Passing along...

A couple weeks ago, Sister 1 gave me the blogging with a purpose award. It's taken me all this time to pass along the kindness.

As I mentioned previously, I don't read many blogs, so I'm just sharing this with two people.

Lana at When It Don't Come Easy. My cousin, culture buddy, fellow literary lover, uses her blog to share about everyday life with a gentle sense of humor and the eyes of someone who closely observes what others don't always see. She makes me laugh and she gives me pause to think.

Rebecca at Don't Eat the Playdough. She's my dear friend from high school, now a mom of four (congratulations on the newest arrival last week!), who occasionally squeezes in a moment to blog. I love reading her perspectives, especially when she records the kiddos take on life. I imagine there is some sanity she maintains by her occasional updates.

As I found it difficult to pass this along, I'll just suggest my recipients pass it along if they have someone they want to share with.

Joining the land of the living once again...

Last week in a list:

6 days in bed
5 pairs of pajamas (I actually donned real clothes the last day)
4 missed days of work
3 boxes of Kleenexes (well, I started into a third box)
2 cancelled dates
1 lost voice


I have higher hopes for this week and here are the stats so far:

2 days of work
1 cancelled trip

1 of 2 is pretty good compared to last week. It's nice to feel well again, even if my energy wanes faster than normal. Hope you all are staying well and keeping warm!

Pondering Red

If someone asked you what color your brain was, what would you say? The boyfriend came across this question in an interview questions book. The example response they gave went something like: “Red because I’m red hot with ideas.” The question is of course to explore the candidates creativity.
I know I’m somewhat of a creative soul, but on the spot I don’t think I would come up with such an answer. However, if someone asked me what color my last year was, I’d say, “Red.” Without getting philosophical in the least and without waxing lyrical about love, these are my quick thoughts on red.
As a little girl I would happily tell anyone that cared to ask that my favorite colors were red and purple (I would have fit in well with the Red Hat Club wouldn’t I?). I also knew that those colors were not to be worn together as they did not match, thanks to my mom. I’d sworn off pink as a favorite color since all girls preferred pink and I craved to be just a little different (ask anyone that knows, for better or worse, I think I succeeded in the different category). Over the years red never completely fell from disfavor, but it did move down the ranks a bit, replaced by such colors as yellow, green, pink (when I was much older), and brown. Plus, I like to blame Sister 1 for my decrease in wearing the color because she told me one day that “Red really wasn’t my best color.”
In the cyclical nature of life, red has resurrected, at least for the time being. Over the summer I bought a red computer. I was replacing my old laptop and was excited with Dell’s choice in colors—my personal favorite being the sage green. To my chagrin, Sister 3 was also buying a laptop and she wanted the green, so, I compromised. My beautiful ruby red computer arrived without much delay. Sister 3’s green computer never came; she ended up having to purchase a black computer through Gateway. The next red addition came for my birthday in October. Sister’s 1 & 2 gave me a red, leather purse, which I loved for its color as well as for its practicality (so many pockets!). Not long before that I had a conversation with one of my friends about the versatility of purse colors and we concluded that a nicely chosen red or green purse goes with far more than other colors do. To continue my red trend, I was given a gorgeous red, knee-length coat for Christmas. The boyfriend tells me I act regal when I wear it. I think he’s silly. But I can’t think he’s too silly, because this past year he gave me my first red rose and maybe that actually sums up much of my red year.

Dreams

To make up for my lack of posting in the past week, I'm posting twice right in a row. As I find myself with yet another day cooped up at home (the boss would not even hear of me coming in today), it seems only fitting that I try and connect with a little more world than just the four walls of my bedroom that I've been staring at for three and a half days.
I slept fitfully last night, and that didn't even start until around 2:30 this morning. I think I've mentioned before that I'm a frequent dreamer (if they gave frequent dreamer miles I would be wealthy, I could go anywhere...wait, I already do that) and I probably shouldn't tell any of my dreams because I've been made fun of for them before, but sometimes they are just so strange, fantastical, interesting that they must be let free from the cobwebby mind of sleep into the daylight. My few hours of sleep were carried by ridiculous dreams, most of which I've forgotten by now. But the part I haven't forgotten was this: As I was leaving my apartment (which I don't have), a neighbor accosted me asking about my lizard. I looked at the woman and rather frustratingly told her I did not own a lizard and I had already told her that before. She was all in a huff because someones lizard had died around the side of the building. The more I looked at the woman, the more I realized that she was moldy, or something like that. She had green stuff growing on her head and face and ears. It was truly disgusting and as she kept talking I had to look down from her face and I clutched my head because my reaction to things that creep me out to look at, is goosebumps on my head--which I refer to as either tingles or prickles or the combo pringles, whichever word comes out--even in my sleep I fell prey to the unsettling tingles brought on by a molding, fake woman who was so concerned about a lizard that wasn't mine. Still as I picture that woman in my mind's eye, my scalp tingles. Oh, it was disgusting! How could a dream like that have a purposeful meaning?

Heretofore...

