How Do You Know the Sky is Blue?

2010-10-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

And on the 7th day, there was a party.

Ha! Hi everyone. I'm sitting here at my parents' house, using my new laptop to check my e-mail for the first time since before I left. There is no internet access at Katie and Cory's house, so when I can get over here is when I can check messages. Everyone else is in the kitchen preparing food for the "Welcome Back to Ohio, Jenni!"open house that my mom scheduled. I've been banished to the couch to check my e-mail. No complaints from me!

In some ways it's been a really long week and in other ways it's flown by. My fam has kept me pretty busy so I can't mope in bed thinking about all the wonderful MN people I don't get to see every day. (I think I took you guys for granted.) I haven't gotten nearly enough unpacking done, as in I have only located about 4 pairs of socks so far.

Jada is settling in pretty well; I have confined her to my bedroom all week, and in the next few days will probably let her start venturing out into other parts of the basement, and eventually into the rest of the house. We'll see how that goes; Katie and Cory have a Great Dane named Jersey who Jada has not met yet. I'll keep you all posted on that!

More later, friends.

2010-10-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

So the trailer is packed. The truck is packed. I said goodbye to most people, some I won't get to say a satisfactory goodbye to.

My heart hurts.

So. Here is the Plan.

2010-10-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

My dad is leaving Ohio on Thursday evening (tomorrow? Jeez...) and driving as long as he can, then stopping and sleeping, then driving the rest of the way to Minneapolis, arriving sometime Friday. Meanwhile I'll have picked up the trailer I have rented and filled it up. Friday we will pack up the van my dad brought, and hopefully have some time to sit around and shoot the breeze. Then Saturday, we drive away. We will arrive in Chicago where we will get a hotel room and grab dinner with my friend Steve Matchett, Watchmaker Extraordinaire. Then Sunday morning we hit the road again and arrive in Ohio Sunday afternoon/evening and my new life begins after a good night's sleep.

So many strong feelings wrapped up in a short list of facts.

BITTER / SWEET

2010-10-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

I was sitting at a wedding reception with a friend tonight thinking how painful this move is, but how beautiful my life is, and wondering if I would truly appreciate how beautiful it is and has been if I didn't have to say goodbye to it. So that I wouldn't just be sitting there crying, I picked up a pencil and I wrote this poem on the back of a card at the table:

Walking through a fog,

tears blurring EVERYTHING,

every so often I find a daisy,

lit by the sun I'd forgotten was shining.

It ends up coming out a little more focused on the dark stuff, but I think with all the pain of saying goodbye to all of this, I haven't been living in the present much. I've been living in next week. So a reminder of how great it is here hurts, but it's a daisy.

2010-09-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

What to pack?

bathroom stuff?

Wall decorations?

random books that I might want to read before I go?

pantry food?

Dishes?

appliances?

I'm kind of at a place where the easy stuff is packed. Anything left, I would not want to pack ALL of it. And I don't want to pack up wall hangings, etc, because those will go quickly, and I want to feel like I actually live here until the last possible minute.

So much uncertainty,

2010-09-13T10:59:00.001-07:00

There is so much instability in my life right now. That's really hard for me.

This move has come at a time when my finances are tighter than ever. I am living paycheck to paycheck, and not quite making ends meet. Ever bad at getting timecards in on time, I have gone three weeks without a paycheck, and that is BAD. (No, you do not need to send money, I am going to make it lol).

I'm moving in about 4 weeks, and that is scary. I think I cried...twice(?) yesterday about it. I am super-excited to be in Ohio near my family though, and that keeps me going. But I am continually heartbroken at the thought of the people and places I'm leaving behind.

Brian.

Avery and Xavier.

Brittany and Marty.

Tyler, Brandon and Abby.

Steve and Barb.

J.Kim, Teddy, Jampa and Pema.

Anne, Hannah, Abby, Brier and Claire.

Srikar and Shilpa.

Evie.

JoAnn and Rod.

Francis and Laura.

Pam.

Dr. Schmitt.

Bridgett and Ann.

Steve Oglesbee

Pleasant View Deaf Assembly.

Richard Herod.

Beth.

Hudson, Steve's guide dog.

my SSP clients.

friends and co-workers at DeafBlind Services MN

I'll even miss North Central, the reason I came to MN in the first place.

I'll miss knowing where everything is, and hearing five different languages in every aisle of the grocery store. I'll miss the Mall of America, even though I never went there! I will miss the incredible public transportation system, and Minneapolis' commitment to bicyclists and fitness in general. I'll miss the parks and lakes and huge honkin' squirrels. I will miss the Spoon & Cherry.

This place has been significant because of the life I have lived here and all I've learned. Because I became an adult here and now I'm leaving to go back to a place I left when I was 18. I am scared, and that is just how it is.

Moving to Troy

2010-09-08T17:42:00.000-07:00

So I'll be living with my sister Katie and her husband Cory. They're expecting their first baby at the end of October and I can't wait to meet him. Yes, him.

Katie and Cory live in the house I lived in from 1993 to 1999. My parents moved across town and still own the old house. Anyway, I'll take over two bedrooms in the basement and Katie, Cory and the baby will live on the main floor. Their Great Dane, Jersey, will continue to have her crate in the 3rd bedroom in the basement, but she'll probably spend most of her time upstairs as I'm sure Jada won't be inviting her in for tea or anything. I'm not going to promise pictures because I don't tend to follow through on those promises, so let's just be pleasantly surprised if they appear, yes?

2010-09-07T21:10:00.001-07:00

Packed: yo yos, chemicals (all in one place, but reachable once the cleaning begins), toys, games, movies, one lamp and one bookshelf.

Two of my SSP clients have found other SSP's, and that makes me a little sad. My last day with Srikar is October 1st. This is really and truly sneaking up on me, and it's weird.

The Packing Begins

2010-09-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

So the other night Francis came down and helped me get started on my packing. We packed up like six or seven boxes of books. Tonight I'll continue by going through my closet and getting out stuff I don't want to take with me so that when ARC comes on Sept 17, I'll have craploads for them to take away. Except for books. DJ wants my books.

It's been decided that I'll move around the 2nd weekend of October. It was going to be the 3rd or 4th weekend, but after my dad talked to my mom (he is coming to help me move...is he great or what?) they decided that the 7-10th worked best for them. So.

Moving away from Minnesota is scary, but exciting too. I never intended to stay forever, but I feel like I could.

A Change of...Everything

2010-08-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

I am moving to Ohio in the middle of October. It terrifies me and I'm excited at the same time. Now that I've graduated from college, I really want to start the rest of my life, which for me has to include living near my family. I want to be around for weddings, birthday parties, showers, and the other random get-togethers that I have missed since 1999. As I prepare to move and the process gets rolling, and then as I settle in Ohio and start to put a new life together, I'll post here. Check back, and I'll keep you updated.

Jenni

2010-04-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

Soon, i will graduate college. Ten years, folks, is how long it has taken me, and well, God blessed the broken road, eh? As I cram in my last two weeks of homework everything I do seems a little bit more...weighted? Is that the word? Like, each action seems to have the significance of ten years in it. It's all a goodbye; not that I'm moving right away, or making any big changes to my day-to-day life...but it's definitely the end of a long, difficult, memorable era, and everything is poignant. What a strange word, poignant. It seems to fit itself. Beautiful and unclear.

