To someone on the outside looking in, where I spend my money makes absolutely no sense. I chose to be stingy on ridiculous things like: i don't chew gum...can't afford the $2.00 a week, i always leave my meter empty or only put a few minutes in..i will take my chances (until I moved to California and have earned two tickets at $48 & $60, i pick up pennies and use them, even when starving i wait to get home to make my lunch for free, instead of buying tickets to a concert i am completely content trying to hear from the parking lot for free, i will walk for miles before paying for public transportation, i will go to matinee movies alone to avoid paying the extra buck for the night show, i would pierce my own ears before paying for someone else to, dye my own hair before paying for professional highlights, and the latest...i will claim to be a student to save $10 on an airline ticket.
This past week that last one has gotten me into a little trouble. Of course the website made it very clear that you HAD TO BE A STUDENT to use the sight, I assumed my student ID and hawkeye t-shirt would suffice as proof. Within 2 hours of buying the ticket I had several emails and had received a phone call from Student Universe! Apparently the university didn't claim me as one of their own and now I am under investigation for fraud :) Oops. No worries, I won't press charges against myself but I think I will lose my flight back from New York next fall. I guess this silly ID will only get me so far!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
book skimming
Another confession. I've been doing a lot of reading since being out in California, I think my count is up to 14 novels! But the truth must be told. At the end of most books, maybe 73.4%, I speed read. Except it isn't exactly speed reading because I tend to skip words, sentences, sometimes even paragraphs at a time. This doesn't just happen to the longest books, no matter the length authors are only able to keep my attention until the last 1/10 of the book. I'm just finishing "The Beach House" and am hitting that crucial, climax part in the book where I start reading half the words :)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
marathong
confession. whenever i go to type the word "marathon" i type "marathong". Sometimes its researching different running programs, maybe writing a note to a friend challenging them to a race, possibly describing a past experience - it doesn't matter. Every single time its m-a-r-a-t-h-o-n-g-(delete key).
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
extremist
my thoughts are continuing. another attribute that i have is being extreme.
some examples:
each week i run 30 miles....or none
each day i consume 1300 calories...or 3000
each week i read 2 full chapter books....or not a word of one
i will make 30 entries in a month in a blog....after going 4 months with a single entry
some days i spend hours upon hours on a computer....then i will go days without
im either training for a marathon or not working out
you'll find me exploring all borders and multiple countries...or within 100 miles of the hospital i was born in
some nights i will survive off of 3 hours- maybe even 4 nights in a row...then i will go an entire month getting more than 8 hours each night
looking back over the list, i dont think it does me justice. i binge, on everything. routine makes me feel nauseated but at the same time i desire nothing more.
some examples:
each week i run 30 miles....or none
each day i consume 1300 calories...or 3000
each week i read 2 full chapter books....or not a word of one
i will make 30 entries in a month in a blog....after going 4 months with a single entry
some days i spend hours upon hours on a computer....then i will go days without
im either training for a marathon or not working out
you'll find me exploring all borders and multiple countries...or within 100 miles of the hospital i was born in
some nights i will survive off of 3 hours- maybe even 4 nights in a row...then i will go an entire month getting more than 8 hours each night
looking back over the list, i dont think it does me justice. i binge, on everything. routine makes me feel nauseated but at the same time i desire nothing more.
mercy
for some reason or another, ive had ample time to look at myself these past couple months. what kind of person am i? how have i changed in the past year? lots of self-examination.
one thing for sure, i have become a mercy shower. growing up in a Christian home taught me right and wrong and though it engraved loving others into my head as well, somewhere between the lines i learned to judge. not outwardly where it was obvious - this is sin. but instead i judged internally. when meeting someone who lived a lifesytle different from my own i kept a safe distance, smiled, and moved on.
things are different now. i see people caught up in all sorts of trouble and my heart aches for them. i love engaging in conversation and being a friend different from one they have ever had. before too long, it feels more natural to spend time with people who have never attended a church, prayed a prayer, or been loved unconditionally. mercy showing.
one thing for sure, i have become a mercy shower. growing up in a Christian home taught me right and wrong and though it engraved loving others into my head as well, somewhere between the lines i learned to judge. not outwardly where it was obvious - this is sin. but instead i judged internally. when meeting someone who lived a lifesytle different from my own i kept a safe distance, smiled, and moved on.
