Can you believe it's already been a week since I last posted my top five current songs I can't stop listening to? A lot happens in a week, but that's all good for me. I will tell you that this week's selections are all fairly mainstream, and several are on the radar from the last 24 hours, so these are truly what I'm currently listening to at the moment. Without further ado...
1. Keep Me In Mind: Zac Brown Band
I have to thank my beautiful sister for this one. She has provided me with the most recent ZBB album, and this is definitely a stand out for me. I love the country/funk/soul vibe of the song, and I'm really enjoying the use of the strings on this one. The harmonies are beautiful and the chorus has been in my head most of the day today. I'm a bit bummed that he's going to be in Des Moines soon for his tour and I don't have tickets. I'm still trying to win them though, so maybe I'll get to hear him live! If not, I'll just listen to the CD the night of the concert and pretend. :) And I'll save money towards a future house, so it's all good.
2. I'm Goin' Down: Mary J. Blige.
Once again my man Marcus Canty on the X-Factor sang the song that I can't stop listening to this evening. Last week it was Bobby Brown, and this week he sang an excellent rendition of this song. Originally by Rose Royce, the version I know and love is the cover done by Mary J. The raw passion and intensity of her voice on this song is rarely matched by artists these days, and this is a classic. Definitely worth adding to your library if it's not already there.
3. I'm Gonna Love You Through It: Martina McBride
Thanks for making me burst into tears Martina. I've always enjoyed Martina, but I have to admit I'd never really listened to her latest single until she performed it tonight on the CMA awards. Right there looking gorgeous as always is Martina, singing about a woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer, and who's husband is there for her while she's scared and afraid, and he says "I'm gonna love you through it." Of course the only thing I can think of is my mom and my dad and how they went through this very situation, and how my dad did love my mom through it, and is here on the other side with her still loving her every day. And now I'm going to get all weepy again, so maybe I'll stop listening to this one for a minute. But do check it out. Martina McBride is amazing.
4. You Can't Win: Kelly Clarkson
The new Kelly Clarkson album is great, and I like to listen to it while I'm getting around for the day. She's once again shown why she was the first and the best. This song is a pop-guitar driven song with a unique message. It's a song about all of the different ways in which no matter what you do you just feel like you can't win. I understand that sounds like a pretty downer sort of theme, but this song never gets me down. Every time I hear this song I identify with it, I'm energized, and I feel like it's Kelly's way of saying "No matter what you do there will always be someone who wants to say you can't win, so just be you and don't worry about it." At least that's the message I get from it.
5. America (from West Side Story): Glee Cast
Ok, this choice might seem slightly out of left field, but you should know by now that I love Glee! And, this week we were given two great solo moments from Naya Rivera, who's voice is just stunning to me. My friend Meggin said today " I just want Santana to walk around and sing West Side Story songs, always." I would not be opposed to that! This song is catchy, and it gets me excited for the live performance of West Side Story that is coming to the Civic Center in a few months. I can't wait to see it!
So there are my picks for this week. They're all pretty up beat, minus the Martina McBride song, but they're all making for an interesting little play list this evening. :)
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
It's one month!
And what a great month it has been! It's hard to believe that just one month ago, on a beautiful Saturday, I married the man I never thought I'd meet. I know I'm not the first person to make a statement like that, but that doesn't make it any less true. I can remember so many times in the last decade or so when I thought it would be much easier to just throw in the towel. If you've dated, and I imagine most of you have, dating can really suck sometimes. I too have my share of horror stories. Some are pretty humorous, and some are just sad. For the sake of not dragging things through the mud I won't say anything more on that, but maybe sometime I'll give you some insight on that.
There's always been something about Craig that has drawn me to him, and I've known it from the first time I met him. We actually first connected with each other through an online personal ad. Honestly, I had forgotten that I had an ad out for public view when I got a response from Craig. I remember it well though. I had actually been out celebrating Des Moines pride weekend, and I was supposed to be meeting a guy. I got stood up that Saturday night, and I was dejected to say the least. Rejection never feels good. I went out again on Sunday for the festivities anyway, but I was out with friends and not worrying about any possible connection. I did get a text message from the guy who stood me up, and his lame excuses were enough to send me home. In a funk, I thought I'd check my e-mail. And there, among the spam and jokes was a message stating that my personal ad had been viewed. With hesitation I opened the message, and the rest, they say, is history. :)
Dating and personal sites are a mixed bag. I don't put them down, as they eventually did work for me, but I know the frustration of getting less than stellar results too. So many people, in my experience, were just looking for a casual friend or hook up. My typical response to that was, "and then what?" I've always thought I'd have a relationship like my parents have had now for 35 years. Now that I've met Craig, I believe that dream has become a reality.
Craig and I are similar in some ways, and very different in others. I think that is what helps us stay so positive through everything. I have very few qualms about sharing my emotions, while Craig is usually reserved. I enjoy a good night of reality and comedy TV, where Craig would prefer watching a History channel special. I despise people talking at me in the morning, at least before I've had a few cups of coffee. Craig sets his alarm to play NPR as a wake up. Yet in other ways we're perfectly matched. We both enjoy concerts. We have a strong love of family and friends. We both feel that contributing to the community we live in is important. So in our relationship I feel we're truly blessed to match up so well.
So now I'm going to end this short little posting to go and wish him sweet dreams. Craig turns into a pumpkin around 10, and I'm a night owl. But we both sleep sweetly knowing we're together for life.