I Never Tire of Learning

2010-01-05T22:44:00.001-08:00

So today I've learned so many interesting things. Like what goes into a recording session in a studio ("creating" background vocals? news to me..) or the "rope trick effect" seen within a few milliseconds after detonation of some nuclear tests in the early 60's. And by the way...how thick is a shock wave? (I don't know the answer to that, and I don't know if the answer would make any sense even if it was given to me.)

Just so you know...

2009-12-16T21:21:00.001-08:00

My Christmas shopping is done.

there.

Research-mania

2009-11-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

I've been going ga-ga doing personal research lately. No one particular topic, but just random stuff. Like where the phrases first world, second world, and third world came from, why the painting American Gothic is called American Gothic, and how long the Cold War lasted. Wikipedia's 'Random Article' link on the left is very helpful when I'm feeling curious but don't have a specific question.

I miss my family

2009-06-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

The more time I spend in Minnnesota, the more I miss my family.

Today I...

2009-05-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

* played with cars
* read about demolition derbies
* changed two diapers
* ate puri, a South India bread made from whole wheat flour and salt, then fried.
* colored

* lost a race

* won a race

* went for a walk

* got eaten by a dinosaur

and it's only 1:30 pm.

I think it is really spring

2009-03-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was rainy and cold all day. Today it will be coldish, and probably will rain. Windy too. Tomorrow we might get some flurries but I'm feeling optimistic that it won't stick, and therefore doesn't count. April is just around the corner and I have decided that means we will have nice weather as time goes on.

I like weather.

In the meantime I have class today and later (if it isn't raining) I'll go with Steve to Mounds Park to watch him fly his slope soaring plane. Click here for an example on Youtube.

Her Big Show

2009-03-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Good morning, good morning everyone! It's Sunday, and in about an hour I will leave to go to my friend Mazen's dance recital at St. Kate's. I'm looking forward to seeing her doing her Irish dance. She's been studying it for two years, and she only just turned five! Last year I gave her flowers after she danced, and she has mentioned it to me about six times this year. But this year I won't bring flowers...I don't want her to assume there are always flowers. I'll give her a big kiss though. I love that girlie.

Lately...

2009-03-03T20:36:00.000-08:00

Not a whole lot has changed since I posted last, other than the fact that I am feeling overwhelmed by homework, and it has been draining my motivation for other things in life, such as checking my e-mail and posting on here (as though I've ever been a superstar when it came to posting).

I'm currently working my Senior Project (think Undergrad Thesis), and my topic is how religion affects the efficacy of chemical dependency treatment for the Deaf. There is a ton of material to read on this subject, but I am having trouble putting it together in my mind in an effort to start the paper.

On the other hand, I have been cooking a lot lately. (yes, me. it's okay, you can laugh.) Today, for instance, I sauteed an onion and cooked up a pot of rice. To a bowl of rice I added a bunch of cooked pinto beans from earlier this week and a little salt and had dinner. I put the onions into a ziploc bag and stuck it in the freezer for use in cooking later. I know doing that changes the consistency of the onions but in ground beef it won't matter.

Tootles!

Totally weirded out

2009-02-17T12:20:00.001-08:00

I just saw a pop machine with a credit card slot. Is this new?? What the heck?!?

2009-01-26T21:20:00.000-08:00

I always wondered how to be real.
Now I know
it's in my hands
my eyes
my nose
my ears
my skin.
I'm real when I feel the world.

The Eyeballing Game

2009-01-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

If you like playing games, click on the title to give this one a try. It's addictive!

Don't say I didn't warn you.

A Conundrum

2009-01-04T15:41:00.000-08:00

I get a paycheck.

I want to hang on to my money.

I get bills.

Paying bills takes money away.

I delay paying bills, not wanting to be broke.

I get late fees.

I pay the bills.

I'm broke.

I get a paycheck...

On the Road

2008-12-31T07:19:00.001-08:00

Yesterday on my drive back to Minnesota I saw a 27 cars off the road and one falling star.

Thanksgiving Goodbyes

2008-11-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

I'm going home for Thanksgiving! I'll leave tomorrow afternoon and get back on Sunday evening. I'm looking forward to seeing my family and having a long weekend. :)

I will be saying goodbye to my foster brother Elijah, though, as he goes on to another home, and that will be hard for everyone. Stuff like this is always difficult, and I can't say it gets easier with time to say goodbye to a munchkin you love. (Especially a munchkin that's lived with your family for over three years.) I mean, I never technically LIVED with him, but I've heard the stories and played with him and corrected him and watched him grow from a little boy barely able to walk into a burly kindergartner.

I'll try to get some pictures of the kids (Elijah with his brother Tony and sister Aallyah) and post them up here. Don't hold your breath, though, I have a hard time following through with promises to post pictures!

Bleghh...

2008-11-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

I feel sick and nauseous. My body hurts and my stomach is roiling. I don't have a fever. Could it be the flu shot I had yesterday?

Fish 'n' Chips

2008-10-20T18:52:00.001-07:00

My dinner tonight. Had to share. ;)

School

2008-09-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Doing homework today at Caribou Coffee, where J.Kim, Anne and I get together often for a hot drink and good conversation, a tradition going back several years.

J.Kim hasn't arrived yet, but I expect her in the next 15 minutes. In the meantime I've been searching EBSCO for research-based articles about interpreting in mental health settings. I've had moderate luck so far, and have found 20-some articles that I'll now have to sit down and read through for an annotated bibliography that is due on September 25th. Then I need to use those articles as the basis for a research paper due at the end of October. I have plenty of work to do!

My List

2008-08-31T21:36:00.000-07:00

Wow, so I crossed FIVE items off my list this week. Pretty impressive, eh? I credit my dad with his idea for paying off my American Express (click on the title above to see what his idea was). I still need two list items though. I need to come up with them soon; my birthday was over a month ago!

Looking Forward to Christmas Yet?

2008-08-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

I am a semi-regular reader on www.thriftyfun.com, and read this article just this morning. Read below for a way to give gifts this Christmas with less stress!

Christmas Strategies: Gifting Without Charging

Before we know it, the shopping season will be upon us. And, just like Santa's little elves will be working feverishly, we've got to get busy saving up our cash for Christmas. The alternative could be to watch helplessly as our credit card balances increase.

But is it really possible to have a Christmas without using our credit card? Absolutely! It isn't hard -- it's just a matter of getting started now! Here are these 3 simple steps to begin ...

Step 1: Determine exactly how much cash you will need.
How much do you normally spend for Christmas gifts and goodies? Be sure to add in special food expenses to your total, if you're providing the main holiday meal(s) or responsible for a large portion of it. Not sure? Do a guesstimate, erring on the plus side to be safe.

Step 2: Using your total from above, determine how much you'll need to save daily or weekly. Divide it by the number of weeks or days left to save up money.

