Gold Star Jar

A couple friends and I started keeping gold star jars.  The idea is to put a gold star into the jar whenever we do something that we're really proud of.  Once we're out of stars (181 to be exact), we get to celebrate with a girls' day...doing whatever we dang well please.

It's known in dog training that if you provide the canine friend with a treat after they do something good they will likely affiliate that action with something good (rather than the annoying task that it once was).  We should definitely do more of this with ourselves :)  I would love to reward myself with a cookie...but there is a lot of research showing that doing this will create a very unhealthy relationship with food...and I need all the help I can get in that area.  If you want to feel good and successful then you will likely end up eating a cookie, rather than completing the rewarding task.

SOOOO...my answer was the gold star jar.  Each time that we put a star in the jar we write the date on it and why we are including it.  After doing this for a couple of months, I have found that my dear friends only have a few stars in their jars...I personally think they're too hard on themselves.  If I was in charge of their jars they would have hundreds in there already!  I think I am going to change the plan for the jars, from here on out we are going to have 3 stars per day for 3 months.  This will force my friends to include their 3 most proud moments from each day in their jars....buahahahaha!  Maybe this will start to open their eyes to the way that I see them...really freaking amazing women who inspire me to be a better person and continue pushing myself every day.

When I was little

Below is a glimpse into my reality (or at least what I thought it was) when I was a younger person.

• The saying is 'butt load' (not boat load)
• Cats and dogs are the same animal, cats are girls and dogs are boys
• In Winnie-the-Pooh, Roo and Kanga, if said frontwards, is Kanga-roo..woah...mind blower!
• Cats can talk. I have extensive conversations with my cat, Blackie, trying to convince her that she can trust me, 'I won't tell anyone your secret, not even mom'
• Little House on the Prairie is the best book and show...EVER (well, it still is, who am I kidding?)
• Why do people say: 'I know it like the back of my head'?  I have no idea what the back of my head looks like!
• Leisl in Sound of Music is super old...16 going on 17...ummm...ancient
• My sister Sarah is so witch!
• Everything is better when things equal 9 (long story)
• Midnight snacks are great, it always makes Mom really happy when she wakes up to find fingerprinted chunks taken out of the butter
• When milk is added to cereal, it actually multiplies...like gremlins...it is crazy
• My sister and I sing the hit song from Footloose 'Dancin' in the Streets' at the top of our lungs...in church, our mother is very proud. (p.s. our dad was the youth pastor and the song was actually called 'Dancin' in the Sheets'...my sister and I misunderstood)
• It is NOT appropriate to leave the house without my glittery shoes on
• But it IS appropriate to lift my dress up over my head to scratch my stomach while singing in the church choir, front row and center
• I frequently retrieve things from the glove department. And our family keeps things in the way-back (most people call it the trunk) 
• If I climb up a tree facing in then it only makes sense to climb down the tree facing out, obviously

Cookie Perimeters

*The names in this story have been changed to protect the innocent.


Many years ago, Miss Sweet Thing and Miss Sassy Pants McGee became good friends.  After hanging out for quite a while Miss Thing (often pronounced 'Thang'...but not if in church or any other up-and-up type of place) thought it would be fun to introduce her good friend McGee to her boyfriend, the Captain.

The new friends sat down at a neutral location to have a meal.  McGee quickly discovered that the full name of her new friend was Captain Sarcastic, and rightfully so...this man was a force to be reckoned with in the department of facetious-isms. At the end of the meal the waiter came and asked if any dessert was wanted before preparing the bill.  The Captain looked at his beautiful girlfriend and guest and asked if they would like anything.  Both Thang and Sassy kindly said 'No' (they were on a diet as most women are at any given moment).  The Captain on the other hand, with his obnoxious male metabolism, asked for one of the large chocolate chip cookies that the establishment prided itself on.


When the cookie arrived, Captain Sarcastic saw Sassy's eyes become the size of golf balls and start to sparkle, a small amount of drool was also visible at the corner of her mouth.  The Captain then asked, 'Sassy, are you thinking twice about that dessert now?  Would you like some of my cookie?' After a few moments of deep contemplation Miss McGee pulled up her sassy suspenders holding up her pants and said, 'Really?  That would be awesome because that cookie looks amazing.'  Captain Sarcastic then slid the plate over to the opposite side of the table in front of his lunch guest.  He then added, '(sigh) Next time you should just order your own damn cookie!'

