, and have active minds
• THEY NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THEIR GOALS
• They are detail oriented, tireless workers
• They have a deep appreciation for beauty (ok, this one doesn't follow suit as much as the others, but stop and smell the roses, you know what I mean!?)

See a trend?!

Now this is not only the year of the Ox, it is also the year of the element Earth, which also brings some cool ideas.  Earth is...

• The balance of masculine and feminine
• Centered
• Associated with patience and thoughtfulness
• Has seasonal changes

While I am definitely NOT an avid follower of astrology, I say let's approach 2009 with these things in the backs of our minds...Maybe all this hard work / never lose sight of your goals mumbo-jumbo is what this world needs right now! ;o)  Let's be as stubborn as the ox (for those of us who aren't already...uh hum) and push through what seem to be dire and desperate times.

And maybe more importantly...the world needs us to appreciate beauty a little bit more...

So on that note...Happy Chinese New Year!

home for the holidays

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

According to an e-mail forward that I received recently, a seven year old boy said that.  Whether or not that is true, I have no idea, however this is a statement of beauty to me and absolutely epitomizes my time home at the holidays.

I had a blessed two week long visit home, and got to see so many important people.  So, to those with whom I was able to visit, thank you, and I love you...

Here's how the holidays were for me...

[lunch with some Pi Phis]

[zoolights with some roommates]

[breakfast with some college friends]

[and most importantly...my fabulous family]

I also got to see many old high school friends, but missed all of the photo ops!

Love was, indeed in the room.

a letter from mike

This past Christmas, I received the annual Christmas card from our McCarthy CEO, and it started out with one of his favorite Chinese proverbs, which I thought was very thought provoking for some reason...

\May you live in interesting times.\

When I first read this, I really liked it for two reasons, I think.  

First, I liked the thought of 'interesting times'.  The obvious thing to think about right now is the economy, wars, etc., but I prefer to think of other things ;o).  I loved the idea of ALWAYS living in 'interesting times'...

In the thesaurus in my brain, synonyms for 'interesting' are...

[not boring]

[living in the moment]

[always trying new things]

[learning things daily]

[challenging]

[being surrounded by DIFFERENT people]

[involvement in all sorts of things]

[different that my expectations]

[random]

...and the list goes on...you get the idea.

The second reason I liked this is that when I initially read it, the natural emphasis in my head was on 'live'. 

Again, my synonyms for 'live' are...

{not being passive}

{always questioning}

{seeking adventure}

{enjoying the moment}

{soaking it up}

{loving}

{making choices...to LIVE}

{take charge of my own destiny (to the extent that I think I can!)}

As you can see, I loved this 'proverb' and thought it was a sort of blessing...However, upon further research, I was disappointed to find that the Chinese actually meant it as more of a curse.  I attribute my seemingly incorrect interpretation of the proverb to my recurring choice to see the good, and not the bad, in things...

So let's take the 'glass is half full' approach that I so much enjoy, and be blessed by *LIVING in interesting times*.  

Carpe diem?

resolutions

Most people make New Year's resolutions, right?!

Well, in the past, I have done the typical resolutions...lose weight, write in a journal every day, etc., and as per most people, they lasted for about three days.  

This year, however, has been different for me.  We are officially 23 days into 2009, and I am feeling great about changes I'm making in my life.

I'm trying to focus mainly on two things: 

1.  Everything (almost) is ok in balance / moderation, and 

2.  Every situation (and how we respond) is merely a choice.

So here it is in a nutshell...

...eat a bit less...

...save a bit more...

...love everyone, including myself, better...

...to be healthier...all around...

hope?

In the midst of rough economic times and other things that make us think there isn't anything good left in the world, my heart smiled at the article below.  

*Iraq is celebrating Christmas for the first time in YEARS*

hope

simply having a wonderful christmas time

Christmas is one of my most favorite times of the year!  There's just something about it... lights, Christmas music, [normally] winter weather, hot drinks, delicious food, decorations, time with great people, and perhaps most prevalently [is that a word?!] lots of sweets!