Examples: (These are approximate amounts.)
$500 divided by 15 weeks = $34.00 wk
$300 divided by 15 weeks = $20.00 wk
$400 divided by 107 days = $ 3.75 day
$200 divided by 107 days = $1.90 day

Step 3: Choose your Method(s) to begin Saving

Pull out your old favorites, and get going! Listed below are a few ideas to get you started.

Gift Certificates are Not Just for Others ...
Buy a gift certificate each pay period. When you're ready to shop, use your certificate to pay for the items. Be sure to watch for expiration dates. Marlene, a good friend of mine, does this year round. She then buys items as they come on sale, using her certificates. Marlene is a single mother who has found a way to buy gifts for her children without using credit cards or draining money from the checkbook.

Christmas Account
There's still time to open a Christmas account with your local credit union or bank. Make automatic payroll deposits if you can. If not, write yourself a check each pay period and mail it in to your account. If you cash your paycheck, take out your targeted amount and deposit the money before it gets spent.
Remember, too, once this account is open, you can make small deposits year round, eliminating the Christmas Crunch next year.

Pick up Some Extra Work Hours
Many businesses will need extra help as the holidays arrive. You may be able to pick up some extra hours. Be sure to set aside any money saved so it doesn't slip through a hole in your pocket!

$1 Per Day Keeps the Creditors Away
Don't forget the 'Tuck $1-Per-Day-Into-an-Old Sock' method. If you have 110 days left, you'd have around $110 at $1 per day. Tucking away $2 per day will find you $220. $330 for $3 per day.

Re-think Buying Gifts This Year
Have you had a rough year financially? Do you owe on credit cards? Consider not buying gifts this year. What if you were to save up money as if you were buying gifts, but use it instead to pay extra on your debt? Can you think of a better gift for your family? You'll be surprised how much better you'll feel giving down the road, when you can truly afford it.
Get creative. Imagine that you had no job. What would you do for gifts? Would you make your own? Send cards only? Email cards? Brainstorm some unique alternatives.

Remember the Spirit of the Season
Above all, remember the original intent of the holiday celebrations. The spirit of the season can be lost in the newly added debt and additional stress created by copying what the Joneses next door are doing. Prevent future stress by learning to celebrate without using your credit card. It can actually be heaps of fun!

Now get started, and set your strategy in place so you'll be ready and able to pay upfront for next year's holiday, too!

2008-07-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

This week we're doing yo-yo day on Wednesday instead of Thursday because on Thursday I'm going to JoAnn's house, and she's going to teach me some simple meals to make in a crockpot. i feel slightly embarrassed at admitting that i need taught how to make food in a crockpot, but I'm admitting it anyway. Maybe now my future family won't starve to death.

2008-07-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

I feel the urge to blog but I don't actually have anything to share.

2008-07-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

Today Emily asked me, "So, doing anything special on Thursday?"

My first thought was, Thursday, Thursday...what's Thursday?

Then I realized, Oh. Right. My birthday.

I've been doing so much cool stuff this year while working on My Birthday List, that a formal celebration, I told Emily, almost seems superfluous. I've been celebrating my birthday since February! More than anything, Thursday simply signifies a change over to a new list of things to do! (I'm accepting ideas, by the way. Today the idea Learn to Tie a Bow-Tie occurred to me. I think I'll add it.)

Oh, and I've been reading a book by Nigel Tranter, called Crusader. Excellent author, Nigel Tranter. I'll be putting him on the list of authors whose entire works I would like to read.

My Kitty is Sick and I Don't Know What's Wrong.

2008-07-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Jada's symptoms:

Periodic vomiting * Diarrhea 2 times last Thursday and 2 times last Friday, in litterbox only one time each day. * Eating and drinking less * Not going outside as often * Peed on floor or bed (hers, not mine) two times in five days * Hasn't gone to the bathroom yet today...at all. (could be a consequence of recent diarrhea?) * Had a low-grade fever on Friday * Nose is warm and dry right now

Total vet bills this week: $152

Vet's findings: Zero

Medicine: Vet gave me something to give her for intestinal irritation/anti-diarrheal

Blood work: Normal

Mama isn't going to lie: she's worried. But at the same time, if *I* had the same symptoms, I'd figure I had a bug, and just lie low for a few days. I wouldn't think I was dying.

So for now I try not to get too upset when I look up and see her straining mightily over my laundry...

Hold A Big Spider

2008-07-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

I checked this off my birthday list, finally! This is me holding a Grammostola aureostriata...

2008-06-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah yeah, so I'm no good at posting. I know.

I taught Children's Church today at PVDA (lovingly known as Pivdah)...had six kids. Luckily they were all hearing, which makes the dynamic SOOOOOOO much simpler. If they were adults and could sit still and were all potty-trained and could talk, I might not mind so much the mixed group. But when you mix in all those other factors, it's just nice to know everyone knows the same language.

It went okay. I'm not a good teacher. I love kids, and they seem to get that, and trust and listen to me (even the naughty ones who dont' often obey). I'm proud of that. But ask me to put together a lesson they'll pay attention to and remember, and all that confidence goes down the drain. When it's time to prepare for my teaching day, I just freeze up. What that translates to is that the last two times I've taught CC, we've done little or no lesson, and just spent a bunch of time playing. Today I brought yo-yos to give to everyone, and we learned some useful yo-yo rules (such as, do not swing it around like it's a rock, or there will be trouble). Then we went outside and played tag. We spent a little bit of time coloring, but that was unplanned, and just a filler.

Did I enjoy it? Most of it, yeah. It felt good when the one girl who tends to have an I'm-not-going-to-listen-to-you effect on whoever she's with stopped ignoring me and starting participating. But it felt crappy when Max said, "So, are we going to do some activities or something"? It's like, I KNOW I suck. I'm sorry.

So, whatever. At least i have two weeks before I teach again.

Okay...see you...whenever I post next!!! ;P

Jada + Worthington = BFF

2008-05-26T00:27:00.000-07:00

This week is Fat Camp at Jenni's House. My campers, Jada and Worthington, though best of friends, can't decide who gets to be team captain for their next game of Capture the Flag.

2008-05-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

Today I found a baby bird. Well, a baby bird who is not yet totally hatched. Tomorrow morning i will be taking him to a Wildlife Refuge center in hopes he will survive. He's such a strong little sucker...just plugging away. Check it out! Turn down your computer's volume though. My camera makes an annoying clicking sound as it focuses.

A New Way to Learn the Sign Language Alphabet

2008-05-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

Please pardon the last matchbook.

My Birthday List

2008-05-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have not yet visited my Birthday List, just click on the title link above. It will take you to www.my50.com, where I've created a list of goals I want to achieve before my 27th birthday. Can you believe I'm going to be 27 this summer?

Anyway, one of the items on my list is to take a community ed course, and it just ended tonight, so I was feeling satisfied that I'd completed another item on my list. I really like this Birthday List idea, and I might have to do it for next year too. In fact, I've already added two items to my list: one for my 28th Birthday List, and one for 29! If you have any ideas for future Birthday List items (Items that would be fun. No Shoulds), then let's hear them!

much love,
Jenni

2008-04-30T06:18:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know I haven't put up the pictures I promised, but they ARE coming. My sister took most of the pictures from last weekend, and I will keep bugging her until she e-mails them to me. I promise!

