I know few people besides me care about this, BUT this past week I swam with my face in the water with only my goggles. I left my nose-plugger-dohicky in my going-to-the-pool bag and swam like a normal person. A lot. 500 yards alone on Friday.
YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!
In a little less than 3 weeks I managed to overcome a life-long paranoia. Not bad.
Now that I've taken care of my swimming problem, what should I tackle next? In three weeks can I find a new job? Meet some new people? Find a church and fully accept God the way I feel I want to?
The possibilities are endless!
Love!
~g
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Happenings
So, since my last post I have:
Love!
~g
- Worked a two-day stint in another Cedar Rapids store
- Met the regional manager who oversees my district manager who oversees my boss who oversees my store and therefore me
- Had the belts on my car replaced
- Applied for several more jobs
- Swam with my face fully in the water thanks to goggles and a not-so-attractive-but-quite-ingenious-nose-squeezer-shutter-thingy-mabob
- Had a customer write to corporate about how awesome I am
- Begun following this man's journey (you should, too... it's fantastic)
- Caught up in my daily journal, although I went on such a break from it there are about 4 days that have nothing written because I can't remember what happened on those days
- Pulled together an event for my store that will take place next Tuesday, June 22
- Made an eHarmony profile even though I don't have a full account because a) I'm not sure if I think online dating is worth it and b) because it's freaking expensive
- Passed the 4-month mark of not drinking any pop/cola/soda/whatever
Love!
~g
Friday, June 4, 2010
Auction
I found myself at an estate auction today. A friend of mine was interested in the car that was to be auctioned off and asked if I would drive him to the auction on the off-chance he ended up buying the car. I had nothing going on so it wasn't a big deal to take him.
We arrived with plenty of time for him to check out the car and get registered as a bidder. We had about half an hour to kill before the car was auctioned, so we split up and walked around and looked at all of the other items for sale.
I found myself enamored with a box full of old postcards, many of which were sent in the early 1900s. The addresses were interesting, as most of the oldest postcards simply had a name, a city, and state. There were no house numbers or post office box numbers and no zip codes. Many had one-cent stamps. What intrigued me the most, however, were the messages. Most were simple, "How are you doing?" inquiries. Others were to let a loved one know that they had arrived safely at their destination. One was a check-in with the parents from a child traveling abroad (the writer had sauerkraut for dinner in Germany). One was clearly written by a child to another child, and it didn't take much to imagine that that postcard was probably the first mail each child sent and received in their lifetime, respectively.
Besides the history and the snippets of people's lives those postcards held, what attracted me the most was that the messages we send each other haven't changed much in the past century; only the methods of delivery have evolved. Today, rather than a postcard that takes a week or more to arrive, we send texts, we post on Facebook or Twitter, we shoot off an email, and so forth. Still, what we are letting others know is that we are alright or that we are thinking of them. It's comforting to know that at our core we have not changed much as a species.
The box also had a small, postcard size, handmade, 4-page book that tracked the attendance of the book's owner at Sunday school. The year written on the top of the first page was 1904. For the record, whomever the book belonged to had perfect Sunday attendance 3 months in a row.
When I finally tore myself away from the postcards I turned to the table behind me, only to discover a "Stephenson's Teachers Examination Question and Answer Book" from 1933. The amount of material this book held was phenomenal! I spent 18 years of my life in school and I probably don't know half of the information in that book. It covered everything from physics to penmanship.
Two pages of the book caught my eye, prompting me to take out my cell phone and get a picture of each page. Each held a poem that I wanted to remember. The first reminded me of Grandpa Kole and Aunt Renee. The second I just really liked.
MY TRUST
I am a teacher -
And trusting, childish eyes
Look unto me confidently,
Their little hands in mine,
To follow me, to anywhere.
Be my way high or low or middle ground
They follow.
Oh, let me feel
What mighty trust is mine!
I am a teacher -
And ardent, restless longing youth
Look unto me expectantly,
Fulfillment of their dreams to aid.
As I lead they follow.
Oh, let me take the upper road
Leading to the heights
And they must follow.
A mighty trust is mine!
Once there was
Known throughout the ages
And over all the world -
The Great Teacher,
Who leads forever to the Light.
His name I bear.
Oh, wondrous thought
That challenges my highest, best.
