"A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other."

As the New Year is upon us, I would like to wish everyone a happy 2008. I do hope that I won't be at work as much this year! Haha.

I have a few resolutions for this year. Nothing too difficult, I don't think, but we'll see if I can actually keep them.

1) Get myself up in the morning before work and work out for 30 minutes, 4 days a week. (Maybe this will help me not feel so sluggish.)
2) Watch at least 2 movies a week. (There are so many movies I haven't seen!)
3) Read for at least 20 minutes each night. (This should help with the next one...)
4) Read 35 books throughout the year (I will be posting my list of 50 books to read in 2008 when I complete it!)
5) Try to focus on the positive things about me. (I've had a problem with doing this recently, so, help me out y'all!)

I should be able to handle these. I just have to keep myself focused, and also organized much better than I have recently. I used to be so organized, and I'm hoping to gain some of that back!!


Currently reading: Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon

The day after...

I survived Christmas. It was a long day, but we made it. Actually, it even started on Christmas Eve. I think Dakota had the best picture from the holiday. She received a very cute coat, but wasn't quite sure about it...

I am quite enjoying my time off from work. Getting lots of sleep, we finished watching the third season of "Arrested Development", and now I have lots more movies to watch and books to read.

I'll be heading back to Lansing tomorrow in order to hang out and clean my apartment a bit. I'll only be staying overnight, but I'm hoping to get a little bit done. Then, I'll be back in Muskegon until after the new year. Yay! More sleep!

I hope everyone had a good holiday, and also is having some restful time off. I know I am!!!!

Currently reading: Playing for Pizza by John Grisham

Let the weekend begin!

Yesterday was finally Friday. This week was incredibly slow and long. In addition, I was having an emotional week - partly because of the holidays, partly because of the news at work this week. Now it's Saturday, and I feel pretty run down. Of course, I couldn't sleep in this morning, but it was for a good reason - haircut!!! It's always so relaxing. :-) As usual, I didn't do the exact same thing as last time, but I did change up the color - got it a little darker, and with some highlights. I really like it, but we'll see how it goes tomorrow when I actually do it! My new profile picture was taken today.

I do want to take a moment and thank all of my friends that have been around and put up with me for the last couple of weeks. I appreciate all the support and just plain understanding. I hope you all have a happy (and restful!) holiday.

I am looking forward to being off from work until January 3rd. I've been feeling really burned out, and I just want to sit around, watch movies, read books, scrapbook, and just be lazy in general. I'm really looking forward to watching lots of football too! GO BLUE!

Currently reading: The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

...

"It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more." - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Today started off pretty well. Then I got to work. I found out that a co-worker of mine in the caucus had a heart attack yesterday and passed away. It threw me off all day. Over the last few months, this particular co-worker is one that I've gotten to know much better, through spending so much time at work together. I was just out to lunch with him on Thursday, which was the last day I was at work.

It's just unreal. Part of me can't stop thinking that it didn't really happen. But then I keep thinking about different things about him. He was always smiling and funny.

On the other hand, I just feel like it shouldn't affect me so much. But it does, and I can't quite explain it.

"Due to lack of interest, tomorrow is cancelled..."

Or, maybe due to excessive snow! On my way home last night, I decided to rent a bunch of movies and make sure that I had enough eggs to bake today. There was a lot of snow predicted! And, it has been snowing all day.

I slept late this morning, got up, decided to get lunch and go get butter, since I had forgotten that last night. I think that started the crazy day today. I went to Kroger, the box of Mountain Dew I had picked up broke and all the cans fell all over the floor. When I got home, I got to my front door, and dropped my large pop from Burger King in the hallway. Somehow, I got through making chocolate chip cookies without an issue, but then while making molasses cookies, I dropped the sifter in the mixture. Sigh. I'm such a klutz somedays.

I'm hoping this week isn't as stressful or exhausting as last week. I still have to do some holiday shopping, and hopefully will tie up some loose ends at work. In addition, I hope to watch some more movies, and read some. Luckily, it's still the weekend!

"You're so wise. You're like a miniature Buddha, covered in hair."

If you saw me right now, you wouldn't know that I'm super excited that tomorrow is Thursday. I have Friday off from work this week. But, I'm starting to feel like I'm getting sick. I am hoping I can stop it by sleeping and drinking fluids. Luckily, I've been getting some rest, as I've been able to leave work early this week.

The next few days are going to be pretty busy. I've been baking cookies a lot, but no more for this week, unless I do them in Muskegon on Friday. I have to do a ton of laundry all day Friday, and while that's in, I'm hoping to watch a movie or two. Maybe do a little baking. We'll see though. I have to head back to Muskegon tomorrow night, which means I have to pack, get the dog ready for the trip, get gas, etc. Then I have to get out of here, spend all day Friday in Muskegon, go to Eric's holiday work party, then drive back to Lansing on Saturday morning.