things are different now. i see people caught up in all sorts of trouble and my heart aches for them. i love engaging in conversation and being a friend different from one they have ever had. before too long, it feels more natural to spend time with people who have never attended a church, prayed a prayer, or been loved unconditionally. mercy showing.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
tribute to my father
Being hundreds of miles away from my family, I wasn't able to see my dad today but we chatted it up over the phone. He later called me up to thank me for the "high pressure water blower" that we all chipped in and got him. His thanks continued by listing all of the exciting things he can use it for "the house at the lake could really use this on the deck, it will be put to lots of good use when I clean our driveways, of course Bock Property Management will have to borrow it from time to time, and the suburban really needs a wash - that will probably be the first thing I use it for!" He seems genuinely full of gratitude.
At some point during his list of uses for his gift, my heart felt incredibly touched. I quickly got off the phone as to not give away what I was feeling. A mixture of sadness, thankfulness, and feeling moved to do something about it.
I know there are a lot of great dads out there, sorry that none of them compare to mine (only kidding, kind of). My dad is the hardest worker I know. He has not had an easy life but I have yet to hear him complain. He has devoted his life to loving the Lord and has given his life for his family, for them only to take advantage of and deceive him. What kind of daughter am I? If he only knew how much I love him and how, now being so far away, I see what he does.
My fingers are crossed that he will make it out here this summer. How I would love to set up an agenda that he would love, all (or most) expenses included. No planning or work required on his part. After taking some time to think about how I've been blessed, I feel challenged. I can only hope, dream my life will be as powerful in the lives of others.
At some point during his list of uses for his gift, my heart felt incredibly touched. I quickly got off the phone as to not give away what I was feeling. A mixture of sadness, thankfulness, and feeling moved to do something about it.
I know there are a lot of great dads out there, sorry that none of them compare to mine (only kidding, kind of). My dad is the hardest worker I know. He has not had an easy life but I have yet to hear him complain. He has devoted his life to loving the Lord and has given his life for his family, for them only to take advantage of and deceive him. What kind of daughter am I? If he only knew how much I love him and how, now being so far away, I see what he does.
My fingers are crossed that he will make it out here this summer. How I would love to set up an agenda that he would love, all (or most) expenses included. No planning or work required on his part. After taking some time to think about how I've been blessed, I feel challenged. I can only hope, dream my life will be as powerful in the lives of others.
acting debut
This past weekend we took a family trip to Disneyland for Sydney's birthday. My Aunt claimed me as your 17 year old child to save 10 bucks on a hotel room. Sadly it was very easy to pull off since all summer I have been mistaken for a teenage babysitter.
"Are you going into your senior year? Do you know where you are going to go to college?"
"I've already got a degree, thank you."
Anyway, I played the role pretty well. As you can tell I'm not bitter at all - most women want to look younger - I've already got it covered :)
"Are you going into your senior year? Do you know where you are going to go to college?"
"I've already got a degree, thank you."
Anyway, I played the role pretty well. As you can tell I'm not bitter at all - most women want to look younger - I've already got it covered :)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
water balloons
Every Wednesday and Friday I spend a couple hours watching two 2 1/2 year old twins. Fridays are particularly easy because after a quick lunch its already nap time and time for me to catch up on my latest novel or tv show. This past Wednesday was particularly funny. I have been recovering from an awful cold and had to this point spent the entire day napping. The kid's mom rattled off some instructions and suggestions of what to do - one of them being water balloons. The voice in my head is saying, "Ok lady, if you think I'm going to run around and get water thrown at me for the next two hours you are wrong, don't push it." Of course as she left towards the safety of her car the kids in unision begin repeating "water balloons!!"
Alright, alright, I'm a big pushover. We head to the backyard, I fill two balloons dreading the fate that was awaiting me. I give one balloon to each kid and pull my body into a stiff restraint. Bring it on. To my suprise, the kids run over the grass, drop their balloons, and yell, "pop!" I couldn't believe it! Instant relief. I can do this for two hours with a smile on my face!