Sassy was amazed that the Captain gave her the whole cookie, completely trusting her with the delicacy. She looked up and asked, 'which part should I tear off?' Sarcastic replied, 'Well you might as well eat whatever part you want, since you are eating MY cookie anyways'.

Nobody knows what was going on in Miss McGee's head at that moment, or why her sass was out in brute force that day, but what happened next would go down in the record books.  She picked up the cookie and examined it, and without thinking about it took her thumb and poked the middle right out.  She popped the best and most gooey portion of the cooking into her mouth, and handed the cookie back to a very shocked and appalled Sarcastic man.

Looking across the table, Sassy saw both of her friends mouths drop. Until that moment Miss Thing had not known quite how Sassy the Pants of McGee were, but the sassy-ness level was then quite obvious...and extreme. Miss Thing started to laugh, and Captain Sarcastic was nearly speechless (which is very unusual) all he could say was, 'Really?....Seriously?...Did that just happen?.....Who ARE you???'

And from that moment on The Sass and The Sarcastic have been extremely good friends.

About two years after this, Sassy Pants was living 2 hours away from Captain and Mrs. Sweetly Sarcastic (they had been married since the first story). One day Miss Sassy Pants McGee missed her friends a great deal and decided to send them a care package.  She worked hard to make the care package very sweet (she had been taking lessons from her old friend the Thang).

Some time later, Captain and Mrs. Sweetly Sarcastic received a package with a note attached to the front that read:

For Captain Sarcastic and the Sweet Thing

(but mostly for the Sarcastic)

When they opened the package, they saw about 3 dozen cookies without the centers, each had been cut out by hand...and kept by some sender who was wearing her favorite pair of Sassy Pants.  The Captain immediately sent her a message that read, 'Thanks for the damn cookies!'

Perfectly planned and 2 days later, the Captain received a very small, 2"x2" red box in the mail.  It had no note attached, but its contents caused Mr. Sarcastic to send a message to the great Sass:

'Some smart ass just sent me a box of cookie centers...and I'm not even done eating the cookie perimeters'.

The big (glittery) apple - day 3

The morning of our third day was a funny time to me. My traveling companions wanted to get up at 6:30 or 7:00 in order to make the most of our day and I wanted to sleep in. I inadvertently got my way because the alarm didn't go off, so we got up at 8:00 and left the house by 9:00.

Our first stop was to Bryant Park because our efforts to ice skate were thwarted by the swarm of people the night before. I've discovered that I have quite a substantial crush on Bryant Park and am fairly certain that I would spend a great deal of time there if I lived in the apple. Once we were there I immediately wished that the alarm had gone off in order to give us a couple more hours of ice skating fun. The ice skating was quite a bit easier than I remembered and could not resist the urge to skate quite quickly from time to time, weaving between all of the other tourists. One of my favorite things about skating rinks, whether it be roller or ice, is the outside of the ring with all of the kids hanging on for dear life. Their brows are scrunched in concentration and they hang on for dear life with knuckles white, just sure that life will end if they let go. I remember feeling that way back in the days of side pony tails and Skate King birthdays. Our time at the rink was cut short, as we had reservations for visiting the statue of liberty...and we weren't about to miss that!

Holy crimany shiznit was it was cold waiting for the boat to the statue. As we waited we were discussing how nice it would be to take the cruise and tour during the summer with warmer weather, but ultimately decided that going when it was cold was better because it showed our commitment, and believe me, to wait through this wind we certainly proved our commitment.  The visit to the Statue and Ellis Island were a great experience.  There are millions of people who entered the United States through this port.  Their first stop in America was on Ellis Island to get registered and checked for any illness.  While on the island I looked across the water to the ocean and was amazed by the fact that there was nothing between New York and Europe besides water...what a journey that would be...I would have been so happy to see the iconic lady welcoming me to land!

The questionnaire they had the new immigrants fill out was quite funny.  One of my favorite parts was that they asked for you to state your 'occupation or calling'...just in case you weren't working you could just fill in what you WISH you were doing.  I wonder if anyone filled in something like: Chimney Sweep (but I feel called to groom shrubs).  You also had to fill out if you were a polygamist or anarchist (only really stupid anarchists would check yes I suppose).

The evening was filled with New York's best doughnuts from Doughnut Plant and pizza from Lombardi's. The trip to NYC with the girls was so much fun!  Thanks for coming with me Mandy and Kayla, it would not have been nearly as fun without you...I would have just been walking around NYC talking to myself...and NYC doesn't need any more of those types in the city.