I am a teacher.
~Caroline S. Woodruff
COURAGE
If fate should steal your happiness
And take it far away,
And then return expectantly
To watch you weep and pray;
Just hold your head up well, dear
And face the threatening years;
Drink the bitter cups she gives,
And smile through all your tears.
Fate knows no law, nor justice,
Nor cares what heart she breaks;
To him who hath enough she gives,
From him who hath naught, takes.
So run your race with lifted head,
And take things like a man;
Don't grieve if Fortune fails you,
You've done the best you can.
I must admit, I am a bit angry with myself for not registering for a number and bidding on both the box of postcards and the teacher book. Live and learn, I guess. Still, it was a fun way to spend an hour and a great exercise in imagine.
Love!
~g
We arrived with plenty of time for him to check out the car and get registered as a bidder. We had about half an hour to kill before the car was auctioned, so we split up and walked around and looked at all of the other items for sale.
I found myself enamored with a box full of old postcards, many of which were sent in the early 1900s. The addresses were interesting, as most of the oldest postcards simply had a name, a city, and state. There were no house numbers or post office box numbers and no zip codes. Many had one-cent stamps. What intrigued me the most, however, were the messages. Most were simple, "How are you doing?" inquiries. Others were to let a loved one know that they had arrived safely at their destination. One was a check-in with the parents from a child traveling abroad (the writer had sauerkraut for dinner in Germany). One was clearly written by a child to another child, and it didn't take much to imagine that that postcard was probably the first mail each child sent and received in their lifetime, respectively.
Besides the history and the snippets of people's lives those postcards held, what attracted me the most was that the messages we send each other haven't changed much in the past century; only the methods of delivery have evolved. Today, rather than a postcard that takes a week or more to arrive, we send texts, we post on Facebook or Twitter, we shoot off an email, and so forth. Still, what we are letting others know is that we are alright or that we are thinking of them. It's comforting to know that at our core we have not changed much as a species.
The box also had a small, postcard size, handmade, 4-page book that tracked the attendance of the book's owner at Sunday school. The year written on the top of the first page was 1904. For the record, whomever the book belonged to had perfect Sunday attendance 3 months in a row.
When I finally tore myself away from the postcards I turned to the table behind me, only to discover a "Stephenson's Teachers Examination Question and Answer Book" from 1933. The amount of material this book held was phenomenal! I spent 18 years of my life in school and I probably don't know half of the information in that book. It covered everything from physics to penmanship.
Two pages of the book caught my eye, prompting me to take out my cell phone and get a picture of each page. Each held a poem that I wanted to remember. The first reminded me of Grandpa Kole and Aunt Renee. The second I just really liked.
MY TRUST
I am a teacher -
And trusting, childish eyes
Look unto me confidently,
Their little hands in mine,
To follow me, to anywhere.
Be my way high or low or middle ground
They follow.
Oh, let me feel
What mighty trust is mine!
I am a teacher -
And ardent, restless longing youth
Look unto me expectantly,
Fulfillment of their dreams to aid.
As I lead they follow.
Oh, let me take the upper road
Leading to the heights
And they must follow.
A mighty trust is mine!
Once there was
Known throughout the ages
And over all the world -
The Great Teacher,
Who leads forever to the Light.
His name I bear.
Oh, wondrous thought
That challenges my highest, best.
I am a teacher.
~Caroline S. Woodruff
COURAGE
If fate should steal your happiness
And take it far away,
And then return expectantly
To watch you weep and pray;
Just hold your head up well, dear
And face the threatening years;
Drink the bitter cups she gives,
And smile through all your tears.
Fate knows no law, nor justice,
Nor cares what heart she breaks;
To him who hath enough she gives,
From him who hath naught, takes.
So run your race with lifted head,
And take things like a man;
Don't grieve if Fortune fails you,
You've done the best you can.
I must admit, I am a bit angry with myself for not registering for a number and bidding on both the box of postcards and the teacher book. Live and learn, I guess. Still, it was a fun way to spend an hour and a great exercise in imagine.
Love!
~g
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
My cat is ridiculous
I don't like to exercise. I want to be healthy and toned without having to get all sweaty and hot and gross. If I can't look and feel the way I'd like to naturally (and lets face it, I will forever be fighting my chubby thighs) then I would at least like to get some measure of enjoyment out of whatever exercise I actually do.
