Last weekend I was in Texas for my friend Sofia's wedding. It was beautiful and exactly as I imagined her wedding would be. It was relaxed and an organic affair. Sofia is not fussy and definitely not the "bridezilla" type. Through all of the wedding festivities I was able to reconnect with my friend Lindsey. Lindsey, Sofia, and I were all roommates in college. We lived in the Amarillo House with our other roommate Nikah. I had forgotten about some of our adventures and weekly habits. Cookie dough, Friends, Taco Bueno, and late nights for all except Linds. There was even the summer that Sofia and I didn't really work, but just stayed up late and watched movies all day every day. I said we were losers and she scoffed at me. After I graduated I moved out of the Amarillo House and within a few months, I was married. Through Sofia's wedding I met another wonderful person that moved into the Amarillo House after I moved, Rachel. I think I missed out. We had a great time just talking and soaking up the occasion.
During my trip I realized a few truths throughout the weekend. First, you can go months and years without seeing friends, but your experiences and values always keep you connected. It was as if we had never been apart and were the same girls in the Amarillo House, just now we have different stories to tell. Secondly, it is rare to find such wonderful friends. I think about people I meet all the time who don't have those connections to people. I know I don't cherish my friends enough, call or email. But I am glad they are still my friends and that we have opportunities to come together and reconnect. Finally, after everyone gets married and has kids, what brings you all back together? And, if we don't have kids, does that mean we see each other less?!?! College was one of my favorite stages in life. So far it is the only one I would willingly go back and relive. I love the opportunities to go back and revisit those days. It reminds me of what is most important to me and creates a new attitude in my heart. It was a place where I grew, figured out who I was through the support of amazing friends, and eventually took on a new journey - marriage and the "real world."
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Life Changing Experience
Recently my life was changed. It was a simple change, but a glorious change. We purchased a Keurig for the office. This simple act really changed my life. Now I wish I could go into work over the weekend, just to have another perfect cup of coffee. I get to work early so I can have the perfect cup of coffee. It is as if the Keurig is a silent cheerleader encouraging me to get through my list of to dos. I get more done in 30 seconds after a cup from the Keurig than I ever did in an entire day with a regular cup of coffee. The corporate world, focused on its micromanagement, should really jump on the Keurig bandwagon. There is one drawback, which I hate to admit. The Keurig makes me bluntly, frankly, and maybe even obnoxiously honest. In fact, I would go as far as to call it a truth machine. With that said, I may have to cut back once school starts. My frankness could get me in trouble.
Monday, July 26, 2010
It's Cheaper to Work
Recently, our July electric bill arrived. Let me just say that it was for an obscene amount. Obscene as in the most obscene thing you can think of. This led me on a journey to figure out how to drastically reduce our electric bill for the pending August bill, which is typically the highest bill of the summer months. I have become the meanest of the mean electricity monitors. I unplugged every item in our house with a plug that is not used on a regular basis. I no longer leave my computer plugged in unless it is charging and as soon as it is done, I unplug it. I only charge my phone every other day. I don't dry my hair, but let it dry naturally. I even have a powerstrip that is supposed to save me energy for my entertainment center. And, I started reading instead of watching TV. This does not seem to be enough. I am already on target to have an electric bill that could potentially be significantly more than July.
Here is my conclusion:
1. It is cheaper to eat out because eating out does not require the use of the stove.
2. Buy new clothes. The washer and dryer use too much electricity. New clothes on clearance or sale may be cheaper than paying for kWh.
3. Work more. I can sit in my cool office, brew my coffee there, and warm up my leftovers from eating out at work. All of these tasks seem to be milking my wallet dry. Less dry if I do them at work though. If only I could do all of my laundry at work. Seriously, I may start sleeping under my desk.
Here is my conclusion:
1. It is cheaper to eat out because eating out does not require the use of the stove.
2. Buy new clothes. The washer and dryer use too much electricity. New clothes on clearance or sale may be cheaper than paying for kWh.
3. Work more. I can sit in my cool office, brew my coffee there, and warm up my leftovers from eating out at work. All of these tasks seem to be milking my wallet dry. Less dry if I do them at work though. If only I could do all of my laundry at work. Seriously, I may start sleeping under my desk.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sleep
Is it over-rated or under-rated? I guess it depends on your stage in life. When I was in high school and college, I could sleep for what my mom probably thought was forever. I recall her banging pots and pouring water on me just to prompt me to respond to her failed attempts at waking me. She would deny this. When you are a teenager, you could care less about family breakfast on a Saturday morning. Now I would give anything for someone else to make me breakfast. And the clean-up.