The big (glittery) apple - day 2

Today at about 10am, we ventured off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Wow, that place is breathtaking.  I’m pretty sure that I could spend an entire day there, but that’s not exactly the best use of time when you only have 72 hours in Manhattan, so we only spent about 3 hours in the great building that holds so many treasures and beauties. 


We started in the European Paintings section of the museum, and I felt like I was back in one of Italy’s museums, all of a sudden I was nostalgic for Rome of Venice…although Florence was my favorite of the many Italian cities Crystal and I visited while there so many years ago.  It's very strange to go to a museum and see places that you have been depicted from the 1720. I was standing in the Met in New York and looking at the very familiar St. Marks square in Venice. It looked pretty much identical back then. Awesome!

While walking through the paintings we came to one room that just seemed out of place.  El Greco had a heavier hand than many artists in this day.  I was struck by the dark colors and morbid tones after so many rooms full of bright paintings from artists like Giovanni Tiepolo, Francois Boucher and Nicolas Poussin. Greco seemed like he was born in the wrong era, he was completely ahead of his time.   I enjoyed the View of Toledo in particular.

We eventually made it down to the Egyptian exhibit.  There was a large room with one entire wall made of windows, outside you could see the skyscrapers of New York City.  Inside the room were large portions of a pyramid with hieroglyphs all over the bricks.  It was amazing to me that I could see a  piece of building that was originally constricted in Egypt during the time of 2381–2323 B.C. in the same eye shot as a skyscraper.

After the Met, we took a stroll through Central Park with our new friend Herbert the Hippo.  I would spend entire days in the park if I lived in the city, no doubt.  

In the evening we went to Radio City Music Hall to enjoy the Christmas Spectacular show.  The Rockets are really great at what they do...but I don't know why it's necessary for them to cancan so much.  They reminded me of a very professional team of the Chatelaines (my highschool dance team).  We all agreed that the best part of the show was when all fo the Rockets were dressed as Santa Claus'.  The show started at 10pm, and in true Liane fashion, I fell asleep for the last dance, oopsies.

The big (glittery) apple - Day 1

I arrived last night to New York in a town car from Tarrytown House Estate.  Once I arrived at my boss, France’s, apartment she showed me around her cute little condo about the size of a cracker box (typical New York I suppose).  I really like this apartment, and could see myself living here if I ever wanted to live in New York.  The location is AMAZING!  94^th and Madison…only 1 block (literally) from Central Park…so GREAT!

My friends Mandy and Kayla arrived in the city from Chicago at 10:30pm and we quickly decided that we needed some sustenance, so we went to a local market around the corner.  The box of Apple Jacks that Mandy bought was almost $6, a little pricey if you ask me…but once you pop you can’t stop…wait that’s the wrong brand. 

This morning when we woke up we had a little snack and headed over to Central Park.  I found a nifty Central Park Running Map online, and came up with the grand idea the night before of running the entire Park Drive Loop.  So I began my run with wool socks and a long sleeve shirt because it was about 35 degrees out.  The run was sooo great and I felt like a real New Yorker (I can hear the Dougy Houser theme song in my head right now…I feel like him writing notes about my day…and I’m wearing leg warmers right now so it’s almost like I’m in the 80s).  A city really begins to feel like your own when you’ve run through it.  I’m super amazed by Central Park, it is ginormous, and I’m proud that the city puts the money ($25 million/year) towards keeping it up in such a great way…I was in awe.  Before spending time in the park I expected it to be one large lawn with some trees in the middle.  This is so not true.  This park is fantastic, every corner you turn there is something new to see and enjoy, it’s a real treat.

After going back to the condo to get ready, we headed of to the Guggenheim Museum and pondered some amazing pieces of art.  I got to know the works of Picasso much better, I had no idea that he painted so many different types of pieces, I thought that he just focused on the cubist style, but some of his works are quite straight forward and inspiring.