There's always been something about Craig that has drawn me to him, and I've known it from the first time I met him. We actually first connected with each other through an online personal ad. Honestly, I had forgotten that I had an ad out for public view when I got a response from Craig. I remember it well though. I had actually been out celebrating Des Moines pride weekend, and I was supposed to be meeting a guy. I got stood up that Saturday night, and I was dejected to say the least. Rejection never feels good. I went out again on Sunday for the festivities anyway, but I was out with friends and not worrying about any possible connection. I did get a text message from the guy who stood me up, and his lame excuses were enough to send me home. In a funk, I thought I'd check my e-mail. And there, among the spam and jokes was a message stating that my personal ad had been viewed. With hesitation I opened the message, and the rest, they say, is history. :)
Dating and personal sites are a mixed bag. I don't put them down, as they eventually did work for me, but I know the frustration of getting less than stellar results too. So many people, in my experience, were just looking for a casual friend or hook up. My typical response to that was, "and then what?" I've always thought I'd have a relationship like my parents have had now for 35 years. Now that I've met Craig, I believe that dream has become a reality.
Craig and I are similar in some ways, and very different in others. I think that is what helps us stay so positive through everything. I have very few qualms about sharing my emotions, while Craig is usually reserved. I enjoy a good night of reality and comedy TV, where Craig would prefer watching a History channel special. I despise people talking at me in the morning, at least before I've had a few cups of coffee. Craig sets his alarm to play NPR as a wake up. Yet in other ways we're perfectly matched. We both enjoy concerts. We have a strong love of family and friends. We both feel that contributing to the community we live in is important. So in our relationship I feel we're truly blessed to match up so well.
So now I'm going to end this short little posting to go and wish him sweet dreams. Craig turns into a pumpkin around 10, and I'm a night owl. But we both sleep sweetly knowing we're together for life.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
A spiritual Sunday
Good evening to all of those out in the blogosphere. I'm going to give the disclaimer right at the beginning here that this post is going to be somewhat touchy-feely, philosophized and what not. If your mind isn't in the place to handle more serious and thought-provoking topics this might not be your favorite post of mine. I also understand that I may provide some thoughts and opinions that may seem controversial or different from others. We're all adults here and I think we're mature enough to handle it. I have had a really great day though and I want to share with everyone, so here goes.
I am a member of Plymouth Church here in Des Moines. It's a wonderful place and I am truly blessed to be a member. I have been a member just over a year and a half at this point and it's been one of the most rewarding experiences I've encountered. I can't say that I've been a model member and I've probably missed more sermons than I've attended, but I'm a work in progress and I'm feeling more driven to be connected, and I think that's a good thing.
I should probably give some background before I go further with my discussion for today. I grew up in a church-going family. I was raised in a Baptist home and attended the local baptist church in my hometown. And when I say I attended, I mean that I was there just about every possible time that I could be there. A typical week for me began with Sunday school , followed by Sunday service, then youth group and Sunday evening service. Tuesday mornings I would go to church youth breakfast before schools. Most Wednesday nights I would attend a youth group meeting or Wednesday evening service, and if there was a youth group event going on for the weekend I was there Friday or Saturday as well.
I know that many of the beliefs and ideals that I follow today came from this exposure and upbringing. I don't regret any of the time I spent involved in my church family and I am glad that my family chose to bring me up in this manner. But, I can also say that from an early age I remember finding discrepancies with how I felt about life and how I was being taught to view life. Many times I came home from a sermon or class feeling like there was something out of sorts. It just felt like the golden rule wasn't being followed, and it was more about how I needed to be converting people to my way of thinking instead of respecting and appreciating the diverse population we live in. It seemed like anyone who was "different" was either "in the wrong" or in some kind of cult. It also didn't help that by this time I was starting to wonder whether I myself was who I had been pretending to be, and if you've ever felt like you had to be someone else in order to fit in then you know where I'm coming from. Please understand though that this is my experience only, and I know that others may have felt differently in the same situation. I'm not trying to bad mouth anyone here, but simply give my perspective on the situation.
Getting out of that environment and heading to college was very beneficial for me in a lot of ways. I learned to start questioning what I had always been told and to start forming my own ideas. Some of the principles I'd been brought up on still held, but meeting others and getting new veiwpoints really helped me to broaden my horizons and to gain valuable life experience I had been missing out on. I was also able to finally come to terms with myself and my identity, and that was a big relief. Unfortunately once I realized that I was who I was, most of my connection with the church and my upbringing had to be put to the side. It's very tough to feel excluded from something you've always felt a connection to just because you want to be yourself. I couldn't imagine being a member of a church who would condemn me for being who I was or who would try to "correct" what they felt was an issue.
It took a long time for me to start trusting in God again because of this experience. It wasn't until I met Craig that I began to realize what I had been missing in my life for such a long time. One of the first things about Craig that really appealed to me was his connection to his family, and to his active involvement in church. Craig mentioned very early on in our relationship that he belonged to Plymouth church. I had heard a little about Plymouth, and recognized the name from some of their advertisements. They are very vocal about saying that "all are welcome," and when I met Craig, someone who was "like me" who was a member, I decided to give it a chance.
I remember the first time I went to Plymouth with Craig. I was a bit overwhelmed really, in the best sense of the word. I was back in a church, I hadn't burst into flames, and I was really enjoying myself. I got a good message from the sermon that morning, and I remember meeting one of the pastor's after the service. He made me feel genuinely welcomed, and it was enough to get me back. Craig and I continued to attend services, and after a few months I decided that I was ready to make the next step and become a member. It was a beautiful and overwhelming moment for me, and I was blessed to have my family and Craig's family there as I made the committment.
After becoming a member and feeling so confident, God decided to throw some tests at Craig and I. My mom and aunt battled breast cancer (and won!) and Craig's mom fought a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. Craig also lost his grandmother during that time, and there were days where I asked "what next, God?" But as things always do, with time and patience I was reminded that even though I may not understand the plan, or the reasoning behind it, there's always a plan in place.
