Cowboys and Horses and BBQ

(Pre-Note: Too tired to fix caption/photo layout. Sometimes blogger drives me crazy!)

A school/work/life update is coming soon! But first, a trip down south...


Our hospitable hosts...

















Eric standing on a rock...






















Some good Texas scenery...

















The cockpit...

















An infamous Texas sunset...

















Our Thanksgiving feast...
















The Bird (G450)...

















Posing at the falls...















The B-Dog after a long walk...

















Mule deer playing soccer...

















Note the disappearing edge...



















The best BBQ in Texas...



















The falls...



















Eric meets a cactus...

















Me - on little bits and pieces of sleep...
















Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! And now, back to my homework...

Here It Comes

Winter, that is.

Sleet, wind and clouds have moved in. It is dark in the evening and cold in the middle of the afternoon. I intend on digging out my scarves, hats, gloves and coats tomorrow before work.

I'm ready to hunker down on the couch for the next five months and do nothing but drink coffee, watch old musicals and read lots of books.

Instead...

I will be finishing my 17 hours of classes this semester.
I will be looking for an extra job to make extra money for a trip to London next spring.
I will trek through snow and wind to take 15 hours next semester.
I will write papers and walk dogs and cook dinner.

Even if I won't be a woman of leisure, I think it'll be a fun snowy season!

Kick in the Teeth

I read a quote today: "We judge others by their behavior, but judge ourselves by our intentions."

Ouch.

Inwardly smirking at morbidly obese people? Guilty.
Intending to change my own eating habits to live a healthy life? Always.
Actual change? Not so much.

Wondering why our neighbors don't clean out their packed-to-the-max garage? Guilty.
Intending to maintain a schedule to clean out my closet? Of course.
Actually ever cleaning? Hmm...no.

I live my life intending to do things. Be more careful with the household budget. Work out daily. Wash dishes immediately after using. Volunteer at the animal shelter. Go to sleep at NINE P.M. Wake up early enough to walk the dogs. Walk the dogs if I wake up early enough. Be the one to keep the peace. Be a truly kind person. Shut my mouth. Open my mouth. Call a friend. Write a friend. Forgive a friend. And on...and on...and on...

When do these intentions ever produce action? Does there have to be some reward to me? Do I have to see a gain from the activity? That isn't great reasoning, but it seems to hold true for me. I want to see every good intention actually produce results! Otherwise, I'm only left with a bunch of wasted thought and guilt when the moment as passed.

Does this begin with lowering expectations or focusing on follow-through? When I find out, I'll let you know!

Voting and 150

I don't keep track of my posts - if you've noticed, I rarely even label them (I think I have, maybe, twice). But, Blogger is so great about keeping me up to date. And today, this post, the one you're reading right now, is number one hundred and fifty. I feel like it should be a higher number, but 150 is still awesome, right?

Now that you are appropriately awed by the sheer number of my posts, I need to tell you, chide you, and remind you to VOTE!

I'm not going to tell you who to vote for, I'm not not going to tell you who I voted for (although, you may be able to figure it out...but, then again, maybe not!), but I am going to tell you that we have an awesome ability and responsibility in the United States to pick the leaders for ourselves.

The system isn't perfect, but people have died fighting for this right - both here and around the world.

Now, I'm off to get free Starbucks (voting does have its perks) and hope every one of you will sport this sticker by the end of the day:

The Project is Complete!

After 18 months of work in the middle of Omaha, the area finally has a new Wal-Mart! Say what you will about the big-box store, but that company has been keeping my husband busy for a year and a half. Eric took over the entire project 1/2 way through and brought it in on-time and under-budget! (If you know anything about construction, this is a HUGE accomplishment!) This is one of the largest and most expensive-to-build Wal-Marts in the world, it is three stories tall, and has the smallest parking lot of any Wal-Mart so far. The site was incredibly challenging to work with, but my man pulled it off!

The site went from this:

...to this... (all fall, winter, and spring)

...to this...

...and this!

Everything that you see, MY husband coordinated, inspected, and managed.

Didn't he do a fantastic job?

Better Together

Laughing.

A conversation.

Meals outside.

A funny movie.

Singing.

Future planning.

Vacations.

Exercise.

Fighting.

Coffee.

Snow.

Dessert.

Fall and Oil

It is a perfect fall day:

overcast
cold
breezy
smelling like snow

Yes, you heard me, snow! I have the most potent sniffer I know. This means that a) I can smell rain and snow, and b) certain smells make me throw up in my mouth, when I normal person would only say, "Peuw! That stinks!"

A couple of weeks ago, we cleaned out the garage. The garage hadn't been touched since our move to the "big city" almost 1 year ago. We took advantage of the giant dumpster at Eric's disposal (hah - no pun intended) at work, and loaded up a few trashcans that had been sitting around that contained a mixture of yard waste, rocks, dirt and trash. We got to the giant dumpster, proceeded to unload the trashcans, and...

I almost threw up on the husband.

It turns out, we were making oil in our backyard with that mixture of yard waste, rock, dirt and trash. Homemade oil has a distinctly unpleasant smell. Especially when someone has not prepared for the smell by holding his or her breath!