At 4:30pm I came back to France’s condo to help her with some things that she needed to ship back to Seattle.  What a little adventure that turned out to be.  We packed all of the things into a huge 2’x3’box and loaded it on to the hand cart, we had 10 blocks to pull that thing through the city.  Half way there one of the wheels broke off, the dolly came completely apart.  So there we were, two women carrying a 50 pound box down Park Avenue in downtown Manhattan…what a riot.  After a few blocks we couldn’t carry it on our own anymore and I stopped into a flower shop to ask if any of the workers could lend a hand.  AND then, when I got the snottiest little reply I could imagine I realized that we were on Park Avenue.  I felt like a was in a classic New York movie with the attitude that was being dealt.  So we tried to hail a taxi.  While we were trying to find a cab, a nice upper class older gentleman offered to help us carry it the rest of the way, for 5 city blocks.  I swear he was an angel.  The whole time, of course I was thinking about how great of a story it would make (as usual).

That little adventure sure did raise my heart rate…and blood pressure J.  Next, we got all dressed up and pretty and headed out the door to Madison Square Garden to enjoy an evening of Wintuk, the winter Cirque Du Soleil show.  We had all wanted to see a Cirque Du Soleil show for a long time, and it was definitely everything that I was hoping for.  The whole show was filled with fun tricks and acrobatics…things I didn’t even know the human body could do.  The end was the best part, where it started to snow.  I think there was a good 2 inches of accumulation in my lap, of different sized tissue paper snowflake.  I smile just thinking about it!

On our way back to the condo, we took our time and stopped by Rockefeller Center to take a quick look at the tree.  It was nice, but not nearly as big as any of us expected, probably because they make such a big hairy deal about it on TV all the time.  We also stopped by Times Square which definitely isn’t my cuppa’ tea (or coffee for that matter), but I can definitely appreciate it for what it’s meant to be.  However, I definitely think that if I lived in Manhattan I would only end up in Times Square if there was a specific purpose or if I was passing through.  I definitely wouldn’t seek it out or spend time there on purpose.

Come, again?

I've been taking notes in meetings for a couple of years now.  Through this experience, a few things have become evident.  One is that people are simply not good at listening to each other. 

In almost all meetings that I've taken notes for people repeat themselves and others constantly...and the funny thing is...they always think their idea is original (even though someone else made the same point a few minutes earlier).  It's never so evident as when you are taking verbatim notes for a meeting

Here's an example:
10:35am - Participant 1 says under her breath, 'Man, I really want pizza...we should have that for lunch'
10:43am - Participant 2 says to the group, 'I heard that Little Caesars is really good, and think we should have pizza for lunch.'
10:52am - Participant 3 says, 'I have a great idea, let's have lunch and let's go to Little Caesars...for some reason...I have a craving for pizza.'
10:59 - Participant 4, 'So we're having lunch at Little Caesars today right?'  All others reply 'I don't think we agreed on that...don't we need to make these decisions as a group?'

It's no wonder that meetings are so useful and productive!  We rarely listen to each other, or ourselves for that matter!

Also, even those people who are extremely well-written are not necessary well-spoken.  The poor grammar in spoken sentences is astounding.  When I go back to read my verbatim notes, I can hardly understand what the people are trying to say because there are so many inside out and upside down sentences.

Tarrytown - the hollow

Through door, turn right, veer to the left, down hall, turn right, through door, down stairs, more stairs, door, right, left, right at Y, stairs by the fountain, right, stairs, door, door again, cobble path, left, right, left, up stairs, past statue, through brick entyway, up brick stairs, right, through iron gate, into mansion


These are the directions to get from my room to the restaurant at the Tarrytown House Estate. Mmmm...I love it!  I feel like I should be dressed in some ridiculous gown, meeting up with eligible bachelors to chat over tea under a nearby tree (I wish that was reality).  This town is also known as the Sleepy Hollow, as it is the setting for the famous tale by Washington Irving.

Tarrytown New York has been a great experience so far.  I arrived yesterday, and today I ventured into town to send some mail, buy some gloves (it's quite chilly here) and get some coffee.  The local coffee shop I went to, Coffee Labs Roasters, was absolutely awesome.  I had my first hemp milk mocha today...it was weird.  The Coffee Labs  only buys fair trade coffee, and they roast their own coffee in the shop...and not in the back either, they literally roast it in the middle of all of the tables and everything.

The meeting that I'm coordinating starts tomorrow, so it might get extremely busy at that time.  Luckily, that's the kind of busy that I like.  For some reason I love to coordinate meetings.  Call me crazy...you wouldn't be the first...or the last for that matter.

P.s. I'm glad that I don't have TV...because I'm watching Cake Boss right now and have never wanted to eat dessert more in my LIFE...it's TORTURE!