Enter swimming. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise, as it combines cardio with resistance. The bonus? I don't fell all hot and gross, and if I get all sweaty I can't tell since I'm immersed in water and therefore wet everywhere. And the best aspect of all? I enjoy being in the water.
Now, admittedly, my swim style is a bit odd. Due, I believe, to a childhood incident involving a hotel pool and an accidental fall into the 5-foot end when I myself stood only about 3 feet tall, I have a paranoia of sorts of putting my face in the water without first plugging my nose. I suppose the greater fear there is drowning, but I don't fear the water itself and I am confident in my abilities to keep myself afloat. There's just something about my face in the water that sends me into a panic. So I swim with correct form - cupped hands, kicking legs, turned body, etc. - but I do it all with my face held out of the water. I'm sure I look a bit funny, but it works for me.
I have been feeling the urge to be active and to live healthier much more lately, which is why yesterday I bought a season pass to the Waverly swimming pool and why I got up today at 6 a.m. to lap swim. Waverly is about 10 miles away and has a decent pool. While Denver does have a pool, it's pretty crappy and, if the rules are the same as what they were when I was a child, you can only swim at the Denver pool 3 times a season unless you are a member of the country club. Elitism exists everywhere I guess, including a small Iowa town with only about 2000 residents.
Waverly is much more welcoming, as I didn't even have to prove residency in Waverly to qualify for a season pass. The pool is of the outdoor variety, but I'm fairly certain it's heated. They have lap swim every weekday morning from 6-7:30 a.m., at which I am planning on becoming a regular. This will allow me to stick to an exercise schedule that will never be altered, despite my work schedule. Overall, I think this will be a very good thing for me.
In other news, the job search continues and my current job remains just a job. I am actually quite good at sales and I believe my manager and district manager have been impressed with my performance. Last week was a bit fun and different for me since I worked in several stores that were not my own, including a Cedar Rapids store. Many store managers are taking a week of vacation right around now, and their own staff is not enough to cover all of the shifts, so assistant managers are shared among stores.
I worked in the Cedar Falls store on Sunday and a Cedar Rapids store on Monday. Cedar Falls was nothing new as I have guest managed there several times, but Cedar Rapids was an entirely new experience and really quite fun. I was in a CJ Banks store (the plus line) rather than a Christopher & Banks. My home store carries both lines, although the CJ portion is limited, and I have become the store expert on all things CJ. My day in Cedar Rapids was first and foremost to help out, but it was also training for me since I could finally see all of the CJ merchandise in person. I had a blast, had experiences that will allow me to talk about how versatile and adaptable I am whenever I do get a job interview, and I got paid both mileage and driving time. Overall not a bad day of work.
I am still very happy with my new laptop. I've had it about a month now, which I find hard to believe, and have yet to really personalize it and make it distinctly mine. I am sure that will come in time as I use it. There are a few things I really like and a few things I really don't like, but overall my reaction has been simply satisfaction and familiarity.
I am thoroughly unexciting, as I have not posted in a month and have already run out of news. Oi. I need a life.
Love!
~g
Enter swimming. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise, as it combines cardio with resistance. The bonus? I don't fell all hot and gross, and if I get all sweaty I can't tell since I'm immersed in water and therefore wet everywhere. And the best aspect of all? I enjoy being in the water.
Now, admittedly, my swim style is a bit odd. Due, I believe, to a childhood incident involving a hotel pool and an accidental fall into the 5-foot end when I myself stood only about 3 feet tall, I have a paranoia of sorts of putting my face in the water without first plugging my nose. I suppose the greater fear there is drowning, but I don't fear the water itself and I am confident in my abilities to keep myself afloat. There's just something about my face in the water that sends me into a panic. So I swim with correct form - cupped hands, kicking legs, turned body, etc. - but I do it all with my face held out of the water. I'm sure I look a bit funny, but it works for me.
I have been feeling the urge to be active and to live healthier much more lately, which is why yesterday I bought a season pass to the Waverly swimming pool and why I got up today at 6 a.m. to lap swim. Waverly is about 10 miles away and has a decent pool. While Denver does have a pool, it's pretty crappy and, if the rules are the same as what they were when I was a child, you can only swim at the Denver pool 3 times a season unless you are a member of the country club. Elitism exists everywhere I guess, including a small Iowa town with only about 2000 residents.
