Photo Challenge

Here's you word: ennui

Dictionary.com defines ennui as:
en⋅nui [ahn-wee, ahn-wee; Fr. ahn-nwee]
–noun
a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom: The endless lecture produced an unbearable ennui.

Have fun with this one, it's rather abstract and open to interpretation!

I need a challenge!

Preferably picture.

challenge response: patriotism

Last weekend PJALS organized a peace rally in a show of solidarity for protesters in Iran, following the recent election. What does a protest in another country so different from our own have to do with patriotism? I'll let Thomas Paine answer that for me: The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.

my SVS logo submissions

this is one of the first ideas i had. i think it works technically, but lacks personality.


this one reminds me of an old Bloomsday t-shirt.


i like how this one suggests people, not just some faceless group.


i did this one up after a suggestion made by someone on the group's Facebook page about the color combo. i think it's my favorite.

Challenge Response: Life is beautiful

When I saw the challenge, I really thought I was going to post a picture of my squash plant. Because really, it is amazing how such an amazing plant grows out of such a tiny seed with nothing but soil, water, and light. But then I posted all my pictures, and saw the recurring theme of what I was taking pictures of: Me and Ian. This really is what makes life beautiful, no matter how tough things get.

Your challenge: American patriotism (no sarcasm allowed)

Photo Challenge

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to take a picture sometime in the next 7 days that says "yes. life is beautiful!"

good luck, agent! (this message will - aw, nevermind.)

some people's kids!

so i had a book group meeting this afternoon at the rockwood bakery. if you remember, the coffee shop is set in a residential neighborhood near manito park. the street is narrow and lined with parked cars. i tried to be careful not to block someone's driveway, but apparently i did. after i'd been there a little less than an hour, one of the women working at the coffee shop went around asking everyone if they drove a white saturn because it was blocking someone's drive way. yep, that's me! so i ran outside quickly and was very embarrassed and apologetic. there were three people there waiting for me. two, it seemed were a couple trying to leave and then there was this third man. i said my apologies, explaining i really didn't realize that there was a drive way there (the house and garage were set way back on the lot) and was really so very sorry. the couple seemed to be understanding enough, but this third guy kept saying, to no one specifically, "oh, what?" "you didn't see it?" "what, are you an idiot?" "are you an idiot?" "you didn't see it?!" i just ignored him, glaring a little and moved my car up the street. his behavior was so uncalled for! this is what i would (should) have said to him, had i not been so utterly embarrassed and taken off guard (and maybe a little quicker of wit):

"sir, you are absolutely right! i'm so very sorry. i can tell that you are obviously an exemplary man who would never make any sort of mistake, especially one as foolish as mine. how hard it must be for you - so perfect - to live in such an imperfect world. what a burden that must be for you!"

if only...

challenge response: the beauty of humanity

human hands have been a symbol of beauty for me for a long time, no doubt influenced by pictures like Tina Modotti's. our hands can be used for so many things in life and can be strong, yet gentle at the same time. (cliché, no?)

Your Assistance is Needed

Challenge me!

Self portrait

For today: Blue

challenge response: ten years in review - top one thing about being a mom for ten years

oh, gosh. that's a hard one! the past ten years hold so many wonderful memories (like when two-year-old ben gathered my slippers and then his own and lined them up together so they could be close, like us) and lessons learned (most importantly, that life is so much bigger than your own self - a huge revelation at 15!). i could be humorous and go with something about how tall he's getting and how nice it will be to have someone to get things for me from the top shelf. or, i could indulge in pride and expand on the idea of leaving a legacy, some part of myself (hopefully the better parts) existing long after i've left the known physical world. i could appeal to sentimentality with the unconditional love given by a child who is wholly dependent on me to provide for him and show him the world.

but i think i'll keep it simple. the best part of being a mom these past ten years has been ben. with a smile he reminds me of the joy of life. with a hug, he shows me compasion. and when he sleeps he shares with me his peace. the whole world is inside of ben. every laugh, tear, broken heart, new love, question and answer is held within him - our shared experiences as humans. taking care of him and loving him has allowed me to love myself and everyone else so much more. how can i hate anyone when i know that at their core they are just like ben? like me and you. every time i look at him i see the truth and beauty of this world and the potential for greatness.