One of my family's traditions comes from my mom's side of the family.  It is a Norweigan dessert called 'krumkake' [pronounced kroom ka ka].  My mom ONLY makes it at the holidays, so it is extremely special every year!  Last year, my parents gave me a krumkake iron of my own [which, for the record, was one of my most favorite gifts ever!].  Now that Christmas is here again, I got to take it out of the box and take my first stab at making my own krumkake.  Overall, it was a success, though next year I am going to use my mom's recipe ;o).  Here it is...

And what is Christmas without a nativity!?  It has taken me a few years, but with the help of my generous family, I finally have all of the pieces to my nativity set!

And above all things...LOVE...

And then Sara and I decided that last year, when we didn't have a tree, it just didn't feel quite like Christmas...So this year, we bought one [and did everything involved by ourselves!].

Sidenote: There are some funny pictures of us at various stages of 'Operation Christmas Tree', like hauling it up three flights of stairs, getting it set in the stand, putting lights on, etc. but let's just observe the beauty of the finished product... And here's what we ended up with!

Santa even made an appearance... 

It seems that everyone has been producing their Christmas playlist, so here's mine, in case you're interested!...

Wonderful Christmastime - Jars of Clay

Starlight - Glad

How Great Our Joy - Cherry Hills Community Church

Emmanuel, God With Us - Amy Grant      

Carol of the Bells - The Bird and the Bee

Welcome Jesus Our Redeemer - Cherry Hills Community Church

Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald

In The First Light - Glad

The Christmas Waltz - Harry Connick, Jr.

River - Corinne Bailey Rae + Herbie Hancock

Hark - Israel & New Breed

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Jars of Clay

Sing, Mary, Sing - Jennifer Knapp

Angels We Have Heard on High - Point of Grace

One Small Child - Rebecca St. James

Christmas Time Is Here - Diana Krall + McLachlan

Who Would Imagine a King - Whitney Houston

All is Well - Cherry Hills Community Church

And, in its entirety, The Nutcracker Suite.

I sincerely hope that each of you is enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the season, and I hope that you get to spend the holidays with loved ones.

good tidings.

best words, part 5

Ok, so I'm all about the quotes lately, but an amazing woman shared this with me a few weeks ago and I love it.

life to-do, #1

Tonight, I witnessed something truly amazing...and, might I mention, it is something that I have wanted to see FOREVER!  

| I got to see someone changing the gas price on the gas station sign |

I mean, seriously.  Every time you drive by the gas station, it is a different price, right?!  But who has actually seen them physically change the price...I think Darlene Meeker is the only one I know who has seen it!  *Remarkable*

It made a super ending to a great night...Now I can check that one off the list of my life goals.

one for one

I'm not sure where she found these, but Sara told me about two websites today that I thought were definitely worth passing along.  They both offer 'one for one' sales [ie, you buy a pair of shoes and a child in need in Africa is given a pair of shoes] and definitely support worthy causes, so please, check them out!  

Krochet Kids

TOMS Shoes

Think about giving a better gift this year for Christmas ... ;o)  

Advent Conspiracy

*watch the video*

They say...

...Worship Fully...

...Spend Less...

...Give More...

...Love All...

merry christmas ;o)

best words, part 4

I'm currently reading The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd [before I see the movie that is already in theaters!], and stumbled upon this little gem...

"I hadn't been out to the hives before, so to start off she gave me a lesson in what she called "bee yard etiquette."  She reminded me that the world was really one big bee yard, and the same rules worked fine in both places: Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you.  Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and long pants.  Don't swat.  Don't even think about swatting.  If you feel angry, whistle.  Anger agitates, while whistling melts a bee's temper.  Act like you know what you're doing, even if you don't.  Above all, send the bees love.  Every little thing wants to be loved."

donkeys or chicken hawks?

I love the Denver Broncos.  I grew up watching EVERY Denver Bronco game, and even from a young age [though I did not understand any football rules whatsoever until high school] I have always rooted for the Broncos...DUH!  I used to get freaked out by my dad screaming at the TV every Sunday...but now, I have joined him.  I love me some Bronco football!  Of course, we affectionately call the Broncos 'the Donkeys".  Sadly, since they are so far west, I do not get to see all of the games anymore, as they are not broadcast down here in the southeast regularly.