And thanks to those who left comments on my History post...I haven't looked into any of those books yet, but I will before long...I'm almost done with the book I'm reading at the moment. I want to know where we all come from, you know?

Happy tidbit: I'm almost done with the spring semester at school! We have class today and Monday, and that's it! :D

Today My Inner Child Went to the Library

2008-04-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

I went to the library today to talk to someone at the information desk about a book I'd requested, and just as happens every time I enter a bookstore, I got sucked in. You can't just walk into a library and walk back out. If you can, you should have your own commercials--or go get some therapy. So I wander around to the gardening section...many of you know that i am currently attempting to grow tomato plants in my bathroom, and so far, so good! I tried finding a book that would give me gardening tips for the puny little sprouts I've got waving above my toilet. There were several books, but nothing that looked helpful for a beginner. (Truly, i don't have any idea what KIND of tomatoes I have. I bought the seeds about three years ago) so I left Gardening and headed for the kids section.

I have recently learned the joys of starting your learning in a particular subject by going to the children's section at your local library. All the concepts will be laid out for you in clear, easy-to-understand language, with helpful pictures and arrows. Last time I went to the kid's section I came out with two books that taught me about basic timekeeping and the story of the first successful chronometer. (No clue what a chronometer is? Well, now you know where to go find out in words you'll actually be able to follow)

Since I was in a food mood, I went to the kids' cooking section and came out with Midday Meals Around the World and Everyone Eats Rice. Don't those sound fun? So next time you're at your local library, take your big grownup self and go into the Little People's World. You might learn something.

2008-03-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

Check out the weather for the next seven days--Today they're forecasting 6-8 inches of snow. And on baseball's opening day, no less!

I'm going to Chicago

2008-03-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

It's for a girls' weekend, and I'm looking forward to it like grilled cheese looks forward to tomato soup.

In April my mom and sisters and I are going to meet in Chicago for a weekend of hanging out and laughing till we need a change of clothes. I'm planning on getting a tattoo that weekend as well. I have it narrowed down to one of two tattoo parlors, and just need to call the places and find out how it all works. I'll post a picture once I have one. I'll probably take Friday off work and catch the Megabus there because I can do that for like $50 RT and if I'm staying in downtown Chicago, who needs a car? We got a great deal on a corporate apartment (non-corporate ppl are allowed to stay there too) only a few blocks from Ed Debevic's. Can't wait to eat there. Anyway, I know I've promised pictures in the past that never ended up being posted, but I do intend to share pictures once I get back.

I have no initiative

2008-03-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

no, I'm not being self-critical. it's true. Taking initiative and having ideas of how I can do things better does not come naturally. By nature, I will do things the way I have always been doing them until the day I die. I will not change and I will not start something new until it becomes the easy thing to do.

I've learned recently that if a task must be done, if I impose a deadline on myself I am much more likely to do it. This does not mean i turn into Superman and do my work twice as fast as before. But if I pick a reasonable time period in which to do x, y or z and tell someone I will do it by that time, chances are high that I will get it done because someone else expects it to be finished by then.

For example, at work I've been tooling around with a spreadsheet for a week and a half now. Every so often my supervisor would ask me how it was going. I'd say, Not bad, about halfway there, or Yep, it's on my list to work on after lunch, and usually I'd mess with it for a few minutes that day. But it didn't get done. Then finally I said to my boss, "How about we sit down and go over that spreadsheet the day after tomorrow at 9:30?" I put it on her calendar and THEN it moved up on my priority list. Once I actually started to focus on that spreadsheet, I realized that the way I was setting it up was silly and needlessly complicated. I deleted a whole section of the project and was finished earlier than I thought I would be.

By placing external pressure on myself, I was able to condense my work and ultimately produce a better result. Now that I know that doing this...method, shall we say...is effective at work for projects I'm not super-excited about, I'm going to start using it in other places in my life where my interest level is low (such as the oil change i'm due for or the pile of clothing i need to mend) and see how it works. Hopefully this will help me become a more productive person who is NOT constantly fighting guilt over pesky little jobs, but rather tackling them because I know how simple they really are.

The Value of History

2008-03-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

So, I’ve been thinking a lot about history this winter. I’ve heard that those who do not know history are bound to repeat it, but I never believed it truly until a few months ago.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a yo-yo fanatic. I LOVE YO-YOS!!! And those of you who love the internet know that there is a discussion forum for almost any topic under the sun. Well, I used to love to visit yo-yo forums. I always learned a ton from reading through the discussions and searching for issues I was curious about. I started noticing, though, that lots of people would hop on to the forum and ask a question that had been answered before. This repetition started annoying me after a while, and it wasn’t long before I was waxing philosophical on this very issue: If I do not know history, am I bound to repeat it?

My current response to this question is to start reading up on history. I read a short biography on the life of J. Edgar Hoover, and his role in the formation of the current FBI. I want to read more history, but I don’t know where to start. Does anyone have ideas? I want to read history that’s accurate, and I feel wary of being duped of someone’s revisionist version of “how it really happened”. Even a stroll through the bookstore’s history section makes me wonder: Who wrote this and what are their biases? What have they left out?

My nephew Jonah

2008-01-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

This is Jonah the Turtle, on Christmas Eve 2007. Isn't he cute? Not too far in the past it looked like he wasn't too long for this world, but now...well, see for yourself. :)

Camera work: Melissa Peters

Finger: Jenni Wright, left index

Turtle: Jonah, as himself

2007-12-19T12:30:00.000-08:00

I am looking forward to:

Seeing my family on Saturday night (well, whoever's still awake when I actually pull in.)
Giving away the Christmas presents I bought.
The drive to Ohio. Excellent alone time.
Art Party tonight. Jennifer, J.Kim and
Yo-Yo Day tomorrow
a white Christmas (keep your collective fingers crossed! In OH, it's not a given.)
wrapping Christmas presents tonight (for ppl I'll be giving to before I leave)
A week off of work. Paid.

It's Christmas!!!!

2007-12-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

It's not The Holidays
It's not The Season

It's Christmas.

Or, as I told my friend today, Happy ChristmaHanukKwanzaKah.

2007-12-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

Woo hoo!!! I'm done with my class. People, I just finished a semester at North Central. It's been a while since I did that. I think I have an A, too. I'm very excited.

Next semester is Deaf Church Growth Dynamics. I'm nervous about it, but will hold off on claiming defeat just yet...

I said BRRRRRRRRRR!

2007-11-30T06:13:00.000-08:00

Folks, it is cold in MN. Right now the temp is 4 degrees! 4! Quite cold. And while not everyone recognizes Wind Chill Factors as valid, a wind chill of -15 makes how it feels out there seem real.

Today is my great-grandma's funeral, and I can't be there, which kills me. I have called a couple people in Ohio, though, so they know I care. It's 8:22am right now, and the family viewing starts at either 9:30 or 10:00am EST. My dad and company are en route right now. Is it morbid to ask one of my sisters to take a picture of her in her casket so I can see what it all looks like?