** your challenge: top one thing your mother has given or shared with you

*edited* challenge response: the hip side of spokane

i don't consider myself to be hip - i'm really just a nerd. but it seems like anyone who is hip was at the death cab show. this was the line to get in the door 1/2 before the doors opened!

your challenge, should you choose to accept it: self portrait, literal or otherwise

day 1 of project 365: clean at last

it anything characterizes today, it's this.

so we ran the dishwasher at some point last week, and everything came out coated in grit and grime. i tried re-running it, with the end result of having everything cemented onto the dishes. so today, ian washed and then soaked half of the dishes, and i washed those, resoaked, and washed the rest. the dishwasher is full again, ready to run in the morning. it was one of those huge projects you don't even want to tackle.

on a side note: on this day last year, it was snowing, and obviously absolutely freezing outside. this year, i just went out at 9:30pm in my tank top and was very comfortable. i love richland.

Challenge Response: Top ten favorite things

1. Ian. How could he not top my list? He is so much more than I ever thought a person could be, he goes beyond that guy in the chick flick where you groan and say, "No guy would ever do that!"

2. Summer. I love the heat, the sunshine, the opportunity to go outside. I love taking walks at dusk or sitting at patio dining after dark. Dancing under the stars, driving to work in the brilliant sunlight. None of those happen in the winter.

3. Ice cream. Phish food is my all-time favorite, but really, give me anything chocolate with chocolate chunks and fudge swirls and such, and I'm in ice cream heaven.

4. Dinosaurs. I love the mystery and the majesty. I love love love the evolutionary puzzle that they hide (or expose?). They're so majestic. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the Walking with the Dinosaurs on Friday!

5. A nice, stiff drink. Is it frosty, sugary, with that latent alcoholic bite? So refreshing and lovely. So good to be a grown-up!

6. My house. I love decorating and making it accommodate both my and Ian's style. It's constantly a work in progress, and I cannot WAIT to get a place of my own, but I enjoy decorating, cleaning, and of course just BEING here.

7. Photographs. And picture-taking. I have a deep appreciation for the eye that can look at the everyday and see art. And love to try my hand at the same.

8. Animals. I don't know if I would call it a favorite or not, but I'm such a sucker for an animal. I fall so deeply and inexplicably in love with any animal face that looks at me like it needs cared for. Probably my unused motherly instincts.

9. My family. They embarrass me sometimes still (my dad came to dinner with Kathy and us wearing a fanny pack!) but I'm very proud of being a Watkins. And while I have decided to take Ian's name, I'm still looking forward to instilling that pride in my kids.

10. Good friends whom I know will always be there. Thank you. :)

Challenge: Ten years in review - Top one thing about being a mom for ten years!

picture of the week: my favorite place in richland

no, this is neither a cop-out nor am i being crass. i love my house, and i love being in bed. i pull my scrapbooking stuff around me, turn on HGTV, snuggle up under the covers and i'm happy as a clam.















picture challenge: the hipper side of spokane

Challenge Response: ten reasons to get my degree

1. i will not be happy until i do.
2. i want to prove to myself that i can commit to something and see it through to the end.
3. to set a good example for ben.
4. so i can get a job that will allow me to better provide for ben.
5. english professors are sexy.
6. i miss the environment: an emphasis on learning and excitement for discussing new ideas.
7. it's time that i find my passion.
8. there is a certain amount of respect one gets when they hold a four year degree (in almost anything).
9. most of the jobs that interest me require a bachelors. with a degree, i can better compete for my dream job.
10. i need a change of scenery, more inspiration and school is a good place to find both!

your challenge: top ten favorite things (tangible or abstract)

Photo Challenge

Oops! I forgot to post your photo challenge for this week. So here it is: My favorite place in Richland.

challenge response: move over winter, make way for spring!

sometimes i just love spokane. ben and i took skippy for a walk down to riverfront park and had a picnic dinner. it was so nice! spring really has arrived (finally!).