Nevertheless, my college years were spent sleeping as well. I am naturally a night owl, which works well with the college lifestyle. I was wise enough to never schedule a class too early in the morning. Yet, there were those occasions when I had to rise early. Early was before 7AM. I remember staying up so late that when I woke up, I literally felt sick to my stomach. The biggest transition for me after college was waking up in the morning. Taxes, health insurance, FICA, being completely reliant on myself financially, none of those mattered as much as having to get up early. I worked less than 1/2 a mile from my apartment and I think I spent most mornings putting my make-up on at work. The truth is, no matter how many years I spend trying to perfect the art of getting ready for work in 20 minutes, I am not capable of such a task.
Old age has set in though. Now that I have been through the grief cycle in regards to the fact that our society only runs on and respects morning people schedules, I am surviving a morning person's world. It comes at a cost though. Going to sleep is a process for me. I need at least an hour to unwind before I actually fall asleep. This is a long process. Not really efficient considering I value efficiency. Once I get to sleep, I still have the ability to sleep forever. Although, my body has hit it's natural adult rhythm. I am able to get up and function in a morning person's world, to a certain degree.
Life is full of transitions. As an adult, I think sleep is under-rated. We don't seem to appreciate the function sleep serves in our life. Our minds seem to take over and just go into auto-drive. We rarely rest and napping seems to be for the lazy. We have to set goals at work each year, so my goal will be to nap on my lunch break. A nice nap full of dreams and drool. The best kind of sleep.
Nevertheless, my college years were spent sleeping as well. I am naturally a night owl, which works well with the college lifestyle. I was wise enough to never schedule a class too early in the morning. Yet, there were those occasions when I had to rise early. Early was before 7AM. I remember staying up so late that when I woke up, I literally felt sick to my stomach. The biggest transition for me after college was waking up in the morning. Taxes, health insurance, FICA, being completely reliant on myself financially, none of those mattered as much as having to get up early. I worked less than 1/2 a mile from my apartment and I think I spent most mornings putting my make-up on at work. The truth is, no matter how many years I spend trying to perfect the art of getting ready for work in 20 minutes, I am not capable of such a task.
Old age has set in though. Now that I have been through the grief cycle in regards to the fact that our society only runs on and respects morning people schedules, I am surviving a morning person's world. It comes at a cost though. Going to sleep is a process for me. I need at least an hour to unwind before I actually fall asleep. This is a long process. Not really efficient considering I value efficiency. Once I get to sleep, I still have the ability to sleep forever. Although, my body has hit it's natural adult rhythm. I am able to get up and function in a morning person's world, to a certain degree.
Life is full of transitions. As an adult, I think sleep is under-rated. We don't seem to appreciate the function sleep serves in our life. Our minds seem to take over and just go into auto-drive. We rarely rest and napping seems to be for the lazy. We have to set goals at work each year, so my goal will be to nap on my lunch break. A nice nap full of dreams and drool. The best kind of sleep.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Working Out
I have been working out lately. Go ahead and pause for a moment so that you can process that statement. I have been working out lately, yes, you did read that statement correctly. It has been rather exciting. I don't have regrets, but if I were to choose one, then it would be my lack of discipline in this area. I didn't develop good habits as a teenager. During my younger days, I was blessed with a fantastic metabolism. I literally just had to think the work "skinny" and I would drop five pounds. Times have changed. I breathe and gain five pounds these days. Or at least in my mind. I can't complain, I am by no means overweight, but I am definitely out of shape.
The real question is, what prompted me to work out? I can't fit into my bridesmaid's dress for a wedding on August 5. At first I thought I would just eat healthier, but I really don't eat that poorly. I guess I could cut some creamer in my coffee, but that seems slightly excessive. I like my coffee the color of my skin, and I could use a tan. My new plan is just to work out to lose weight so that I can fit into my dress. I actually find this to be a huge gift. I have enjoyed working out. I am lifting weights to tone my arms, which as a teacher, I do have a fear of flabby arms. And, I am running/walking on the treadmill. Plus, Erik and I take the dogs on a walk most evenings. If only it was considered exercise sitting at your desk. Maybe I need to take some cues from Inception and use my mind to work out. I will talk to Leo about that.
My strategy for the treadmill varies. When I was in college, I would walk/run on the treadmill and watch at least one episode of Friends. Now I watch one episode Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. Seems contradictory, I know. Of course I want to reach out and grab a cupcake, but the show is an hour. By time I finish, all I want is a large glass of water. It is rather genius! I watch food shows for an hour while working out. I think I may be on to something.
The real question is, what prompted me to work out? I can't fit into my bridesmaid's dress for a wedding on August 5. At first I thought I would just eat healthier, but I really don't eat that poorly. I guess I could cut some creamer in my coffee, but that seems slightly excessive. I like my coffee the color of my skin, and I could use a tan. My new plan is just to work out to lose weight so that I can fit into my dress. I actually find this to be a huge gift. I have enjoyed working out. I am lifting weights to tone my arms, which as a teacher, I do have a fear of flabby arms. And, I am running/walking on the treadmill. Plus, Erik and I take the dogs on a walk most evenings. If only it was considered exercise sitting at your desk. Maybe I need to take some cues from Inception and use my mind to work out. I will talk to Leo about that.