Now that I live in Atlanta, my secondary choice of a football team has become the Atlanta Falcons (aka, Chicken Hawks, per my superintendent at work).  My good friends John and Lizzy have season tickets for the Falcons, and today I got to go with them.  Now last week, the Broncos absolutely squashed the Falcons in Atlanta, and the Falcon fans are quite upset about the whole ordeal.  So this week, they came back and played and won a great [and important] game!  [Sidenote:  The Falcons play in the Georgia Dome...Indoor football is kinda strange for those of us who grew up watching football in the freezing cold!]

An unfortunate event occurred, however, while I was watching this game.  Out of the blue, a drunken idiot tripped and fell, causing the Coke that he was carrying to spew all over the back of my head and down onto my white, brand new, sweater.  The ice cubes hitting my head was also a nice touch.  He, of course, had no idea about the whole thing.  [It really struck me actually, to think about how much his actions had affected me and my mood...only momentarily of course...without him knowing it...kind of a deep thought for being in the midst of a mess, eh?]  Anyway, I had to sit through the rest of the game with a stained (very stained) shirt and CRUNCHY hair...Not exactly what I had in mind for the afternoon...but not to worry, I still had a fantastic time!

In the end, I must proudly display the Bronco hard hat that my dad recently sent to me, and cheer for the team that I love.  Go Donkeys...forever and ever, amen.

best words, part 3

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go; others stay for a while and leave footprints on our heart, and we are never, ever the same."

- Flavia

[No one will ever be the same without her].

the official start of the holiday season

Ok.  I absolutely LOVE Christmas...It is definitely my favorite holiday [I'm sure I'll be discussing my love for Christmas in a forthcoming blog...stay tuned].  

Each year, stores put out Christmas stuff earlier and earlier.  This year, at least in Atlanta, Target had Christmas items out BEFORE Halloween had passed...It's getting ridiculous!  Soon, Christmas stuff will be out in July, or maybe even year round...

ANYWAY, now I have a new basis for what constitutes the beginning of the holiday season [which is much more appropriate than 'when the stores start selling Christmas stuff'] and that is 'when coffee shops bring out the holiday beverages'.

It made my day last week when I got to order a peppermint white mocha...mmm...

Christmas will be here before we know it, but in the mean time, drink on, coffee drinkers.  A delicious egg nog latte is waiting for you.

miss sue

The world lost one of its best people today...Sue Lesyinski.

She was a phenomenal woman that I have looked up to, respected, and loved since the age of ten.  We used to sit on her porch and chat about life...even when I was in fourth grade!  She was a gentle, yet fiercely strong, loving woman, and I consider myself blessed to have known her at all.  I can only hope that maybe someday I can be one tenth of the woman that she was.

While I am utterly heartbroken that she has left us, I am so thankful that after this ten year war with cancer, Sue is no longer in pain, and that she left this world peacefully. 

I know that she has left traces of herself in all who knew her, especially Terry, Tyler, and Colin, and thank God for that.  There will be a deep void in this world without her.

My heart is in Aurora right now with the Lesyinski family...I pray that peace and comfort may find them in this time.  She will be deeply missed.  

you might be a redneck if... YOU GO TO NASCAR!!

Last Sunday, myself and a few work friends (Mike, Scott, Anthony, and Ruth) went to our very first Nascar race (except for Mike...he had been once before and came prepared with headphones / ear plugs). Scott had received free tickets from a subcontractor, so naturally, we had to live it up, redneck style. As you can imagine, it was quite an experience [but I can't wait to go again!].


It took place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, which actually is about 45 minutes outside Atlanta, but nonetheless...the place is massive and 100,000+ people attend. It has its own landing field so that everyone with private jets can avoid the traffic getting into the place ;o) and more RVs than you've ever seen in one place. These people are SERIOUS about NASCAR.

The cars were so loud that my hearing was not only jacked up that day, but also until 11am the next day. It was interesting... Now I know why all of the regulars have their own headsets...

"Gentlemen: Start your engines!" - NASCAR announcer
[Engines start running but the cars are not yet moving]...
"Dang, that's freaking LOUD!" - Danika
"Yeah, wait until they fly past you at 180 miles per hour..." - Mike
"Uh oh." - Danika

taking the plunge

A few weeks ago, Sara and I had some trouble with our garberator, so naturally, I called my handy-man father. Dad gave me a few suggestions of things to try to make it drain properly, but nothing was successful. SO, he suggested that I use a plunger (gently, of course) to see if I could un-clog the garberator. It didn't work, but man, I make this look GOOOD....