I will be attending my first ever MSU basketball game at Breslin Center on Saturday. It should be fun. I've been to the UM/MSU game before at Crisler, but I have never been to Breslin, and I'm curious to see it. It should be fun. There will be sushi beforehand, so that makes me happy!

I have a quick gripe, and it's something that I've always kind of dealt with. Clearly, I'm a female. All my life, I've been better friends with guys. I don't know why, I think I just get along better with guys. I'm kind of a tomboy, so maybe that's what makes it easier. Anyway, why can't I just be friends with guys? Is there a reason that whenever a girl and a guy are friends, everyone else thinks there's something going on? I know most of the time, people just joke about it, but after awhile, it just starts to get on my nerves. I'm not sure if anyone else ever has this problem, or if it's just me. Ha.

"No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up."

This is a busy weekend. Last night, I went out to dinner with a friend of mine, and then we went to see the movie "Gone Baby Gone". I really, really liked the movie, and Casey Affleck was just amazing. There were some great scenes, and the overall message makes you think. I highly recommend it to everyone.

I was at a Jaycees event for a couple of hours today. We hosted "Stuff the Bus" to help 6 families we adopted from the Salvation Army. When I left, we had quite a few items in the bus. I hope the rest of the event went well!

And then, I have just returned from Grand Rapids. I met Eric there, since we both stayed at our respective homes this weekend due to scheduling conflicts. Anyway, we went to dinner, then did some Christmas shopping. I hate that I'm at a loss as to what to get for some people. Then, other people are just so easy to shop for. I decided that this year, I was going to try and spread a little holiday cheer instead of being a grinch. Let's hope for the best on this goal!

Then tomorrow is brunch and "Spamalot" with the office. That'll take up a good chunk of the day, then I want to make some more cookies, but we'll see how time goes. I could make cookies, make cards, do a scrapbook page, watch a movie, read a book - there are so many possibilities. Although, I may just be lazy - I'm starting to feel a little run down and sick, but I don't know if that's from just standing outside in the cold today!

Well, off to do something...

"The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated."

I'm fairly certain the title of this blog hits the nail on the head for me. I love a little appreciation! Luckily, I'm feeling appreciated at the moment.

I'm writing tonight in the spirit of being quite at ease. I'm not overly happy, not bummed out. I pleasantly exhausted, and almost ready to go to bed. But most of all, with the crappy mood I've been in lately, I'm feeling a little bit of peace. Which is good - I hope it means that I'm getting myself back on track.

I know this sounds silly, but I'm thinking that maybe I'm having a sense of closure. At some point over the last couple of weeks, my life just got thrown out of whack, in turn, throwing my moods out of whack. Yesterday and today have helped me come back to reality. I've felt productive, had a friend help me get through kicking my own ass, and it never hurts to have a dog that love you unconditionally! All in all though, I'm feeling quite content. Let's hope this continues into tomorrow...

"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it's, well, broken."

Ah, the quote is from Grosse Pointe Blank. That movie always makes me laugh. Maybe a good selection for this week's viewing.

The weekend was pretty good. Got some things moved around in my apartment, and I'm still working on that, but I did get a table to do some scrapbooking and jewelry stuff on. So, that's helpful, especially since I have Dakota this week.

I'm at home for the moment, but I have to leave in a bit to go cover a meeting for my boss. Luckily, it's only a couple of blocks away, and there will be dinner, but I really just would like to be home tonight and finish my book. I'm so close - about 30 pages left! Then, I have to decide what to read next. Rearranging my apartment reminded me of exactly how many books I own that I haven't read.

I will probably bake again this week - snickerdoodles (yum!) and ginger snaps (yum!). That's my plan, anyway. Not tonight though, and not tomorrow night. Woo hoo, the work holiday party is tomorrow night. Should be fun, considering the last one I went to, I had only worked in my office for about, oh, one month. So, I didn't know anyone! Hard to have fun at that type of function...

Hopefully, this week isn't too stressful (it isn't so far!), and I can get some things done both in the office and at home. This weekend is going to be pretty busy. I'm helping out at Stuff the Bus for the Jaycees on Saturday, but not sure what time that I'll be out there (we'll be at the Wal-Mart, ugh, yeah, I know, in Eastwood Towne Center all day Saturday). Then, Sunday, our office is going to Wharton Center to see Spamalot. That makes me happy. I've heard it's funny, and how can you go wrong with Monty Python?

"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need..."

This has been a crappy week, period. I don't necessarily think that I can pinpoint why, except there were a lot of things that just didn't go how I would have liked. It's really strange how that happens.

Don't get me wrong. There have been a few good things that came out of this week - some good friends, my dog being here, and some cookies. But, for the most part, I've just been moping around and kind of a basketcase. It's been making it difficult for me to focus on anything for a long period of time, or even start, for that matter - whether it's reading my book, catching up on magazines, watching a movie, scrapbooking, jewelry making.