J

Gladys Carrie McNay Strader

2007-11-29T09:38:00.000-08:00

April 23, 1915 - November 26, 2007

(picture doesn't want to upload - will add later)

2007-11-28T06:34:00.000-08:00

Can we say, Sick of looking at that last post???? Yeah. :) I"m back. I just got sick of posting I think (as if I posted much before that).

So, a lot has happened since I was on here last:

I went to Florida with Katie to visit Grandma Sherry and Grandpa Ted. We had a ton of fun: we rode an air boat, traveled by bicycle, fished in mayfly storms (caught a ton of fish), chased lizards (well, mostly me), played dominoes, and sat around telling stories.

I went home to Ohio for Thanksgiving. It was great. The kids are crazy-loud and adorable as ever. 'Liya is talking up a storm and her shoe fetish makes us all laugh. Chris and I went on a date and I taught him about giving his elbow to a girl and opening and closing doors for her. He was embarrassed doing it, which was great fun for me! :) Elijah and I went to the park and played on Sunday; it was fun spending time alone with him.

My Great-Grandma Strader died on Monday, November 26, 2007 at 2:45pm EST. It's been harder for me than I expected...she was the matriarch of the family, and the glue that held so many people together. I'll have to find a picture of her and put it up here. She was a strong, brilliant woman who raised six kids, including my Grandma Sherry. She died at home with family all around. I was able to see her on Thursday and Friday, and she recognized me on Thursday, and said my name, which I'll remember forever. I don't know if I"ll be able to afford to fly home for the funeral. I"m going to check into that today.

Well, that's the Reader's Digest version. I'll write again before too long...

Premarital Jitters

2007-09-16T01:00:00.001-07:00

No, I'm not getting married, in case you were curious. I AM taking a course this semester, though, called Pastoral Counseling. One of our books, intended for use in premarital counseling, is called Getting Your Sex Life Off to a Great Start.

It's sort of freaking me out.

Those of you who know me should not be surprised by this admission. So how am I, un-married as I am, supposed to do premarital counseling and say things like premature ejaculation and oral stimulation to the couples I counsel? Ack! I'm not even friends with all the parts of my body; how can I counsel them to be friends with theirs?!

Perhaps they will teach us this in class. Do let's pray...

Yo-Yo Day!

2007-09-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

Check it out at:

http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/yoyoday.htm

And here I thought only *I* celebrated yo-yo day. Apparently others do too!

2007-09-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

I have visitors!!!! My mom and Katie are at my house!!! They are visiting me this weekend and I am super-excited. It's going to be weird though. I'm used to being with them in Ohio but I'm not used to them being with me in Minnesota. I'll try to post pictures. I won't promise though; every time I promise, I don't do it. And you know where liars go.

What did the Snail say riding on top of the turtle?

2007-08-29T10:40:00.001-07:00

"Whee!!!"

2007-08-23T05:30:00.001-07:00

So I get to work this morning and I see that all the lights are out and only Mike Murphy is in the break room making coffee. I went to him and our conversation went something like this,

"Why are all the lights out?"

"Because no one's here, dear."

"Really? That's so weird. It's late. It's eight o'clock."

"Late? It's seven o'clock."

"SEVEN?? What is WRONG with me?"

This morning I'm thinking Man, I need to get to bed earlier if it's this hard to get up in the morning. Little did I know I was AN HOUR EARLY!!

So yeah. Happy Thursday!

2007-08-11T21:50:00.001-07:00

I went to the bridge last night and saw what there was to see. It was pretty impacting, to say the least. There are still cars just sitting (or laying, as it were) right were they've been since, say, 6:06pm on August 1st. Anyway, here are some of the pictures I got.

Picture #1: This one was taken from the University Avenue bridge, on the north side. I crossed the street and put my camera down on someone's front step. It is therefore the clearest picture.

Picture #2: This was among the photos I took first, and definitely the ones that are the most haunting. Believe me when I say it's even weirder in person. For this photo I went down below the area you see in Picture #1.

Picture #3: I took a picture of the police cruiser parked right at the site...they are everywhere, mostly to keep an eye out for folks like me who came for a look but might feel a little braver upon arrival. They have arrested scores for crossing the posted barricades.

Picture #4: There is a metal-working factory of some sort right next to the bridge, and the guys out on their break thought I was mighty interesting, squatting down on the ground to take a picture of the bridge. The sight of those light poles jutting out such odd angles, right along with the pavement...

More pics to follow, later.

My Favorite Toy

2007-07-22T00:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my yo-yo collection. i took this picture not long ago, after dumping most of my yo-yos on the floor next to the bathroom/kitchen/bedroom. Who'da thunk it? Yo-yos drove me nuts as a kid, and now...well, look at them!

For a little exposure, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBXWXbympeQ

My Favorite Group of People

2007-07-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

Meet...my family. Sometimes your family drives you crazy, and other times you would go crazy without them. These are my people, and I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

Favorite Things: My Favorite Kitty

2007-07-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

Name: Jada, Schmaydakins

DOB: July 2000

Personality: Bratty. Socially needy. Uptight. Cuddly. Passive.

Favorite Pastime: Lounging around in the backyard.

My Favorite Part of Her: Her snout. It's so detailed and cute!

2007-06-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

My Two Favorite Aspects of My Job:

1) Every day I get to leave the office and make a deposit at the bank. Sometimes I have to stop and buy something for someone or go to the post office too. It's like recess!

2) As a receptionist, I don't have to take my job home with me, nor do I have to worry about the political storms that blow around me. I just answer the phone and transfer the calls! In this case, ignorance really IS bliss.

2007-06-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

Holy cow.

Right now the temp is 95.

Humidity: 40%

Heat Index? 99.

Disgusting!

My Favorite Things

2007-06-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

I am starting a new series of posts called My Favorite Things. I'll be putting up pictures of all of my favorite parts of my life. Many of you don't see me on a regular basis, so this should give you an idea of the things/places/people I see on an average day. Let's get started!

Ode to Oatmeal

2007-05-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

I love warm oatmeal. One time I heard someone mention oatmeal and I got teary-eyed. To me, warm oatmeal is a hug from your grandma. It is safety and warmth and love.

Right now I am eating oatmeal that is Apples & Cinnamon flavored. I can only eat one packet of this at a time because it is so sweet. My favorite is to get the Fruit & Cream variety pack, and then mix and match the flavors. I can handle two packets of that kind. Maybe I could get one box of the Regular flavor, and one of the Fruit and Cream, and then put one of each together to make it last longer, the way you might add water to a little kid's juice.

I remember my mom (or maybe it was my dad, idr) making oatmeal for us when we were little. There'd be a big pot of regular oatmeal (or cream of wheat if we were lucky) and we would add milk, brown sugar and sometimes toast. It rocked.

Last Sunday after I ran that 5K we went out to breakfast, Todd and I. I ordered buttered toast with jelly, and oatmeal. The toast, however, turned out to be rye, and I learned that putting rye toast in your oatmeal does not evoke the same warm pleasant memories that regular wheat toast does.

The End.

I Did It!!!