[Notice the phone...that would be James providing instructions...]

In the end, we had to get a new disposal...

a few hours at the polls

So today, as mentioned in my last post, I VOTED! 

It took two and half hours for me to get to the front of the line, where, as usual, the State of Georgia did not fail to disappoint with the confusion of its employees.  

[I won't bore you with the details but, while I have grown quite fond of Georgia, every time I interact with any form of the local government it is quite a debacle.  The only exception to this statement happened Sunday night when I got excused from jury duty before I even arrived at the courthouse.  Thank you Fulton County!]  

Anyway, it was freezing (please don't judge, you Coloradoans... 50 in Georgia feels like 30 in Colorado and it was below 40 this morning), but despite the weather and time spent waiting, it was a great experience!  I chatted with some lovely people while I waited, including a girl who works for a company that sells used books and donates the proceeds to charities that promote literacy around the world [cool job!].  I haven't checked out the website yet, but I was totally excited about this and plan to look at it later.  In case you're interested, it is www.betterworldbooks.com .  Speaking as someone who, at least once a week, encounters an ADULT who cannot read, I am extremely interested in literacy promotion (plus, to all of you Pi Phis out there, we worked with this all through college)!

As I often do, while I was standing in line, chatting with strangers, and freezing my you-know-what off, I did an extensive amount of people watching, which is one of my favorite pastimes.  I watched people from all walks of life walk, run, dance, roll, limp, stroll, etc. to the front of this massively long line...and why?  So that THEY could cast THEIR VOTE for things such as the next PRESIDENT of the United States.  After I gave it some thought, I thought it was pretty remarkable that injured people, elderly people (and I mean really elderly people), young people, poor people, rich people, handicapped people, 'normal' people, black people, white people, mothers, fathers, unemployed people, fat people, and skinny people all took three hours out of their day to make their voice heard.  

Honestly, I was moved.  Perhaps the thing that struck me the most was the sight of a father walking his child through the voting process by teaching him what to think about and why voting is important.

We are blessed to live in a country where we have the right to do this, and I was touched by the sacrifices that certain people made in order to CAST THEIR VOTE.  It would have been so much easier for the guy on crutches to just skip voting this year.  It would have been easier for the 60 year old woman to leave her parents at home instead of taking both of them in wheel chairs to vote.  Instead, these loyal American citizens took maybe the less convenient road, and casted their votes.  

How important voting must be... I was truly touched and my perspective on voting will be changed forever.  

i am not a *barack star*

Ok, this picture is hilarious to me.

But on a serious note, let's all step back and think about this election!  Go vote [for McCain!]...!! 

Just teasing... but on a really serious note, no matter who you vote for, please exercise the right that so many fought so hard for before us...VOTE!

it's easy being green

Ok, I hate 'buzz words', but this one is important!

Contrary to what Kermit tells us, it IS easy to be GREEN.  Now, I know that *being green* stirs up many reactions in different people... Some think it's for the hippies.  Some think that it's purely political.  Some think it takes too much effort... Blah, blah, blah.  

The bottom line for me is that God gave us this planet (or at least that's what I believe) and we are to be good stewards of that gift.  To be wasteful and careless is really a moral issue for me, but for those of you that disagree, thinking of future generations should be sufficient motivation for conservation.

I've taken a while to get on this bandwagon, but now that I'm here, I have found that it's the little steps that add up to make a big difference [or at least I feel like the little steps are impactful... maybe I'm completely delusional].  Here are a few things I'm trying to do to be more GREEN:

-  Water Conservation:  Maybe I am keenly aware of the amount of water I use because I grew up in a drought stricken state and moved to another drought stricken state,  [we may actually physically run out of water in Georgia!] but, needless to say, I really try to watch how much water I waste.

-  Use the Garberator:  This is one of my favorite words [thanks to my crazy Canadian friend Adriene!]  For those of you who don't know, garberator = garbage disposal, and my point here is that I try to put everything that I can down the drain instead of into a trash bag, where it will just fill up the landfills.  My dad would tell you that this backfired when my garberator broke this week, but the plumber told me that it was just old and the fact that I put flower stems down the drain had nothing to do with the disposal crapping out.