Waverly is much more welcoming, as I didn't even have to prove residency in Waverly to qualify for a season pass. The pool is of the outdoor variety, but I'm fairly certain it's heated. They have lap swim every weekday morning from 6-7:30 a.m., at which I am planning on becoming a regular. This will allow me to stick to an exercise schedule that will never be altered, despite my work schedule. Overall, I think this will be a very good thing for me.
In other news, the job search continues and my current job remains just a job. I am actually quite good at sales and I believe my manager and district manager have been impressed with my performance. Last week was a bit fun and different for me since I worked in several stores that were not my own, including a Cedar Rapids store. Many store managers are taking a week of vacation right around now, and their own staff is not enough to cover all of the shifts, so assistant managers are shared among stores.
I worked in the Cedar Falls store on Sunday and a Cedar Rapids store on Monday. Cedar Falls was nothing new as I have guest managed there several times, but Cedar Rapids was an entirely new experience and really quite fun. I was in a CJ Banks store (the plus line) rather than a Christopher & Banks. My home store carries both lines, although the CJ portion is limited, and I have become the store expert on all things CJ. My day in Cedar Rapids was first and foremost to help out, but it was also training for me since I could finally see all of the CJ merchandise in person. I had a blast, had experiences that will allow me to talk about how versatile and adaptable I am whenever I do get a job interview, and I got paid both mileage and driving time. Overall not a bad day of work.
I am still very happy with my new laptop. I've had it about a month now, which I find hard to believe, and have yet to really personalize it and make it distinctly mine. I am sure that will come in time as I use it. There are a few things I really like and a few things I really don't like, but overall my reaction has been simply satisfaction and familiarity.
I am thoroughly unexciting, as I have not posted in a month and have already run out of news. Oi. I need a life.
Love!
~g
Monday, May 3, 2010
Gone and done it
Oi. I'm a bit ashamed I used Shania Twain lyrics for my post title, but it's what popped into my head as I contemplated the contents of this post.
Anyway, what did I go and do? I went and bought a new laptop! Yes, after a year of thinking about it and complaining about my old laptop and even going a few months without a computer of my own before my old laptop decided it was a zombie, I finally bit the bullet and invested in a new computer.
I did plenty of research on my own and relied heavily on the input of family members who know far more about these things than I, and in the end I decided to stick with the Toshiba brand. I basically got a much newer, much faster, much better version of the laptop I have been using for the last 5+ years. If you are curious, I bought this. Also, in case you are curious, I paid a lot less than what it says it normally costs.
The touch pad is much different than what I am used to. Similarly, so is the keyboard and general layout, but I am sure it won't take me long to get used to. With Justin's help I have already gotten it massive protected with various anti-virus/anti-spyware/anti-whatever programs. Surprisingly, the computer was not loaded down with a whole bunch of unnecessary programs, so cleaning up the system did not take that long. From this point forward it is more a matter of figuring out what I don't have versus figuring out what I don't need. I also need to get used to Windows 7 since my old system is running XP Home and I never dealt much with Vista.
So far I'm happy with the purchase. I'm glad I was able to hold out for as long as I did, but I no longer wanted to deal with a computer that would randomly shut down with no warning and that would refuse to boot Windows, if it attempted to boot at all.
Other than the computer there is not much newsworthy going on in my life. I did buy a new set of sheets last week. I was actually pretty proud of that particular transaction, since I got a set of 400 thread count "luxury" sheets for $28, marked down from $110. Talk about being in the right store at the right time looking for the right item. And to top it off they are even pretty!
Work continues to simply be work, although recently I have been given a lot more responsibility over a particular aspect of our store. Our store is only one of 30 in the entire company that carries both the missy and plus lines in the same location. I have been given responsibility of the plus line... everything from coming up with ways to market it to setting sales goals to monitoring new item arrivals online and being the most knowledgeable person in the store about the plus line. It's nice to have my own niche and truly feel like I am a productive and meaningful member of the team and not just someone who puts in the hours to get the paycheck.