Plus, it's always hard to go back to work after being off for a week or so. It's hard to transition back into being productive, and I haven't done a very good job of that.

I've noticed in the last few months, that I am definitely not as ordered and organized as I used to be. In a way, I think that's a good thing, because I used to be really uptight. On the other hand, I feel like I've lost control of my life. It's hard to describe, but I feel like I used to have a better handle on things when I was making lists, had everything in order, etc. Now I just feel like my whole life is a mess - just check out my desk at work, or my apartment. That's not to say I've ever been the tidiest person ever - there's always been a method to my madness. However, I feel like I have lots more stuff lying around than I used to.

For those of you who know me now, and are thinking that I'm still uptight, take things too seriously or personally, or too organized, well, a few years back, I was a lot worse than I am now. I still do worry about a lot of things, have my own issues with myself, but it used to be much worse. I'm a lot more laid back now, but in a way, it's leaving me feeling really unorganized and not in control.

And, while I am reflecting, I've been thinking a lot lately about my personal issues. I've ALWAYS had issues with myself - I've either been a little chunky (middle school), been picked on about my last name (elementary school), been picked on for being smart (um, all through school), glasses (middle and high school), and had some guys in my life that have really made me think that I wasn't worth much. It's only recently that I'm realizing that a lot of those things have shaped who I am now. For the most part, I'm ok with being me. Though, sometimes there are things that I just wish I didn't feel compelled to do (such as trying to get attention, berate myself, etc.) You know how they say that you need to say 7 nice things to someone to cancel out 1 bad thing? I feel like I'm still trying to make up for all the bad things that I've heard said to me. Those seem to be the things that have stuck with me.

For example, two things I can think of - one is from high school, the other from college. The high school story is quite long, so I won't share it here, but the one from college that sticks with me is this one guy that I dated for awhile. I met him through a friend one night, and we dated for a few months. I can't even really remember how long it was at this point, but the one thing I remember for sure is the time he told me there was one thing he would change about me. My teeth. They weren't straight enough for him. Now, I know they're not completely straight, but I had never really thought about that before. But, since then, there are sometimes when I just look in the mirror and think about how I have crooked teeth. I think many of the incidents like this one are a big part of the reason that I have a hard time believing in myself, even though it's not anything that has happened recently. I wish I could forget them, but somehow, they've just seared into my mind.

So, I know I can be difficult, not sure of myself, self-deprecating, demanding, and a whole host of other things, but there are some reasons behind all that. Maybe not good reasons, but they are reasons.

Well, that turned into more rambling that I had originally intended on, but I certainly felt the need to vent a bit.

"I never thought it was such a bad little tree..."

"I just don't understand Christmas, I guess. I like getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed." - Charlie Brown



I'm fairly certain that Chuck got it right here. I really know of no other way to describe it than the above quote.

I've actually been quite uncharacteristic this week - I've baked cookies two nights in a row this week, and brought them into work. It's not like I was going to sit down and eat them all! I just felt compelled to bake, so that's what I did. I've had several people tell me I'm nesting. Sigh.

I'm not sure if it's just a combination of things right now, but I've had some trouble concentrating at work lately. My mind wanders elsewhere, and I just can't focus. In this respect, I just haven't done a whole lot. I know this - but it turned up in what I assume was supposed to be a joke toward the end of my day today. A co-worker of mine mused "Sometimes I wonder if you do any work." Ouch. I know that person probably meant it in a joking fashion, but man that statement ended up stinging. Even though I know I haven't been motivated at work, it still hurts when someone else comments on it. So, if anyone has some ideas for how to get me motivated at work again, please let me know.

It's just me and Dakota this week. I have grand plans to rearrange my apartment this weekend, throw out all the garbage, and do some reading. We'll see how productive I actually am.

A Happy Thanksgiving to all...

This won't be the most eloquent post, but I'm taking a few minutes out of my lazy time today to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Most of the day, I've taken time to reflect on the people in my life, and I am so grateful for them. I have many new friends who I am still getting to know and are becoming a big part of my life. There are also my old friends who have been around for the long haul that I won't forget. And, there are many great people that I wish I talked with more, but just don't. I'm thinking of all of you today.

"What kind of stupid question is that, Todd?"

So, another football Saturday in Ann Arbor has come and gone. Today was the big game - UM vs. OSU. I honestly wasn't expecting a whole lot, but the loss still stings. It would help if our offense showed up, but no such luck there. Today's MVP is Zolton Mesko. Not too promising when the punter is the best player on the field.

Now, for something that I've had a grievance about for quite awhile, but haven't ever put down. When going to a football game, there are certain things fans should and shouldn't wear. The following list is a compilation of things that I have seen today or at other games.

1) SHOULD: The colors of the team you are there to cheer for. For some reason, this just seems logical to me.

2) SHOULD NOT: All white. Especially when it's raining all day.

3) SHOULD NOT: Fur coats. Again, wouldn't the rain ruin it?

