Free Time

It's not very often that I have free time (between work and school, there's VERY little of it), but when I do have free time, I absolutely LOVE to read.

Recently, I stopped at Sam's Club (one of my favorite book joints) to see what paperbacks were for sale. (So hate me - I'm a cheap skate.) They had all of the Percy Jackson series in paperback, except book five, for $4.98 each. Book five only came in hardback for $10.98.

I bought the whole series. And I also bought the first book in his new series (The Red Pyramid).

And then I had a few minutes of free time. Big mistake. HUGE! I picked up The Lightning Thief and now have to finish the series as soon as I can. The thing is, I'm always behind the times when it comes to books like this. With Harry Potter, I didn't read the first book until after the third book came out, and I refused to buy any of them in hardback because I didn't know whether or not I'd like it. Then, I fell in love with the series, and replaced the first three books I had in paperback with hardbacks. I have the whole series in hardback now. And I'm afraid I may have to do the same thing with the Percy Jackson series.

Great. More money spent. On a freakin' paper fettish. That I inherited from my mother. Who has one of the largest libraries I've seen. And who has read nearly every book in that library. It's a sickness, I tell you. A disease. Of huge proportions. In fact, I used to dream as a little girl about two things (and no, it wasn't who I'd marry and what kind of wedding I'd have - that's just plain silly stupid!):
1) Having a room in my house devoted to music, complete with a grand piano
2) Having a library room with hundreds and hundreds of books and a moving ladder to reach them

This means that free time is really evil. Heh. I knew it all along. Too bad I don't care and will be looking for every opportunity to fill that free time with words and paper and binding that smells divine. Yes, I just admitted to loving the smell of books. Do you think they could put that in an air freshener for my car? Hm. Maybe I'll also have to invent that in my free time. I'd buy it.

Regrets

I have to admit that I don't have many regrets in life.
Choices have consequences, and things happen for a reason and purpose.

One thing I do regret:
Loving certain people

Sounds silly, I know. The reason? Because the more you love people, the more they know how to hurt you. Sometimes it would be easier to go through life not loving anyone because then you'd never be hurt.
Too bad that would also be a very lonely existence ....

Ahhhh, perfection

There are very few things in this life that are perfect.

I don't know any people who are perfect.
I don't know of any perfect clothing line.
Or perfect hairdo.
There's no such thing as a perfect car.
Or house.
So what, pray tell, do I think is perfection?

This cherry I just ate:



NOT kidding! It was beautiful. A lovely sight. With the little green leaf and all.

Sometimes God sends things our way in simple forms so that we have to stop and recognize Him. Well, it worked for me today! All in the form of a dark, red, delicious cherry. It's the closest thing to perfection I've seen in a long time.

Gimme!

If anyone is feeling generous, this is what I would like to have:



And I will also need this in order to pull the ATV:



Only make the truck silver, please.

Having this to ride along wouldn't be so bad either:



If only there were a rich uncle who loved me more than anyone else ...
Maybe PCH could just drop off a $10 million check at my house instead. That oughta cover it.

