February 2010

Sisters.

Because no one else would watch such horrible movies as Tremors, Better Off Dead, and Deep Blue Sea over and over again.

Because no one else would be able to say “remember that time you covered the cat poop with a papertowel” or “remember that time we filmed the ceiling fan for 10 minutes to the theme of Star Trek”.

Because no one else will ever quite “get it” in the same way she can.

This weekend was so incredibly full of fun and people that I love. I was trying to think of some of the highlights and seriously there are too many to count. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Surprising my sister with my aunt coming into town. The look on Kat’s face was SO worth all the sneakiness and trying to figure out how to make it work. There is nothing like surprising someone with something great when they have had a bad day.
• Laughing with family on Friday night. Playing with puppies. Having PB come into town.
• Einstein’s bagels. Enough said.
• Kicking rock wall butt on Saturday morning. Feeling totally accomplished by trying out difficult routes. Knowing that thanks to the beauty of an anchor I can hold Pat up all on my own.
• Cupcakes!
• Wine tasting, wedding shower, chatting with lovely ladies. Hearing my sister’s stories. Being back together with my YaYas!
• Playing Liverpool Rummy. It was all that I hoped it would be. Reliving our rummy addiction with Jeanne and staying up until all hours of the night.
• My mom’s french toast.
• Playing regular Rummy and kicking Pat’s butt.
• Going through Kat’s song list. Finding a reason to watch the Dick in a Box SNL skit. Getting excited for the wedding.
• Flying with Patrick and Patrick. Seeing my house from the sky. Take off. Not having to throw up in my shirt. Pulling G’s. Yes I did just say that.
• Beautiful weather. Sitting outside eating lunch with the pups and PB.
• Quick afternoon naps.
• Ice dancing. Just kidding. How did this make it into the Olympics?

I am so blessed. I know people say that all the time but sometimes it just needs said. I am so blessed to have such a full and rich life of incredible people, awesome opportunities, and chances to laugh.

The most interesting things I’ve seen/read today:

The latest Reinventing Erica post. I love her honesty about the concept of fear of success and that we all self-sabotage ourselves because of it. There are many daunting goals that we know somewhere deep down that we could reach but our fear of it being less than perfect in reality often keeps us from even taking the first step. Her best piece of advice: Try it on. Try it out. Just try.

The idea of labeling Vitamin Waters with animals icons.

That there’s a room I could rent off Memorial/Shepherd. Except then OMFG I might then actually start saying things like WASSUP and Did you see that episode of Archer last night? (just kidding Pat I actually think Archer is pretty funny although in general adult cartoons are disturbing).

Obama feigning interest in boring objects. Enough said.

Glory’s awesome neon green, ladybug bows. What a doll.

The idea that repent isn’t a word of emotion but rather of action. It signifies a change of direction not a feeling of guilt or sorrow. The concept is this: “Repentance does not describe something we must do before we come to God, it describes what coming to God is like. If you are in New York, and I tell you to come to Los Angeles, I don’t really need to say ‘Leave New York and come to Los Angeles.’ To come to Los Angeles is to leave New York, and if I haven’t left New York, I certainly haven’t come to Los Angeles.”

The saddest thing I’ve seen today is the information about the plane crash in Austin. It is such a shame when someone feels the need to use violence as their voice and to cause harm to others.

Sorry I’ve been missing a few days. I’ve been busy getting reacquainted with my love affair with llamas. And Austin. And PB.

There’s nothing like spending a weekend having fun in a city you love with someone you love to remind you how great life really is. Who am I kidding? Those weekends just remind you how much you wish you got to do that 100% of the time rather than just 2 out of every 7 days. Where’s that petition to extend the weekends to 5 days and work weeks to only 2 days?

However life is all about counting your blessings so …

Good things of today:

• We’re one day down for the week?
• I got to talk to my bestie Megs
• Free cookies at work … with about a 20:1 ratio of chocolate chips per cookie. Score.
• Even though I had to work, many people didn’t (insert bitter face) so traffic was almost at actual posted speed.
• Mac and cheese for dinner.