Ok, so a little background ended up being quite a bit of information, but I think it will be helpful in the long run if you understand where I've been and where I'm coming from. I'm now caught up to my great day today. First, we went to Sunday morning service to her our pastor Matt give a sermon. This was especially good because I had a small part in helping put the sermon together. Matt is currently working on his doctorate, and he's asked some different church members to serve on a committee to help him to examine a more vulnerable style of preaching. It's interesting to have the behind the scenes aspect of putting a sermon together. Matt has also introduced me to a form of meditation and reflection on written text which has been really rewarding.
After the sermon we had a meeting of the committee to discuss what worked about the sermon and the message. It's always interesting to get the different perspectives of the group from a message that we all heard at the same time. I left the meeting feeling spiritually connected, and as it was such a beautiful fall day in November, I decided to go and enjoy it. Craig had plans with his brother and I had the afternoon to myself. I drove to downtown Des Moines, got a cup of coffee, and found a nice bench in the sunshine. I sat and read for a while, and then just sat and reflected on so many of the blessings I have in my life. It was a really great moment and I'm so happy I got to enjoy that today. The small moments of peace in the day can be the most rewarding I think.
Those moments alone were rewarding, but to top that off tonight we went to a "Fan the Flame" dinner at Plymouth. Over the last year or so the church has been looking at a plan to help strengthen the church experience and to help us move to the next level. We got to sit with several members I'd never had the pleasure to meet and we got to hear the vision that Plymouth has planned for the future. It was so inspiring and energizing. It makes me want to be more involved.
Craig and I also had a personal, moving experience during the evening's presentation. One of the goals of our new plan is to develop more "small group" experiences, where Plymouth members can get together to really know each other personally and spiritually. As a small group exercise, we got to talk with the other members at our tables about the plans and what excited us or what gave us concerns. We also got to share something that we counted as a blessing from Plymouth in the past year. Craig and I both said, without a doubt, that our biggest blessing was having Matt marry us and knowing that our church family welcomed and accepted us as a married couple. When the presenter called us back to order she asked if anyone was willing to share their blessing with the group. With the encouragement of our table mates, I stood and shared our blessing. I was overwhelmed by emotion, but it was so incredible to see so many loving and supportive faces and to hear cheers and applause from so many of our church family members. I was definitely moved by the spirit in that moment. I do count it as a blessing to be a member of a church that accepts me for who I am when so many others wouldn't give me the time of day.
So that's the vibe I'm feeling right now. I feel like I'm in a really good place and that I'm truly blessed. I don't claim to have the answers or that I'm following the "right" path for everyone, but for me I know that at Plymouth I'm truly at home. If you'd ever like to come visit, please let me know. You are truly welcome there.
I am a member of Plymouth Church here in Des Moines. It's a wonderful place and I am truly blessed to be a member. I have been a member just over a year and a half at this point and it's been one of the most rewarding experiences I've encountered. I can't say that I've been a model member and I've probably missed more sermons than I've attended, but I'm a work in progress and I'm feeling more driven to be connected, and I think that's a good thing.
I should probably give some background before I go further with my discussion for today. I grew up in a church-going family. I was raised in a Baptist home and attended the local baptist church in my hometown. And when I say I attended, I mean that I was there just about every possible time that I could be there. A typical week for me began with Sunday school , followed by Sunday service, then youth group and Sunday evening service. Tuesday mornings I would go to church youth breakfast before schools. Most Wednesday nights I would attend a youth group meeting or Wednesday evening service, and if there was a youth group event going on for the weekend I was there Friday or Saturday as well.
I know that many of the beliefs and ideals that I follow today came from this exposure and upbringing. I don't regret any of the time I spent involved in my church family and I am glad that my family chose to bring me up in this manner. But, I can also say that from an early age I remember finding discrepancies with how I felt about life and how I was being taught to view life. Many times I came home from a sermon or class feeling like there was something out of sorts. It just felt like the golden rule wasn't being followed, and it was more about how I needed to be converting people to my way of thinking instead of respecting and appreciating the diverse population we live in. It seemed like anyone who was "different" was either "in the wrong" or in some kind of cult. It also didn't help that by this time I was starting to wonder whether I myself was who I had been pretending to be, and if you've ever felt like you had to be someone else in order to fit in then you know where I'm coming from. Please understand though that this is my experience only, and I know that others may have felt differently in the same situation. I'm not trying to bad mouth anyone here, but simply give my perspective on the situation.
Getting out of that environment and heading to college was very beneficial for me in a lot of ways. I learned to start questioning what I had always been told and to start forming my own ideas. Some of the principles I'd been brought up on still held, but meeting others and getting new veiwpoints really helped me to broaden my horizons and to gain valuable life experience I had been missing out on. I was also able to finally come to terms with myself and my identity, and that was a big relief. Unfortunately once I realized that I was who I was, most of my connection with the church and my upbringing had to be put to the side. It's very tough to feel excluded from something you've always felt a connection to just because you want to be yourself. I couldn't imagine being a member of a church who would condemn me for being who I was or who would try to "correct" what they felt was an issue.
It took a long time for me to start trusting in God again because of this experience. It wasn't until I met Craig that I began to realize what I had been missing in my life for such a long time. One of the first things about Craig that really appealed to me was his connection to his family, and to his active involvement in church. Craig mentioned very early on in our relationship that he belonged to Plymouth church. I had heard a little about Plymouth, and recognized the name from some of their advertisements. They are very vocal about saying that "all are welcome," and when I met Craig, someone who was "like me" who was a member, I decided to give it a chance.
I remember the first time I went to Plymouth with Craig. I was a bit overwhelmed really, in the best sense of the word. I was back in a church, I hadn't burst into flames, and I was really enjoying myself. I got a good message from the sermon that morning, and I remember meeting one of the pastor's after the service. He made me feel genuinely welcomed, and it was enough to get me back. Craig and I continued to attend services, and after a few months I decided that I was ready to make the next step and become a member. It was a beautiful and overwhelming moment for me, and I was blessed to have my family and Craig's family there as I made the committment.