2007-05-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ran a 5K (3.1 miles) – it was the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Race for the Cure. In Minneapolis it is held on Mother’s Day at the Mall of America every year. The 5K run started at 7:30am. Believe me when I tell you I am not made for running that early in the morning. My friend Todd drove up from Des Moines to run with me (Thank you thank you!!)

It was pretty chilly out (windy mostly); I started the race in a jacket and then tied it around my waist once I warmed up from running. The first mile wasn’t bad at all, by the second mile I was definitely feeling it. The third mile, I started to think about quitting. I had to stop just into the third mile and walk for a minute or two, and then I made myself keep going. Just when I was at my most tired I thought of my Grandma Adams, who several years ago with diagnosed with breast cancer. I thought of the physical and emotional pain she must have gone through, mostly alone, since none of us women in the family could TRULY understand what she was feeling, not having experienced the same thing. It made me start to cry, right there in the middle of the third mile.

Let me tell you, crying while running is not the most productive experience. If you’re already having to concentrate on breathing, crying is not going to help. I literally could feel my throat closing and my breathing became audible. I finally managed to quell the tears and breathing got easier. By then I was nearing the home stretch!! About half a block from the finish line I thought Let’s finish this thing and I ran fast, all the way to the finish line, where all the silly runners were just standing there, forming a solid wall of sweaty yuckiness. Todd and I walked for a while once we pushed through that crowd, till I got oxygen back into my body. He on the other hand barely broke a sweat! No fair, huh? He has earned bragging rights, though, running 20-25 miles a week, just because he likes to.

Today I am SO sore. The whole bottom half of my body hurts! I’m going back to the Y tonight, though, and am going to plunge right back into my workouts. Judging from the pain I’m in today, there are several spots that need massive amounts of work!!! J

2007-05-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, test your geography knowledge at http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/usaquiz.html.

Here are MY results (after spending two DAYS practicing a month or so ago):

Try #1: 132 out of 150 points
Try #2: 140 out of 150 points
Try #3: 145 out of 150 points

Sigh...could have done better. New England gets me every time!!

Try it!

2007-04-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

So. Wanna know how many calories you need per day? According to this formula (known as the Harris-Benedict principle), which determines your BMR, or Basal Metabolic Rate, I need 2,380.53 calories each day to maintain my current weight (no thank you). Check it out!

Women: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Men: 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Please note that this formula applies only to adults.

Calculate Activity - Step two: In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation:

If you are sedentary : BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active: BMR x 1.375
If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (You exercise daily.): BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 1.9

"The result of this formula will be the number of calories you can eat every day and maintain the weight you are currently at. In order to lose weight, you'll need to take in fewer calories than this result."

Handy stuff, huh?

Thanks for coming along!

2007-04-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

So last night I was out running. This week I run 9 minutes, walk 1, and then repeat twice more, for a total of 30 minutes. The first two sets of 9 and 1 are always easier than the third set. Usually by the third set I'm starting to think Well, if I stop a few minutes early today, it's no big deal, right? But last night I decided to pull a tried-and-true trick out of my "I'm tired and want to be done but time's not up yet" bag. I let my family join me.

First out came my dad and his parents. My dad whistled as I went by and shortly down the line was my grandma in her jean shorts and knee brace and camera cheering, "Go, Jenni!" and my grandpa right next to her saying "Go, girl!"

Just after them was my mom with her fists in the air hollering "Woohoo! Go Jenni!" and my grandma yelling the same thing while my grandpa stood next to her with his fishing hat on, shaking his head and saying in his slow drawl, "Well, shooooot..."

On the next block was Katie with her boyfriend Cory next to her (I didn't expect Cory. He's never come before!), hollering and carrying on. As I passed by them, Cory lofted a water balloon that splatted on the sidewalk right in front of me and felt so good. THAT made me laugh out loud. Just after Katie and Cory came Becky, hollering about what a hot thing I was and making me feel bashful.

Right next to Becky were Kyle and Melissa being VERY noisy. Kyle even brought pom-poms and was keeping up with me for a little ways, shaking them and yelling "C'mon Jenni, you can do it!!!"

A little ways past Kyle and Melissa, Chris was sitting on the front steps of someone's house with a megaphone and a big grin, screaming "Go Jenni! Yeah!!!" at the sky. Just past him was Jared and a friend (I couldn't tell who) on bikes. They got off their bikes and stretched a streamer across the sidewalk for me to run through (even though I wasn't done yet). And then...

I had only half a block left.

So Jared and his friend got back on their bikes and pedaled to the end of the block and pulled the streamer across again. This time when I crossed it my arms were in the air (for real).

It rocked.

2007-04-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

I think I figured out elevators.

No, I'm not crazy. At least, I don't think I am.

Here's the deal. I've noticed that when an elevator is going up, it dings once when the door opens, and when it's going down, it dings twice when the door opens. Is this an ADA thing? Well, if I'm right, then if I ever go blind I'll know which direction I"m heading in when I step on to an elevator.

2007-03-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

I have a separate book for each activity in my life which permits reading.

When I am at the YMCA on the elliptical machine, I read A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers.

When I am on the bus I read Sophie's World: a novel on the history of philosophy by Jostein Gaarder.

In bed at night while waiting to fall asleep I'm reading A Maiden's Grave by Jeffrey Deaver.

It's fantastic. And I don't mind finishing a book because I have dozens of unread books in my apartment.

:D

2007-03-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, this weather annoys me.

But it's so wonderful and spring-like! you say

Yes. It is spring-like.

Sort of.

Mostly it's just deceptive. Sure, you don't need to wear a coat half the time, but you still end up needing one the OTHER half of the time, and then shortly after you put it on you find that you don't need it any more (but don't put it away, the day is only half over!)

One minute I'm comfortable, then I'm freezing so I slip on my coat.
Then I overheat so I take it off and am soon cold.

Can't win. I need the days when it's the same season all day. That's not so unreasonable, is it?

I am such a man.

2007-03-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last week I changed my own flat tire.

I am so awesome it's mindboggling.

sigh...

2007-03-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

So my 6:40 am flight to Dayton was cancelled this morning. I'm at work now (shhh, yes I"m blogging, but I feel this is important) and NWA has rebooked me for a flight out this afternoon which will land in the northern Kentucky/Cincinnati, Ohio area. Then someone (hopefully someone) will pick me up and help me get to Dayton, an hour and a half away. This has not been a convenient day, but it hasn't been a bad day either. I will survive.

Drama, drama, drama...

2007-03-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

So I was supposed to fly home tonight for my dad's retirement party tomorrow. 9pm, my flight is scheduled to leave. Thing is, the National Weather Service is predicting a HUGE snowstorm to come in today. So thinking ahead (actually, a coworker suggested it) I changed my itinerary yesterday afternoon to an outbound flight leaving at 3:15 this afternoon, figuring I'll just leave work a few hours early and get out before the weather gets too bad.

Are you with me so far? Good.

Then last night I got a call from Katie saying my dad had looked and that the 3:15pm flight was already cancelled due to "forecasted weather conditions". I hop online at www.nwa.com and see that I have been auto-rebooked for my original 9pm flight. My only alternative to this is a 6am flight today...which I don't feel comfortable taking since it will require my taking TWO days off of work, and at short notice. So I keep the 9pm rebook and keep my fingers crossed.