Yep. Apparently it’s the little things in life.

This poster.

This Valentine’s Day Card.

This wallpaper.

This picture my uncle took of their dog Fenway on the snow mound in front of their house in Maryland.

The 90% life size (unless he’s actually 5’7″) cutout of George W. at Texas Rock Gym that someone has placed a plastic hat on. I kinda like him like that.

Bad news: I’m exhausted

Good news: because I had a really full, people packed day.

Bad news: I have to get a crown tomorrow

Good news: but I’m looking at this as a slightly painful, 3 hour afternoon nap.

Bad news: Tomorrow is another long day

Good news: but it is ending in meeting Dacia for rock climbing.

That’s all I’ve got.

Do you ever have one of those days where you need a wake up call? Or a reminder that the world may sometimes feel too large but in the end it’s really quite small?

I was listening to KSBJ on the way home from work around 5:15 this afternoon and they had Brandon Heath on the show.  I love listening to KSBJ on my drive home (and on my drive to work) and I was so happy when they played his song “Give Me Your Eyes”.

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see.

It was the pick me up I needed after a long Monday, a commute full of traffic, and a downpour when I had errands to run. A reminder that my hands can be powerful, that my eyes can see where I may help, that my heart can care for those who need compassion. It’s a good reminder of the quote “I am only one but I am still one. I cannot do everything but I can do something.”

When I came home I hopped on the computer to take care of some Blood Centers of the Pacific work and here’s one of the first Tweets I saw:

Could there be any better reminder of how connected we all are?

It’s a small world … make that a small universe … after all.

Seth Godin has a new post today about the majority of the business world teaching us that success is about the least that we can do. “No sense putting more on that pizza, sending more staff to that event, answering the phone in fewer rings… what’s the point?” I suppose that it partially makes sense from a business standpoint. Maximize your profit (at least in the short term) by having the most output (and therefore return) with the least input. Rightfully so Seth goes on to then offer an alternative strategy to do the most you can do as opposed to the least.

As always, although I like thinking about the concept from a business perspective I wonder how this might also apply in our personal lives. Not just getting by living halfway but continually making it a point to go all in. No more fear about getting hurt or that you may be giving more than you receive. No more worries about how others might perceive a choice that you feel is right. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt. If you love something love it all the way. If you want to try something run out and try it as soon as you are able. No more getting by with what is easiest, what takes the least effort, where you can give the least and still get by.

I’d like to think I’m already doing this but there’s no time like the present to remind myself again.

Note to self: Radically overdeliver.

Since I wasn’t bold enough to proclaim any year-long resolutions you might remember I decided to take it month by month instead. Tempting as it is to pretend that did not happen, I figure what’s the point of a goal if you don’t check-in on its progress. For January I wanted to:

• Finish American Gods: CHECK.
• …and one of the other books I ordered from Amazon: CHECK, well technically I read Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson that my sister lent me. But currently I’m reading one of my Amazon books – On Being Certain by Robert Burton. It’s nonfiction so might take me longer.
• Do something adventurous: see my Climb On Wayne post. CHECK. Bonus: going flying with PB in a few weeks.
• Drink less coffee and more tea: CHECK although I’m now back to coffee. That was my January resolution. This is February.
• Check things off my to-do list: CHECK … kinda. I made my dental appointment. I went to my dental appointment. I now have to go back next week for another dental appointment to get a $650 crown. I cannot afford to check the other things off my to-do list.

So there you have it. Mostly checks in the box. A few days late on many but a late start doesn’t necessarily mean a bad finish (thx James Schuelke via Lianne’s Facebook).

February’s a short month so I’ll aim low:

• Go rock climbing again. Try something harder this time. Try bouldering.
• Do some research before beginning my nonprofit management classes at Rice that start this month. Take some time to think about the topics before the night of class. Pretend like it’s college again but ask more questions (and play less solitaire) this time around.
• Actually make that hair appointment. And get those frames. And do my taxes. Yes I am rolling over things from January.
• Floss.

(photo credit: koalazymonkey)