Thankful - God

I cannot apologize for writing about God on my blog a little....or a lot. I have thought about including these items on my blog, and decided that there is no way around it.  My God is such a large part of my life that I can't share my thoughts without including Him.  This particular post will be very God-heavy.

When thinking about what I am grateful for during this wonderful time of year (it's all snowy outside right now by the way) it occurs to me that what I am most grateful for is my wonderful God.  I became a strong believer in Christ when I was 13 years old, and since that time I have not ceased to grow.  I can't explain the person that I once was, compared to the person that I am now.

I'm still nowhere near perfect, but I am slowly but surely learning what is right and wrong.  I've never seen a reasoning in the Bible that has not stood the test of time, and the test of my life.  What I read in the Word is pure wisdom, without exception.

Dear Lord - thank You, sincerely, for your Word and Your guidance.  I do not know where I would be in this life without you, but I can promise that it would not be a great place.  Please continue to teach me how to live, and give me strength and patience.  I do get tired sometimes, but I'm always strengthened by You.

Thankfulness

In Webster's Dictionary, thankfulness is defined as:

1: conscious of benefit received

2: expressive of thanks 

3: well pleased : glad

If anyone in this world has reason to be thankful for material things, it is us in the United States.  Even homeless people in our country are cared for, if they choose to accept the services that are provided (and sadly some choose not to accept them.)

However, are we the most wealthy in spirit, mind and soul?   I have seen people in other countries with such faith, faith that inspires and humbles me a great deal.  I have seen extreme family loyalty and neighborly love...things that we are not exactly known for in this country.

Let's make a real effort this Thanksgiving season to become people of character, and people who are thankful for the things that really matter in life.  Let's become truly thankful for our loved ones, and the One looking out for us.  These material things really don't matter much, in the grand scheme of things.  Let's choose to be well pleased and glad for our friends and family, let's express thanks for a free education and jobs that pay a wage enough to live on and let's become conscious of the benefit we receive from giving to others.

 

Things that make me feel all warm and fuzzy

• Snuggles from my niece or nephew
• Ferny-girl moments of uncontrollable laughter
• Watching my sister and brother-in-law have fun with each other and fall deeper in love
• Tea!
• A hug from a close friend
• Waking up without an alarm
• Sunshine in my cubicle at work
• Jogging - especially in the morning
• A quiet evening with friends, a movie and my knitting basket
• 'Aha' moments
• Louis Armstrong
• My puppy wagging her tail (and that happens a lot!)
• When God whispers in my ear
• Hope for the future
• Holding hands
• The Cosby Show!
• Lindy-hop
• Taking a bath
• Open fields to run through
• Chipmunks
• Arts and crafts time with children
• Cinnamon toast (the way my mom makes it)

Love?

**this is not a depressed post, but a prostrate convicted post.  I write this with hope**

I am frequently impatient and harsh.
Many times I put myself on an undeserving pedistal, speaking about the greatness of myself and the things I've done.  I buy into these things, thinking that I caused them, and I take credit.
I choose to be rude, when I could be polite.  I am selfish and stand up for myself unnecessarily.

What is that saying, turn the other cheek?  Yeah right!  If I don't stand up for myself who will?

I frequently get puffed up and angry about the smallest thing.  I don't let these things go.  I know the Truth, but many times I choose to go without it.  I do not protect what is right, I don't know how to trust (that's scary).  I have lost hope, and am sick of waiting it out.

Thank my God that there is someone else who is better at this loving thing...because I certainly fail frequently.

Ballade of utmost importance

Warning: this poem is not good...

I'm walking from afar,
Cold and wet
The situation is bleak and limited,
Even without your presence
You're so inconsiderate, absolutely stupidic,*
cramping my style
If not for you I would be home

Looking so innocent,
Shiny and new
With a pink 4 hanging
Highly suspect for lack of skill
Think before you commit
That was the wrong choice
You're all up in my business

Perhaps the signs are not clear?
or you are too drunk to read?
sometimes too far
2 hours...maybe 4
other times too close
Sundays and Holidays
Yellow lines or white

Consequences are needed
Give them the boot!
Learn to park before coming back, douche
thank you, adieu adieu

*This word was made up for this poem, specifically, I do not endorse the use of it in any official documents.

Tramp stamp

Do you think Ken regrets getting a tramp stamp in the shape of a heart? I wonder if this was a sober decision, or if it was a drunk dare by some of his crazy frat buddies.