New thought

I had such a good time going around with my camera yesterday, I think I'm going to attempt to do a picture-a-day for a year. I have a flickr account, it'll be good for me to keep an eye on my surroundings and become super-comfortable with my camera. :)

Challenge Response: Top ten things to do before I die

1. Have kids. That's number one, I really would like to raise at least one child.

2. Get married. I'm slightly pessimistic, and I keep thinking how crushed I would be if I died before I got to marry Ian.

3. Ride in a hot air balloon. Wouldn't that be awesome?

4. Go parasailing. I'm starting to see a theme there. I've already gone skydiving, or that might be on this list.

5. Buy a house. And totally do it over. I really want to build a pergola!!

6. Go to Paris, Las Vegas and have another yummy pastry thing:















7. Go back to Paris, France with Ian.

8. See Italy and/or Greece. I'd love to see the art and the villas by the ocean.

9. Go see Asia. China, Japan, India at least. It would be a great retirement trip, take a month.

10. Open a business with Ian. I don't know what I'll do, but I want us to be self-employed. We'll have a blast!


Challenge: Top ten reasons to get my degree

picture of the week: april visit to bookwalter

picture challenge: "move over, winter. make way for spring!"

special picture just for you!

DINOSAUR!!

random thoughts from the road

1. with their road signs along I-90 advertising "EASY THRU ACCESS", cle elum is the slut of washington state.

2. i wish my car had cruise control.

3. i really like the movie "stranger than fiction". i don't think they ever explained how she was controlling his life through her writing, though. if they did, either it wasn't very interesting, or it just wasn't important to the plot. anyway, i really like that movie.

Top Ten Road Trip (to Seattle) Albums

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
3. Presidents of the United States of America - II
4. Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News
5. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
6. Mountain Goats - Tallahassee
7. Postal Service - Give Up
8. Cake - Fashion Nugget
9. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
10. Neutral Milk Hotel - Aeroplane Over the Sea

Your Challenge: Things to do before you die

picture[s] of the week: my new bargain couch!

the couch is the same color as skippy - peanut butter!

new challenge?

so for the top ten lists, i'd like to see if you'd like to add a rule:

i'd like us to be able to challenge each other to a top ten list (within our range of knowledge and experience). this would have to be done a week in advance, when one of us posts her top ten list, she would have to put the challenge at the end. so if i'm posting a top ten, i would put at the bottom "challenge for next week: top ten (things colored orange, ways to prepare apples, potholes in spokane, etc.)."

whaddya say?

top ten chick movies of all time (with quotes)

1. dirty dancing. "i carried a watermelon?"

2. when harry met sally. "waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash. but i would be pleased to partake in your pecan pie."

3. pretty woman. "i'm not wearing any pantyhose!"

4. where the heart is. "feel that little bump-bump, bump-bump? that's where the heart is."

5. pride & prejudice: the bbc series. "for a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

6. bend it like beckham. "lesbian? i though she was a pisces."

7. a love story. "love is never having to say you're sorry."

8. fried green tomatoes. "TOWANDA!!!"

9. breakfast at tiffany's. "the blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. the mean reds are horrible. suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of."

10. the princess bride. "ha ha! you fool! you fell victim to one of the classic blunders! the most famous is never get involved in a land war in asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in against a sicilian when *death* is on the line!"

and for a bonus, in case you don't like or agree with one of the ones on my list:

11. gone with the wind. "i won't think about that today. i'll think about it tomorrow."

picture of the week: sushi sleepover

top ten commonly misused words and phrases

I'm not a grammar expert by any means, but there are a few misuses that leave me feeling a little perturbed. I left out some of the most common offenses, such as your/you're, there/their/they're, to/two/too and it's/its because they should be implied.