It's the simple things

Last Friday, I spent the day with a very dear friend. She and her family just returned from three years out of state while her husband attended law school (which he graduated from - 1st in his class!). Anyway, my friend and her two little girls had never been to the movie theater, so I treated them to "Toy Story 3." We bought popcorn, waters, and M&M's. Good times, right?
YES! Absolutely good times!
Not even 10 minutes into the movie, little 3-year-old Aubrey accidentally tipped her M&M's bag upside down and they spilled every which way on the floor. As I'm trying to keep her from crying and promising to buy more (which her mother was opposed to - whatever, mom!), I knocked over the bucket of popcorn and added to the mess. Oops!
Aubrey and I went out and purchased more M&M's. Never have I seen such a smile on a little girl's face. SO cute! We returned to the theater for a (mostly) uneventful rest of the movie. Toward the end, Aubrey had to go potty (too much sugar and too much water for a 3-year-old's bladder to handle, I guess), so I took her to the restroom.
--Let me just insert here that I've always had a problem taking other people's children to the bathroom. What if they start yelling, "Stranger!" or something and I get hauled in for kidnapping or abuse?! It just freaks me out, but the girl had to go.--
Aubrey's doing great, until she says, "I need help." Uh oh. Now what?! I opened the stall to see her looking up at me with a huge grin and pointing at the toilet paper. Thank heavens Mommy taught her to "take care of business" by herself! Phew! We got over that obstacle, and as we're drying our hands, Aubrey says, "Paper towel." I look down, and on the floor someone has left a paper towel. I said, "Yep. Somebody made a mess, didn't they?" Aubrey says. "Yep ... you pick it up?" Ha, ha, ha! Oh, man. Mommy has got to stop teaching those girls about cleanliness!
Anyway, we went back to the theater and finished the movie. As it was ending, this thought crossed my mind: In the past, I would have been upset over the spilled M&M's, annoyed about the potty break, bothered about having to pick up the paper towel, and resentful that I missed part of the movie. Reality: it's the simple things that really matter. I was actually happier replacing spilled M&M's, taking a 3-year-old for a potty break, picking up a paper towel to make said 3-year-old happy, and having no clue what I missed during the movie than I've been in a VERY long time.
In other words, mothers have the best job in the entire world. And I think those who get to be mothers should feel very blessed that they can serve the "little people" they love so much. There's no amount of money in the world that could make another job quite as satisfying as being a mom. After all, mothers are best at doing the simple things.

Dear Potential Dates

Dear Potential Dates,
Where in the "rule" book is it written that a date must cost a fortune, be a huge activity, take all day long, and ultimately conclude with "let's just be friends"?
Let me take a moment to list a few dates that would mean the world to me, won't cost you much, only require you to spend (at most) a few hours with me, and don't need a thought of forethought to be really cool experiences. That way, if we do end with "let's just be friends" neither of us has lost a bundle of money or oodles of time. Sound good?
Why not make arrangements to clean the side of a freeway/highway? Pack a picnic lunch for us and let's work together to make something better. Maybe we could go for lemonade when we're all done sweating.
How about if we bake cupcakes together and arrange to take them to a nursing home and visit with the residents there? That would be lots of fun! Think how much we'd learn from the older generations. And if you have a nice voice, we could totally sing to them. Awesome!
What if we went to a local pediatric unit and held the babies whose parents needed a rest? Or visit kids in the cancer ward and read them stories or play board games with them? It would definitely be an emotional date, but totally worth it.
Speaking of board games, how about we just stay home and use food storage to make something for dinner and play board games? We could have a "contest" to see who could come up with the most creative meal with the food ingredients we have. And you could kick my butt at Scrabble. I don't mind losing, especially if we have a good time together.
It would also be fun to play at a park. We could slide and swing and have a grand time! Each of us could bring something for lunch and share what we brought. We could even bring a ball for kickball or play Frisbee.
The Wii. There's nothing quite as fun as competing on the Wii! Let's compete and see who comes out winner in tennis or bowling or baseball. And whoever loses treats to a shaved ice or ice cream treat. It's only fair that the loser buy. This date might actually cost you.
We could also make tinfoil dinners. Then, we could go up the canyon, cook our meals, eat, and roast marshmallows or fix S'mores. That might give us energy for a hike or a walk in the woods. Ah, how romantic! We could have a contest to see who finds the best walking stick. Just don't make this date too long because I'm fond of real toilets.
Those are just a few suggestions, Mr. Potential Date. Please, please don't stress out over making it a big event that I'll never forget. The truth is, I might forget the date, but I'll never forget how you made me feel. And if you're not stressed out, then I won't be stressed out. Plus, if I've agreed to go out with you, that already means I think highly of you, so don't worry about trying to impress me. Just be yourself and I guarantee it will be enough.

Sincerely,
Katie

My Dad

Since last Sunday was Father's Day, I've been thinking about what makes my dad so great. Truthfully, there's not enough web space available to say the good things I need to say about my parents. However, I would like to share something I've not shared with many people.

See, I've had four dads in my lifetime. The first dad was the guy who let me comb his (non-existent) hair and put barrettes in it while he watched TV. He would also make eggs, laugh when I ate margarine, and try to convince his mother that telling me I had "rats" instead of "snarls" in my hair was a bad idea. This dad also rescued me from many a sleepover when I got scared and wanted to come home. He lasted until I was 11.