My strategy for the treadmill varies. When I was in college, I would walk/run on the treadmill and watch at least one episode of Friends. Now I watch one episode Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. Seems contradictory, I know. Of course I want to reach out and grab a cupcake, but the show is an hour. By time I finish, all I want is a large glass of water. It is rather genius! I watch food shows for an hour while working out. I think I may be on to something.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Bathtub Miracle
There is nothing I dread more than cleaning the bathtub. Bending over. The smell of cleaning supplies. Bending over. Shadows. Putting muscles into it. The fact that most of the harsh chemicals never seem to work the way I had hoped, probably because I wait too long to wash the dreaded tub. I stumbled upon my favorite bathtub cleaning supply when my parents were coming out to visit and I knew I had to clean the tub. My mom is a stickler for a spotless and clean house. I am not her child. I like things to be neat and I hate a mess, but the cleaning part is where I tend to drag my feet. Usually most people are the opposite, and I wish I was!
I was trying to clean my tub with one of those bristle brushes to no avail. It was pointless. I was tired of spraying chemicals that I had to breathe. I looked under the sink to see what other tools I could locate. Don't ask me why but I found a kitchen sponge under my bathroom sink. The kind that attaches to one of those wands full of soap. The sponge did not have the wand, but I started to use it to scrub the tub. It scrubbed away all of the water spots and grime that had collected. It was my new miracle bathtub scrubber. I remember in college scrubbing a tub for hours and hours with one of those bristle brushes and a regular sponge. Nothing happened. It was all in vain. If only I had gone into the kitchen to get the magic sponge.
Tonight I cleaned the tub with my magic kitchen sponge. Spotless and clean. I am going to go out on a limb and say that I almost enjoy cleaning the bathtub. Now, I won't go that far, but it seems like a less tedious job.
My miracle sponge.
I was trying to clean my tub with one of those bristle brushes to no avail. It was pointless. I was tired of spraying chemicals that I had to breathe. I looked under the sink to see what other tools I could locate. Don't ask me why but I found a kitchen sponge under my bathroom sink. The kind that attaches to one of those wands full of soap. The sponge did not have the wand, but I started to use it to scrub the tub. It scrubbed away all of the water spots and grime that had collected. It was my new miracle bathtub scrubber. I remember in college scrubbing a tub for hours and hours with one of those bristle brushes and a regular sponge. Nothing happened. It was all in vain. If only I had gone into the kitchen to get the magic sponge.
Tonight I cleaned the tub with my magic kitchen sponge. Spotless and clean. I am going to go out on a limb and say that I almost enjoy cleaning the bathtub. Now, I won't go that far, but it seems like a less tedious job.
Rose Bowl Flea Market
Flea markets are my favorite weekend activity. You never know what kind of treasures you will find at a flea market. I find it is the thrill of the hunt. One booth charges $100 for an item and then three rows over another booth asks for $10.
The Rose Bowl Flea Market is the 2nd Sunday of each month. I highly recommend it if you are ever in Pasadena on that weekend. I developed some strategies to flea marketing, but I won't share those.
This mirror is made from a window salvaged form an old building. Erik found the sweetest old man who goes around the LA area and gathers old doors, windows, wood pieces, etc. and then cuts mirrors and puts them into the pieces. He had the most beautiful mirrors. We could have easily missed him because he just had his old pick-up truck with piles and piles of wooden treasures waiting to be created. When we found this piece, we didn't have enough cash left. We gave the guy our down payment and headed for the ATM. After getting the necessary cash, Erik returned and paid the gentleman the rest of the cash. He told Erik how several people stopped by and asked to pay double in order to buy the mirror. I was reminded that some people still do have integrity. He saved the mirror for us!
Here is the funky table we purchased. I have no idea where to put this piece. It was buried under some junk and stole my heart. It was the old pink paint. Right now it lives in the garage until I find it the perfect home.
We purchased some old bottles and a few pieces for a friend. If you make it to the Rose Bowl Flea Market, definitely bring $3 for the hot dog and soda. Get the grilled peppers and onions on the hot dog. It made the day! The best part was the fact that it was three times as large as I had hoped. Save thousands of dollars to take with you!
The Rose Bowl Flea Market is the 2nd Sunday of each month. I highly recommend it if you are ever in Pasadena on that weekend. I developed some strategies to flea marketing, but I won't share those.
We purchased some old bottles and a few pieces for a friend. If you make it to the Rose Bowl Flea Market, definitely bring $3 for the hot dog and soda. Get the grilled peppers and onions on the hot dog. It made the day! The best part was the fact that it was three times as large as I had hoped. Save thousands of dollars to take with you!
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