So, I almost threw up - complete with the retching sound that accompanies, well, retching.

I didn't want to pander to your hankering for disgusting, so I threw in a little fall anecdote!

Enjoy the smells of autumn! May they be more pleasant than mine!

The Criticized Bride

A girl fantasizes about her wedding day for years before it actually occurs. Often, long before the groom is even in the picture. She thinks about the flowers, the colors, the pictures, the location and, of course, the dress, veil and shoes. I think this dreaming is wonderful. She gets to wish and hope for a spectacular, meaningful occasion.

Then, reality sets in. Family conflicts have a way of coming to the forefront during the planning of a wedding. And everyone has an opinion:

"That dress looks terrible!" (when it's the one she's dreamed about since she was 7)

"No one has a chocolate wedding cake!" (when she thinks white cakes tastes like sweetened flour)

"You have to have his second-cousin-once-removed in your wedding party - it's only polite!" (when she's never met his second-cousin-once-removed, and would like to have only close friends surrounding her for this important occasion)

"Why did she pick that song? That's not very appropriate for a wedding." (when it's the song that was playing the first time she held her groom's hand)

"Why didn't she pick so-and-so to do this-or-that?" (when she has very good reasons for these decisions)

I am a former wedding coordinator and I have played piano in numerous weddings since I was 18 years old. I've seen it done every way imaginable and heard every song imaginable (and a few other songs over, and over, and over, and over... you get the idea).

When I was a coordinator, I spent more than half of my meetings with the bride (and sometimes the groom) convincing her (and him) that it was her (their) day and if she wanted to do something a certain way, it was perfectly fine. I even had to talk down a few mothers, sisters or attendants when their insistence was wearing down a very frazzled bride. Many brides want their day to be perfect and, to make everyone happy, they do things they wouldn't have chosen for themselves.

I think every wedding is beautiful. Every detail should reflect an aspect of the couple's new life or their personalities. Many actions are chosen for a very specific reason, and I think my job - whether I am a merely a guest or am assisting them to create lasting memories - is to be happy that two people have found love and have chosen to spend their lives together.

(I'll climb down off my soapbox now... Enjoy your next wedding!)

See My Head? *BOOM!*

(NOTE: Audience Participation Requested! Feel free to email katherinsorensen@yahoo.com with extra information!)

My brain is too small - or too slow - to absorb all this stuff:

1. The Financial Crisis: I CANNOT believe that the government is giving away BILLIONS of dollars to people who got greedy, lost a little money, and then "needed help." I realize the effects of the capsizing banks on the "little people," and I understand how our financial system may have dipped for a while without a bailout. But, continuing to borrow, finance and "use" credit will land this country in an even bigger mess and I'm furious that while I choose to live my life debt-free, the people running my country think that's there's no other way besides borrowing up to your eyeballs to keep a sinking system afloat! Does this "solution" make you mad or glad?

2. Higher Education: I now realize how so many people come out of the educational system and follow the liberal cause in this country like lemurs off a cliff. It's easy! I sit in every classroom, inwardly seething, occasionally commenting and constantly wondering if my fellow classmates, and teachers realize they are spouting rhetoric and fail to have a single original thought. They're repeating what they've heard without rolling it around in their brains for a while to see if it actually makes sense. There's no reason to point it out, they'll just get more angry! Can you sit silently while people voice their opinions that are exactly contrary to yours?

3. Dangerous Dog Ordinance: We have escape artist dogs. Even Sadie, with her sad, old hips will get free if she tries hard enough. So, we removed the ineffectual fence in the backyard and attached their cables to a stake in the ground. Then, this week, the Omaha City Council decided that dogs cannot be tethered for more than 15 minutes without an adult present. So, my dogs will no longer be able to bask in the sun all afternoon while I clean up in the house. They can't sit outside and sniff the breeze and chase the rabbits away. No, now they have to stay locked inside, underfoot, while I fight the losing battle against the furballs in the corners. Do we build a fence or find another way around the ordinance?

4. Fasting: Our pastor has called for a church-wide fast next week. I'm nervous, having never fasted for any length of time (unless I forget to eat breakfast - and that doesn't really count). The biggest problem is my caffeine addiction. I tried three times this week to go caffeine free. Today was the final effort and I am currently fighting a horrible migraine. We're supposed to do a juice fast or strictly fruits and veggies fast. I don't know if I'll be able to make it through a day, let alone act as a functioning member of society! Could you do it? Am I crazy to even try?

5. I'm searching for people with a story to tell (continued from #1): I am planning on being pretty uneffected by the financial meltdown, due to the way Eric and I live our lives. Our biggest splurge is eating out (and yes, we do so a little too often). We do not use credit cards or debt. We save for my schooling and pay it all with a check. We rent movies from Red Box (only $1 a night), I buy mostly store brands and love to find great clothes on clearance. The simple life has always worked well for us. However, there are people in this country (and, now I hear, around the world) who will have to drastically change their lifestyles in order to survive after this shift in the financial realm. Do you live a simple life? If so, how do you define simple and do you feel like you will be able to keep living it? Are you going to make changes after the market shake-up? Are there certain things you may do differently? (i.e. pay off credit cards, eat at home, etc?) I know there's a lesson for normal people to learn in all this, and I'll do my best to find it!