It is unbelievable to me how quickly this year seems to be going. I don't update my blog very much lately and feel there are two reasons for it. First, I really don't feel like I have much, if anything, to write about. Second, time passes by so quickly I don't realize three weeks have gone by since I made a new post. I suppose it's better to be busy than not.
On that note, the rest of the week is shaping up to be pretty hectic, which means actually sticking to a somewhat reasonable sleep schedule. I need to head to bed even though it means I can't play with my new laptop any longer tonight. Sad face.
Love!
~g
Anyway, what did I go and do? I went and bought a new laptop! Yes, after a year of thinking about it and complaining about my old laptop and even going a few months without a computer of my own before my old laptop decided it was a zombie, I finally bit the bullet and invested in a new computer.
I did plenty of research on my own and relied heavily on the input of family members who know far more about these things than I, and in the end I decided to stick with the Toshiba brand. I basically got a much newer, much faster, much better version of the laptop I have been using for the last 5+ years. If you are curious, I bought this. Also, in case you are curious, I paid a lot less than what it says it normally costs.
The touch pad is much different than what I am used to. Similarly, so is the keyboard and general layout, but I am sure it won't take me long to get used to. With Justin's help I have already gotten it massive protected with various anti-virus/anti-spyware/anti-whatever programs. Surprisingly, the computer was not loaded down with a whole bunch of unnecessary programs, so cleaning up the system did not take that long. From this point forward it is more a matter of figuring out what I don't have versus figuring out what I don't need. I also need to get used to Windows 7 since my old system is running XP Home and I never dealt much with Vista.
So far I'm happy with the purchase. I'm glad I was able to hold out for as long as I did, but I no longer wanted to deal with a computer that would randomly shut down with no warning and that would refuse to boot Windows, if it attempted to boot at all.
Other than the computer there is not much newsworthy going on in my life. I did buy a new set of sheets last week. I was actually pretty proud of that particular transaction, since I got a set of 400 thread count "luxury" sheets for $28, marked down from $110. Talk about being in the right store at the right time looking for the right item. And to top it off they are even pretty!
Work continues to simply be work, although recently I have been given a lot more responsibility over a particular aspect of our store. Our store is only one of 30 in the entire company that carries both the missy and plus lines in the same location. I have been given responsibility of the plus line... everything from coming up with ways to market it to setting sales goals to monitoring new item arrivals online and being the most knowledgeable person in the store about the plus line. It's nice to have my own niche and truly feel like I am a productive and meaningful member of the team and not just someone who puts in the hours to get the paycheck.
It is unbelievable to me how quickly this year seems to be going. I don't update my blog very much lately and feel there are two reasons for it. First, I really don't feel like I have much, if anything, to write about. Second, time passes by so quickly I don't realize three weeks have gone by since I made a new post. I suppose it's better to be busy than not.
On that note, the rest of the week is shaping up to be pretty hectic, which means actually sticking to a somewhat reasonable sleep schedule. I need to head to bed even though it means I can't play with my new laptop any longer tonight. Sad face.
Love!
~g
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Phases
I have been going through music phases recently. For awhile I was pulling up Muse on my iPod whenever I drove to and from work. Before that it was Mary Chapin Carpenter's "The Calling" album. Of late, however, my attention has been held by Flogging Molly. One song, in particular, drew me and I thought I would share.
Love!
~g
Love!
~g
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Interpretation
My only Easter tradition is watching "The Ten Commandments" on television on Easter Eve. Wait, I eat a lot of Cadbury Creme Eggs as well, so maybe I have two Easter traditions. Either way, this post is about the movie.
Due to my work schedule this Easter Eve, I missed 3/4 of the movie this year. Thanks to my father, however, I did not really miss anything since he was sending me text messages throughout my evening at work, keeping me updated on what was happening in the movie. The texts, along with being much appreciated by myself, were also hilarious and therefore I felt it appropriate to share them with the rest of you. Enjoy!
"The movie has started - update: Momma sent Mighty Mo down the river in his own little ark & Maid Miriam salvaged the cargo."
"Update: Hey Mo just brought the Ethiopians to Ramses and they all got jiggy during an Egyptian rave..."
"Latest: Mo just earned his merit badge for helping a little old lady avoid a big rock..."