-  Minimize Use of Disposable Items:  I try to use tupperware instead of ziploc bags, a coffee mug or glass instead of styrofoam or paper cups, etc.  I also try not to use disposable plastic water bottles.  Again, just trying to contribute LESS to the landfills. ;o)

-  Get Rid of Paper Phone Books:  A girl that I work with sent me a link to a website where you can sign up to NOT receive paper phone books (which obviously is a huge paper savings!).  Who uses paper anyway with the advent of the internet?!  If you're interested, just click here:  www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org .

-  Recycle:  While we don't immediately have access to recycling at our condo complex, Sara has been kind enough to take our recyclables to the house where she is a nanny, since they do have recycling pick-ups.  I'm trying to make the jokers at work recycle too, but due to the nature of burly construction guys, sometimes they're not so interested.

-  Bring My Own Bags:  I think most grocery stores now-a-days offer fabric shopping bags for about $2.  I did purchase a few of them and try to use them rather than continuing to collect plastic shopping bags at my house.

-  LEED:  My final effort is to take the LEED exam and hopefully become LEED accredited.  [LEED is an organization that is encouraging sustainable building practices in many facets of construction].  The test is supposedly pretty tricky, and my date is set for the middle of November, so wish me luck!

Basically, what I'm learning is that if everyone takes little steps, it adds up to a big change... so let's all try to be a little more friendly to mother earth ;o).

best words, part 2

"No longer forward nor behind I look in hope or fear,

But grateful take the good I find, the best of now and here."

-  John Greenleaf Whittier

[Again, no clue on who this guy is, but wise words about living in the present, eh?]

one year in the PEACH

I am just about a week from my one year anniversary in Georgia...CRAZY!

Now that I have reached such a 'monumental' day, I've been reflecting a lot on the passed (intentionally not past) year.  Here are some things that have changed in and around me:

• The obvious one... physical location.

• I can understand most hick talk / southern accents, though South Georgia accents still elude me most of the time [for example, 'shit' (pardon my language) in South Georgia speak has two syllables and is pronounced 'shee-it'.  While this alone to me is quite hilarious, my favorite word variation cannot be fully conveyed through typing, so remind the next time you see me to tell you about 'here'].  

• I have tried boiled peanuts, enjoyed some SEC football, tried brunswick stew, learned what a "low county boil" is, learned how to drive in Atlanta, and met great people from all over. 

• I have learned that Georgia peaches can't hold a candle (is that real saying?!) to Colorado peaches... Isn't this state KNOWN for peaches?!

• My friend Kim introduced me to the Twilight books, with which I was immediately obsessed.  I stayed up late reading on many occasions to finish all four books.  And for those of you out there who know what this means, I do love Edward Cullen.

• I have stopped [for the most part] using plastic grocery bags and water bottles in an effort to help our planet.

• I went to 5 weddings, 4 of which were out of state, and I still missed a few along the way.  It was a great blessing to celebrate with so many people that I adore.

• I bought myself a new car [a 2007 Honda CR-V] which I absolutely LOVE!!  (And truth be told, this happened before I moved, but it was only 3 days before and it was a part of the whole transition so it counts).  While we're on the topic of the car... I've already put 24,000 miles on it!  Ouch...

• Ok, now for those of us from the 'Wild West' and 'Above the Mason Dixon Line', the next word I'm about to write is normally a cuss word... BUT... here I go.  I have learned to deal with humidity... And truth be told, it was much less of an issue than I thought it would be.  Sure there were days where I felt like I was hydrating every time I breathed in and broke into a full sweat instantly upon stepping outside, but those days were few and far between.  Overall, the weather here is pretty amazing (and strangely, much like Colorado).

• I have fallen in love with the trees and old southern homes that are all over this area.  It's absolutely gorgeous (especially right now since all the leaves are turning)! 

• I have learned a TON at work.  This is probably the most stunning thing to me as I reflect on this past year... When I think back to when I first arrived on the jobsite here and think about what I knew then (or didn't know then) versus what I know now, it's pretty amazing.  And while there are always new things for me to learn in my job, I feel like this job has taught me a lot, partially because of the people with whom I work (both good and bad) and also because of simply getting to watch the entire cycle of construction for a building from start to finish.  
  