After becoming a member and feeling so confident, God decided to throw some tests at Craig and I. My mom and aunt battled breast cancer (and won!) and Craig's mom fought a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. Craig also lost his grandmother during that time, and there were days where I asked "what next, God?" But as things always do, with time and patience I was reminded that even though I may not understand the plan, or the reasoning behind it, there's always a plan in place.
Ok, so a little background ended up being quite a bit of information, but I think it will be helpful in the long run if you understand where I've been and where I'm coming from. I'm now caught up to my great day today. First, we went to Sunday morning service to her our pastor Matt give a sermon. This was especially good because I had a small part in helping put the sermon together. Matt is currently working on his doctorate, and he's asked some different church members to serve on a committee to help him to examine a more vulnerable style of preaching. It's interesting to have the behind the scenes aspect of putting a sermon together. Matt has also introduced me to a form of meditation and reflection on written text which has been really rewarding.
After the sermon we had a meeting of the committee to discuss what worked about the sermon and the message. It's always interesting to get the different perspectives of the group from a message that we all heard at the same time. I left the meeting feeling spiritually connected, and as it was such a beautiful fall day in November, I decided to go and enjoy it. Craig had plans with his brother and I had the afternoon to myself. I drove to downtown Des Moines, got a cup of coffee, and found a nice bench in the sunshine. I sat and read for a while, and then just sat and reflected on so many of the blessings I have in my life. It was a really great moment and I'm so happy I got to enjoy that today. The small moments of peace in the day can be the most rewarding I think.
Those moments alone were rewarding, but to top that off tonight we went to a "Fan the Flame" dinner at Plymouth. Over the last year or so the church has been looking at a plan to help strengthen the church experience and to help us move to the next level. We got to sit with several members I'd never had the pleasure to meet and we got to hear the vision that Plymouth has planned for the future. It was so inspiring and energizing. It makes me want to be more involved.
Craig and I also had a personal, moving experience during the evening's presentation. One of the goals of our new plan is to develop more "small group" experiences, where Plymouth members can get together to really know each other personally and spiritually. As a small group exercise, we got to talk with the other members at our tables about the plans and what excited us or what gave us concerns. We also got to share something that we counted as a blessing from Plymouth in the past year. Craig and I both said, without a doubt, that our biggest blessing was having Matt marry us and knowing that our church family welcomed and accepted us as a married couple. When the presenter called us back to order she asked if anyone was willing to share their blessing with the group. With the encouragement of our table mates, I stood and shared our blessing. I was overwhelmed by emotion, but it was so incredible to see so many loving and supportive faces and to hear cheers and applause from so many of our church family members. I was definitely moved by the spirit in that moment. I do count it as a blessing to be a member of a church that accepts me for who I am when so many others wouldn't give me the time of day.
So that's the vibe I'm feeling right now. I feel like I'm in a really good place and that I'm truly blessed. I don't claim to have the answers or that I'm following the "right" path for everyone, but for me I know that at Plymouth I'm truly at home. If you'd ever like to come visit, please let me know. You are truly welcome there.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Random Saturday thoughts
So here I am on a Saturday night sitting at my lap top and feeling the urge to blog. I haven't blogged the last two days, mainly due to just being worn down and not full of thoughts, but today I'm feeling more inspired. Granted, it's a lot of random thoughts and inspiration, but sometimes those are the best kind.
It's funny how getting married and getting older will change your perspective. Earlier tonight Craig and I went out for dinner with our dear friends Erin and Aaron. As always, we had a wonderful time chatting and spending time together. They are the type of friends who you can easily have a meaningful conversation with one moment and then laugh about something silly the next. Anyway, after dinner we decided to go ahead and call it a night. As Craig and I were driving home he mentioned how we can't forget to turn our clocks back tonight. I looked at the clock on the car dashboard and it said 9:54. I thought to myself, if we turned back the clock now, it would be 8:54. And then I thought it wouldn't matter, as I'd still prefer to be home and in my pajamas. Then I remembered that years ago I would live for the fall back daylight savings night because it meant an extra hour to be out having fun. How times change. :)
I do look forward to the fall back daylights savings day. If I could make it a holiday I think I would. I know there are people who complain about it, but what could be bad about an extra hour? I know that scientifically it's really not an extra hour, but I like to imagine it is anyway. I'm always happy in the fall when I get an extra hour of sleeping, and I'm always annoyed in the spring when that hour is taken away from me.
Craig and I had a pretty good day today. We were lazy this morning and didn't put much effort towards getting around. We finally did though, and after running bank errands we went and had breakfast, and then went to the library. I think the library is a wonderful place and I enjoy visiting. I never leave empty handed either. Lately I've been rediscovering my love of the library through their music selection. After we returned from our honeymoon in Nashville, I wanted to re-connect with some country music that I used to listen to way back in the day. The library has been a great place to do that. Also, as we're now on a "let's buy a house" budget, my I-tunes budget has diminished to basically zero, so having an outlet to still get new music, even if it's only for a three week time period, is much appreciated. The library is definitely what I am thankful for today.
I also spent about an hour trying to find something interesting to read. Now, I don't know why I felt the need to do so, as I have a nook full of books that I want to read. I suppose it was just being in the environment with so many books readily available. It may also have been because the last few books I've read have ended up being duds, and I wanted to find something better. When I was at the library a few weeks ago I picked up a book that I guess classifies as "Steampunk" science fiction. It started out interesting, but mid-way through the book last night the main character was drugged, had her arm and leg cut off, and was being turned into some kind of weapon/machine. I was just annoyed enough by that that I decided to give up on finishing it. It was difficult for me, as I don't like to give up on a book once I've started it, but I just decided my mind wasn't ready to follow that logic anymore. So if you have any good book suggestions feel free to pass them along. I'm always adding to my list. As for now I'm reading "Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America." I love me some Parks and Recreation.