...until my whim strikes me otherwise, when posting on this illustrious blog I plan to refer to my many siblings in the following way: Sister 1, Sister 2, Sister 3, Brother 1, Brother 2, Brother 3. How handy that I have three of each?

Catching Up

A week has passed since my last post, which I didn't anticipate. But I promise it hasn't just been laziness keeping me from updating. I found out last Friday that the boyfriend got a new job about 3 hours north, so we've been spending time preparing for his fast approaching move. Plus, earlier this week I was struck with an energy-sapping, work-preventing flu. Today is my third day in bed. However, thankfully I am on the mend and fever-free for most of today. So, maybe I'll be able to return to work tomorrow. So, those are my excuses.

Last week I promised to write a post on my latest cultural excursion--ballet--and then I never returned to that. My cousin and culture buddy wrote such a fantastically humorous account of our adventure, that I'm just going to let you read her take on it here. I was laughing out loud at the way she so accurately portrayed the evening.

My sister very kindly gave me a blogging with purpose award last week. This is something that is to be passed on. Unfortunately I'm not an avid blog reader (which I know is probably hypocritical since I enjoy knowing people read my blog), mostly because I don't have enough time. However, as soon as I come up with a few people to share the award with, I'll post that.

It seems I should have a wittier, more interesting entry with all the extra time I've had to think this week. My thoughts have been full apartment hunting for the boyfriend, wishing I felt well enough to read or watch movies, and realizing my work is not decreasing as I lie in bed. So, for now this is the rather anti-climactic post you'll get. But, I'll return before another week has passed.

Observations

I was going to share about my new cultural experience this week, but as I am a bit short on time, that will have to wait until another entry. For now I am going to content myself with two observations.

While driving in a bit further north of here, I saw and pondered these two signs:
~Deer and Turkey Seminar (this was followed by a phone number)
~Fortune Cookie Sale King for Queen (this was at a mattress store, so I guess I could buy a king size for the price of a queen size, but what do fortune cookies have to do with this?)

My second observation is that I love orange M&Ms. Honestly, I enjoy all colors and flavors of the delicious candy-coated chocolates, but I've always had an affinity for the orange ones. The other day I opened a fun size package and was delighted to see that all but 6 of them were orange. I carefully picked out the other colors and ate them before the orange ones. I know, I'm strange and I find in enjoyment in small things. But at least I'm honest about it. :)

Until another day, enjoy these small oddities.

Names

Since I was little I've been fascinated by names. My sisters and I created a game we very cleverly called "The Name Game" in which we found unusual names in a name book, wrote them down on paper, and drew them out of a basket to create names. We were obviously quite easily entertained. Some of our favorites included Honoria and Cordie-Cordie. We named all of our dolls, we talked about names for our children someday, we went through great rituals in choosing names for make believe or paper dolls. If a name could be chosen for something, we went to great lengths to choose the perfect name.
With such a background, I find myself listening to names at the store where I work. Today I was intrigued by a mother and her three children--who were incidentally undoing all the tidying work I did in the kid's section. Throughout the course of their lengthy and noisy stay back in my section I heard her call the kids Hattie, Mabel, and Nash. I am familiar with the first two names, but only through literature in my childhood (Hattie Be Quiet, Hattie Be Good and The Grandma's Attic Series). But I've never heard the name Nash. The names didn't seem to fit the tow-headed kids, either. Another name I heard today was Sally. This obviously isn't a strange name, but I realized that I've never seen a Sally that looked like a Sally. And therefore, I'm not sure what a Sally should look like. It seems more like a fictitious name and not something a real person should have.
Back in my first semester of college I had a teacher called Estrella Sybinsky. She was a strange and flighty woman who seemed more concerned with the birds and the bees than the American Government we were to study. She called role every class and she never seemed to know where I was in the room--as I am a creature of habit, I always sat in the same seat and I always sat with the same two guys who she always knew. Finally one day she looked at me after seeing me respond to my name (for the record she said the last name and then the first name which I found a little bothersome) and said, "You just don't look like a Stephanie." I asked what I looked like and she thought for a moment and replied, "I don't know, maybe a Tiffany." Now I ask you, how different is Stephanie from Tiffany? Honestly they both kind of sound like preppy, cheerleader girls from the late 80s, early 90s. This is of course my personal stereotype and not one that I fit at all. :) But still, the names sound pretty similar to me. However, I am quite happy my parents chose Stephanie because I personally prefer it over Tiffany. And there is something to be said for contentment.

Sunday

During a personal prayer this week, I happened upon a realization that surprised me greatly: I edit my prayers. Seriously, I was praying about a particular situation and I mentally used the word things and I backed-up and carried on a brief mental conversation about my weak word choice and what noun would be more concrete. I couldn’t believe the writer in me coming out, because truly I do know that I have a perfect intercessor that brings my prayers before God. If I don’t use the perfect word or pray the most elegant prayer, God understands. Honestly, I should be more concerned with a consistent prayer life instead of the perfect words in my prayers.