Just as I am begining to enjoy being dry, I lose focus and drop a balloon as I'm attempting to tie it into a knot. The opening turns into a sprinkler aimed up my pants. Within 10 seconds my shorts are drenched, my shirt is wet, and my face is dripping. The twins run over and point, "Wet!" the repeat...again and again and again, rubbing it in.
I could only laugh as I had done this to myself. I stood awkwardly and uncomfortabley for the next 90 minutes while drying out but life goes on. Next time I put amunition in the hands of children, I will know that it will most likely only be used as amminution by myself.
Alright, alright, I'm a big pushover. We head to the backyard, I fill two balloons dreading the fate that was awaiting me. I give one balloon to each kid and pull my body into a stiff restraint. Bring it on. To my suprise, the kids run over the grass, drop their balloons, and yell, "pop!" I couldn't believe it! Instant relief. I can do this for two hours with a smile on my face!
Just as I am begining to enjoy being dry, I lose focus and drop a balloon as I'm attempting to tie it into a knot. The opening turns into a sprinkler aimed up my pants. Within 10 seconds my shorts are drenched, my shirt is wet, and my face is dripping. The twins run over and point, "Wet!" the repeat...again and again and again, rubbing it in.
I could only laugh as I had done this to myself. I stood awkwardly and uncomfortabley for the next 90 minutes while drying out but life goes on. Next time I put amunition in the hands of children, I will know that it will most likely only be used as amminution by myself.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
technology
yesterday I got to experience technology - probably some parts of technology that I should have experienced a long time ago.
first, my bestie and I got to ichat. one second we are on the phone, the next her face is a mere 12 inches from mine with live feed of her mouth moving to her words. unfortunately my extreme handicap when it comes to technological advances turned the 1 minute process of setting up an account into a 10 minute one. within 30 seconds of setting up my username and password i go to sign in....wrong password. shoot! i try my other "full time" password....wrong password. you are kidding me! what in the world?! unfortunately the mystery will never be solved, i had to go back and set up an entirely new account. i guess the 30 sec between creating the password and using the password is technology's greatest weakness...or is it my own.
well, chatting face-to-face with my friend made my spirits soar. i climb into the lil corolla for a 2.5-3 hour drive. already a little bored and distracted i start shoving my hand into the counsel to see what kind of entertainment i can find. i usually bring a notebook to make lists, while driving - bad idea. i yank out a variety of cords, unraveling them while i drive down the 5 way highway using my knees. earpieces! i assumed they would be way to complicated to set up but why not give it a try? i plug one end into the only hole i can find in my phone and shove the other end into my ear. (take note: talking on the phone while driving in Cali is illegal without a n ear piece). i dial a fellow verizon friend (also take note: i have 6 minutes left for the next 8 days, shoot), to my surpise, i hear it ringing! when he answers i reply by yelling, "can you hear me? im using an earpiece! wow, i can hear you!" yeah, i can definitely hear you! is the reply i hear. awesome. at the conclusion of my drive i had no voice from yelling with my earpiece but it was the grandest of things.
today i love technology. tomorrow i will have to take another poll.
first, my bestie and I got to ichat. one second we are on the phone, the next her face is a mere 12 inches from mine with live feed of her mouth moving to her words. unfortunately my extreme handicap when it comes to technological advances turned the 1 minute process of setting up an account into a 10 minute one. within 30 seconds of setting up my username and password i go to sign in....wrong password. shoot! i try my other "full time" password....wrong password. you are kidding me! what in the world?! unfortunately the mystery will never be solved, i had to go back and set up an entirely new account. i guess the 30 sec between creating the password and using the password is technology's greatest weakness...or is it my own.
well, chatting face-to-face with my friend made my spirits soar. i climb into the lil corolla for a 2.5-3 hour drive. already a little bored and distracted i start shoving my hand into the counsel to see what kind of entertainment i can find. i usually bring a notebook to make lists, while driving - bad idea. i yank out a variety of cords, unraveling them while i drive down the 5 way highway using my knees. earpieces! i assumed they would be way to complicated to set up but why not give it a try? i plug one end into the only hole i can find in my phone and shove the other end into my ear. (take note: talking on the phone while driving in Cali is illegal without a n ear piece). i dial a fellow verizon friend (also take note: i have 6 minutes left for the next 8 days, shoot), to my surpise, i hear it ringing! when he answers i reply by yelling, "can you hear me? im using an earpiece! wow, i can hear you!" yeah, i can definitely hear you! is the reply i hear. awesome. at the conclusion of my drive i had no voice from yelling with my earpiece but it was the grandest of things.
today i love technology. tomorrow i will have to take another poll.