Anyway, it's been a good ride so far, and I am always looking for whatever is next...  But for now, goodnight from Georgia.

the deep rabbit hole called GEORGIA FOOTBALL, part 1

Just ponder this for a minute...

Yesterday, I saw a car that was all decked out (magnets, flags, etc.) in Georgia Bulldog decor.  

[Side note #1:  This is not the weird part of the story... it is actually extremely common to have a majority of the cars on the roads on Saturdays decorated with college stuff.  It's crazy.  Commonly spotted are Georgia, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, and Alabama.]  

[Side note #2:  Only in Georgia can you get a license plate for your car with an out-of-state college logo on it... that's how deep the obsession runs.]

Anyway, not only was this car OVERLY decorated, but there was shoe polish writing on the windows (you know, like we used to do in high school?!).  The shocking part comes when I tell you what was written on the back window...

"Our grandson attended his first Georgia game today."

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you know it's a serious business when the elderly are decorating their cars in honor of a baby going to a football game.  Huh.

best words, part 1

[I LOVE good quotes].

"When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth, you are weeping for that which has been your delight." - Khalil Gibran

I don't know much about Khalil Gibran, but I do know that I find a lot of truth in these words.

What can I say... I'm an optimist!  And I have been blessed.

solo car singing

One of my favorite pastimes is to belt amazing songs in my car (by myself).  Every once in a while, I pause, and laugh, and think about what it must look like to someone watching me.  [Sometimes the belting gets so intense that there are dance moves associated with it or, depending on the music, sometimes directing a choir is involved].

That being said, I saw this lady jamming out in her car a few days ago, and she was getting into it pretty seriously... I couldn't help but smile while I watched her go nuts, and I was absolutely DYING to know what song was playing.

It made me chuckle... and I could only hope she was enjoying herself as much as I do when I perform solos in the car.

My best performance to date is actually a duet with Gabby [La Vie Boheme, of course!].  We know EVERY word....

what i'm working on...

Here are some pictures of where I spend much of my time...

[Note that the aerial pictures are from August, so they are nearly two months old].

Haw Creek Elementary School and Lakeside Middle School:

-  $20 million each

-  150,000 square feet each

-  1 million bricks

-  550,000 blocks

-  Start Date: August 2007

-  Finish Date: May 2008

georgia on my mind...

Some thoughts after 11 months in Georgia...

[Disclaimer:  This next sentence is going to sound asinine, but I assure you it is accurate.... just go with me for a minute].  What I didn't know about Atlanta prior to moving here is that there is an extreme difference between Atlanta (the city) and Georgia (the low country state)... Let me offer up an explanation via two 'Top 10' lists...

Top 10 Reasons I LOVE Atlanta

10.  Skyline:  Self explanatory, but I actually love the way the city looks...it's quite distinct and I love it.  Check it out...I took this picture! ;o)

9.  Driving:  Everyone drives fast, all the time (for those of you know that know how I drive, you understand why this excites me) and the police are rarely an issue. I continue to be amazed, however, at how ridiculous the roads are here - no grid system - and how DUMB people can be while driving.  I see things done everyday that I can't believe anyone would ever do (and every now and then, I pull something similar...oops!).  I firmly believe that I will never cease to be amazed. 

8.  Piedmont Park:  Atlanta's version of Central Park in NYC is one of my favorite Sunday afternoon destinations.  It's right in the heart of midtown, and is always a great spot for playing frisbee with a group or even just reading by myself and people watching.  [Of course, I don't get there as often as I'd like to ;o)].  This has been the scene for many impromptu photo shoots and many hours of fun.

7.  Buckhead Church:  This is the church that Sara and I have both settled into as a church home.  The church part is great, and the people part is great.  This church is doing more stuff for 'post college singles' than any I've ever seen anywhere else, and they do it well.  Many of my non-work friends have been made through Buckhead Church and their outreach to people my age.  Ultimately, I'd love to be move involved, though I'm not sure what that looks like yet.