"And then: Ramses the First just ordered ancient Egyptian beer for his horses he rides at dawn to check out all the shenanigans and goings on in the Land O' Goshen."
"Meanwhile, back at the palace, Mo & Nefi are competing for "Best Over-Acting Oscar"..."
"So Mo met his real Momma, embraced his Hebrewness and broke into song - "I Gotta Be Me...""
"Mo's hangin' with his peeps, stompin' out the Mud Pit Blues..."
"You missed the HWF (Hebrew Wrestling Foundation) Grudge Match - Mo vs. Malachites at Midian Square Well..."
"Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty sure the dancing daughters of Jethro are wearing weaves..."
(I was only a few blocks from home when I received the prior text. I tuned in just in time to see Ramses free the Hebrews. I sent Dad a text that said, "Woot! Freedom!")
"Yeah, but only after he whups Ramses the Bald's butt... amazing that God spoke in King James English. And you gotta love the new do..."
The messages died off after that, since I was watching the movie finally and was very current on what was happening.
Thanks for helping me out, Dad! Definitely a fun night.
Happy Easter to all. Much love!
~g
Due to my work schedule this Easter Eve, I missed 3/4 of the movie this year. Thanks to my father, however, I did not really miss anything since he was sending me text messages throughout my evening at work, keeping me updated on what was happening in the movie. The texts, along with being much appreciated by myself, were also hilarious and therefore I felt it appropriate to share them with the rest of you. Enjoy!
"The movie has started - update: Momma sent Mighty Mo down the river in his own little ark & Maid Miriam salvaged the cargo."
"Update: Hey Mo just brought the Ethiopians to Ramses and they all got jiggy during an Egyptian rave..."
"Latest: Mo just earned his merit badge for helping a little old lady avoid a big rock..."
"And then: Ramses the First just ordered ancient Egyptian beer for his horses he rides at dawn to check out all the shenanigans and goings on in the Land O' Goshen."
"Meanwhile, back at the palace, Mo & Nefi are competing for "Best Over-Acting Oscar"..."
"So Mo met his real Momma, embraced his Hebrewness and broke into song - "I Gotta Be Me...""
"Mo's hangin' with his peeps, stompin' out the Mud Pit Blues..."
"You missed the HWF (Hebrew Wrestling Foundation) Grudge Match - Mo vs. Malachites at Midian Square Well..."
"Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty sure the dancing daughters of Jethro are wearing weaves..."
(I was only a few blocks from home when I received the prior text. I tuned in just in time to see Ramses free the Hebrews. I sent Dad a text that said, "Woot! Freedom!")
"Yeah, but only after he whups Ramses the Bald's butt... amazing that God spoke in King James English. And you gotta love the new do..."
The messages died off after that, since I was watching the movie finally and was very current on what was happening.
Thanks for helping me out, Dad! Definitely a fun night.
Happy Easter to all. Much love!
~g
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Niece Norah
I/We had the wonderful opportunity to spend days on end with Norah this past week. While we video chat with Marshall, Sarah, and Norah often, it's hard to really get to know her and her personality and preferences over a video feed. While I would never wish the circumstances on anyone that led to Norah spending several days in our home, I was grateful for the time we had with her.
I learned the following:
The camera was close enough to her that she was intrigued and pointing. I think her finger was actually on the lense when I hit the shutter release.
I teach my niece wonderful manners. Her fingers tasted like the maple cinnamon snack she had just finished.
Most of my pictures with Norah I took myself. Overall this one was the best.
The giant mirror in our front room was cause for a lot of smiles and laughs. Yes, she is laughing in this picture. And being super excited and waving to herself.
Play time with Great-Grandma Mabon!
So pretty! And such a sweet personality.
Norah was quite intrigued by my cat, Tucker. I must say, he was less than impressed with her, but that may have had something to do with the noises she made and the fact that my normal amount of petting and cuddling was reduced during the week. Whenever he came near Norah, though, she would get very intent on him and try to touch him. As for Tucker, he's never been around a small child so he spent most of the week alternately being curious and hiding.
Climbing up my lap our first day together.
She is impossible not to love. Saying goodbye to her was hard, but I know her parents were thrilled to have her back, and I am betting the feeling was mutual on her part. I'm looking forward to her visit in July and getting to know her all over again!
Love!