When I was 11, dad #2 entered the picture. This was the dad that was busy with work all the time. He was sick then, but I didn't realize how sick or understand the ramifications of that stupid disease called "Diabetes" that was ravaging his body. This was also the dad that had me working at age 14 every day after school to keep me out of trouble - and paid me for it so I would have money to do the things I wanted.

Around age 17 or 18 (the timeline isn't clear on this one), dad #3 showed up. This was the unpleasant, unhappy, mean dad who instilled fear in us every time we heard the garage door go up. He stayed up late at night to finish work and got up early to get out of the house. In his defense, we think the other stupid disease called "Parkinson's" was just arriving. Thus, we don't blame him for his mean and ornery self; we just wish we had known sooner what was happening so we could do something about it.

Then, at about age 25 (timeline here is fuzzy, too), dad #4 was diagnosed with Parkinson's. This is the dad I've known since. There have been tears, laughter, anger, regret, and prayers. And this has been the dad that has wished he could return to his heavenly home sooner rather than later so he can be rid of his physical body that doesn't do him much good now. Perhaps of all the dads, this is the one I look up to most.

See, it's not a tragedy when someone dies if they have lived a good life. Dad has done that - he has lived a very good life. He was the best Gospel Doctrine teacher. He was the best Sunday School teacher. He was a hard worker. He was a defender of all that was good. And he is mine - eternally. What a wonderful thing to know. So, a week later and still thinking about it, my dad is by far the greatest one I'll ever know. Until I meet my Heavenly Father, and even then I know Dad will be right there waiting to greet me and defend me and love me. When you have parents like that, you learn to expect a lot out of others and hopefully end up with an eternal mate as good as or better than (if that's possible) your very own dad.

Roman

You have to know my sister Lisa in order to appreciate this story. She would do anything for anyone. If you needed a shirt, she'd pull the one off her back and hand it to you. She's not wealthy by any means, but she's generous with what she has.

On Sunday, we got together as a family to celebrate Father's Day. Mom left Lisa a message telling her we'd eat around 4:30. A little later, Lisa called to get a ride to the house and told Mom that a man had stopped by her house and asked for directions to the Beehive Home in Salem. They talked for quite a while, and Lisa wondered if it was okay to bring him to dinner, too. Mom said sure. Because that's how Mom is - roll with life's punches and enjoy the ride.

Enter Roman. A Russian, from Estonia (I think), who is a nurse and was looking for the Beehive House so he could apply for a job. He was very nice. Thirty-five, single, a twin (whose brother and parents still live in Russia), loves to travel, worked for Tahitian Noni, not a member of the LDS church, and a vegetarian. In conversation with him, Mom found out he was renting a room at the Hare Krishna temple. Andrea swears he was "taking notes" on a notepad, but I sat next to him during dinner and didn't see him writing anything.

As much as things like this make me leery, I also find them somewhat amusing. I don't know any other family that invites strangers into their home and feeds them all while teasing and taunting each other and making fools of themselves. Andrea couldn't even bless the food without the kids laughing. Probably not the best representation of the LDS Church one could have on a first-time basis. Besides that, we knew nothing about Roman. What if he's a con man or a killer? Well, come on in! We accept all kinds at the Miller house!

I will say this: it's nice to be part of a trusting, loving, kind, caring family - even if we're not that way with each other all the time. Let's just hope that was the impression Roman was left with, and pray his supposed "notebook" was filled with only good things instead of addresses, names, and occupations. We wouldn't do well under KGB rules.

Could it be?

Mom and I sat out on the front porch and talked tonight. And I had a major thought. MAJOR.

Could it be that the reason people my age and younger don't date is that for YEARS we have been told to group date, group date, group date? It was never encouraged to "pair off" and date just one person. There was safety in numbers, right?

I think that's part of the problem with older single people. We're good, obedient people, and we listened to the prophets and our parents (not at all bad things to do, so children still need to listen to their parents and the prophet).

But seriously, think about it. Not once in high school did I go on a date alone with a boy. Well, actually, I take that back. There were a few times, but they were just that - FEW. Mostly, we did things in large groups. Kind of what "hanging out" is now. That's why we're all still single! We didn't get the memo that it's okay to date without a hundred friends around.

Hey, I figured out the why. Someone else needs to come up with the solution to fix it. Good luck!