And this, folks, is my first uploaded blog image! I'm growing up so fast. :)
Totally switching gears, I'm wondering how many of my friends/followers are Four Square users? I am not signed up for this, as I don't feel it's that necessary for me. Craig is registered with Four Square, and I think the proper title would probably be addict. It has become incredibly routine for him to check in to each and every place we go. It typically takes us an extra minute to get into any place we are going because he has to stop to check in. I've asked him what benefits he gets from this, and he says there are deals sometimes at certains shops or restaurants. I don't know that to this day he's actually earned any of these deals though. He seems to enjoy using it, but I guess I don't get the appeal.
I'm running out of things to randomly talk about tonight, so I'm probably going to end this and fall back into my book. I do have a goal for tomorrow though, and that is to figure out how to transfer our wedding photos from Craig's computer to mine. Right before the wedding I managed to drop my laptop, and in the process I either bumped or broke something in the CD drive. I can no longer get discs to register or read on my laptop, which is greatly frustrating. And as I've set all unnecessary spending funds aside to the future house fund, I can't pay to get it repaired. Our wedding photographer gave us two discs full of pictures yesterday, and I can't get them onto my laptop to share them with the world. I will figure it out though. The pictures are phenomenal and I can't wait to share them with everyone!
It's funny how getting married and getting older will change your perspective. Earlier tonight Craig and I went out for dinner with our dear friends Erin and Aaron. As always, we had a wonderful time chatting and spending time together. They are the type of friends who you can easily have a meaningful conversation with one moment and then laugh about something silly the next. Anyway, after dinner we decided to go ahead and call it a night. As Craig and I were driving home he mentioned how we can't forget to turn our clocks back tonight. I looked at the clock on the car dashboard and it said 9:54. I thought to myself, if we turned back the clock now, it would be 8:54. And then I thought it wouldn't matter, as I'd still prefer to be home and in my pajamas. Then I remembered that years ago I would live for the fall back daylight savings night because it meant an extra hour to be out having fun. How times change. :)
I do look forward to the fall back daylights savings day. If I could make it a holiday I think I would. I know there are people who complain about it, but what could be bad about an extra hour? I know that scientifically it's really not an extra hour, but I like to imagine it is anyway. I'm always happy in the fall when I get an extra hour of sleeping, and I'm always annoyed in the spring when that hour is taken away from me.
Craig and I had a pretty good day today. We were lazy this morning and didn't put much effort towards getting around. We finally did though, and after running bank errands we went and had breakfast, and then went to the library. I think the library is a wonderful place and I enjoy visiting. I never leave empty handed either. Lately I've been rediscovering my love of the library through their music selection. After we returned from our honeymoon in Nashville, I wanted to re-connect with some country music that I used to listen to way back in the day. The library has been a great place to do that. Also, as we're now on a "let's buy a house" budget, my I-tunes budget has diminished to basically zero, so having an outlet to still get new music, even if it's only for a three week time period, is much appreciated. The library is definitely what I am thankful for today.
I also spent about an hour trying to find something interesting to read. Now, I don't know why I felt the need to do so, as I have a nook full of books that I want to read. I suppose it was just being in the environment with so many books readily available. It may also have been because the last few books I've read have ended up being duds, and I wanted to find something better. When I was at the library a few weeks ago I picked up a book that I guess classifies as "Steampunk" science fiction. It started out interesting, but mid-way through the book last night the main character was drugged, had her arm and leg cut off, and was being turned into some kind of weapon/machine. I was just annoyed enough by that that I decided to give up on finishing it. It was difficult for me, as I don't like to give up on a book once I've started it, but I just decided my mind wasn't ready to follow that logic anymore. So if you have any good book suggestions feel free to pass them along. I'm always adding to my list. As for now I'm reading "Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America." I love me some Parks and Recreation.
Totally switching gears, I'm wondering how many of my friends/followers are Four Square users? I am not signed up for this, as I don't feel it's that necessary for me. Craig is registered with Four Square, and I think the proper title would probably be addict. It has become incredibly routine for him to check in to each and every place we go. It typically takes us an extra minute to get into any place we are going because he has to stop to check in. I've asked him what benefits he gets from this, and he says there are deals sometimes at certains shops or restaurants. I don't know that to this day he's actually earned any of these deals though. He seems to enjoy using it, but I guess I don't get the appeal.
I'm running out of things to randomly talk about tonight, so I'm probably going to end this and fall back into my book. I do have a goal for tomorrow though, and that is to figure out how to transfer our wedding photos from Craig's computer to mine. Right before the wedding I managed to drop my laptop, and in the process I either bumped or broke something in the CD drive. I can no longer get discs to register or read on my laptop, which is greatly frustrating. And as I've set all unnecessary spending funds aside to the future house fund, I can't pay to get it repaired. Our wedding photographer gave us two discs full of pictures yesterday, and I can't get them onto my laptop to share them with the world. I will figure it out though. The pictures are phenomenal and I can't wait to share them with everyone!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
What I'm listening to Wednesday
I posted a more serious blog earlier tonight, and now I'm going to post something just for fun and enjoyment. One idea I've had for my blog is to put together a regular posting regarding music that I'm listening to and would recommend to others. Most of my friends know me as the guy to approach when they want to know who sings a certain song or when they're looking for something new or interesting to listen to. Music has been such an important passion to me for as long as I can remember, and I feel good when I've introduced someone to something I enjoy.