Friday, June 5, 2009
the brink of discovery
last night i went on a hike revisiting a trial i had been one time before. its about a 1.3 mile walk to the trailhead, then an option of going left or right. i go left atleast once or twice a week on a run but the right has always been far too intimidating to me. last week i was feeling ambitious and went left.
first there is a long stretch of uphill, rocky path. i made it almost halfway up before my legs began shaking. being the stubborn person that I am i walked back to the bottom to try again. i did a few pointless stretches, found a good song on the ipod and started up again. sadly i made it less the second time!
feeling defeated i climbed up the rest of the hill at a walking pace. to my suprise, as soon as i reached the top of the hill the land opened up into a beautiful plain
it was absolutely beautiful! after taking a minute to take it all in i continued down the trail that was growing more discrete, a trail less traveled.
i should give you all a little background information here. towards the begining of my move out here i went on a couple runs with my aunt. for some reason she always carried her keys with her on our runs. the same day we saw a coyote and a rattlesnake she informed me of her fear of mountian lions...it must have been contagious.
so, i continue on my trek into the unknown. soon i come up on a rockier terrain again and cant stop thinking that it is probably the perfect environment for mountain lions. basing my knowledge off of the Parent Trap movie, i began to clap my hands and yell for lions (with the intention of scaring them away). my creativity brings me to yell things like -Mr. Mountain Lion, I am coming! I dont want you to eat me! I'm clapping so I don't scare you! Maybe you could just run away so I can still see you but don't attack me?! Hear me Mr Mountain Lion?!- ridiculous, I know.
i come around another bend, still yelling and clapping and slightly out of breath, when i decide to turn around. the plains i had just passed had opened up into a beautiful lake! i was taken so off-gaurd that it took my breath away - really. the lake looked untouched. of all my travels i dont think ive seen anything so beautiful in my life.
at this point i took out the i-pod. after a few moments of awe i continued on my way. yes, i continued to yell and clap. the hike became significantly more difficult as the path continued to disappear and the number of large rocks continued to grow. the next small opening i came to offered a view of the peak. i gave most of my attention to the growing view of the lake beneath me and took a minute to overlook the valley behind me where life rushed on as always. i stand a yell for the mountian lion for a minute before i continue into the rocks, then take one last glance at the peak.
there, almost blending into the rocks, was a man sitting with his head in his hands. he was most likely praying or deep in thought, but part of me thinks he was just hoping this crazy screaming girl would shut up and turn around. thats exactly what i did! i was so embarassed! i didn't even yell for the mountain on the way down but instead picked up the pace and booked it out of there. to continue the embarassment i wiped out gashing up my knee and my ankle. relief hit me as i made it back to the head of the trail remaining anonymous and still alive with all my parts intact.
i know this is getting long but please bear with me. last night i returned to that trail. cleverly i sang to the songs in my ipod to scare off any large cats instead of yelling to them :) the same sense of awe struck me as i hit the same points in the trail but this time i made it to the top. i sat up there a while. to my left were undeveloped green hills as far as i could see, to my right was one of the largest cities in the US.
sitting on the ledge i felt so incredibly small. i wonder how anyone can sit in the presence of such beauty and not believe in a an higher power. my heart ached for all things going on in the city off to my right, for all those people who choose not to see this, or are never told that its here.
first there is a long stretch of uphill, rocky path. i made it almost halfway up before my legs began shaking. being the stubborn person that I am i walked back to the bottom to try again. i did a few pointless stretches, found a good song on the ipod and started up again. sadly i made it less the second time!
feeling defeated i climbed up the rest of the hill at a walking pace. to my suprise, as soon as i reached the top of the hill the land opened up into a beautiful plain
it was absolutely beautiful! after taking a minute to take it all in i continued down the trail that was growing more discrete, a trail less traveled.
