What a hiatus!

I have not been around these parts in a minute! I’ve been using another medium to blog about some things near and dear that I don’t necessarily need everyone to know about but have to work through. With that, plus school, meetings, work, standing appointments, choir, orchestra, and dating, I’ve been incredibly busy.

Crazy how life gets good isn’t it?

Have you ever taken into consideration the random articles found on the roadways? I’m curious. I mentioned this on my Facebook, seeing a random shoe in the median. The responses were varied – some wondered, like me, if a person was so angry that throwing a shoe out of the window was the only natural response. Others thought that perhaps something terrible happened. One person said a ‘friend of hers’ thought that it was proof of an alien abduction. But I mean, I have seen some weird things on the roadside. Baby seat. Couch. Couch cushion. Bookshelf. Shoe. Backpack. I can’t imagine that all of these things bounced out of the back of a truck.

Sometimes I look at pictures of space, and of Earth, and of our Universe and I just get overwhelmed. Does that ever happen to you with anything? I just think about our planets in orbit around the sun, and how incredible it is that such a thing exists at all, and how so many things happen in such a big world that is actually tiny in comparison to the solar system it resides in while hurtling through space. Sometimes it’s a challenge for me to wrap my mind around the god thing, but when I think of all this, I’m convinced that the name doesn’t matter – there’s something out there bigger than me and I’m grateful.

Think about weather, and tides, and how plants and humans help each other out, and tell me that it wasn’t by design. Now look, I’m a firm believer in science and I’m not saying that the world was created in “7 days” by a supreme being. I don’t think there’s a puppet master pulling strings. What I am saying is that it isn’t just coincidence that humans breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, and that plants absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. That’s one of many examples that I could provide, but I think at this point I’m starting to ramble. It’s just powerful stuff.

I’m *this* close to home-ownership again! Also *this* close to being done with class for the semester. Orchestra concert was Sunday and went off well. I had a few people in the audience this time which was pretty cool. Choir concert is in a month. Closing date for the house would be in a month. I’m dating a neat guy. I’m doing personal training at the gym, I’m sponsoring a gal who seems to really be trying, I’m participating in service commitments…

Basically what I’m saying is I’m so busy I think that sometimes I skate by on adrenaline and caffeine alone. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I have a few friends who openly protest Thanksgiving, stating that America is celebrating genocide of the Native American population, and I know there are many others who believe that way. Lots of protests by Native American tribes take place on Thanksgiving. On the other hand, many Native Americans are supportive of Thanksgiving, as the main purpose of the day is to give thanks to whatever you believe in for the things we have in life. I think initially it was a day of thanks for the first successful harvest. Of course, there are those who will say history has been changed and what the books say does not accurately reflect what really happened. I guess we’ll never know for sure.What I love is that everyone is entitled to believe what they want. As long as you don’t force your beliefs on me, we’re good.

That being said, I love Thanksgiving, with all of the drama of trying to get the food prepared at the same time, making sure the potatoes aren’t too lumpy or too smooth. I swear, someday I’m going to master what ‘until it looks right’ means when my mom tells me to add milk to the potatoes. I like looking at ads at what I’d buy if I had all the money in the world or the bravery to try to shop on Black Friday. I like having football on the TV while we nap, going to the meeting, playing games, eating pie. What I really want to do that I have never done is see the lighting ceremony in our downtown area. I am hoping I can this year. I’ve been here 30 years and never experienced it. I mean I’ve seen the lights. I just haven’t seen them light up for the first time. Ya get me.

Wow. This thing is all over the place. Well, kinda like my brain I guess. You’re welcome.

Grown-up Stuff is Scary

So it turns out buying a house is absolutely terrifying. I mean, incredibly exciting, and exhilarating, but also terrifying and an incredibly emotional thing. I wasn’t prepared for the roller-coaster.  But, hey! I bought a house! Now, to pack. And do schoolwork. And work. And meetings. And gym. At least I can’t say I’m bored.

Long weekends make me wish that I never had to go back to work.

Why do cats wait until dark and quiet to completely terrorize each other?

It turns out I was posting in another blog for a more specific purpose but I didn’t have it listed on my profile so all the traffic was coming here. And I thought it was a mistake with the tracking on the site. Clearly an operator error.

Corn on the cob – how is it so delicious? Of all the stereotypes I fit into regarding the Midwest, loving corn on the cob is at the top of the list.

How many times does it take spilling coffee out of a new mug before realizing how to drink it appropriately? Apparently at least 3 times for me.

How far away does a storm have to be to see constant lightning and hear no rumbling of thunder that follows? I am fascinated by nature.

I keep thinking it’s Monday. It is not Monday.

I bought a house!

Space is fascinating.