4) SHOULD: Lots of clothes when it's cold. Yeah, that's for the two guys in front of us without shirts on at the beginning of the game, who went and bought sweatshirts partway through the game.

5) SHOULD NOT: Team shirts that are baby blue or light pink. I don't care if you are a girl or not, wear your team colors (see #1).

6) SHOULD NOT: Team apparel from schools that aren't even playing. For example, wearing a Kansas sweatshirt at the Michigan/OSU game. Or, a Cinncinati jacket at the Michigan/OSU game. If you're going to do that, then give your ticket to someone that cares.


There is a 10am press conference scheduled for Monday morning. I expect that Lloyd Carr will be announcing his retirement, but that remains to be seen. I, for one, will be sad to see him go, but am happy that he will be allowed to leave under his accord.

"Let's never come here again because it will never be as much fun."

I think it finally hit me - I basically just fell off the face of the planet the last couple of months. When I look back, I really haven't done much! Well, ok, I have, but there are some things I have just neglected. I'm sure that happens for everyone at some point or another.

I'm finally starting to get back into the swing of things. Reading a new book, hanging out with people, watching movies. Now I have to start scrapbooking and making some jewelry again. I have all next week off, and I'm super excited about it!

This week, we're going to the UM/OSU game. ESPN Gameday will be there, and that means we'll be getting up extra early to go. I want to make a sign - does anyone have any ideas?

I got my haircut this past weekend. I don't have a good picture of it yet, but when I do, I'll post it. I really like how it turned out. It was a total of 6 inches that got snipped off! I felt weird the next day, using too much shampoo. Haha.

Off to go do some reading...

"I've just recently decided that the things we know aren't black and white."

The title of this blog is from the movie "Elizabethtown". Remembering it makes me want to watch the movie again, so maybe I'll do that this weekend.

Days like today make me feel like a total failure. I woke up late, have had a headache most of the day, and just downright didn't feel very well. I stuck it out at work for the rest of the day, but didn't feel productive at all. Then, of course, my night isn't very exciting. Me, food, TV, and my book. Woo hoo.

Lately, I've been starting to feel run down and unfocused. I can't quite figure out how to get myself to start doing anything again other than sleep. I want to scrapbook, make jewelry, read, but I just don't when I get home. I have been watching some movies, so I suppose that's a start. For awhile there, I was just hanging out and listening to my iPod.

I will also finally be getting my hair cut this weekend. It's been awhile, mostly because I'm lazy and couldn't afford to go. Haha. I'm really excited, because I think it will help.

Anyway, I'm sorry to anyone that I've come across and just been about as fun as a wet rag. I'm trying to snap out of my funk, but I probably haven't been all that fun to be around! Sigh.

It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!!!

Ah, yes, I can go to work on Monday. My team came through in a great effort yesterday to come from behind and beat MSU. GO BLUE!

I can't believe how much I've slept this weekend. I've gone to bed at 9:30 on both Friday and Saturday nights. However, Saturday morning, I got up at 8am, but this morning, I didn't roll out of bed until close to 11am (which before the time change would have been noon!) I guess this week took more out of me than I had thought. I slept pretty hard too - didn't wake up much, which was good.

I've got a lot of things I need to do this week, but I'm not sure that I will be able to get them all done. I'm hoping to write everything down today at some point, but with trying to get my laundry done before I go back to Lansing, I really don't feel like doing much else! I have to start getting motivated again...

Not only did we embarrass Marky Mark, we let down the Funky Bunch.

The title of this blog is from "Blades of Glory". I finally got to watch it last night. I have to say, I was entertained. I didn't have high hopes for it, as I usually don't tend to like those kind of movies the first time I watch them. However, it wasn't half bad.

Work has been crazy again lately, and I can only hope that after this week, things will calm down again. I've gotten through my first year working on one of the biggest budgets, and I feel like I've learned a lot. With that being said, I'm looking forward to having some time off before Thanksgiving. I'm sure I will be doing a lot of sleeping!

I really don't feel like I have a lot to update anyone on from recently. So, off I go!

In order to get to this point...

The last week or so has almost been a blur. Last weekend was the last couple of days of the month, which meant the Legislature had to come to a budget agreement. In which case, I spent 36 hours straight at work last weekend. It ended up being completely exhausting, but I'm really glad that I did it. First, I got to witness history in the making (it seems to be my trend this year. See: UM vs. Appalachian State.) I also got to see a lot of stuff that helped me understand the process. More importantly, in my opinion, I was able to spend a lot of time with my fellow staff members. For me, it's been a pretty good experience, because I don't get to see them all that much, being in different offices and all.

Which brings me to this point. I've been living in Lansing for almost two years (it will be at the end of the month). In the last few months, I've finally started to feel as though my life is there. I've gotten involved in the Jaycees more, I've made more connections at work, and I actually have things to do in the Lansing area other than sit and watch TV in my apartment.