1. Ironic: characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is (not to be used interchangeably with coincidental)

2. Toward: no "s" on the end

3. "I could care less" this really makes no sense; it should be the negative "I couldn't care less"

4. Nonplussed: to render utterly perplexed; puzzle completely (often misused to mean just the opposite, e.g. unimpressed)

5. i.e versus e.g.: i.e. from the Latin, meaning "that is"; e.g. also Latin, meaning "for example"

6. Affect: to act on; produce an effect or change in; to influence (whereas an effect is produced by an agency or cause - a result)

7. Capital: is the city, but Capitol is the building

8. Complement: either of two parts or things needed to complete the whole; counterpart; red and green; mustard and ketchup (a compliment is an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration; mints or chocolate)

9. Penultimate: next to the last (often misused to mean the last)

10. Dawn: the first appearance of daylight in the morning; antonym: twilight (often misused to be interchangeable with sunrise)

depressing

i just did my wedding budget for all the things we have left to buy, and it equaled out to over a thousand dollars still left to spend.

picture of the week: unexpected detail

i just noticed this metal work detail on the south west corner of my building for the first time last week. there is a rose bush in front of it, obscuring it from view. i walked around the building and this is the only one i could find. i love discovering little things like this. it makes me smile.

top ten advantages to having a significant other

1. you can send him to the store for ice cream. and he totally goes. go phish food!

2. he'll buy you a soda out of his own allowance money. voluntarily.

3. you always have someone to snuggle with at night.

4. if you hear a bump in the night, you can send him out to investigate while you stay safe in bed.

5. you always have someone who will help you justify that ridiculous expenditure. put a 40" tv on the credit card? sure, why not!!

6. honestly, two incomes are better than one.

7. you can trade off and always have a designated driver. and someone to watch your back while you're out getting inebriated.

8. you have a warm body to tuck your ice-cold feet under on chilly winter nights.

9. if you can find someone to compliment you, then you get to get out of those awful tasks like driving a bunch or vacuuming or scrubbing the bathtub.

10. there's always a hug waiting for you at home. :)

picture of the week: porcupine

So I didn't take this picture, but I'm still making it count. Apparently an errant porcupine was wandering around the WSU: Tri-Cities campus today. Photo courtesy of Ian and the iPhone.

ten reasons to be thankful

november may be the month of thanksgiving, but gratitude is never out of season.

1. ben still tells me he loves me. even if he's just taking skippy outside, he always tells me he loves me before he closes the door. i hope he never grows out of that!

2. my family. i may not always get along with them and sometimes i take them for granted, but i really do appreciate them more than i can say.

3. my friends. again, sometimes i take them for granted, but the good ones (you!) are always there when i need them. i can laugh and cry with my friends. life just wouldn't be the same without friends like you.

4. although i don't have my dream job and some mornings i dread going to work, i really am thankful for my job. especially in this economy!

5. i live in a developed nation and am not struggling day to day to provide for my family. i have boundless opportunities available to me, i only need to seek them.

6. i can read. reading brings me so much pleasure and a deeper understanding of the world around me, real and imagined.

7. avocados, enough said.

8. washington really is a beautiful state to live in. the regions are so diverse; i could go from desert to rainforest in a matter of hours. and to be honest, spokane really isn't that bad... on most days

9. music - music is something that moves me deep inside of myself. it is a salve, a retreat and a blessing.

10. although sometimes i long for simplicity and wish life could be as easy as black and white, i truly enjoy consciousness: the ability to think, create and feel emotion. i love knowledge and thought, the complexities of existence. i cherish my existential crises.

picture of the week: late, sorry

i promise not to post too many pet pictures, but isn't she cute? :)

Weekend

I woke myself up last night laughing. Just out-and-out laughing, I couldn't control it. I don't know what I was dreaming about, but it must have been hilarious. Ian was still up, he said I had been laughing for probably a full minute. I was laughing so hard my eyes were watering and I had to go to the bathroom.

In other news, as soon as Ian wakes up, I'm going to ask him for this for my birthday!! So excited!!

top ten reasons to hate open office

1. how do you put the little file stamp in a footer on your document? no idea!