Gratitude

Sometimes things just don't work out.
And sometimes it's actually better that they didn't work out.

I really love my ward. And I love the people in it. They are great. They love me.
That was a preface to what I'm about to divulge. It's disturbing. Young children should now go to bed.

One lady (several months ago) asked me how old I was. "Thirty-three." I responded with confidence. She then proceeded to tell me she had a 22-year-old grandson she'd like to set me up with because I'd "be good for him." Red flag! I politely declined.
The same lady (a few weeks later) asked me again how old I was. "Still thirty-three." I said, with even more confidence. She then advertised her 45-year-old recently divorced son who, by her own admission, "is a former ass" who "called all his sisters on Mother's Day to wish them well." Great! Nothing like being set up with a reformed ass.
In the last few weeks, a 77-year-old widow (whom I dearly love) got engaged to a 72-year-old widower. While out shopping one day, she was introduced to a young man by her fiancee and they decided to play matchmaker. They asked this young man if he would like to go out with me. "Sure," was his response (according to what I've been told). The "date of all dates" was supposed to take place last night. We had plans to put dinner in the oven, go for a walk on the trail where the newly engaged couple met, and then eat dinner at this lovely lady's home. A night to remember, right? Until the young man "forgot" about the date and arranged to be at a "work thing" instead.

Therefore, the title of this post is gratitude. Why?
Well, first of all, the best part of blind dates is the story you get to tell when it's over.
Second, the story leading up to this one was pretty good, so the date itself would have had to be over the top ridiculous to beat out the story about how the date was arranged.
Third, blind dates are enormously uncomfortable, so my night was actually relaxing.
Fourth, Heavenly Father really knows us. The timing obviously wasn't right on this one.
Fifth, who has a 77-year-old friend that feels so bad things didn't work out that she calls and invites you to watch a movie and have popcorn with her and her fiancee and listen to the rain because she's worried you might feel dejected? That's pretty cool.

Basically, I have a lot of gratitude for where I'm at in life right now. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father is aware of me and watching out for me. There are a lot worse things in life than being single and being set up on blind dates by ladies in your ward that love you and want you to be happy. I'm just grateful to have people like that in my life who want me to be happy, even if it means going to the outer reaches of reality to get me there. :D

Yep, gratitude fills me up.

Grow up and get over it

Some people are intent on being idiots. Those people are actually great at being idiots already and need no further intent to make it happen. I can't mention these people by name (for legal reasons, obviously), but suffice it to say they have accomplished their life work of idiocy and I give them full credit for it. *Insert applause here*

I can't even mention what these idiots have done (again, for legal reasons, obviously), but, mind you, it has been enough to give them Darwin Awards in the "Book of Idiots Katie Knows" and the sequel "Book of Idiots Who Remain Idiots."

There's just one thing I have to say to the idiots: Grow up and get over it!

To the rest of the non-idiot population I know and love, please don't give in to idiocy. Please! Avoid it like the plague. It will destroy you. And it will destroy those who love you. Don't do the idiot things you might regret. Don't post things on Facebook for others to read and find out what an idiot you are. Don't share your innermost thoughts and feelings in public where you will surely be found an idiot. Don't, by any means, ruin someone else's life or reputation with your verbal messes of idiocy. And last of all, don't wish for what you'll never have because of the idiot choices you've already made.

It's just that simple. Grow up and get over it!

(Is it legal to post the word "idiot" that many times in a blog post? I may need a lawyer ....)

Fixated on Netflix

Years ago, when Netflix first started, I was a member. I loved getting my two DVDs a week and watching movies to my heart's content. At the time, I remember thinking how much more I would love Netflix if I could watch specific TV series on DVD. Shortly after that, I canceled my monthly subscription and decided there was more to life than watching movies.

Well, what do you know?! Netflix now has TV series on DVD. Not only that, they offer instant watch on your computer AND you can watch movies and TV through the Wii. How cool is that?! Technology rocks! So, I subscribed again and for $8.99 a month I can watch all the TV series I want and still get a DVD in the mail. Woot!

Now, I'm not advertising for Netflix by any means. It's just amazing that they have obviously listened to their subscribers and other consumers and made some really great changes. I've already found a new favorite TV series ("Lie To Me") that is incredible. It's so fascinating! And kind of disturbing in some ways.