This morning at 6:15am my phone rings and a recording informs me that the 9pm flight has been cancelled due to the same forecasted weather conditions, and that I have been auto-rebooked for the 6:40am flight tomorrow. I will land in Dayton, Ohio at 11:20am, if all goes well. His party at the Highway Patrol post starts soon thereafter. This flight plan must not change if I am to make it to his party. Please say a prayer that by tomorrow morning they can get the runways clear so I can go to Ohio. I really don't want to miss any of this!!!

Jenni

I am super excited.

2007-02-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

The weather guys are forecasting a TON of snow for this weekend. Like, six to eight inches tonight and then another six to eight tomorrow. The snow advisory they've issued lasts until Sunday afternoon. I can't wait. It hasn't started snowing yet though, but the sky is cloudy and white. I hope it starts soon. I need to go buy a sled...

Check it out at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mpx/

2007-02-21T13:22:00.000-08:00

Today a smell transported me to a very lonely time in my life.

Minneapolis is beautiful today. It's nearly 3:30pm CST, and the outside temperature is 46 degrees. The sky is deep and cloudy. The wind is blowing hard enough to make my hair go everywhere, but it doesn't make me cold. The air smells like spring: warmish and sweet...damp...a little bit alive.

I stepped out of the bank today onto the sidewalk and the that smell picked me up and carried me away. It reminded me of the spring months I have spent walking blankly down the street, deep inside my head, struck dumb by depression and the desire not to be alive, not to exist.

I don't feel stressed out at this reminder. It does make me feel some sadness for how I isolated myself emotionally from the world, from God's creation, from color and music and laughter. And as I keep walking down the sidewalk, the sadness fades and the wind keeps blowing my hair all over the place, but not making me cold...

Good morning, all.

2007-02-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

I greet you from the slightly less frozen tundra that is Minnesota. At the moment, we are at a balmy thirty-one degrees.

So, I decided that this year would be an excellent year to go on a short term missions trip. I want to leave the US and serve in the name of Jesus for a period of 5-10 days. I looked at a few places yesterday but didn't find anything that really caught my attention. I will check with YWAM's website later today and see if they have something that would fit.

I used to disagree with overseas short-term missions on principle. I thought, Why should someone pay buku-bucks to go somewhere and donate time and skill in another COUNTRY when they could donate that money to somewhere local and serve in their own COUNTY?? When my youth group would plan a missions trip I didn't ever go. Well, I have learned since then that I had an inaccurate understanding of the point of short-term missions. The point of short-term overseas missions is not to build a house or play with orphans, necessarily. Probably the greatest thing that is accomplished by these brief trips is the change that happens in the hearts and minds of those who take them. When you see how someone eles lives and works and you see the faith of someone very different, yet not so different from yourself, your own faith is changed. Your faith and your worldview grow into something they may not have ever become if you had remained at home, in your own world.

I haven't figured it all out though...what do you all think of this??

2007-02-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

I annoy myself sometimes.

I double-booked myself KNOWINGLY today because I didn't want to make the second person mad. And now I'm mad at ME and I STILL have to cancel on someone. I hate this.

2007-02-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

While running last week and this week, I have found I have a hard time finding something for my brain to do during my workout. After a few sessions, I came up with a chant/prayer that paces me and keeps me focused. It goes like this:

One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Lord, I need You in my world.

Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Help me rely on Your grace.

And then I just repeat it. It's calming, too, especially the grace part. Anyway, just wanted to share. :) Thanks for reading!

Dear Lord, Help Us All...

2007-02-05T06:09:00.000-08:00

This morning I missed my bus and had to walk to the Light Rail Transit station.

It's normally two blocks over and five blocks down, but I went two blocks in the wrong direction first, so modify that to be four over, five down.

When I got off I had to walk four blocks to work.

Oh, and it's -16F.

I might die.

2007-01-27T14:47:00.000-08:00

So I told Todd I'd run the Minneapolis Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in May...it's a 5k, people. That's like over three miles. So yesterday I went and signed up for a YMCA membership, and today I went and ran one mile. Hoo, buddy, let me tell you that I am not in the shape I was in three years ago.

The first half wasn't too bad. I kept a nice slow steady pace and didn't push it. Then around lap 9 (the track is on a mezz level above the gymnasium...requires 18 laps to finish one mile...a real thriller.) I started feeling this faintly familiar pain in my side and everything after that is an overheated blur. I MADE myself keep running, and the last half-lap I ran pretty fast...but when I was done I wasn't quite sure I wasn't going to puke. Luckily, I didn't. ;) That mile took me ten minutes; you're supposed to keep your heart rate up for 30 minutes, I hear, so I walked for twenty more minutes. Even when I left the locker room after I was done, though, I looked as though I'd contracted some sort of alarming rash on my face. Now, an hour and a half later, it has calmed itself to a nice shade of rosacea. Lovely.

Did you ever wonder...

2007-01-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

Why life changes so often?
Why the hard stuff can't just be easy?
What makes a flower smell so good?
How you got so lucky?
Where your money goes?
How the US is ever going to get out of Iraq?
Why God would choose YOUR heart to bear his Name? (I Kings 8:29)
How you can look back at your life and be baffled at how you got to where you are?
Why seeing someone you care about can give you so much life?
Why morning comes so early?
Why your dreams from the night fade so quickly?

Yeah, I don't ever wonder those things. I just wondered if you did...

I'm sucking at this blog thing...

2007-01-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, I haven't abandoned my blog forever...promise! I'm having Katie's problem: when I sit down, I can't think of anything to write, and then before I've sat there for too long, I think of ten million other things I could be doing with my time. It's quite the conundrum.

My kitty has taken to leaving a turd just outside the bathroom door about once a week. Any ideas?

Hi. It’s me. I’m alive.

2006-12-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

Let’s see:

I’m getting settled in at my new job.
I’m going home to Ohio for Christmas and am VERY excited about it.
I wore a skirt to work today.
I need to get an oil change.
In August I subscribed to eHarmony and have met some really great people there.
I have been spending more time with Deaf friends and getting my sign skills back.
I am learning that it’s okay to be me…and that people will still like me.
I moved, and now I live alone…with my kitty, Jada. (She loves it.)
I’m ALMOST done with my Christmas shopping.
I say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, on PURPOSE.
I have decided that boys are not the scourge of the earth.

2006-12-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

I got a job, people! The position I was hired for (Engineering Assistant) is being phased out due to construction projects being put on hold because of high construction costs...so I was possibly OUT of a job. But today the Exec VP of HR called me into her office (scary!) and offered me the position of receptionist/front desk person until such a time that an engineering assistant is needed again...maybe not for a while. I accepted, with gratitude. This includes actually being hired on by the company full-time, a pay raise, paid holidays, and insurance benefits...and job security! Yay, yay! I'm very happy about it...just wanted to share. Thanks for reading!

I got this one in my journal...