2. you can't cut and paste merged cells, literally adding three hours of work to my mondays.

3. the freaking colors aren't the same as office. they aren't well-organized, either. so trying to match the existing colors on your once-excel spreadsheet is impossible.

4. setting up the print margins is impossible.

5. that little button on the print setup that says "fit to 1 page"? yeah, that doesn't work at all.

6. basically, when you print, it does whatever it damn well pleases. this software and the printer get along very well.

7. when you're highlighting cells, every once in a while (meaning, like one in five times) it will randomly move the cells you're working with. somewhere else.

8. it does a word-guesser in the "writer" (pseudo-word) but if you want to use the word it's guessing? no idea how to make that happen, and i've tried everything i can logically think of.

9. if you're typing in the not-excel and it thinks you want to type something that you don't want to type, the only way to move to the next cell is to hit delete, tab, tab to convince it that yes you're sure you don't want that.

10. when you get into a cell and hit delete, it doesn't just delete the contents. instead, it comes up with a little pop-up asking exactly how much of the cell you want to delete.

i hate open office. oh, and my roof is leaking.

picture of the week: fondue!

why i love the office, a top ten

1. michael is pitifully hilarious
2. dwight is outrageous
3. i love the pranks that jim plays on dwight - especially when pam gets in on it!
4. i find myself laughing out loud all the time
5. michael's man crush on ryan is so awkward, but so funny
6. pam and jim are so cute!
7. i can watch and re-watch seasons 1 - 4 instantly through netflix
8. ben loves it just as much as i do! :] my kid has good taste
9. they never get any work done
10. it is absurdity at its finest!!

picture of the week: bargain

i found this beautiful coat (it's Gap, not that i care about brands...) at value village for a mere $5! i am going to attempt doing some alterations myself. also, i'm thinking it could use some embroidery details...

10 love songs

in honor of valentine's day, 10 of my favorite love songs. (picture of the week still to come.)

top ten reasons to elope: a day late

1. whatever the ramifications, what's done is done. nobody can pressure you to do something else.

2. the cost is significantly worth it. you don't have to put off buying a house, and therefore having a kid. your kids can have cousins a little closer in age to them.

3. you don't have to spend months worrying about details. because, with a type-a personality, there's no way you're not going to worry about it for the next seven months.

4. all those reasons you said yes, i will... you can get around to saying yes, i do a lot sooner.

5. a million flowers don't have to die to adorn your day.

6. you don't wind up with a dress that you'll never wear again, hope your daughter wears, only to discover how very dated your very classic and modern dress has become in the course of thirty years.

7. to be part of the long tradition of going to vegas to elope. and then see vegas.

8. nobody can feel particularly hurt that they didn't get invited... because nobody got invited.

9. you can spend more on your honeymoon!!

10. you don't have to buy into the wedding industry. you don't have to become bridezilla, torture your friends with ugly dresses that they hate, force your family and friends to spend their hard-earned money to travel hundreds of miles to come watch you do something that can be done with a couple of signatures and an elvis impersonator.

picture of the week: the beautiful bride

dinosaurs!

yup, another one :]

zombies!

i have a new favorite website

top ten things to do in D.C.

1. get some yummy vegan and gluten free goodies at Sticky Fingers

2. have a delicious organic vegan meal at Great Sage

3. a trip to the International Spy Museum!! (ben would love it!)

4. visit the Museum of Natural History

5. visit the planetarium at the National Air and Space Museum

6. check out some history at the Library of Congress housed in the thomas jefferson building

7. visit the trees at the National Arboretum

8. people watch at Dupont Circle

9. catch a free performance at the Kennedy Center

10. and of course, make a stop by the White House (it's actually more complicated than that. you can't just stop by the White House. you have to request a visit through your senator or representative. i'd better get on that!)

picture of the week: One World Spokane

One World Spokane was soo good! I am totally taking you there next time you're in town!! Check out their website.