Next in my queue is a whole slew of other TV shows. Instead of buying them on DVD and spending a small fortune (there are some shows that merit the expense - like "The Office", "Spongebob Squarepants", "CSI", and "House") I can now view a TV series through Netflix for a small fee every month and figure out if there are any other series worth having in my DVD collection.

I have become a fan of Netflix again! They do have a free trial, so if you're interested, check it out. If you're not, I won't be offended. It's just nice to have entertainment again, especially when I need a break from school work, exercise, family life, and work. Besides, everyone needs a break sometimes, right? And having as many as you want for $8.99 a month makes Netflix worth it!

Things I've Recently Learned

The more you try not to focus on something important, the more the Lord will MAKE you focus on it. This weekend I learned a lot. Some of it is stuff I probably knew in part, but situations occur to solidify what you need to know.

The first thing I learned is that running away only leads to running toward something else - and usually that something else is more problems. If you are going to run away, it's sometimes appropriate to take someone you love with you. They might know how to help you solve the problems you're running from. If they don't, they will at least be good company.

The second thing I learned is that we all value different things. What someone else values, I might see as silly or a waste of time. But I would bet good money that most of the things I value are meaningless to others. Never knock what is of value to someone else.

The third thing I learned is that when there is a possible emergency, I maintain a pretty cool head. This is a good thing, especially if I ever have the chance to be a mom. Most likely, I won't freak out if/when the kid bleeds, gets in an accident, or (like their mother) is completely accident prone, breaks bones, and needs stitches.

The fourth thing I learned was perhaps the most profound. I'm still digesting most of it. This might be where I get comments about stupidity. Oh well. I'll take that chance. This section of what I learned also has parts. It can't really be lumped into ONE learned thing. It's just that they pertain to the same thing.
Part one: according to Elder Bednar, if you have fears about marriage you don't understand the fullness of the plan of happiness. This means I have a LOT more to learn.
Part two: pride is about WHO is right; humility is about WHAT is right. I hope to remember that until I die. Simple phrase. Extremely profound.
Part three: no two marriages are alike, so you shouldn't compare your thoughts or ideals about marriage or your marriage itself to any other marriage. It's asking for trouble and you fill find unhappiness every time.
Part four: Heavenly Father loves us so much that He provided the opposite sex with complementary characteristics so we could perfect each other.
Part five: everything we do in life, from infancy to death, prepares us for an eternal marriage.
Part six: until a marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise it is probationary. This means there is a lot of time and opportunity for growth.

The fifth thing I learned is that, no matter how prepared you think you are, dealing with the death (slow or sudden) of a parent is really hard. Even if you know the basics of how it will happen, it's still not easy and there will still be lots of tears.

The sixth thing I learned (not to make light of the others) is that $.98 strawberries and a family size bag of Cheetos from Walmart can put a smile on this girl's face. I believe that means I know how to enjoy the simple things in life. And simple is good.

Some words and their definitions

Words are great. I really like them. Some words are better than others.

Take the word shiz. One of my favorites. Who knew there were so many meanings? I prefer the "something great or wonderful" definition. Or the "another meaning for stuff" definition. It's also an adjective meaning "the best" - for example, "You're the shiz!" Some people use it in place of a cuss word, but that's not really how I see it. If a swear word is necessary, use the word. Don't cover it up with a great word like shiz.

Another word I like is huh. Now, this word can be used in reference to confusion. But, it can also be used when something amazingly stupid has been done and you're speechless. It doesn't happen often, but happen it does! People do amazingly stupid things, believe it or not. And sometimes their behavior warrants a "huh" from others.

What about the word bleck? Totally good word! The "to regurgitate abruptly and forcefully" definition is great. It's one of those words that sounds like the definition, right? When you bleck something it's regurgitated abruptly and forcefully. How awesome is that?! Sometimes I want to bleck all over people. But I refrain. We wouldn't want to offend.

Booyah is another fantastic word. I like the "said when feeling triumphant, or courageous" definition the most. It's not often I feel courageous, so to holler that out when feeling courageous would be pretty spectacular. That way everyone would know, "Hey, I'm totally courageous - check me out!" Woo!