~g
I learned the following:
- Norah is incredibly curious about her world and seeks to understand new or different things. A common word in our house for the past week was, "Point!" because that is what she would do. We would pick her up and get her settled and she would look around, then point to something. We would walk her over to whatever she was pointing at, let her examine it, and then repeat the procedure with the next point.
- Music makes Norah boogy, especially her butt. She went the most hardcore to Genesis' "Invisible Touch."
- Norah self-soothes very well. She likes to interact with those around her but she is equally comfortable sitting alone and talking to herself.
- Books are one of Norah's favorite toys. She knows the front from the back, as well right side up, and she is very precise in turning the pages. She knows where her favorite pages are in each of her books and can turn right to them.
- Norah definitely has a preference for her right side.
The camera was close enough to her that she was intrigued and pointing. I think her finger was actually on the lense when I hit the shutter release.
I teach my niece wonderful manners. Her fingers tasted like the maple cinnamon snack she had just finished.
Most of my pictures with Norah I took myself. Overall this one was the best.
The giant mirror in our front room was cause for a lot of smiles and laughs. Yes, she is laughing in this picture. And being super excited and waving to herself.
Play time with Great-Grandma Mabon!
So pretty! And such a sweet personality.
Norah was quite intrigued by my cat, Tucker. I must say, he was less than impressed with her, but that may have had something to do with the noises she made and the fact that my normal amount of petting and cuddling was reduced during the week. Whenever he came near Norah, though, she would get very intent on him and try to touch him. As for Tucker, he's never been around a small child so he spent most of the week alternately being curious and hiding.
Climbing up my lap our first day together.She is impossible not to love. Saying goodbye to her was hard, but I know her parents were thrilled to have her back, and I am betting the feeling was mutual on her part. I'm looking forward to her visit in July and getting to know her all over again!
Love!
~g
Friday, March 12, 2010
Invasion
I feel pretty confident saying spring is nearly here. We've warmed up into the 50s and even some 60s, the majority of the snow has melted, and once again little streams and normally quiet creeks have turned into swollen, swift rivers. There is also a rash of new lakes where fields normally are. Basically, it is the normal spring invasion of water. I don't mind, though, because it means spring is here!
To prove the point I drove with the windows down today. And I saw (and more importantly, heard) my first Harley of the season.
I am officially a dork.
News from my life:
Was the location of the family reunion ever decided/booked?
Love!
~g
To prove the point I drove with the windows down today. And I saw (and more importantly, heard) my first Harley of the season.
I am officially a dork.
News from my life:
- Received a rejection letter from a job for which I thought I was at least guaranteed an interview.
- Had the oil in my car changed for the second time... I've driven 6,000 miles in 6 months. Is that about normal?
- Replaced the broken sway bars on the rear end of my car.
- Found out a good friend of mine is retiring.
- Fell behind in my daily journal but then caught up again.
- Got better from being sick but then got worse again. Still working on the getting better for a second time part.
- Successfully made it almost an entire month without drinking any pop. Additionally, have made it just as long not eating any fast food, unless Panera counts as fast food, in which case my second claim is false.
- Took my cat to the vet for his yearly check up. He's now 12 years old and weighs in a 10.6 pounds. He's becoming a really old man. (He's sitting next to me as I write this, staring at me and at my lap, which currently is holding a computer and not him. The judgment and disdain is intense.)
- Had some seriously awesome days at work when it came to sales. Hoping to keep it up this week as we head into our huge semi-annual sale this coming weekend.
- Planned a trip to Chicago in April to see some buddies and catch up.
- Sent my 3rd care package to the squad of Marines in Africa that I decided to adopt. Received a thank you note from the squad leader via the U.S. Postal Service.
- Made progress on several 101 goals - seeing a live art performance and writing letters to my elected representatives.
- Discovered the television show "Kitchen Nightmares" and may be developing a paranoia of any food not cooked by myself or a family member. Coincidentally, also starting craving some recipes that I haven't had in awhile. Dad, think you could cook up some chicken piccata and overnight it to me packed in dry ice?
Was the location of the family reunion ever decided/booked?
Love!
~g
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Goings-on
I am now officially into my second week of not drinking any pop. The first few days of my illness I had a throat so sore the thought of any carbonation passing over it made me cringe and preemptively gag. By the time my throat was feeling better I was well into the expected caffeine withdrawal headaches, so I decided to ride it out and use the initial aversion to my advantage.