We are Busy, oh so Busy...

What a day! Eric actually had the day off, I put my homework off until tomorrow, and we worked...and worked...and worked. I got a little color on my shoulders, a lot of dirt on my legs and under my fingernails, and sore wrists and knees.

But OH! the accomplishments!

1. We had a nice sleep in today. It's the first time we've been able to wake up without the blaring "BLEEP! BLEEP! BLEEP!" in at least six months.

2. I washed an entire sinkful of dishes before 10 a.m.

3. Eric pulled out the funny little fence that separated a strange portion of our yard.

4. I trimmed every bush in the yard - and cleaned up after myself!

5. Eric used the weedeater on every edge of our grass - it looks awesome!

6. I picked up dog poop - a whole bucket full - YUCK!

7. Eric mowed the yard (on a nice tall setting that makes our grass look healthier than it actually is).

8. We pulled every item out of the garage, finished unpacking boxes from our move 11 months ago, sorted trash from keep items, and put everything back in an orderly fashion.

9. We then filled the truck up twice with trash (and we are good about keeping our trash hording to a minimum - I was amazed) and dropped it off at the dumpster on the job site.

10. We walked the dogs (a little shorter than usual) and got back just in time for the NEB - VA TECH game.

11. Just watched the Huskers make an AWESOME punt return! (88 YARDS for a TD!)

12. Am now going to continue watching a super close game.

13. Looking forward to a sermon series on Finances tomorrow.

What did you accomplish this weekend?

Deal? Or No Deal?

I'm having a tough time of it these past few weeks. Not school, not work, but other...stuff. I can't go into details, (there are too many of them, for starters), but I'm exhausted deep in my soul. There are so many things that have drained me dry. I feel as if I should sleep for days just to shut out any more possible information that may be heading my way.

I talked to a family member last night about being overwhelmed and dealing with the "stuff." We realized that this is one of the hardest parts about being an adult: Actually knowing all the "stuff" that's out there. I'm sure it existed before, but we were thankfully insulated from the knowledge of it. I don't think I have a very good coping mechanism for handling these things.

How do you deal with all the stuff?

What Did You Snack on Today?

I was waiting for an appointment today. Standing in a hallway, reading my NY Times (that I get free from school) and wondering about the current state of the financial markets. (Don't laugh! I really was!)

A woman rolled down in the hall in her motorized wheelchair. I am trying to be kind, so I will say, her wheelchair was not for a disability. It was for her weight problem. I'm assuming it was also quite useful for the tank of oxygen she had pumping clean, pure O2 into her nostrils as well.

Around a little corner, next to the stairs, is the building's vending machine. It's a tight fit back there and the machines' compressors make quite a racket. (I'm listening to them as I type.)

This woman attempted to roll into the corner. And got stuck. She called "Ma'am! Can you help me?" I assumed she needed help out of her predicament.

But, no. "Can you hold this?" she asked, handing over the gigantic black bag, "And can you put the coins in for me?" WHAT?! I thought/screamed to myself DON'T YOU REALIZE HOW THIS WAS CAUSED?

I was close to asking if her doctor would ok these purchases (I was on the same floor as a doctor's office.), but wisely/stupidly refrained.

She handed me enough money for 2 double-packs of Hostess Cupcakes and a 3 Musketeer Bar. I pushed the money into the slot for each item, and handed them to her as they were dispensed.

This woman couldn't breathe.
She couldn't bend over.
She could barely speak.
She couldn't even insert coins into the vending machine.

And I enabled her to continue her destructive behavior.

What would you have done?

It Positively Hurt

So, I caught my finger between two door knobs tonight.

Right before doing dishes.

As I was cleaning the mess of a kitchen.

Hmm...so...the positive mood was challenged this evening.

But nothing a little walk with the husband and dogs couldn't fix!

Must...Stay...Positive

It's easy to be happy when things are going your way. Your dogs are angels while you're gone, your husband comes home all smiles and ready to conform to your every wish, and every person you have a slight acquaintance with strikes up a conversation with you as you pass their way.

These things did not happen to me.

But, instead of dwelling in the negative past, I'm looking towards tomorrow in a very positive fashion. And will give you a quick and positive update on my workout regimen:

I (finally) received "Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred" last Thursday. I say finally because of Amazon's horrendously slow Super Saver Shipping. (That wasn't negative, simply truthful.) Wow! Feel the burn, folks. It's been a long time since I've felt so sore after a workout DVD. And, I am doing push-ups people - girl push-ups, but push-ups nonetheless! The workout(s) is great! I'm only on Level 1, and will stick with this one until I feel "ready to progress." I'm thinking this will happen towards the end of this week. The great thing about this workout is the way the time is broken up: 3 circuits that each include:

3 minutes of strength (30 seconds of arms, 1 minute of combination moves, repeat both)
2 minutes of cardio (alternating between 2 moves at 30 seconds each)
1 minute of abs (2 moves for the first and second circuit, 1 combination move for the last)

I'm a real watch-the-clock exerciser. And, if I'm bored, I may as well be exercising for the rest of eternity. The best part about this DVD is the "mini-goals" within the workout. I feel a sense of HUGE accomplishment every time I reach the end of each segment.