Which leads me to another favorite - Woo! Originally, woo meant to make someone fall for you or like you. Now, it's mostly what you say after a bad joke or something awkward or weird has happened. How did we go from making someone like you to the sound we make after something awkward? Could it be that making someone like you essentially leads to awkward? So really the two meanings are related? Hm. That gives me something to think about. Well, heck. I know what's going to consume my afternoon now.

Work Adventures

We have a real prankster at work. He's great and I love that we have random things show up at the least expected moments. This week was no exception. Say hello to Chuckie, Jr.















More than weird in a lot of ways. But it's nice to have fun at work!

For the love of ... oh, forget it!

Two things that really test me: blind dates and online dating.

Blind dates have not been the best of experiences for me. Since I'm the common denominator, the problem must be me. :D Sorry to all of my well-meaning friends, but I just don't enjoy a blind date anymore. They were fun when they were new and exciting. I'm over the initial thrill now. There's not much good to say about them. It's great to meet new people, sure. But if you don't ever talk to them again, how exactly is that great? Yeah. Blind dates really test my patience, and probably ruin the lives of the poor saps I've been out with. Truthfully, I really am a fun person to be around (most of the time). Not knowing you makes me uncomfortable though, so I'm not likely to spill my guts or be gushy about you asking me out. It's a "get to know you" period. Give me time. But if you really didn't have fun or don't want to go out again, just say so. No more of this, "Yeah, it was fun. We'll have to do it again some time." Especially when you know full well you're going to get in your car, drive away, and say "phew!" a hundred times before you get home.

As for online dating ... well, let's just say I do this because I'm a sucker for abuse. No really. I'm not blonde. I'm not skinny. And I'm not gorgeous. Three strikes against me and they happen to be the three things men are looking for when it comes to online dating. Besides those three things, older men love to hit my profile. Only problem: they could never keep up with me. I'm still young and spunky and full of adventure. I don't want to sit home like old people do. Men my age would be great, but you wouldn't believe how many have the word "maybe" listed next to the "Do you want kids?" question. That bothers me. I want kids and still have a good 10 years left to have them. How can you say maybe? Younger guys are a great option. However, they want the tiny, perky, blonde, ditsy girls. They don't want the best friend, the girl they can take home to mom, or anyone else remotely capable of commitment or intellectual conversation. They want arm candy and that's about it. I ain't no arm candy.

*Sigh* For the love of Pete, what's a girl to do then? Hanging out with the girls and my married friends is great and all, but sometimes a girl needs a little romance. If you could find romance on blind dates or via online dating, I'd be a pro at romance right now. As it is, I'm still looking for my best friend and wondering where in the heck he's spending all his time since we haven't met. Or maybe we have and I ... oh, forget it. Perhaps he's home blogging.

Little Miss Helpful

Last night I stopped at Walmart (the time and money vortex) on the way home to pick up a few things. While in the shampoo and conditioner aisle, I saw a kid bent in half over some blood on the floor. At first I thought he was puking, so it kinda worried me. His mom was totally oblivious to what he was doing, but finally realized something wasn't quite right. Suddenly, she pinches his nose closed and throws his head back. That is the LAST thing you're supposed to do for a bloody nose! Doesn't she know he's going to swallow all that? And be sick later? Ew!
I watched all this take place, then reached in my purse and pulled out a pack of tissues. (Thank heavens Kleenex makes those little "go anywhere" packs!) I took a couple of tissues out, placed them gently up to the kid's nose and held them there while I handed the rest of the pack to his mother. She smiled at me, so I said, "You can keep the extra tissues in case he needs more." She looked at her son, he looked at me, and she said, "Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. That was so nice of you. Thank you."
Okay, enough with the thanks already! Jeesh! It was like neither of them had ever been treated so kindly or something. Whatever. It was just some tissues. She wiped the blood off the floor and we went about our merry way. I saw them again later near the groceries and smiled at the kid. He smiled back. I realized why his nose was bloody. It looked like he'd been in an illegal backyard fight. I assume he'd lost the battle with a baseball because both of his eyes were blackened and his nose was kinda purple-ish. Ten bucks he didn't really want to be at Walmart with his mom, but she dragged him along after practice thinking they wouldn't be very long.
The point of this blog story is that it felt really good to do something nice. It was so simple. Anyone could have done it. I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time with the right stuff. It made me wonder how many times people have crossed my path and done something simple that impacted me without even realizing it. I try hard to do the right thing, to help and serve others, and to make others happy. A lot of the time I don't succeed. So it was nice to see how appreciative that little boy and his mother were for a small act of kindness. I found myself hoping, as I drove home, that they passed the kindness on.
Wouldn't it be great if we could spend everyday looking for and finding those kinds of opportunities to help and serve others? And wouldn't it be great if those acts of kindness were paid forward? That must have been what it was like to be a disciple of Christ. And it must have felt great to be associated with someone who gave of himself so freely. Nobody can ever do what Christ did for us, but we can pass along that feeling of gratitude and gladness. It's really not hard. Sometimes all it takes is a small pack of Kleenex.