My cleaning earlier in the week resulted in a crate of dolls—porcelain and plastic—I wanted to pass on because I just had too many left from childhood. However, the dolls were mostly given to me by family and they held some sentimental value so I decided I’d rather give them away to little girls I know and not just pass them off to Goodwill. To that end I lugged a yellow crate to church this morning with the following message taped to the side: FREE to good home as long as parents are asked first. Have fun. I was so pleased to see the many little girls at church delightedly choose a doll and take her home. I only had one doll left, and frankly her wig comes off which I believe wasn’t terribly appealing to anyone. I’d say it was a success. I didn’t even feel a twinge of sadness giving away pieces of childhood with the way it brought pleasure to the girls. Hopefully all the parents were happy enough with the addition of a new toy to the house.

Happily Ever After

The elephant is whole again and watching over the Factory Furniture Outlet parking lot. All is well and returned to normal. :)

Going Solo

I conducted an experiment today. At the urging of the boyfriend, I attended a movie alone. I'm not entirely sure what this experience was supposed to prove, but I came away feeling like I would have been just as well watching a movie alone on my couch. I was a bit appalled at the matinee price of $7 and I shared the theater with only three other people and I didn't enjoy the movie as much as I thought I might. Not that it was an entirely negative experience, I just realized that I'd rather go to the theater with someone and if I want to watch a movie alone, I'd rather do it in the comfort of my own home.
I watched The Golden Compass which has received particular attention and hype from within the Christian community--this being negative attention. Being of a literary mind as well as in the book business, I figured it might be worth my checking out. I'm typically pleased with fantasy stories, but this lacked something. I know the book is quite long and I'm certain the writers of the screenplay did a lot of cutting out and condensing. Although I have not read the book, I got the feeling that the movie lacked some purpose and movement because of the missing material. It wasn't all bad or anything, but I definitely wouldn't take a young child to see it, portions were a little intense and there was also a bit of a weirdness with the humans' souls being contained with an animal (these were all sorts of animals and it was a bit strange to see an animal continually beside each human) which they referred to as daemons (each of these did have another name as well and could communicate with their human). From what I understand the Christian community is concerned about the anti-God influence of these stories. I didn't perceive that this installment of the story was pushing an anti-God message; however, there was no god. And I believe as many fantasy stories go, this trilogy gets darker the further it goes. I wouldn't compel you not to see the movie, but I might recommend waiting until it comes out on DVD if you have great interest in seeing it. If you have any comments about the movie or book (particularly if you have watched or read it), I'd love to hear them because I am far from an expert on knowing the enjoyment and concerns regarding this story (although I was given an article to read about Philip Pullman, so I know he is no friend of Christianity).

Purging

For the purpose of detoxing I fasted today and therefore have felt somewhat hungry all day. This is the third time I've fasted this year and I've found that in general it is easier than I think it will be, but nevertheless, I am quite excited to eat the next morning.
I used my day to pray as well as do some major cleaning in my bedroom. I have accumulated too much. To anyone that knows me, I can be a little fanatical about organizing and such so it is probably not much of a surprise that I felt the need to purge some belongings while I was purging my body. I still have too much, but I did downsize by a couple boxes and for now I am content with that.

Rediscovering an Old Friend.

I've long been a fan of books and feel that everything I read leaves some sort of impression behind. I can list countless books I read growing up and some of them I see as catalysts for turning points. I am amazed by the longevity of print friends.
Several years ago I was introduced to Helene Hanff through her book 84 Charing Cross Road and I felt some kinship to her. Last year in my stocking I received an old copy of Q's Legacy also by Ms. Hanff. It was the first book I completed last year and I loved meeting an acquaintance within the pages of another book. About a month back an assuming book fell into my possession and with great delight I opened the pages and began to read another chapter in the life of a not quite forgotten friend. Underfoot in Show Business is another one of Ms. Hanff's memoirs. This one about her early attempts at screenwriting. Although busyness has kept me from completing this book, I found that I once again connected with the quirks and humor of this friend met only in print.
Often people have not heard of Ms. Hanff and if you are one those, I'd encourage you to consider finding one of her books at the library or a bookstore (although I believe most of her books are out of print) and giving her a read. Perhaps you will meet a new friend as well.
Happy reading!

Saturday night rambles...

It's bad enough we're paying $3.19 a gallon for gas, but a VP in town had the following listed: $31.9. Can you imagine? We'd never drive anywhere at that price.

And since I drive the same path frequently you, my dear readers (few as you may be), are going to be treated to a final episode in the life of the elephant. Now the poor animal is standing on its stumps, with the 4 legs carefully lined up beside it and the trunk rather haphazardly tossed in front of the broken nose. It's such a sad sight, I don't know why the store doesn't just dispose of the elephant.

The New Year

As I had to work today, I didn't particularly enjoy my New Year's day. However, when I finally settled in at home tonight around 8:30, I enjoyed a cup of hot tea, a game of 5-handed euchre (I came in second), and an animated half hour of my new fast-paced two-person game Blink. The time was good to unwind.

I've never been big on setting resolutions, often set book reading goals--like a book a week. My dear sister thinks my resolution this year should be to blog more. I'm not sure what goals I'll set, maybe something writing related and reading related. Beyond that, I'll have to ponder.