Although you feel like you will die before Jillian calls time for each move, the results are worth it! The only thing I'm not seeing a huge improvement in (yet) is my abs, but that's always the last thing to tone up for me. Now, off to refresh my mind with my positive mantra from yesterday! Stay tuned for more positivism!

I'm Positive, thank you!

Last night, at 11 pm, I checked on Moosh in Indy and am taking her challenge and running with it!

Of course, my first thought was negative, but, in the spirit of the challenge, I quickly shoved it aside and marched into the Land of Positivism. (I found that this land must exist in the eleventh dimension, only accessible by a constant inner mantra of "stay positive, stay positive, stay positive, I MEAN IT, stay positive!") While I'm normally outwardly positive (or if not, then simply silent), I internally create quite a world of dark broodiness of which escape is difficult and harrowing.

Begone pessimism!


"I, myself, do solemnly swear, that I will think the best of people's comments, intentions and actions this week. I will not let the poor moods of others affect my cheery outlook on life. I will smile more, laugh often and spread my goodwill and positive attitude to all I come in contact with for the next seven days, saith I."

Do you think I can do it?

Better yet, do you think YOU could do it?

Fall, Etc.

Fall is here. The air is crisp and slightly damp. The sky has been full of high clouds for two days. When the sun comes out, the air is still cool and clean. The wind gusts through the trees pulling a few leaves to the ground.

I.love.fall.

Sadie curls up in the smallest ball possible and hides her nose under her front paw to escape. Nala basks in the sun (when it shows itself) and noses fallen leaves in the backyard.

This year, I may actually get to enjoy this wonderful season. Last year, we were in the midst of moving, trying to sell our old house, adjusting to a new city, etc, etc, etc. This year, even in the midst of school and family (and joining "Real Worship" choir at church - which I am very excited for!), I'm planning on getting the most out of my favorite time of year!

Second topic:

"Sacrifice: the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy."

Have you every encountered the same principle over and over and over and over in the span of two days that you feel beat up with it when you stop to catch your breath?

I love my time and my schedule. I like to have things organized, have free time and do the things I want to do when I want to do them. It's easy for me to stay comfortable. I've even noticed that when Eric and have time off together, we tend to argue - mostly because his being home more than normal, disrupts "my" life.

What's more important? My schedule or showing love to my husband? Having (too much) time for myself or giving up a few hours a week for others? So, I'm going to embrace sacrifice for my husband and my church.

At the end of choir auditions this morning, Pastor Les came in and talked to us for a few minutes. Remember all those "beatings" I'd received? This was number three in less than three hours. On the radio, I heard about a worship leader saying that the "sacrifice of praise" involved the sacrifice of moving outside of what is comfortable for "me" to bring glory to God. The second instance, Pastor Sean talked about the sacrifice of being involved in a great choir.

Then Pastor Les came in. Yes, he's a great speaker, yes, he is real and authentic, but I believe that he is truly a communicator for God. I don't know how else to explain the things he says. He talked about offering ourselves as sacrifices. The scary/amazing thing was that he went past the offering part. If you know about sacrifices, the offering isn't the end. I always realized that in a cerebral way this was true, but never thought about how that concept applied to me.

Once a pleasing sacrifice is offered, it is consumed. Completely consumed. That is scary. I like control.

Sorry for the rambling and disjointed post. I like to get words down to work through ideas.

What do you think about sacrifice? Or about fall? Or both?

My Husband - The Hero

Halfway through a normal hike, on a normal trail on Sunday, we found that all the large pads on every one of Nala's feet was in the process of tearing off. I'm not talking a little scuff here - the.entire.top.layer.of.every.pad. I don't do blood, or guts, or anything that would cause pain, so, I freaked out. Eric, however, stepped up to the challenge. We still had over a mile to go, but my superman picked up our "little" dog (of 65 pounds) and carried her the rest of the way.

(The picture's a bit blurry, but I wasn't about to make him pose!) I tried to give him a break and got about 20 feet... and that's being generous!

Our "big" dog was also limping a little, but we thought it was her hip displaysia. Oh no, she had torn the pad off one of her feet as well! Our poor animals! The city life has made them soft!

After some checks online, and a call to a friend who has lived the ordeal, we found there's really nothing we can do, aside from letting them heal on their own. We've been bandaging Nala's feet when she goes outside, but then removing the wraps when she's inside. They should be ok in a couple of weeks. Nala still trembles every time she stands, but she's getting better at it - especially when there's food involved.

We decided Sadie's a trooper - she must have learned how from Eric!

Revisiting a Certain Venture

When you grow up, you realize how good things were. Certain activities are seen in a different light and you realize, "That wasn't nearly as horrible as I thought it was!" That being said, I'm getting back to my roots this semester. After taking two years off, I'm ready to start teaching again! If you've been around for a while, you may remember this post. I'm back in the saddle as of today! The only problem is: no students yet! But I do have some great fliers ready to post and a listing on Craigslist. With just eight students, I'll be able to leave the internship that causes me such grief, and save gas all at the same time! Here's my informational flier for your enjoyment.