Before I get to my suggestions for this week, a few ground rules. First and foremost, I realize that everyone is entitled to their opinion. There may be a song I enjoy that you think is utter and complete crap. I might think the same thing about a song that you like. The great thing is that this response is completely and totally ok. Another rule, for myself more than anyone, is that I don't pretend to be a music snob or pretentious about what I like. If it's a song sitting at the #1 spot on the top 40 charts, I'm not going to shun it for being too commercial. If the latest song by a "darling" of the popular critics sounds like nails on a chalk board to me, I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon just to seem cool. And a third rule, while I find most all types of music fascinating in one way or another, I'm going to limit my list to five choices a week. This way I have to stay focused, and you and I can both keep our I-tunes budgets in check.
So let's get to the list for this week. Here are the top five songs that I am listening to on a regular basis at the moment and would suggest you check out as well.
1. Houdini- Foster the People. Foster the People are getting a lot of attention right now for their song Pumped Up Kicks. That's a great song by them and I play that often too, but the song that I've been listening to the most from their album "Torches" is Houdini. It's got several great little hooky elements throughout it, with electronic bleeps, a killer horn section, and a very hummable falsetto element that digs into my brain and has me humming. Plus, the lyric "You gotta focus on your ability, then they can't get what they want to steal" is a pretty cool message.
2. Every Little Step- Bobby Brown. This is, for me, and old school jam from my yester-years, but still sounds just as catchy today as it did then. Contestant Marcus Canty sang this tonight on X-Factor, and as soon as he started singing " I can't sleep at night, I toss and turn, listening for the telephone," I was singing and dancing right along with him. This song makes me happy, and that's reason enough to give it another listen. It brings you back to that time when Bobby Brown was known for his music ability and not for a newspaper headline. Ah, youth. :)
3. State of Mind-Clint Black. Craig and I went to Nashville on our honeymoon, and ever since I've been re-discovering country music. I go through phases where I'm really able to connect with country music, and I'm certainly in that mind set these days. We've been visiting the library to borrow CD's to reconnect and discover new music. One of the discs I recently picked up was the ultimate hits of Clint Black. As I was listening to that on the way home from work today, I heard "State of Mind." I used to have this cassette back in the day, and hearing him sing the chorus "Ain't it funny how a melody, can bring back a memory" totally did that for me. I love that message and it's why I love music. And I'm glad that Clint has reminded me of that and taken me to another state of mind.
4. Up in Flames-Coldplay. Coldplay's new album Mylo Xyloto is great, and I don't care whether you like Coldplay or not. That's my opinion and I'm sticking with it. I love the message of "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," but the song that I've been playing most often from the new album is "Up in Flames." It's a classic Coldplay ballad with minimal flourishes. It's essentially Chris Martin, a piano, and a drum, until the guitars kick in during the last minute of the song. It's a sad song about a relationship going" up in flames," but it's beautiful to listen to anyway. This song sort of embodies the message of Every Teardrop is a waterfall, in that even though something may be sad it can also be beautiful.
5. Finally Falling-Mayer Hawthorne. If you're not listening to Mayer Hawthorne I may have to stop talking to you until you change that behavior. This man is brilliant! My friend Krista introduced me to him and honestly should be sending her daily thank you notes for the introduction. Mayer Hawthorne is one funky white guy if I say so myself. He's making great retro-throwback soul music that sounds current at the same time. His song "Finally Falling" is off his latest album "How Do You Do" and it's a catchy, up-beat song about falling in love. And as I'm still definitely on that cloud, I play this one on repeat. You should do the same.
So there are my five picks for the week. Take a listen to them if you'd like. I'll have five more for you next week for the next installment of "What I'm Listening to Wednesday."
Oh, and in case you were wondering ,today I'm thankful for incorrect weather forecasts! I believe that snow is best when it falls on December 23rd, and melts on the 26th or 27th. Otherwise I could do without it. So as the predicted snow didn't fall in Des Moines today, I'll be thankful for that. :)
Before I get to my suggestions for this week, a few ground rules. First and foremost, I realize that everyone is entitled to their opinion. There may be a song I enjoy that you think is utter and complete crap. I might think the same thing about a song that you like. The great thing is that this response is completely and totally ok. Another rule, for myself more than anyone, is that I don't pretend to be a music snob or pretentious about what I like. If it's a song sitting at the #1 spot on the top 40 charts, I'm not going to shun it for being too commercial. If the latest song by a "darling" of the popular critics sounds like nails on a chalk board to me, I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon just to seem cool. And a third rule, while I find most all types of music fascinating in one way or another, I'm going to limit my list to five choices a week. This way I have to stay focused, and you and I can both keep our I-tunes budgets in check.
So let's get to the list for this week. Here are the top five songs that I am listening to on a regular basis at the moment and would suggest you check out as well.
1. Houdini- Foster the People. Foster the People are getting a lot of attention right now for their song Pumped Up Kicks. That's a great song by them and I play that often too, but the song that I've been listening to the most from their album "Torches" is Houdini. It's got several great little hooky elements throughout it, with electronic bleeps, a killer horn section, and a very hummable falsetto element that digs into my brain and has me humming. Plus, the lyric "You gotta focus on your ability, then they can't get what they want to steal" is a pretty cool message.