So, in general, things are going pretty well. I feel like things are busy, but that's been good for me. I don't do very well when I'm bored!

Only liberals use libraries??

I like to pride myself on listening to other points of view and taking other people seriously, no matter if I agree with them or not. I went to dinner with a friend of mine from the opposite political viewpoint than mine. We were talking about the budget issues, and I probably said something offhanded, such as “Kids don’t need books, go ahead and cut those.” To which his response was, “Only liberals use the library.”

Now, I’ve been using the local libraries where I’ve lived for years – probably since I was a really little kid. I would have to say that I did this even when I wasn’t a liberal. I remember while in elementary school, I would ride my bike down to the local park in our area, and visit the Bookmobile every week. Each summer, they had a contest, where for each book you read, you would put a penny in this large jar. For each ten books you read, your name would be entered in a drawing for the amount of money that was in the jar at the end of the summer. One summer, I actually won the jar! While it was only $50, and I had to roll all the coins, I thought it was really cool. I read a ridiculous amount of books that summer, as I have all the time since.

It’s not that I don’t buy books. I have a ton, and they are overflowing in my apartment. I use the library a lot for books that I can’t find in the store, or just don’t really feel like buying, but can find at the library. I also use the library for CD’s and DVD’s. When I was looking for a place to cut my spending in order to make my budget more manageable, the library helped, because I can get entertainment there.

I’m not really sure that only liberals use the libraries. Kids, older folks, and people on a budget all use the library. They, or, at least all of the libraries I’ve been to, put on great programs for kids, book groups, and offer a variety of classes. I’ve been a long time library advocate, because they open up the world of reading to EVERYONE, no matter if they can afford to buy their own library full of books, like myself.

It's good to be home...

First and foremost - GO BLUE! I'm so happy we finally won today!

So, today, I slept in until 11:30am. I know that sounds insane, but when I got up, I realized how tired I've been. I was barely home this week, and when I was, I always had something going on - cleaning, scrapbooking, reading my book, or something else. And by the time I would get home, it wouldn't be too much longer before I went to bed. So, it was really nice to just lay in bed for a bit this morning and get some much needed rest before next week, which I think it going to be super long.

I finished watching season one of Bones on DVD this week. I love that show - I can't wait for the new season. I got hooked on it last year in the middle of the season. So, I still have to watch the first part of the second season. I'm looking forward to some of the new TV shows coming out - Dirty Sexy Money (I love Peter Krause!), Journeyman, Bionic Woman, and Private Practice. Which reminds me, I still have to finish watching season three of Grey's Anatomy. Sigh...so much to do, so little time!

An issue of humanity...

Yes, it’s an issue of humanity.

The budget issue is an issue of humanity. You may wonder why I say that. Over the weekend, I attended the Michigan Policy Summit, which was put on by the Michigan Prospect. We talked a little bit about health care, education, and clean energy – how these things all have implications of humanity behind them. I think everything the government does should be backed by humanity.

Tuesday, I sat through a presentation about cutting the budget. It totaled $1 billion in cuts. It made me physically sick, to say the least. The programs proposed to be cut were clearly the ones that many of our citizens use. I know that we get a lot of people who don’t want their taxes raised, and I can respect that. But what they don’t realize is that if funding is cut for things like the Department of Community Health, Department of Human Services, and the School Aid Fund, to name a few, the people of Michigan will not have much to offer. These cuts would be across the board and cut everything from libraries to child protective services to Medicaid services to home caretaker relatives. I understand that not everyone uses these programs. Seriously, I get that. However, we all benefit from these things. They make our society better – by providing quality education to all kids, our workforce is stronger. By providing health care to all, our kids have a better shot of learning in school and our workforce is able to go to work and is more reliable. Our libraries offer books, programs, videos, CDs, and other various things for the whole community to use.

Our society shouldn’t be about how to make the next dollar. It should be about providing our citizens with the tools they need in order to thrive in our state, not just merely survive. Sure, profits are a good thing – they drive business. But, if our people aren’t taken care of, those profit goals are harder to attain. We need to start investing in our people – ALL of our people. It’s the right thing to do.

That's right - the biggest upset EVER!!!!

So, for those of you that know me, you know I'm a Michigan grad. I've gone to football games every year since I started school there. Eric and I went today. Well....you know what happened. So depressing, yet, I'm not as bummed about it as I normally would be. I'm looking on the bright side - get the loss out of the way first. One loss does not equal an awful season. Then again, we'll see how I feel if we lose next week (which we better not, because Ducks suck.)

Which brings me to a pet peeve of mine. I think I already know the answer to it, but I don't like it. Why is it that there are certain programs, some in this state, that feel as though winning 10 or 11 games in a season isn't a success? Or, in basketball (yes, I'm talking about UM here), you don't give a guy enough time to recruit and build his own team (I love you Tommy!!!!). When there's no consistency in your program, it's really hard for it to be good. No one can come in and work miracles. The answer is money.