A Quick Detour

Be careful, pet lovers, this story will cause immense gratitude for all the close calls with toys that didn't end in disaster!

The Chai Story

I'm so sad for Chai and hoping such a thing never happens to our precious puppies!

It's coming...

I working on a great, detailed update of the past two months. You'll enjoy it, I promise! But, it needs a little more time to make it better than just good! Check back soon!

I Got a B!

Really, that's all I have to say.

I passed Astronomy with a solid "B"!

No more science - EVER!

What has brought YOU great relief this week?

A Break to Blog

I just finished my preliminary study of the last four chapters of Astronomy and will soon move on to Mass Communication Research Methods. Gotta love higher education!

I was completely refreshed, challenged and motivated at worship this morning. This is definitely a God-gift because I was up until 2:45 a.m. last night studying. However, I stayed awake and absorbed what I needed to hear today.

Eric and I took our first baby steps to getting involved at Trinity: we're going to "Step Out and Serve" two Sundays from now. I recently told a friend how nice it has been for the past year to "sit back and absorb." But, the recharging is nearly complete and we're going to give back soon! (I'm a "little" excited!) And, we keep meeting people we know or recognize at our church - a little disconcerting, but in a cool way.

Last night, the 6th of 12 (kids from my family) celebrated his graduation from high school. My bro, Toby, is 18 and living on his own now! I feel really old - and can't believe I graduated EIGHT - wait - make that NINE years ago! What really makes me feel ancient is that this HUGE guy was only 10 years old when I got married and left my parent's home:

... and that HE was a baby (not even 2 years old)...

...and my Janna girl was the cutest flower girl (and the best, I might add!) at 2 1/2 years old.

Everyone else has grown up too (and when I say "up," I mean "UP!"), and it was a fun to see everyone back at the old homestead for the evening.

Right Under Your Nose

I sat down to my morning routine and laughed over my morning reading. I bemoaned the fact that I had nothing interesting to report and resigned myself to sitting down to homework. (Blah to homework!)

Then, I stepped outside to let Big Sade in...

And almost stepped in a turd.

Yes, a giant turd (fresh, mind you!) on our porch steps.

If you don't have dogs, this may gross you out beyond belief, but it's a fact of life for us dog keepers: sometimes you find turds.

Turds that have grass (or q-tips, or socks - yes, socks) woven through them.

Turds that dangle and need help to fall. (A looooong stick is best for this.)

Turds that stink so bad, you avoid a certain area of the yard.

Are the turds really worth it?

Absolutely.

Omaha Vacation

Our great friends from Lincoln came up for the weekend and we spent the hottest day of the year outside! Although the humidity was 90% and the temp was over 95 degrees F, the heat was worth the fun!

Omaha Royals v. Salt Lake City Bees (Bees won 7-5)

Mark Schultz in Concert Following the Game
(We decided he probably shaved his head after realizing how humid it was!)

Eric

The Classic Car Show
(A lot of money was sitting in this lot!)

A Brand-New BMW
(Check the sticker price below)

(More than our mortgage is worth!)

A warm walk around the ConAgra Campus
(We saw the biggest carp ever! Three feet long!)

We all went to our church on Sunday morning, after an invigorating breakfast at IHOP. Our pastor was back from a month-long sabbatical and challenged us to "Breathe Spiritually" and not worry about disappointing others - only strive for God's approval!

You Want Me to Do What?!

I just got done reading one of my "every-day" bloggers who had just posted about reading another blog. Instead of commenting, I rushed here instead:

I have an internship. It is the most boring job in the world. I make copies, write stupid company newsletter articles, make more copies, listen to people tell me I didn't follow the exact formula for the stupid newsletter articles, copy a few more papers, and go home wondering this is what it will be like in "the real world." I die a little bit every time I enter that building.
Last week, my supervisor, who has been with this dry and dusty company for THIRTY FIVE YEARS, said I should try and get a job with the Company. After I'd just finished telling her I wanted to to graphic design. After I'd just told her I didn't think insurance and I were a good fit. After I 'd just finished thinking to myself, "I'd rather walk across needles than come to this soul-sucking company every day of my adult life."
But my supervisor's suggestion was (to her) a wonderful idea. In her mind, a company that makes a good profit, never lays off its workers and offers good benefits is all you should ever want in an employer.
My counter argument is this: You spend most of your life working. Why, oh why, would you spend 93,600 hours of your life doing something you hate? Or that didn't bring you joy? Or that provided you with a paycheck but nothing more? A smaller paycheck is worth waking up anxious to get to work. Fewer dollars in your bank account are worth the excitement of doing something you love.
I realize I have yet to really get out there (in the work force), but I have had a taste of it. I've had a job I loved that I hated to leave and I've worked in places I couldn't run from fast enough. I want to look back on my life and realize I loved what I did, was content with what I made and believed in the work I was doing. It's not just a job. It's really not.