Water, even in massive cups full of ice, is starting to get old so today while at Walmart I picked up a few flavoring options. Typically I do not really care for such packets because they are too sweet, but Crystal Light has a few flavors that aren't too bad. Today's find includes Green Tea Peach Mango and Raspberry Lemonade. I won't be able to drink water flavored with these packets all of the time (the artificial sweetener would really start to get to me) but once in awhile they will be a nice change.
I have my third care package ready to send to the troops that I decided to adopt. I have a Marine squad that is based in the Horn of Africa until September. I do not know if my first two packages have been received, but I figure I'll just keep sending the packages until I'm told not to. It's amazing how much you can fit in what are actually rather small APO/FPO boxes. This particular package, along with the snacks that I always include, also has a lawn game. Does anyone remember the Velcro-covered ball and the two mitt/paddle combo things used to "catch" said ball? That's the game I am sending, properly colored in Bronco blue and orange, of course. I look for things that can be fun and entertaining but that don't require batteries. Suggestions are always welcome!
Work has been interesting this week. Saturday is the last day of our fiscal year, so there has been a big push this whole week to end the year with a bang... a.k.a. big sales. Saturday will be the most interesting as there is a company-wide "New Year's Eve" competition, broken down by region so that there will be more winners. If you are thinking of going shopping at Christopher & Banks this weekend do it on Saturday and do it in my store. Can't come into my store? Call me at work and have me order what you want online for you. :) In case you are wondering, one of the prizes for being a top-10 store in the region is the privilege of wearing jeans to work for a week. We desperately want that prize.
I have been in one of my moods lately that any of my past roommates would recognize by the presence of multiple episodes of "The West Wing" playing on the television. I do not know how else to describe the mood other than quiet and a bit reclusive. I have just started season 4 ("20 Hours in America", especially the latter half, is, in my opinion, one of the best episodes of the entire series) and since I only own seasons 1-4 I will be coming out of my current state of mind shortly.
Cadbury Creme Eggs are back in stores in abundance, for which I am very happy. The original is the best.
Love!
~g
Water, even in massive cups full of ice, is starting to get old so today while at Walmart I picked up a few flavoring options. Typically I do not really care for such packets because they are too sweet, but Crystal Light has a few flavors that aren't too bad. Today's find includes Green Tea Peach Mango and Raspberry Lemonade. I won't be able to drink water flavored with these packets all of the time (the artificial sweetener would really start to get to me) but once in awhile they will be a nice change.
I have my third care package ready to send to the troops that I decided to adopt. I have a Marine squad that is based in the Horn of Africa until September. I do not know if my first two packages have been received, but I figure I'll just keep sending the packages until I'm told not to. It's amazing how much you can fit in what are actually rather small APO/FPO boxes. This particular package, along with the snacks that I always include, also has a lawn game. Does anyone remember the Velcro-covered ball and the two mitt/paddle combo things used to "catch" said ball? That's the game I am sending, properly colored in Bronco blue and orange, of course. I look for things that can be fun and entertaining but that don't require batteries. Suggestions are always welcome!
Work has been interesting this week. Saturday is the last day of our fiscal year, so there has been a big push this whole week to end the year with a bang... a.k.a. big sales. Saturday will be the most interesting as there is a company-wide "New Year's Eve" competition, broken down by region so that there will be more winners. If you are thinking of going shopping at Christopher & Banks this weekend do it on Saturday and do it in my store. Can't come into my store? Call me at work and have me order what you want online for you. :) In case you are wondering, one of the prizes for being a top-10 store in the region is the privilege of wearing jeans to work for a week. We desperately want that prize.
I have been in one of my moods lately that any of my past roommates would recognize by the presence of multiple episodes of "The West Wing" playing on the television. I do not know how else to describe the mood other than quiet and a bit reclusive. I have just started season 4 ("20 Hours in America", especially the latter half, is, in my opinion, one of the best episodes of the entire series) and since I only own seasons 1-4 I will be coming out of my current state of mind shortly.
Cadbury Creme Eggs are back in stores in abundance, for which I am very happy. The original is the best.
Love!
~g
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)