Now, I like Lloyd Carr. Yes, I just said it. I don't always agree with everything he decides on during games, but I like the way he coaches. There's a lot to be said for coaches preparing their teams for games. However, I feel there's a point where the team has to start taking responsibility for missed catches, fumbled balls, and just plain stupid split decisions (I'm talking to you Chad Henne...). A team is a team, not just a coach. And, a coach can prepare a team only so much - it's the players that have to execute.

Enough football - as we were heading to Ann Arbor this morning, I saw a Ron Paul 2008 sign on one of the overpasses near Jackson Rd. You have to understand that I love Ann Arbor - so liberal. So, I was kind of surprised to see this. Then again, not really. It got me thinking about how there are passionate groups about other candidates than Hillary or Barack or Rudy. Just because these candidates are making the most money, and the MEDIA is putting them at the top of the list, there are still other candidates out there. However, so many people don't take the time to learn the issues, learn about the candidates, or anything that would help them make an informed decision. They watch the media, and listen to the "lead" candidates, and then make their decision. There are lots of candidates that don't get any real media time, so how do they really have a chance when it feels like the media is deciding our candidates for us?

Alright, as I'm wiped out today, I'm going to wrap this up. And - GO BLUE!!!!!

You ever feel...

Like there's nothing you can do to help someone? A friend of mine, who recently found out she was pregnant, has been having problems this week. She went to the ER last night, and has now found out that she lost the baby. She called earlier, and I drove over to her house and hung out with her and her husband for a bit. But, I feel helpless - I wish there were more I could do for her.

Before that, I was really excited that it was finally vacation time!!!! This morning was the Lansing Jaycees Children's Shopping Spree. There was a big storm yesterday afternoon, around 4pm. During that time, I was still at work, but there was a tornado warning one county over. I ended up taking off from work so I didn't get stuck at work. Anyway, the storm knocked out the power at my apartment, so when I got home, nothing worked. I took a short nap, then tried to do as much stuff before dark as possible. Then I tried to fall asleep again. It took me until after midnight. Then, at 1:30am, my power went back on. Then I couldn't get back to sleep again. Then, my alarm rang at 6:15am....waaaay too early.

Off to the Shopping Spree - 3 of us ended up having only one kid, but it worked out great. He was an awesome kid, and we ended up getting him a whole bunch of stuff. After shopping, we went to McDonald's for breakfast.

Now, I'm back in Muskegon, and trying to unwind. I know I probably forgot to do something at work before I left for the week, but at the moment, I'm trying not to think about it. I'm just feeling this mix of feelings right now.

It's Not Unusual...

Last night I went to Hobby Lobby in order to scope out scrapbooking stuff for an album I’m going to make for Eric. He has a bunch of stuff from when he golfed in college – pictures, stats, newspaper clippings, etc. Anyway, they don’t make a lot of golf stuff, let me tell you. Then I was looking at all of the things they do have, and started wishing that I had taken more pictures of things when I was younger. I have vowed to be that parent that takes pictures ALL THE TIME. :-)

Then, this morning I started thinking about how much I’ve changed lately. Since when have I ever been crafty? Is this something that’s always been there, but I just never felt like dealing with it? I suspect not, but who knows. Maybe it’s just me getting old. I mean, I know I’ve become a very boring person (not that I was super exciting in the first place). I think that recently, I’ve just accepted that I’m a nerd, and I love it.

I don’t know – as we get older, things change. Our interests change, our friends and the kind of friends we have change. I mean, it’s not that I’m old yet, but things are just different. I know more people that are getting married or pregnant, you don’t hang out with people as much anymore. I have more people that I hang out with on a regular basis through work or something like the Jaycees. I still have my friends from high school that I keep in touch with, there are friends from college that have either drifted away or I’ve gotten back in touch with. At different ages, I think we expect different things from our friends. I know when I was younger, I had the same friends and hung out with them all the time. It’s very similar today, but it feels like there are fewer of those people. Then, there are your peripheral friends – people you keep in touch with, but don’t know the things that are going on daily in their lives. I think the internet has made it much easier to keep in touch with these friends – people you care about, but that are further away or super busy. And it’s ok to have those types of friends. Also, just because there are friends that drift away doesn’t mean we still don’t care for those people.

And with those thoughts, it’s time to go off to bed…

Some progress has been made...

Alright - well, here's the necklace for my boss. I still have to make the bracelet, which will be the same concept as the necklace. That's the project for tonight. That, and making the necklace slightly longer, since I adjusted wrong.

Also, I started working on my dog's scrapbook last night. I picked up the pictures at Meijer yesterday, and they turned out great. I finished one page, and then started another one, but haven't finished it yet.

Off to do things...

I'm sure I have better things to do!

That's right - I don't really feel like doing much at the moment except sitting on the couch. Now, granted, I did put dishes in the dishwasher, and there's laundry going. However, I haven't gotten much further than that today. I mean, I guess that's ok. Aren't the weekends for relaxing?