2006-11-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

So I'm doing this guided journal for a month...it has daily writing prompts in it, and one prompt I got last week really stumped me. It was "How can you tell when somebody loves you?" and I was amazed at how hard it was. One way I can tell someone loves me is when they do something for me that I can tell took forethought and planning. How can YOU tell when somebody loves you?

Through the Looking Glass

2006-10-31T06:20:00.000-08:00

Oh my word, you guys. I have had very weird dreams the last week or so. Well, I guess I have weird dreams every week. Anyway. The other night I dreamt that me, Becky and Katie were all getting married on the same day. Becky, you got married first, then Katie, and then me. Same church, same crowd, just one wedding after the other. Anyhow, it was almost time for my wedding and I realized that I'd left my wedding dress in another state! I was upset because now everyone would just end up going home and I couldn't get married. It was okay in the end though, because I didn't even know the guy I was marrying and so I was relieved that I didn't have to go through with it.

The dream I had last night was more bizarre. I dreamt I was deep in the Vietnamese jungle, and that I was trying to blow up a train track in order to escape and get back to my family. So I took some Seroquel and supposedly that did the job. I escaped with some high-up official of the Vietnamese government who was on our side and two feet tall (we were washed to safety on a water slide). Along the way I found an Iranian baby who was about to die and so I adopted him. Turned out he just needed a hug and a diaper change, and then he was fine. I think there was more but that's what I remember. Thanks for reading!

2006-10-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Hello, all. Life's been pretty okay lately...working full-time, spending time with friends, playing with yo-yos. :) Right now I'm working on two different tricks: one is with a regular yo-yo (not the butterfly shape) doing loops, LEFT handed. It's hard to get the hang of, but pretty fun to practice. The other tricks IS with a butterfly yo-yo. This trick is called a Laceration and I can land it about half the time. I want to become more consistent with it. It's a simply trick that looks trickier than it is. WHich is fun.

2006-09-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Let's see. What is the best thing from yesterday? I'd have to say it was getting home from work at a decent time. I left at 4:45 and was home by 5:30. If I'm normally home by 6pm I consider it a normal day. It was good to feel like I didn't have to rush to do any of the other things I needed to get done.

2006-09-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

So, uh...guess who found thirty-eight dollars in her laundry yesterday!!!??

2006-09-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

I think the best thing that happened to me yesterday was the fact that I got over an hour of overtime yesterday. I got to work at 7:30 (or 7:45 I don't remember) and didn't leave until right before 5pm. I try to get two or more hours of OT each week and that's like half of it right there. Look at me go!

2006-09-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

So I had a decent weekend, what about you? Yesterday I had Mojarra for dinner with my friend Griselda and her family. Griselda and company are all from Mexico and are learning English (most of them are pretty good; several don’t speak much at all). I worked with Griselda at Boston Scientific and now we hang out probably once a month or so. Before going over to her house I’m always a bit nervous because inevitably I’m going to be alone in a room with one of the family members who speaks NO English, and sometimes that’s awkward for both of us (gosh, I feel awkward just writing about it!). I always learn something new, though (like, what mojarra is. You should google it.) and when I leave I feel proud of myself for having gone. It’s good stuff.

2006-09-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

Okay...I've forgotten most of my weeks so let's try to remember at least yesterday, since yesterday is easy. TWO good things happened to me yesterday. ;) First, I found a quicker route to my bus stop. That is to say that until yesterday i've been walking about five blocks out of my way every single day adn finally figured it out. My life just got simpler. ;) Secondly, yesterday was Anne, J.Kim and my monthly Yarn Party. We take turns hosting and yesterday was my turn. It was fun; I started working on my Half Double crochet stitch and it looks really nice. Not sure what I'll make with it yet but that's okay. It's great to have the information in my head. it's just...satisfying to know how to create something with your hands.

What's the best thing that happened to YOU yesterday???

2006-09-18T13:46:00.000-07:00

Man. This weekend was long.

MY BEST THINGS LIST
Friday: I went to church. The Gathering Place had a BAck to School Bash from seven until (I left at 12:30am) who knows when. It was a TON of fun. There were NCU graduates there I hadn't seen in a while. There were old GP attendees who hadn't been there in a long time...it was fantastic to chat with folks I had--for all intents and purposes--lost track of. Socially exhausting, but great night.

Saturday: Well, Thursday my car battery died. I didn't know it was as simple as that though, because my battery pack failed to start it. (Turns out my battery pack was dead too.) So Saturday my friends Brittany and Marty came up (from Burnsville, 20+ miles south) with their three kids so Marty could work on my car and get it running. I was blown away that they would do that for me. It was easily the highlight of my weekend.

Sunday: Yesterday I was lazy. Lazy is nice. The best part of the day as a whole was going with my friend Laura to our friend Katie's house where she lives with her husband Josue (pronounced Ho-Sway') and their 7-month-old daughter Claire. I hadn't seen Claire since she was a fetus, so it was nice to meet face to face! The four of us (Sway was at work) had a good time laughing, talking and trading stories of what we'd been up to. I got to sleep a little late because when I got home I still tried to get a few things done and ended up going to bed after my bedtime. I"m paying for it today but I'm functioning.

I love my sisters!

2006-09-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Allowing

my mind to be lost

in the stringy intricacy and

repetition of yo-yoing satis-

fies my need for intricacy and

repetition. And when the intri-

cacy has become simply repetitive,

there is always another challenge

to conquer, another intricacy

around the corner waiting

to be made repetitive.

~Jenni~

2006-09-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Grrr. Yesterday my car wouldn't start when I got off the bus and got in it to drive home. AND I'd forgotten my phone at home so I had to walk home to where my phone was so I could call and cancel my plans for the evening. AND my battery pack wouldn't work because (my dad thinks...I have no idea myself) the batter wire is loose on the positive side, and needs cleaned and tightened. But I have to get my car started to get it somewhere where it could be tightened! Frustrating. But I'm over it.

Yesterday was a pretty okay day overall. I had coffee with J.Kim and it was really calming to sit and chat with her. She and I always have good conversation.

2006-09-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, is September half over already? I can't believe it. I'm gonna be an old woman before I know it!

You know, yesterday was a really blah day. Nothing special, nothing unsual, nothing particularly fun or bad. I had an appt with Pam and we discussed some interesting possibilities for getting to the bottom of why I am sometimes so critical of myself, and I felt that it was time well-spent. So I'd say that appt was the best thing that happened to me all day. That's good enough.

This picture is one I absolutely LOVE. I just love it, and wanted to share it. Thanks for looking!

2006-09-13T06:39:00.000-07:00

So, (chuckle) yesterday I opened this sample package I had received in the mail from Always (you know, they sell pads and stuff). Always is currently running a campaign entitled Have a Happy Period, and there was a period FAQ on the packaging . I liked it. Here it is:

Q: Happy? on my period? what's up with that?
A: Always makes an outstanding line of protection to help keep you dry, comfy, and less CRABBY.

Q: what if I like being crabby?
A: That's ok too. But if your clasws are out, you might as well paint them. Have a manicure. Go to the mall and buy something you don't need. And remember -- somewhere in that very mall, there's bound to be an entire store full of chocolate.

Q: why do I crave chocolate on my period?
A: Indulge first. Ask questions later.

:D