so much for a relaxing sunday

we went to alexis' birthday party today, which was fun, despite the screaming children. she very much liked the bride dress ian and i got her, though it already fit her, which is disappointing. means she'll outgrow it in about 2.8 seconds. we drove back tonight so that we could have a day tomorrow where we don't do anything. except here's our list for tomorrow:

* pick up the lamps we're getting off craigslist.
* go look at the dinosaurs in west pasco.
* work out.
* drop by safeway and pick up an orchid, which are on sale.
* do ian's taxes.
* make a list of what we're spending our refund checks on.
* go to at&t.

ian's razr phone, which he bought a year and a half ago, is giving up the ghost. if he has it shut for long enough for the screen to go black, it doesn't re-illuminate until you turn the phone off and back on again. we're going in to see if it can be repaired, but there is a possibility that, when my tax refund comes in, we'll just replace it with an iphone. we were going to get them in august anyway, and there's no point in buying him a new phone now, and then again in august. it would be $200 cheaper in august (probably), but there's a possibility that a replacement phone to get him to august would be $200, and he'll end up with a phone he really likes. so why not?

"holy gaggle of geese, batman!"

so i was driving down spokane falls blvd on my way to pickup ben after work today. the sun was shinning through the light wispy white clouds, there was a big patch of blue sky ahead of me and i was listening to my current favorite album. needless to say, i was in a good mood. then i witnessed a most fantastic sight: two lanes of west-bound traffic were stopped in front of the river pointe campus as a gaggle of canadian geese leisurely waddled across this busy four-lane street on their way down to the river. it was so whimsical, it immediately brought a toothsome smile to my face and i giggled a little. i wish i had had my camera!

(the above picture is not mine and does not count as my weekly picture.)

homage to my hips by lucille clifton

these hips are big hips. they need space to move around in. they don't fit into little petty places. these hips are free hips. they don't like to be held back. these hips have never been enslaved, they go where they want to go they do what they want to do. these hips are mighty hips. these hips are magic hips. i have known them to put a spell on a man and spin him like a top

top ten things to do for a migraine

1. go home. turns out when you get a migraine is when everyone at work decides to start yelling. about everything. you might as well just leave.

2. get yourself to a darkened room. it just figures that the one day of sunshine in two weeks, the day you've been craving, is the day you sprout a headache.

3. take your hair down. all accouterments next to the scalp, and all gathering of the hair will only agitate your pain. if you must do something with your hair, a loose braid starting an inch below the nape of your neck is your best bet.

4. apply heat. especially at the inner corner of your eyebrows and at the base of your neck where the neck meets the skull. those are two areas where veins enter through holes in your skull, wrap around your head via behind your ears, and then re-enter the skull at the eyebrow. those two points are key.

5. take painkillers. find something strong. something with the word "migraine" in the title is best.

6. drink caffeine. if you start to get chronic migraines, cut this step out, as the caffeine can actually continue your headaches. but for the occasional headache, this opens the blood vessels and lets the blood flow easier, often times alleviating the pain.

7. take a nap. that is, if you can fall asleep. a mild sedative or antihistamine may help with this step. hopefully you will feel better when you wake up.

8. take a bath. i know, this goes with the "apply heat" step, but it's also a way to get you to relax and lay still so as not to agitate anything.

9. sit up straighter. it's possible that it's not a migraine, but a stress headache, and nothing assists stress better than bad posture. feet flat on the floor, back straight, chin back, shoulders down. take a deep breath.

10. get someone to give you a head massage. especially those places mentioned before--the nape of the neck and the eyebrows--and you could be on your way to feeling like a better, more functioning member of society.

picture of the week: the dress

top ten most comfortable articles of clothing for a winter's day (not necessarily worn together)

colleen gave me the topic for this list after we returned from the march and ice skating - it was really cold!