The Dog Days of Internet

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A PITY PARTY POST! DO NOT FEEL GUILTED INTO TAKING ACTION!
There is nothing quite as sad as an empty email inbox. The kind that is full of ads, spam and SALE, SALE, SALE! emails. Not. one. meaningful. greeting. I see coupons for "$30 Off This Season's Hottest Looks" and "Fw: Humor Alert," but nothing that lights up my day. I am a little obsessive compulsive. I check the inbox(es) WAAAY too often - I can' t help it (that's what obsessive means). Even a quick note from a classmate makes me happy inside! I could start a service: Quick, Meaningful Emails Sent Daily to You. (it's a working title) Every day, you'd get a happy little communique from someone who asks you little questions about your day, reminds you about your fun weekend coming up, says they're a little jealous about your trip next month, etc... Do you think there's a market? If there was such a service, I think I'd subscribe.

My Morning

If I could quit staying up so late, I could definitely be a morning person. More so, now that I'm getting OLD and have trouble keeping my eyes open all day (that coupled with the Mono Problem cause great big problems). But, the mornings are wonderful - we have a whole array of east facing windows in our home now. And whether I'm ready or not, the Sun wakens me every morning around 6 a.m.

The morning holds the possibility for great things to come! Maybe I'll make a new friend, actually have a challenging day at work, feel caught up with my homework for a change... the list is endless. This is the way I start my day (unless a huge test is imminent, wherein I pare down to only the essentials: coffee and a little mascara - and of course I wear deodorant! I heard you thinking "Where's the mention of basic toiletries?" ).

COFFEE
- always happens, usually at home, or at Starbucks for a treat. (Mmm, Starbucks...)

CONTACTS
I very rarely wear my glasses, not because I'm vain ( no, really!) but because I am very sensitive to sunlight - I must wear sunglasses at all times. And I do not have prescription sunglasses. I'm contemplating Lasik - do you have a stories, horror or otherwise about the procedure?

BREAKFAST:
This. is. the. best. cereal. ever! And it's healthy! It's one of Target's brands and because they were out of stock two weeks ago, I stocked up on the last shopping trip. Yes, I have four boxes in my cupboard right now.

DOGS:
Today, Eric fed the beasts and let them outside. Usually, that's the first priority. Otherwise, Sadie (the chocolate, mopey one) treads on your feet until she has eaten in the morning.

BLOGS:
Every morning - at my table or in the school hallway - I check my favorites. I've never really liked (ok, really just never figured out) the RSS feed, and so I open all from bookmarks and start my day with friends.

I check out my daring Canadian friend, a friend from Lincoln, a friend I've never met, a Texas Rose, an aspiring photographer and family members along with others. Every morning, rain or shine, I'm checking in on you and your life. Do you have a morning ritual you can't live without?

THE LIST

My To-Do List:

1. Spend two weeks in Australia.
2. Live for at least one year in a huge city surrounded by concrete.
3. Finish school with at least a bachelor's degree.
4. Go on a picnic with a great book and a blanket, and fall asleep in the sun.
5. Learn how to be a photographer - not just a point and shooter.
6. Reread the entire "Little House" series
7. Have the wisdom to know when I'm experiencing "The Perfect Day" and really enjoy it.
8. Grow my library to 1000 books I love.
9. Show a close friend the way to God.
10. Be absolutely comfortable with me.

I'm very hard on myself and dreams. I dream up an idea and then squelch it "knowing" I'll never be able to do "that certain thing." Not exactly a healthy way of thinking. So, here are some of the dreams I never share with anyone - not even myself. I'm sure there are others waiting to get out. I'll let you know when they struggle through.

Titles, Titles Everywhere

I had a couple of title ideas this morning:

"Et tu, Body?"
"My Coffee is Cold"
"Four Summer Classes at Once? I'm not crazy"
"Good Bye Sweet Pillow"
"Corporate America Stinks"
"Dave Ramsey is Haunting Me"
"Class While You Sleep"
"A Transvestite Just Walked Down the Hallway"

(Ok, not the last one, but I thought you' d like to know.)

With this insane summer schedule I've been keeping for the last five weeks, my body decided it had had enough. Beginning on the last day of June, my face exploded. The lack of sleep, exercise, water and proper nutrition from the previous three weeks caught up with me. I have had at least one honking huge zit every day for two weeks. I've been very blessed to never have had skin problems, so I don't know how to deal with this! Certain areas of my face HURT terribly and no amount of makeup conceals the massive red welts. Most makeup makes it look worse.
I have also seen a noticeable pallor to my skin. I've been living on coffee and Taco Bell for almost five weeks now, and it's beginning to show. (Coffee to keep my awake during the day, and Taco Bell being on the way to work when I forget to pack PB&J.) I long for the nights of 10 hours of uninterrupted slumber and peaceful awakenings.

And for the job? The job I thought would be fantastic, a boon to my experience? Um...well... to put it nicely: I'm not cut out for corporate America. The internship will be a boon to my resume (since it is a Berkshire Hathaway Company) but that's about all it's good for.

I have nine minutes till class starts. Look for my post of joy in about three days!

The pizza is cooling and Eric is torching (actually soldering, but using a torch). I should be reading Sociology, but am not.

The dogs are both lounging and Eric is working on our plumbing. I should be studying for my sociology test online, but am not.