I was playing house with the little girl I mentor today, and saw this doll. I definitely L-ed O L.

Intentions

On my way to work this morning, I saw an old man sweeping the sidewalk and street in front of his house. I thought to myself 'what a beautiful yard', and said a little thank you in my head to the gentleman for helping make my neighborhood a little more beautiful.

Beauty is intentional, buildings, paintings, groomed sidewalks, the trees and grass. These things were created to be beautiful, and I'm thankful for those who make them for my eyes to see. How can I add to the beauty?

Out of my way

So many times in this life, we just need to get the heck out of our own way.

I've always been able to stay afloat in water, but 5 years ago I began to pursue swimming as a form of exercise. It started with a few swim classes during my first senior year of college. My experience began in the far right lane of the pool...the slow lane. Quickly I mastered the side breathing technique and began to get a little faster. As I got faster I moved farther to the left of the pool, eventually ending up in the middle.

After a couple of quarters, I stopped improving and didn't understand why I had hit a wall (figuratively...although I did literally hit the wall a couple of times and that wasn't very comfortable at all). After working with me for 2 or 3 quarters to figure out what was going on, my swim instructor finally said 'well...I don't know how to help you. I can tell that you're doing something wrong, but I can't tell what' Finally, after years of trying to fix my technique, tonight my body figured it out!

This whole time I was digging my arm as far into the water as possible, in a large round motion. It felt like the technique was getting me more power because it was very difficult...and difficulty means progress...right? RIGHT!?!!?

In hind site, this doesn't make any sense at all, because the further your arm is from your body the more power it takes to move it, therefore, less power is available to push the water past you. Tonight I started moving my arm as close to my body as possible while pushing the water back with the ball of my hand. Holy gemoly, it was like a Little Mermaid miracle. The moment I started the new technique I was faster, didn't get as tired and enjoy the experience soooo much more!

This reminds me of life. This whole time I was getting in my own way, making things more difficult than necessary. And what's more...I thought it was a sign of correct-ness because it was difficult (sigh and head shake). Once I stopped trying so hard, my body just did what it was supposed to do, and I improved my technique drastically.

I think that frequently in life we just get in the way. We get all caught up in thinking that we have the answers, that we just have to try harder and eventually things will work. In my experience (including the one tonight), it is the times that we stop trying so hard and just get out of our own way that we really see improvements and change.

FLY!

I feel free when I run.  Free from the cubical, from the keyboard, from the telephone.  Free from laziness, groginess and the television.  Free from disease, from disability and sluggishness.

Free to think, to create and to FLY!

The battle of the clean home

I hope I'm not alone in the losing battle of a clean home.  Every night I go to bed and I think 'tomorrow when I head to bed my home will be spotless'.  But does that ever happen?  I think the answer is glaringly obvious. 

Living in a cluttered and dirty home is not uplifting to my soul.  I never feel quite devoted to the fun tasks that I'm doing like reading a book or baking because I see out of the corner of my eye the pile of things that need to be sorted and tidied.  What is the problem?  Do I not know how to clean?  Do I just have too much $h!t to keep track of?  Do I just need to throw everything over and start fresh?

I'm bound and determined to  fix this problem, because i'm not going to live my entire life with the house winning the battle.  So I'm going to take it in baby steps.  This week I will keep the kitchen clean.  It will be clean every day before I go to work and every evening before I go to sleep.  That is the goal...we will see how it works out.

No insightful thoughts, but a fantastic weekend!

Some weekends are just great, and this last weekend was one of those. 

Friday night:
I thought I was just going to have a night at home of catching up on TV shows and knitting, but NO!  I was invited out by a friend, Melissa, for her birthday.  When I got to the bar I realized that I didn't know but two people at the get together.  Was it this a problem?  NO!  The group of 15-20 people that gathered together to celebrate Melissa's life was awesome.  We all got along extremely well, and had a great time playing shuffle board and foos ball (I was aweful at both of course, as I am at most bar sports...buck hunter is the one exception). 

The night was absolutely a great time...except for the food at the Belltown Pub...ew!  I paid $10 for a salad that had about a handful of greens, 1/2 ounce of blue cheese, 5 pecans and 1/4 pear.  I will NEVER eat there again!