Yesterday felt like the longest day ever. First, it felt like a Sunday to me, since I had taken Friday off. So, I was just thrown off most of the day. Then, I went over to Eric's parents' house to help his mom take care of the two nephews (ages 2 years old and 3 months old). So, that wiped me out. I was over there until probably about 2:30pm, then got lunch, and went out to the mall area for a purse open house with his mom and brother's girlfriend. Luckily, I talked them into going to JoAnn's, and I got my book and stuff for Dakota's scrapbook. Now, I just have to get the pictures printed.

Also, this week is going to be consumed by a new project. I have been tasked with making my boss' birthday present. I was a little nervous about it at first, but that was when I wasn't sure what I was going to do. However, I went on Friday night to the Creative Fringe in Grand Haven and got some large turquoise pieces, chain, clasps, and I think I'm going to pair some tiger eye nuggets that I have with all of it. In my brain, it looks good, but we'll see how the actual product works out. In that case, I'm leaving the dog in Muskegon this week with Eric, because I wouldn't be productive with her around in Lansing.

I've kind of slowed down in the jewelry making. It's been a little frustrated for me, because a) I haven't sold anything on my webpage, b) I just haven't had any inspiration. I'm hoping that will change this week with my new project. I just hope that at some point, I can get something going.

Sometimes, I wish I were a dog...

This week at work was super slow and quiet. I'm glad that I decided to take tomorrow off. My plan is to take my car for an oil change, pick out some pictures to get printed off, and then run and get some stuff in order to do some scrapbooking. Ideally, I'd like to also get some reading done, and maybe watch a movie too. However, I doubt I'll end up doing all of that.

I'm having a little trouble being super motivated at work lately - I think it's partly because it's been so quiet - no phones ringing means that there aren't a whole lot of people to help. I've got myself pretty caught up with a few things I was behind in, and I'm still working on cleaning my office (I think this is going to be a fairly ongoing project!) It's just hard to be at work when I keep thinking of everything else I need to or could be doing.

In the last couple of weeks, I've had events going on (Jaycees, Planned Parenthood), and while I've been busy, I just don't feel like I have time to do other things (read, clean my apartment, watch a movie, etc.). But, if I didn't do my other activities, I would get totally bored. So, I guess I'm just trying to find a balance that works for me, but also trying to figure out how to manage my time better. I suspect that when I'm not working on other events, etc. I'm just lounging around and not doing a whole lot. Hmmm....

If you can dodge traffic, you can dodge a ball!

As I was driving this morning from Muskegon to Lansing, I thought of eight million things that I could write about. That usually happens, but then when I get in front of the computer, I can’t remember any of them. Well, today, it’s quite the opposite.

First, I recently paid off my car. That’s right – the 2000 Ford Taurus with the smashed in bumper (right side only) and the bumpersticker that’s not centered is all paid off! I love my car, it has its quirks, but it has gone many miles with me (I’ve put approx. 95,000 miles on it since I got it 5 years ago). So it’s nice to have it paid off, because it frees up that money to be used elsewhere.

Speaking of, this should be the first month in which my finances should come back into order. Things have been crazy the last couple of months, and I sat down and made a plan (thanks Suze Orman!) I’m really looking forward to it.

Then, while I was getting ready this morning, I bent over to pick something up, and my back has hurt ever since. I must have pulled something, but I certainly can’t walk normally! I feel like I’m shuffling along today. Just a little slower than usual…

The other thing I’ve been thinking about is a blog entry a friend of mine wrote. I really appreciated what he had to say about politics and religion, and how people with very different political viewpoints can hold the same beliefs in religion and the church. Now, I’m not super familiar with the whole religion and church thing – to be honest, I have never really gone to church (unless you count going with friends once or twice). I’m not totally into the organized religion thing – I guess I’ve always felt as though it’s a private thing, between you and God (or whomever you choose to believe in).

In the past, I’ve really been turned off from the church, mostly because of what I don’t know about it, but also because of what tends to be spewed out about beliefs that people hold. I’ve always felt like God would think I’m a good person, and that’s all that matters – but the members of the Church would probably not be able to see that.

Of course, what made me have some hope was this particular blog and the point that there is room for differing opinions in the church, and we all can get along and love each other. Isn’t that what God would do? Maybe I have a very narrow mind about religion, but I would think that, regardless of our beliefs, God would accept each and every one of us, no questions asked. He would want the best for all of us, regardless of our race, sex, sexual orientation, or what we’ve done in the past.

Anyway, it’s good to know there are people out there that can listen to and understand other viewpoints, not just attack those that hold them.

Funny - I just can't seem to stay on one subject...for those who are reading, sorry for the randomness!

Movie weekend and a four day week!

So, this weekend involved lots of movie watching and sitting on the couch. I'm clearly ok with that. We watched both "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy" on Saturday, and went to the movies to see "The Bourne Ultimatum" today. I really liked it, and I have to say that this trilogy is one of my favorites. All of the movies are great, and equally entertaining.