The Office

New addiction.
The Office. The TV series. SO funny!!!
I bought the first four seasons. And I can't believe I haven't been watching it. What is wrong with me?! Why did nobody tell me what I was missing?

Michael: crazy loon
Kelly: drives me crazy
Dwight and Angela: totally creep me out
Stanley: kinda unsettled
Phyllis: love that she loves Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration!
Meredith: wow - yeah, AA is calling
Creed: clepto!
Toby: his eyes scare me ... a lot
Ryan: selfish jerk!
Roy: just get over it, will you?
Pam: why, why, why would you let him go???
Jim: total keeper - I want a Jim

And now they've merged branches, so new characters! All of this is old news to those who have watched the series since it's birth. But it's new news to me, and I love it! There's something about watching a TV series on DVD instead of planning time during the week to watch it. It's hard to explain, but no commercials is a total bonus, and watching as many episodes as you want when you want is beyond awesome.
I'm not even sure when The Office is on TV, or if it's still an "active" series. And I don't care. Right now, I'm looking forward to episode nine of season three and all it has to offer. Woo!

Love Language

Apparently, everyone has a love language.
Is it true that most men like to give flowers or candy or small gifts to women?
And is it true that most women like to receive flowers or candy or small gifts from men?

This really confuses me.
Flowers die.
Candy gets eaten, after which you feel guilty and worry how much weight you've gained.
Small gifts are fun to open. Sure. But then what do you do with it?

Obviously, receiving gifts is not part of my love language. I'd lots rather give them.
A guy doesn't need to bring me flowers and chocolates. He doesn't need to spend money on me, take me to fancy restaurants, or buy me pretty little things. He doesn't need to put a lot of effort into planning things for us to do.
What I want is a guy that will spend time with me;
A guy who will open doors for me and be gracious when I thank him for doing it;
A guy who will make me laugh;
A guy who is as awkward at kissing as I am sure to be (never been kissed, so, yeah - awkward);
A guy who is patient, even when I freak out over stupid stuff;
A guy who will defend my honor;
And a guy who will take out the trash or help me fix the toilet or mow the lawn.

Is it too much to ask? I mean, there's nothing in there about looks, money, career, etc. The things in life that really matter are not things you can buy anyway. Once the flowers are dead and the chocolate is eaten, will he still be there for you? Because that's what counts. And that's why my love language has nothing to do with material gifts. A gift of time and sincere affection matters more to me than anything he could buy anyway. And those gifts take a lot more thought than something you can buy at a store or order online.

Signs of summer

Ahh. Might summer be upon us? Might it?!
Based on the signs I saw last night while walking, I think it is finally getting here.

The first clue was the lilacs. They're out in full force and they smell heavenly!
The second clue was the slew of kids playing baseball in the street.
The third clue was the wildflowers growing in empty lots. They were purple and pretty!
The fourth clue was the smell of cow and horse manure. Wow. Not my favorite.
The fifth clue was the arid heat. It's best when there is a light, cool breeze in the air.
The sixth clue was the actual sweat on my forehead when the walk was over.

For the first time ever (that I know of), I'm looking forward to summer. The cold of winter really beat me up this year. Without my former insulation, I pert near froze to death! Living in a state where it's winter eight months out of the year is not so appealing anymore. So the signs of summer are definitely a good thing this year. Let's just hope they stick around for a while. And that there's no talk of "flurries" unless we're talking about the cotton that floats from the cotton trees. I can handle that kind of flurry.