Saturday:
I had a lot to do, but mastered the multi-tasking skills.  Early in the morning I headed off to Auburn to get my oil changed, and knew that it was going to take quite a while...as it always does.  I wore my running clothes and loaded the dog into the car.  While I was waiting for my oil change and mini-detail (totally worth the $30 BTW!) I ran the two miles to the licensing office and got my tabs, then I ran back.  It was perfect because I had a 4 mile run slated for that day.  aaaahhhhhh, gettin' shit done is so great!

Then it was off to spend some much needed time with my very best friend Laura.  She is such a great person to have in my life.  She really cultivates a positive attitude, motivation and hope in my heart.  Every time I get to hang out with her I consider it a real blessing!

After time with the friend, I met up with my mom for a mom/daughter date.  We went to the symphony.  We often go to the symphony for our fun dates.  On this particular night we were suprised by the delectableness of the Wolfgang Puck fast food stop at Benaroya...mmmm....the turkey dinner was fantastic.  We also heard a great quote from a woman in line at the bathroom, 'I always look like a homeless person after I drink red wine'.  And we decided that we are both bored with Bach...and I hate the harpsichord...I now know that if you are going to a Baroque concert the harpsichord will be a reality :-(

We finished the night off with some Molly Moon icecream....mmmmm....Salted carmel with Mapel Pecan...perfect mix!  What a great evening with the mother I love, nights like these are the memories that I cherish.

Sunday:
All days that start without an alarm are good days in my book.  Church at All Saints was great on Sunday.  God's presence was really there, and I was definitely cut to the heart with the message.  I'm constantly reminded of why I believe what I do, and am so very happy that I have Jesus in my life.  At the end of the service we took communion.  It was really important to me to participate in the Lord's meal on this day, and communion forced me to end my fast of wheat. 

The only logical next step was to get a burger...what a burger I had.  A friend of mine, Matt, introduced me to Lunchbox Laboratory in Ballard...OH MY GOODNESS!  The burger I got was $13, but it was worth every penny because it was the most amazing thing that has hit my tastebuds in a really long time.

After a short nap at home and a few errands, Carly came over and we kicked the ass (more like it kicked ours) of the 7 miles from my house to UW, around the lake and back up the hill.  It's so great to have a consistent running partner, and Carly is so much fun to hang out with.  The talks we have on our jogs really give me a chance to voice my opinion about all sorts of topics (mostly men).  Our times together also energize me to keep going and to reach for my goals...it's great!!

WHEW, what a weekend...and it was FANTASTIC!

She's a killer!

Sophie is such a killer...

and she shows no remorse!!!

Oh holy yoga!

This is an interesting article that I ran across in the Seattle Times:

Link: Yoga 'demonic'?.

This is another example of how I disagree with Mark Driscoll in an extreme way.  It's interesting, because when I was taking classes to become a missionary associate with the Assemblies of God, the entrance counselor told me that I should meditate for 20 minutes 2 times per day (because I scored high on the anger portion of the personality test...I know, me with extreme emotions...weird! ;-).   The meditation technique they taught me consisted of picturing one item in your mind, and trying to block everything out...which is exactly how I was taught to meditate in yoga.

I've been practicing yoga (inconsistently) for about 3 years now...and I LOVE it!  The deep breathes soothe me, the stretches nourish my muscles and the state of mind helps me focus and calm down.  When I take the time to breath in yoga I take the time to focus on the systems that God put in place in my body.  I'm more aware of my muscles and my lungs, my heart and limbs...just thinking about it is soothing.

While I practice yoga I pray, and it has become one of my favorite times with God.  Our lives move so fast these days, that slowing down for 1 hour is a great opportunity to listen to God speak.  I almost always leave my session feeling closer to God than I did when I went in.

Furthermore, I don't see ANY scriptures in the Bible that talk about Yoga and don't understand how such a line can be drawn in the sand against something that isn't specifically mentioned.  I will continue adding to this post the more I study about it.

Afterthoughts after I watched Mark Driscoll's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhcoBLdM8CQ

Mark did not quote ONE scripture during this video.  How can you make such a decision without any scripture?  He says, 'that (in yoga) you don't go out to God, you go into self, and it's not about connecting to God. It's about connecting to the universe through meditation'.  It says in the Bible:

 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col 2:16)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

If the Word is in you, and God is the Word, then God is in you.  If God is in you....why can't you look internally to speak with God?

 I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to Him,

as I rejoice in the Lord.