I'm taking Friday off this week, and I'm really looking forward to it. However, there are still three more work weeks until it's time for vacation. I can't wait to get to somewhere other than Lansing or Muskegon. I've never really taken a real vacation either, so I think that will be fun to just get away.

Tomorrow night I'm heading out with some of the Jaycees to Smokey Bones for dinner, then we're going to see "The Simpsons Movie". I'm clearly excited, and maybe it will help me get over my Spider Pig obsession. :-)

I've seen quite a few movies this summer, which is unusual for me. But, since we had a gift card for movies, and also found a place with $3 matinees, it's been quite inexpensive to see movies. I think there's quite a few more movies I wanted to see this year.

Hopefully this week will go by quickly! I live for the weekends lately...

Keep 'em in your thoughts...

First and foremost in my mind right now is the tragedy in Minneapolis. My thoughts are with the victims, missing, and their families.

Last night on NBC Nightly News, there was, what I thought, a great broadcast regarding the bridge incident. They covered it from many angles, including the first responders, victims, and also the national realm. One thing that really moved me was a story on a bus full of kids coming back from a water park, and the camp counselor who helped get them to safety.

There was also a part where they reported on bridges throughout the country and their safety levels. According to the newscast, it is estimated that to fix all the bridges in the country would cost approximately $65 billion. Now, working in state government, my first question is - who's going to pay for it?

My gut feeling is that there are going to be a lot of citizens calling for these bridges to be repaired. So where does that leave lawmakers? Well, at the state level here in Michigan, we're having a large budget crisis. Who is going to pay for it? The taxpayers? Well, that's how it should be, but of course, many citizens want things, but don't necessarily want to pay for them.

Personally, I believe there's going to be a need for increased revenue in Michigan in order to address many issues that the citizens of the state deem necessary. However, I also think there are more efficient ways to do some of the things the state funds, but long term reforms are just that - long term. In order to put long term reforms in place, we need to take care of the current issue, but while doing that, we need to look at ways to save money. To me, the most difficult part of this is keeping the humanity involved - not cutting those programs that are critical to our citizens, such as police, fire, cities, townships, after school programs, children's health insurance (and my list could go on and on...). We also need to frame this issue in a way that people understand if revenue is not brought in, these services will be gone, and they'll have to pay for it elsewhere (tuition increases, car repairs because of bad roads, etc.)

Alrighty - I just realized I went off on a huge diatribe there...but this issue is one that has kind of taken over my life and the way that I look at things. This current tragedy in Minneapolis just sparked a fire under me...

Reserving judgements is a matter of infinite hope.

Alright, well, I'm writing because it's so dead quiet in here today. I can't even believe how quiet it's been this week. However, tomorrow should be busy, so that makes me happy. And, tomorrow is TRIVIA NIGHT!!!! YAY! I'm so excited and I hope it goes well.

It's been hard for me to be motivated recently, especially at work. That's probably because it's been so quiet though. Plus, it's not like I have a ton of money to go out and do things. So, it's just been me, my books, and my TV for awhile. Another week until pay day again, and then I can go do something. LOL.

I have decided that I might be a bad luck charm for baseball teams. I went to the Tigers game a week or so ago, and they lost by a lot. Last night, I went to the Lugnuts game with the refugee mentoring program, and they lost by a lot. Maybe it just means that I should stick with watching football, golf, and curling (which I was told today is the stupidest sport ever - I love it!)

I got home late last night, but the apartment was so quiet, since I don't have the dog this week. Not that she's typically loud, but I definitely know when she's there. Usually because a dog is jumping in my lap every couple of minutes. :-)

Time to go back to my slow life...and reading the newspapers!

Spider-Pig, Spider-Pig...

From last night...

And again, it's Sunday night and I don't want to go back to work tomorrow. I know I have a three day weekend coming up soon, but I just never feel like I get enough done in two days. I had a lot of laundry to do this weekend, and we also babysat the three month old nephew last night, so it just doesn't feel like there's been time for much else.
This week should be pretty busy - we have session on Wednesday, but I'm going to the Lansing Lugnuts game tomorrow night, then Tuesday night we're having a last minute Trivia Night meeting, then Wednesday night is Trivia Night! I'm such a nerd, because I'm so excited about it.
Last week, one of the events I've been involved in planning finally happened and went well. Planned Parenthood Young Leaders of the Lansing area hosted a cocktail fundraiser, and we had a great turnout, nice venue, and it was just an all around good time. Thanks to everyone that came out!!! Don't worry, we'll do it again soon.
We finally made our reservations to go up north at the end of August. It's not going to be the most exciting vacation, but it's getting us away from work, so it's good enough for me! I just want some time for some rest and not have to worry about anything else. I know as the time gets closer, I'll be getting more excited for the trip.
Well, off to finish packing for the trek back to Lansing in the morning...