1. pajama pants - preferably of soft cotton
2. thermal shirt
3. over-sized, worn cotton t-shirt (usually worn over a thermal)
4. thick, warm socks
5. soft chunky sweater
6. fuzzy, cushioned slippers
7. your favorite hooded sweatshirt
8. fleece blanket (not really clothing, but..)
9. a cup of fresh hot cocoa (again, not clothing. i know.)
10. none of the above - just stay in bed!

picture of the week: xbox

this was taken right after ben exclaimed "O-M-G!"
(you can see my mom's new kitchen in the background, too.)

sisters

these quotes came to me in a myspace bulletin today and i wanted to share them with you. you're one of my sisters! :]

You can kid the world. But not your sister.
~Charlotte Gray

To help one another is part of the religion of sisterhood.
~Louisa May Alcott

A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double.
~Toni Morrison

What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it? ~Jenny DeVries

More than Santa Claus, your sister knows when you've been bad and good.
~Linda Sunshine

When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us? ~Pam Brown

The mildest, drowsiest sister has been known to turn tiger if her sibling is in trouble.
~Clara Ortega

thoughts

i feel like i'm in a jane austen novel:
a woman at the threshold of love, with very poor timing

sometimes the emotion is so full and tangible i feel like vomiting
it pushes at my throat and it hurts

i am clearing out my metaphorical closets and making room
i am tired of what ifs

this is a black eye:
it will take a few days for the bruising to show

top ten things to do when drama gets out of control

1. go for a long walk, by yourself. explore somewhere you've never been.

2. get out of town! hit the road for a saturday. take along a friend who has nothing to do with the drama. eat at a restaurant three towns over and head home. be sure to bring along good, upbeat music to blast.

3. confront it. talk it through, try to see all sides, and try to convince the other party (parties) to see your side.

4. take one of the people assisting the drama for something completely unrelated and whimsical. remember why you've put yourself in a position that you're willing to put up with drama from someone, and try to restore a little normalcy to the relationship.

5. say no to drama. walk away from the situation, and possibly the person/people causing the drama.

6. get on with your life. give it a week or so to blow over before returning to it. many times, it will have deflated to realistic proportions.

7. list out your priorities, and figure out where the drama falls. many times drama comes from having to choose one priority over another. a friend of mine had drama when her five-year boyfriend didn't want to live with her adult child, and she had to choose whether caring for her child was more important than her romantic relationship.

8. vent to a friend. pick someone totally unrelated to the situation.

9. take a class, something you can do with your hands or body, to get your mind off the subject.

10. journal it. sometimes getting it down on paper will help you sort through it.

picture of the week

so i've been waiting all week to get a good picture for my picture of the week, and still hadn't found one. we were supposed to go out today and get some stuff from the bath & body works sale at the mall, and i was going to continue to look for a good picture... but i woke up feeling like crap. however, i did take a pretty memorable picture last night...

when dave & linda got us our digital camera, they requested pictures of our apartment. well, our apartment has been an atrocious mess since before christmas. i've been trying to systematically clean the place, room by room, since then. i started with the kitchen and the bathroom because... well, those are disgusting if they're not cleaned regularly. right now, the kitchen is back to being messy, but we'll fix that pretty soon.

last night, though, i finally tackled the living room. it's been a hard one since we had the christmas tree up until last week, and boxes of christmas decorations piled up wherever convenient besides that. but last night i just put my mind to it and got it all cleaned up. i worked for a while on the bedroom, but ian needs to clean off his desk, i can't do that. but here is a rare picture of my living room, actually clean:

top ten things i look forward to in the year that is to be 2009 (in no particular order)

1. your wedding! i'm so happy for you, congratulations! :]
2. spring and the return of all things green (the constant white gets very monotonous!)
3. the possibility of a new relationship...
4. paying off some of my debt.
5. a return to the cabin this summer; it really is my favorite place.
6. more books! i just can't read enough. i have a whole new year of reading to do!
7. harry potter and the half-blood prince, the long-anticipated movie!
8. all the great unknown experiences awaiting me in the near future.
9. maybe a raise, just a small one, maybe? maybe?
10. being your maid of honor and seeing you on one of the most important days of your life! i love you and i know you and ian will be so happy! :]

picture of the week: new year's eve

yes. i'm playing the air piano...
(photo by: elbe)