The laundry sits waiting, the dishes need assistance. I should be cleaning something - anything! - but am not.

Pat your self on the back if you accomplished anything at all this weekend. I did not.

Morning Constitutional

Every morning, I drive to the park adjacent to school and park my car at the bottom of a hill. Then, I climb the hill to my building and attend classes for three and a half hours. Today was different. I drove to the park, parked my car and looked at the sky. In five minutes, it had turned from light gray to black. The breeze died and as I walked, cotton filled the air around me. The entire atmosphere changed in an instant and I felt a few drops of rain hit my face. As I walked through the tall, thin conifers, the wind picked up, the cotton swirled and the sky grew menacing. I am often struck by God's creation as I walk up the hill, and today was no different. But today, instead of realizing the beauty, I reveled in the uncertainty and power that weather presents. And how amazing is its Creator.

School and Such

I'm smack dab in the middle of crazy-busy school right now. Only two and 1/2 weeks left, but it feels like an eternity. Hung out with my great friend Anna tonight. Part of the evening was spent drinking a nonfat, caramel macchiato with a double shot. Yes, a double shot at 9:15 p.m. The result is Kate being WIRED at 12:19 a.m.
I have another test tomorrow - my third this week and I have two still to go! But, at the end of this session, I will have 10.5 credits more toward my degree! But I hope I haven't killed 10.5 million brain cells due to the stress and cramming.
One more item: it is h.u.m.i.d. outside. It's like looking through a dirty window. And the heat will show up tomorrow. Suffice it to say, no pictures of my hair for the next two months. Heat+humidity=Crazed Coiffed Kate.
I'll try to post again before the session is over, but no promises. Although, if I have another double-shot, you may get another post! Off to lay in bed with my eyes open for two hours.

The Stress

I should have known this would happen.
A tiny comment from a friend sent me into gulping sobs today.
The dog watched with sympathetic eyes until I quieted myself.
Why do the everyday concerns about life, friends, marriage and school all seem to hit at once?

A New 'Do

Relatively new - I got my hair cut about two weeks ago. I'm not sure about the bangs straight down in front. Usually I "swoop" them to one side. But, the hairstylist assures me it's cute this way. This pic is taken first thing in the morning. I have to leave my hair slightly damp to prevent frizz later and I hadn't stepped out into the humidity yet. So, this is the best my hair ever looks. Enjoy!

(Sidenote: Don't you love the burned-out student look after only three days back in classes? Complete with dark circles and droopy eyes.)

The Hazy, Crazy Days

I may be a little insane.
After deciding that I should graduate in August 2009, I signed up for five summer classes. The U has five different summer sessions, but 3 1/2 of my classes fall during the second session. Five weeks of intense reading, writing and rising at the crack of dawn. Today was my third day of class: I had 5 chapters of reading due, a map quiz, and a meeting with our class "PR "client" for the group project. This is all by the THIRD day!
The only thing getting me through is the fact that in five weeks, it will all be over. Actually, less than five weeks now! I'm already a little happier!

The bathroom project has begun:

(Yes, there is a missing wall.)

I rescued this cute guy from the street.















(He hung out while we waited for animal control. I hate calling them, but what do you do without a collar or tags?)

We went camping and boating with friends on Memorial Day weekend...















...where I got a sunburn that led to this:















I know - it's gross. But if you can't show the gross stuff, what's the point?

Eric took this Monday night. No touch-ups! We have had crazy weather lately - the tornado sirens wailed for 1 1/2 hours tonight. And a torrential downpour led to water in the basement. Not a lot, but enough to make our next project to install drain tile along the property line to divert rainflow.














Have a lazy summer for me!

This is the 106th post I have posted!

And on that note, I'm off to interview for another internship today. I feel like all I do lately is interview, send resumes and plead for letters of recommendation from my sources. The internship today is at an insurance company (yes, I know, insurance) in the HR department. I feel like the job would make great use of my skills, I could learn a lot and this is required for my degree. Pray for me and wish me luck!

Also, I could leave the horrors of retail and have evenings and weekends with my husband and dogs! I can't imagine what that would be like! (That is, if Eric can make his evenings and weekends free!)

The most boring day ever...

If you're wide awake and but should be sleeping, keep reading. If you want to congratulate yourself on how exciting and spectacular your life is, keep reading. And if you want to the know the unretouched and honest details of how I spend my nonwork and nonschool days, keep reading.

Let me set the stage: I cleaned the house yesterday. Scrubbed the bathroom (BLECH!), vacuumed and dusted all the dog hair into oblivion (although, the winter coats are still shedding. Am I crazy?) and did the final two loads of laundry (that have yet to be folded). My friend's message at 3:09 p.m. which began with, "I'm headed to the pool. Drop everything and come!" was obediently heeded and we finished off our swimming with pizza and wings. (mmmmm...) That's not the boring part, but here it comes...