2. Every Little Step- Bobby Brown. This is, for me, and old school jam from my yester-years, but still sounds just as catchy today as it did then. Contestant Marcus Canty sang this tonight on X-Factor, and as soon as he started singing " I can't sleep at night, I toss and turn, listening for the telephone," I was singing and dancing right along with him. This song makes me happy, and that's reason enough to give it another listen. It brings you back to that time when Bobby Brown was known for his music ability and not for a newspaper headline. Ah, youth. :)
3. State of Mind-Clint Black. Craig and I went to Nashville on our honeymoon, and ever since I've been re-discovering country music. I go through phases where I'm really able to connect with country music, and I'm certainly in that mind set these days. We've been visiting the library to borrow CD's to reconnect and discover new music. One of the discs I recently picked up was the ultimate hits of Clint Black. As I was listening to that on the way home from work today, I heard "State of Mind." I used to have this cassette back in the day, and hearing him sing the chorus "Ain't it funny how a melody, can bring back a memory" totally did that for me. I love that message and it's why I love music. And I'm glad that Clint has reminded me of that and taken me to another state of mind.
4. Up in Flames-Coldplay. Coldplay's new album Mylo Xyloto is great, and I don't care whether you like Coldplay or not. That's my opinion and I'm sticking with it. I love the message of "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," but the song that I've been playing most often from the new album is "Up in Flames." It's a classic Coldplay ballad with minimal flourishes. It's essentially Chris Martin, a piano, and a drum, until the guitars kick in during the last minute of the song. It's a sad song about a relationship going" up in flames," but it's beautiful to listen to anyway. This song sort of embodies the message of Every Teardrop is a waterfall, in that even though something may be sad it can also be beautiful.
5. Finally Falling-Mayer Hawthorne. If you're not listening to Mayer Hawthorne I may have to stop talking to you until you change that behavior. This man is brilliant! My friend Krista introduced me to him and honestly should be sending her daily thank you notes for the introduction. Mayer Hawthorne is one funky white guy if I say so myself. He's making great retro-throwback soul music that sounds current at the same time. His song "Finally Falling" is off his latest album "How Do You Do" and it's a catchy, up-beat song about falling in love. And as I'm still definitely on that cloud, I play this one on repeat. You should do the same.
So there are my five picks for the week. Take a listen to them if you'd like. I'll have five more for you next week for the next installment of "What I'm Listening to Wednesday."
Oh, and in case you were wondering ,today I'm thankful for incorrect weather forecasts! I believe that snow is best when it falls on December 23rd, and melts on the 26th or 27th. Otherwise I could do without it. So as the predicted snow didn't fall in Des Moines today, I'll be thankful for that. :)
Customer Service
Today I got to thinking about my job and about life and several big picture ideas. And then my mind came close to exploding and I had to take a breath and focus. It did give me a good topic for today's blog though, so good came out of that experience.
I work for an insurance company in a client representative position. Essentially it's a type of customer service position, and this generally fits me very well, as I most of the time enjoy helping people. I've taken the Strengthsfinder test and among my strengths are communication and developer, so speaking with people and helping them if I can are right in my "sweet spot" I guess.
The down side to a position in customer service is that, like most jobs, there are some frustrations that come from time to time. I admit, I am a quasi-reformed whiner, and it would be very easy to use this blog as an attempt to whine about the frustrations I feel with my job. But, life has given me lessons over the past several years that have really helped me to gain perspective, and I'm thankful for that. It has helped me, for the most part, to keep my feelings in check and to try to find more positive ways of dealing with what bothers me. Now, I'm still human and have my moments where I slip into full on drama queen, but with age comes maturity, I hope anyway.
I've always been bothered by people who whine and complain without any action to back up their complaints. An example would be someone who rips apart a politician for the job they are doing who never bothered to vote in the first place. If you voted for the other guy and he didn't win, then go ahead and rant away. At least you made your effort to support your cause. I just get bothered when people whine about whatever injustice they are feeling and the only effort they've made to rectify the situation thus far is to open their mouth.
With that out of the way, I want to mention a few key triggers that tend to set me off in a negative way in terms of customer service, and to offer some tips that you may find helpful or that may reach that audience who's guilty of some of my offenses. Hopefully I'm providing a positive spin on this, and in my own way possibly helping to be the change I wish to see in the world. (Sorry, I know that's a big picture concept too, but it seems to fit this situation.)
I think one of my biggest frustrations with customer service is the lack of respect for your fellow man. This offense happens daily, in many situations. When I'm feeling contemplative I often wonder where our compassion and respect for each other has gone. We so often are so quick to snap judge and decide that we're better or somehow "above" the other guy and are therefore entitled to treat them in a demeaning manner. If I'm doing a job for you, the polite thing to do is to say please and thank you, to take the time to listen to what I'm saying, to allow me the time to listen and understand what you're asking, and just in general to slow down for two seconds and appreciate that we're having some sort of human interaction.
If we're communicating over the phone, please try to be in an environment where you're not distracted by other noises and stimuli. I understand in many instances you have a short amount of time to take care of whatever business I am assisting you with, but I promise that if you take a few moments to remove the distractions around you we'll accomplish our business in a more timely manner. You do your part, and I'll do my best to eliminate my distractions as well.
If we're in person, please, for the love of God, put down your cell phone! Don't get me onto my soap box on this one, because I could actually rant about this. When I'm out shopping and I'm on the phone, I will either end the call before checking out at the register, or at the very least ask whoever I'm speaking with if they mind holding for a moment while I interact with the cashier. Having been on the receiving end of this, I can't help you if you are giving all of your attention to whoever is on the other end of your phone. And sadly, I have more than one instance where I have had a cashier thank me for putting away my cell phone before interacting with them. Cashiers/employees are always appreciative when you give them your focus. Even if it's only for a few moments, it makes a big difference, and you get better service for it I promise.
Another thing that we could all improve on, similar to just giving more respect, is to understand that we aren't experts on everything. Each person out there has areas of their life that they excel in, and some where they may not be the strongest. That's part of being human. We don't know everything. I know my mind is only able to hold so much information, and usually that information is not relevant to the masses. Ask me who performed what on what reality singing competition and I'll know in an instant, but ask me about the latest local news headline and I'll likely struggle with a response. With that being said, there are times where you may ask me, or someone else in a customer service position, a question that they may not immediately know the answer to. This doesn't mean that I can't find out the information you need, or that I don't want to help you, but I may need a moment to find the information you need. Instead of getting annoyed with me, or just being rude because I don't know something, understand that at some point this same interaction is going to happen to you, and you would hope to be given the benefit of a little patience too.