i should give you all a little background information here. towards the begining of my move out here i went on a couple runs with my aunt. for some reason she always carried her keys with her on our runs. the same day we saw a coyote and a rattlesnake she informed me of her fear of mountian lions...it must have been contagious.
so, i continue on my trek into the unknown. soon i come up on a rockier terrain again and cant stop thinking that it is probably the perfect environment for mountain lions. basing my knowledge off of the Parent Trap movie, i began to clap my hands and yell for lions (with the intention of scaring them away). my creativity brings me to yell things like -Mr. Mountain Lion, I am coming! I dont want you to eat me! I'm clapping so I don't scare you! Maybe you could just run away so I can still see you but don't attack me?! Hear me Mr Mountain Lion?!- ridiculous, I know.
i come around another bend, still yelling and clapping and slightly out of breath, when i decide to turn around. the plains i had just passed had opened up into a beautiful lake! i was taken so off-gaurd that it took my breath away - really. the lake looked untouched. of all my travels i dont think ive seen anything so beautiful in my life.
at this point i took out the i-pod. after a few moments of awe i continued on my way. yes, i continued to yell and clap. the hike became significantly more difficult as the path continued to disappear and the number of large rocks continued to grow. the next small opening i came to offered a view of the peak. i gave most of my attention to the growing view of the lake beneath me and took a minute to overlook the valley behind me where life rushed on as always. i stand a yell for the mountian lion for a minute before i continue into the rocks, then take one last glance at the peak.
there, almost blending into the rocks, was a man sitting with his head in his hands. he was most likely praying or deep in thought, but part of me thinks he was just hoping this crazy screaming girl would shut up and turn around. thats exactly what i did! i was so embarassed! i didn't even yell for the mountain on the way down but instead picked up the pace and booked it out of there. to continue the embarassment i wiped out gashing up my knee and my ankle. relief hit me as i made it back to the head of the trail remaining anonymous and still alive with all my parts intact.
i know this is getting long but please bear with me. last night i returned to that trail. cleverly i sang to the songs in my ipod to scare off any large cats instead of yelling to them :) the same sense of awe struck me as i hit the same points in the trail but this time i made it to the top. i sat up there a while. to my left were undeveloped green hills as far as i could see, to my right was one of the largest cities in the US.
sitting on the ledge i felt so incredibly small. i wonder how anyone can sit in the presence of such beauty and not believe in a an higher power. my heart ached for all things going on in the city off to my right, for all those people who choose not to see this, or are never told that its here.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tan Lines Be-Gone
This past week I got the itch to start a blog, after deciding to start a blog I decided I'd better start living a life worthy of blogging. Here it is.
For those of you who don't know, I am currently living out in LA. This morning I took off for a run in the coolness of the clouds but was soon being smothered under the hot sun. Lucky for me, we have a pool. Today I took full advantage of it.
I've had some skinny dipping/swimming in broad daylight and taking off my swimsuit in dirty lake water experiences but today I decided to go a step further. I had the house to myself for the early afternoon, so I figured, why wear the swimsuit? Yes. I went for a dip and laid out. Completely Naked. My uncle had let me know that the pool man would be coming sometime throughout the afternoon...I took my chances.
Here I sit, hours later, putting aloe vera on my bottom cheeks and wearing a loose fitting shirt with a built in bra. Feel the burn, literally.
The two hours of excitement was totally worth it.
For those of you who don't know, I am currently living out in LA. This morning I took off for a run in the coolness of the clouds but was soon being smothered under the hot sun. Lucky for me, we have a pool. Today I took full advantage of it.
I've had some skinny dipping/swimming in broad daylight and taking off my swimsuit in dirty lake water experiences but today I decided to go a step further. I had the house to myself for the early afternoon, so I figured, why wear the swimsuit? Yes. I went for a dip and laid out. Completely Naked. My uncle had let me know that the pool man would be coming sometime throughout the afternoon...I took my chances.
Here I sit, hours later, putting aloe vera on my bottom cheeks and wearing a loose fitting shirt with a built in bra. Feel the burn, literally.
The two hours of excitement was totally worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)