6.  So Much To Do:  In general, there is just a ton of stuff to do here.  Much of it we have been exploring, but there are a few things I've saved for when (and if) I have visitors down here.  Some highlights include: Centennial Olympic Park, World of Coke, CNN Center, Georgia Aquarium (the biggest in the world, supposedly, and pretty sweet regardless), Stone Mountain, North Georgia Mountains, beaches and many other great towns within driving distance, Apple Festivals, etc.  Basically, there's never a dull moment! 

5.  The Spring and the Fall:  The Spring, though there is always a layer of pollen on everything and allergies are horrendous, is absolutely beautiful.  [Literally, there was a green layer on my black car every morning.  Insane.]  Also, Fall is beautiful here because there are trees changing colors EVERYWHERE!  It's absolutely gorgeous.

4.  Virginia Highlands:  Quite similar to the Highlands in Denver...  It's a cute neighborhood with small, cute, older houses, tons of delicious restaurants, and many little gift shops.  If only I could afford a house in the Highlands...

3.  FOOD!!:  It has an amazing variety of absolutely delicious restaurants.  I even found a pasta place that is better (please contain yourselves, Noodles lovers...I did just say BETTER) than my old favorite, Noodles & CO. in Denver... Hard to believe, I know!

2.  The People:  Everyone is so nice, the accents are amazing (though there are fewer in the city than outside), the culture, the all around diversity, work friends, church friends, other friends, etc.  I haven't met any bad ones yet! 

1.  The Overall Experience:  I think I am particularly fond of this city because it has been home to my first 'branching out' experience, and therefore will always be special to me.  I already have many fond memories here, and I look forward to whatever else comes my way.

Top 10 Interesting Things About Georgia  

[Note:  This is where the difference between city and country will have to be noted.  Atlantans use 'OTP' and 'ITP' (Outside The Perimeter being country and Inside The Perimeter being city...The Perimeter is the loop highway circling Atlanta).  And yes, people actually do use the acronyms.  It's unbelievable.  Most of these items are OTP only].  

10.  People who are named Chris, Elmer, and Wendell go by names like Bubba, Cody, and Dale, respectively.  Don't you see the similarities [dripping in sarcasm, of course]...?!  Bubba is one of our carpenters at work, and we call his workers the "Bubbettes"...

9.  Days with Nascar races are more important than national holidays... 

8.  'Sweetie', 'Ma'am', and 'Darlin' are normal parts of the vocabulary here, and while I would normally be irritated if someone at work directed one of these towards me, here I am unable to get mad.  I just have to accept it and move on!...

7.  Sadly, I have never seen as many illiterate people in my life as I have seen here.  It truly is a problem generally being ignored by most Americans.  

6.  County inspectors that say (with a thick accent, of course) "My Diddy could cook a squirrel so good that you wouldn't even know it was a squirrel!"  Please don't be confused...'Diddy' = Daddy.  This is not a reference to P. Diddy.

5.  People still display Confederate flags as a monument to the 'War of Northern Aggression' commonly called the 'Civil War' to us 'Yankees / Westerners'.  Who knew that people still referred to things in reference to the Mason Dixon Line?!

4.  I am one of approximately five people in the state of Georgia that doesn't own a gun.

3.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it snows in Georgia.  Please don't be confused...I use the term 'snow' very loosely, as not even one inch accumulated, yet the ENTIRE city shut down.

2.  Trees, boiled peanuts, greens, grits, gizzards, trees, roaches, locusts, everyone going to church on Sunday, high heels in the grocery store, trees, strange pronunciations of EVERY word, outhouses instead of indoor plumbing, kudzu, trees, riding mowers, chivalry...alive and well, hunting, racism, history, confederate monuments, bad traffic, and some trees.  

1.  The Georgia Bulldogs (to a Georgian) are the only football team in America that matters, and everyone has every type of memorabilia (earrings, flip flops, car decals, blankets, tents, you name it, they make it in BULLDOG).  The depth of this obsession / perversion extends even to Fischer, the little boy that Sara nannies:  his first words were 'GO DOGS.  WOOF WOOF.'  Ridiculous.

Anyway, enough for now, but please feel free to come experience this for yourself.  I would love to see any / all of you!  I assure you, you won't forget your trip and it would be worth it..

love love