So, I was thinking yesterday. Well, I think all the time. But yesterday I got to thinking about dreams, and lately I’ve been contemplating the whole creator of the universe thing, and what I believe, and I haven’t really figured out anything concrete there. But it made me consider parallel universes, which, to be honest (in my opinion) it would be really arrogant and small-minded to think we’re the only planet in infinity to have life on it. I mean, infinity is, by definition, unable to be measured. It goes forever. So, it would make logical sense to me anyway that there is a better than even chance that somewhere out there is another planet like this one. So THEN (stay with me here) I got to thinking about those dreams that I have that feel SO real that when I wake up I’m sure they happened, only to find out they didn’t. I’m not talking about dreams where ya know, you’re riding around a chocolate river on a giant swan named Clem. Like, where you’re in a situation and you make a different choice. OR when you’re going about your day and you have a feeling of deja vu – maybe that’s just a glimpse into one of those parallel universes. I dunno. I can get pretty out there. It’s just amazing to think about.

Woo boy. I’m sure you all think I’m pretty crazy now, if you didn’t before. That’s ok. I manage to appear somewhat normal some of the time.

Speaking of the universe, did you hear about Pluto? It’s AWESOME.

So. Much. Detail.

I tried making my workspace more ergonomically friendly yesterday. So, I put my monitors up on boxes and raised my chair up. I dunno if that’ll make a difference, but it freed up some desk space. So, I’ve got that going for me.

I haven’t been to the gym since Thursday and I really don’t like that I can’t go until tomorrow. But, Sing Omaha Women’s choir had a performance about 1.5 hours away from home last night and we rocked. The acoustics in the room were pretty outstanding. Just a very long day.

Do you ever look at the sunrise or sunset and think about the fact that the sun isn’t rising or setting at all? The earth is moving, not the sun. So, by words, the sun isn’t rising or setting at all. I mean, the sun is moving, because we’re all rocketing through space. But, you know what I mean.

It’s hot everywhere and I get that. I was combating that by hanging out poolside on Sunday, and I got cooked to a crisp. So now I’m combating sunburn and heat by wearing dresses to work. No, random person in the hallway, I do not have an interview. I have a strong desire to not put on pants. TMI? Well? You brought it up.

Thurrrrrrrsday (I’m really bad at titles you guys)

So, fun fact. If you start a blog post and then close out of chrome, it does not automatically save in your drafts folder, or in your history, or in your trash folder, or anywhere else humanly possible. Had some gems in that one, will try to recreate, will probably fail.

My work put in automatic paper towel dispensers a few months ago. I have to admit that every time I motion to both the machines and take two paper towels I feel like a rebel. What is the point of going to that? Spending money to install all new dispensers in all the bathrooms, and for what, to regulate how many paper towels we use? Well I’ll SHOW YOU! I’ll take TWO every time! Stickin’ it to the man.

Leg day at the gym today so ask me how I’m feeling on Saturday. This will be my answer.

Lunch with my mom today was fun, as usual. We laugh a lot. She got me a cute little jewelry case for travel.

I watched Steel Magnolias for the first time last night. It was pretty good, but I always think of questions at times when it is inappropriate to ask questions. A child is screaming/crying, and pointing out the front door of the house. Like, screaming bloody murder. How does a director get a child to do such a thing? Take away his toy like a villain and run out the front door so the kid has a tantrum? I’d think that’d be a horrible way to do business. Also, I think of things like, was Julia Roberts actually sleeping when she was in the hospital bed? I can’t imagine so, but her eyeballs didn’t move at all – when I close my eyes and I’m not tired it’s work to keep them closed. My brain. You’re welcome.

I wonder if my cats will be glad when I come home. I realize I haven’t left yet but I know how excited dogs are when you get back from vacation for that long so I just wonder if cats will be.

I’m finding it difficult to focus at work. I am trying. I have one more workday and then I’m off for 14 days. That hasn’t happened in a very long time. I can’t wait!

Oreos without milk? Heathen.

I trip over nothing on a consistent basis.

I’m astonished at the number of times people can be told something without them listening.

Do ever notice something that you do without realizing it, and then become acutely aware of that thing? I clench my jaw and my fists. I don’t know that I’m doing it, and then I’ll get a pull in my neck or my hands will start to ache and I’m like wow, stop doing that thing, only to go through it all again. I wonder why that is.

I was told that I’m crazy, based on the things I share here. Which, is probably true.

Yes. Please. Please leave your cell phone ringer on blast and, once it starts ringing, listen to the whole song before you answer. Also, if you could do that while I’m on a call with senior management, that would be ideal. That way I have the opportunity to explain it to them.

I want to be a good cook. I am not a good cook. I’m not a terrible cook, but because I don’t know what flavors should go together, I really depend on recipes to help me. So, I’m going to try using my crock pots tomorrow. Shredded beef dip and salsa chicken. (I am wary)

People who intentionally try to get under the skin of others are incredibly rude.

If a butterfly lands on you, the rest of the day just has to be awesome right? That didn’t happen to me today but I just figured that if it did…

How does it make sense that I feel like I need to get in shape to be seen at the gym? Seriously? HELLO, Earth to me! Although, to be fair, I see a lot of gym shaming pictures online, which kind of breaks my heart. People are going there to better themselves, maybe rather than posting pictures online you could encourage or help them. #justsayin