(Psalm 104: 33 & 34)

Get close

All seems perfect from far away,
small imperfections discovered lead to love.
Realized and accepted they are cherished,
Unaccepted or denied, they turn into petrified pieces
dropped in a bucket of bitterness.
People are loved because of imperfections,
not in spite of them.
Get close
and learn the imperfect
and love

I'm sailing...I sail...I'm a sailor.

 

'Guess what...ahoy...I sail now out on a boat on the lake way far away from the dock into the wind and the sky and everything'

Today I went on a sailing trip with my department at work.  It was sooo much fun!  We were cruising at 20 knots...okay...I don't actually know what that means or if it's true but it sounds cool.  It was a beautiful fall day out on the sound.  The beginning of the trip was pretty intense, we were tipping over so much that I thought we might tip all the way over, but of course the crew knew what they were doing. 

It would be so much fun to start sailing more in the summer.  I hear that if you're out in the sea for an extended period of time you can smell the earth when you approach shore, just like you can smell the ocean when you approach it.  I want to experience that sometime in my life.  New goal: go on an extended sailing trip!

What a blessed person I am, to have the opportunity to do fun things like this, and in such a beautiful place.  Seattle is so gorgeous!!!!

p.s. if you have a sail boat and are reading this I wouldn't mind an invite to go for a spin :-)

uuuuuhhh CHEW

Hills and valleys

The local topography is never more evident than when you are on a jog.  The Seattle area is EXTREMELY hilly.  Those who rarely walk, run or bike do not know the realities of the situation.  For those of us who experience the outdoors outside of a car this knowledge is a fact of everyday life.

Recently I was on a run on Capitol Hill.  Before I left my house I mapped out a 5 mile route, which I thought was relatively flat.  Once I finished my first mile I started a steady climb which continued for 2 1/2 miles...whew...what a shocker!  I had driven the route many times, but had never experienced it with the pavement beneath my feet.  The run was more challenging than expected, but I finished one step at a time.

I feel like this is similar to the way that many people in today's society experience the world.  Some people choose to sit in their comfortable lives, unaware of the real world around them.  The truth is that most lives are filled with peaks and valley, only those who are simply along for the ride instead of experiencing life in a real way think it's a flat road.

If you haven't had a challenge lately I think it might be time for you to exit your lofty 'vehicle' and experience the ground beneath your feet.

Deep thoughts

This world really is a peculiar place.  I've been on an elimination diet to check for food allergies and sensitivities.  I can't eat a list of 15 things, and it boils down to the fact that I can't have any wonderful desserts unless it is Coconut Bliss ice cream or dark Theo chocolate (because it's not made with soy lecithin).

I just got off of work early...well I'm 'working from home' right now...which I will start in about 5 minutes...I promise.  On my way home, I stopped by my local and wonderful over-priced food store that I love so much.  I got 3 bars of Theo choclate (which should last me about 3 days ;-).  I pay the cashier the 10 dollars and change that it comes out to and then open my first package of chocolate on the way to the car.  At which point it dawns on me that I just spent more on chocolate than over 1 billion people in this world have to spend on their entire existance for over 1 week...those that live on less than $1/day.

This chocolate purchase doesn't even count the amount that I spent on lunch or rent (which is more than $20/day on its own) and the excessively high amount it will cost to get my DOG vaccinated at her yearly appointment later today.

Oh this WORLD!  It's crazy!  Why was I so fortunate to be born in this country?  why was I given these opportunities?  What would I be like if I would have been born in a grass hut in Ethiopia?  What person would I be?

I have these thoughts on a daily basis and every time I wonder what to do with them.  Do I push them out of my head 'well, Liane, that's just the way it is...you aren't the girl in a hut in Africa...live in YOUR reality.' Or do I take the pitty road 'Why did you buy that chocolate, Liane?  You could have saved that money and then paid for 3 children to be vaccinated against pneumonia, which would save lives...NEVER AGAIN buy chocolate!'

Neither of these answers are the right one, but I certainly feel like there is more that I could do.  I am comfortable here in Seattle.  I make a good wage and I sit in a comfy chair all day.  Yes, I work for a non-profit that does amazing things for this world, but what do I do?  How do I find the time in the day?  I'm currently volunteering at 2 different places, and taking a class about how to be an effective non-profit board member...but I still don't feel like it's enough.

What is this need for me to help others?  Is this a good need or some section of me that wants to play God?  Should I just leave it up to Him to fix everything, or should I make an effort?

WHEW...I think the caffeine in that chocolate kicked in :-)