Today, I woke up to the humidifier beeping its full-of-water alarm. I emptied it, started to make pancakes, found out there were no eggs and walked to the grocery store. I finished the pancakes, ate four (small) and started to read "The Last King of Scotland." I didn't wash a single dish, fold a single piece of clothing and watched a boring movie on TV. The ONE bit of excitement was a phone interview for yet another internship (please let this be the last interview!) and a trip to Lincoln for Eric's licensing class. Now, realize that the five sentences above constituted a whole eight hours. What lazy bum I am! But you have to reach rock-bottom before real change occurs.

"Every morning you are handed 24 golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour. What will you do with this priceless treasure? Remember, you must use it, as it is given only once. Once wasted, you cannot get it back." - Anonymous

How do you motivate yourself when a day stretches empty before you?

Lists for a Weekend Off

House:
1. Clean / Organize Basement Shelves
2. Vacuum EVERYTHING! (gotta love dog hair!)
3. Finish laundry and put away
4. Paint laundry room

Dogs:
1. Bathe both
2. Walk both
3. Feed both (this goes without saying)

Relationship:
1. Date Night
2. Keep at the Life Plan (this could take up an entire post - more later)

Stayed tuned for pictorial updates!

How you know Kate was camping...

The rain. The incessant rain.
The sunburn. The itching, peeling sunburn.
The laundry. The mounds of smoky, rain-soaked, sun-dried laundry.
The dogs. The tired, lethargic and stinky dogs.
The gear. The piles of camping gear in various states of putawayness.

It rained. From the time we arrived (11:15 p.m. on Thursday) to set up in the dark, until the sun broke through the clouds Saturday at noon, it rained. Even though the weather was perfect for the remainder of the trip, that rain sucked out my camping soul and made it difficult to enjoy boating on a perfectly still lake and eating s'mores by the fire.

Even if you are craving the sun after 36 hours of rain and it's after 3:30 p.m. so you think you don't need sunscreen: WEAR IT ANYWAY! I got my first and last sunburn of the season while boating for two hours in the early evening. And it hurt like crazy for two days, itched like crazy for 4 days and will probably peel like crazy for the next 24 days.

I never realized how wonderful a tiny-town laundromat could be! After soaking through every long-sleeve clothing item, towel and blanket from our gear, we spent two glorious hours (three times!) watching our clothes tumble dry and reading Redbook magazines from 2006. The fourth and final drying took place on the clothesline outside our tents - after the sun made its miraculous appearance.

If you were a dog, what would be your idea of heaven? If you answered swimming, fetching, chasing rabbits, playing tag with other dogs and a warm campfire at night, then our dogs spent 4 days in a heavenly place. The recovery time has been slow (thankfully) and not a whine has been heard for 2 days!

We've been home for 3 1/2 days now. The kitchen counter is full of camping pans, the basement is littered with camping tubs and the laundry room contains piles of clothes destined for the washer.

The recovery is almost complete. I'm rested, clean and -most importantly- dry. But, this trip took a lot out of me. If you asked me today "How about camping this weekend?" I'd decline immediately! If you give me a few weeks, the horrors of the wind and rain may fade and I might be ready to pack up our gear and head into the great outdoors once again. But, that's a big "might." I'll let you know...

Monday, Monday

Ways to spend your day off:

1. Sleep in
2. Eat a leisurely breakfast while checking your email
3. Read three chapters in a good book
4. Take the dogs for a nice, long walk.
5. Do your favorite exercise DVD
6. Organize your closet
7. Update your blog with a list of activities
8. Open all the windows and let the outside air in
9. Interview for a new job! (Details TBA!)

Trust or Lack Thereof

I trust Eric.
I trust my dogs.
I trust two good friends to be completely honest with me at all times.

I do not trust that my fellow biology classmates will not copy the answers out of my lab book.
I do not trust the woman who sideswiped me to tell the truth.
I do not trust the shoppers at my place of employment to return things that they haven't cut, damaged or stolen.

Flip-Flops and Fruit Juice

I had a "Naked" fruit juice blend today. Mmmm... I can't remember the name, but it's the one that has mostly berries in it and has energy in the title and is purple. Good Stuff!!! And I am wearing flip-flops with my jeans today. I finally got rid of the remnants of the six-week-old pedicure and have naked toenails. Don't get any ideas - nothing else is naked today. Just my juice and toenails. So, I'm wearing flip-flops, drinking fruit juice and sitting across from a weird little boy that sat down across from me in the library. He read "Catch-22" for about an hour, snickered three times (I'm assuming it was something he read) and left. But not before standing and using the wall to support himself as he stretched out his legs from an hour of sitting. Sheesh - kids these days!
I really needed to get three evaluations written today, and have had NO luck. The problem is this: my last three evals I turned in were marvelous. These are not my words: the teacher posted them in our class folder as shining examples for all to see. And when I reread them, I can't believe I wrote such eloquence! I'm not being arrogant - simply happily confused they turned out so well.
Fastforward to today: Three more evals are due tomorrow and I've already done as good as I will ever do. How can I compete with my own amazing standard? Everything I write sounds like drivel and all my word placements seem awkward. So, there's my prediciment What do you do when your best is behind you, but you still have to perform in the future?
I suppose I'll keep writing tonight after a few caffeinated drinks. Maybe my brilliance is contingent upon the number of Coke Zeros I drink in a 12 hour period. I'll let you know...