Something else that becomes irksome at times is the customer who feels the need to be cute/funny/smart with me. Don't get me wrong, I think that being silly is important, and I indulge in being silly as often as I can. There's no reason to take life too seriously. At the same time, when I'm providing you with good customer service, I'm giving you all of my attention and time. If I ask you if there is anything else I can do to help you, please respond if there is truly something I can do. I'll be glad to do what I can for you. Don't however use that question as a time to let your inner comedian come out. No, I can't give you the winning lottery numbers. If I had them I would take the selfish route and use them myself. No, I can't lower the price on whatever it may be that you're buying. If I had that authority I'd be glad to do so, but the fact of the matter is in order for any business to be successful a profit of some type needs to be made. If the price of the goods or services I offer are too expensive, use your voice and approach the competition. That gets the attention of the business much more than asking me to lower your bill. And no, I can't send you a couple of hot blondes to entertain you for the evening. That's not the kind of business I work in, and furthermore, I happen to know and respect several very attractive women (with a variety of shades of hair color) who deserve much more respect that you are giving women in general at the moment. Several of them would also knock you flat if they had the chance. My point is, if you are asked by a customer service representative how they can help or assist you, be honest and respectful. I promise you, when you give a little respect you get back that and more.
I'm sure I could list more things that can cause a negative response in me within the parameters of customer service, but I think I've touched on the big ones for me. Really it all just comes down to the golden rule. Respect one another and treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. I remind myself of this daily and hope that you do too.
So yeah, there's my deep thoughts for the day. Now that I've expressed that I think I'll put the serious mode away and focus on something less thought provoking. I'm sure I can find some reviews of tonight's X-Factor episode to read through. :)
I work for an insurance company in a client representative position. Essentially it's a type of customer service position, and this generally fits me very well, as I most of the time enjoy helping people. I've taken the Strengthsfinder test and among my strengths are communication and developer, so speaking with people and helping them if I can are right in my "sweet spot" I guess.
The down side to a position in customer service is that, like most jobs, there are some frustrations that come from time to time. I admit, I am a quasi-reformed whiner, and it would be very easy to use this blog as an attempt to whine about the frustrations I feel with my job. But, life has given me lessons over the past several years that have really helped me to gain perspective, and I'm thankful for that. It has helped me, for the most part, to keep my feelings in check and to try to find more positive ways of dealing with what bothers me. Now, I'm still human and have my moments where I slip into full on drama queen, but with age comes maturity, I hope anyway.
I've always been bothered by people who whine and complain without any action to back up their complaints. An example would be someone who rips apart a politician for the job they are doing who never bothered to vote in the first place. If you voted for the other guy and he didn't win, then go ahead and rant away. At least you made your effort to support your cause. I just get bothered when people whine about whatever injustice they are feeling and the only effort they've made to rectify the situation thus far is to open their mouth.
With that out of the way, I want to mention a few key triggers that tend to set me off in a negative way in terms of customer service, and to offer some tips that you may find helpful or that may reach that audience who's guilty of some of my offenses. Hopefully I'm providing a positive spin on this, and in my own way possibly helping to be the change I wish to see in the world. (Sorry, I know that's a big picture concept too, but it seems to fit this situation.)
I think one of my biggest frustrations with customer service is the lack of respect for your fellow man. This offense happens daily, in many situations. When I'm feeling contemplative I often wonder where our compassion and respect for each other has gone. We so often are so quick to snap judge and decide that we're better or somehow "above" the other guy and are therefore entitled to treat them in a demeaning manner. If I'm doing a job for you, the polite thing to do is to say please and thank you, to take the time to listen to what I'm saying, to allow me the time to listen and understand what you're asking, and just in general to slow down for two seconds and appreciate that we're having some sort of human interaction.
If we're communicating over the phone, please try to be in an environment where you're not distracted by other noises and stimuli. I understand in many instances you have a short amount of time to take care of whatever business I am assisting you with, but I promise that if you take a few moments to remove the distractions around you we'll accomplish our business in a more timely manner. You do your part, and I'll do my best to eliminate my distractions as well.
If we're in person, please, for the love of God, put down your cell phone! Don't get me onto my soap box on this one, because I could actually rant about this. When I'm out shopping and I'm on the phone, I will either end the call before checking out at the register, or at the very least ask whoever I'm speaking with if they mind holding for a moment while I interact with the cashier. Having been on the receiving end of this, I can't help you if you are giving all of your attention to whoever is on the other end of your phone. And sadly, I have more than one instance where I have had a cashier thank me for putting away my cell phone before interacting with them. Cashiers/employees are always appreciative when you give them your focus. Even if it's only for a few moments, it makes a big difference, and you get better service for it I promise.
Another thing that we could all improve on, similar to just giving more respect, is to understand that we aren't experts on everything. Each person out there has areas of their life that they excel in, and some where they may not be the strongest. That's part of being human. We don't know everything. I know my mind is only able to hold so much information, and usually that information is not relevant to the masses. Ask me who performed what on what reality singing competition and I'll know in an instant, but ask me about the latest local news headline and I'll likely struggle with a response. With that being said, there are times where you may ask me, or someone else in a customer service position, a question that they may not immediately know the answer to. This doesn't mean that I can't find out the information you need, or that I don't want to help you, but I may need a moment to find the information you need. Instead of getting annoyed with me, or just being rude because I don't know something, understand that at some point this same interaction is going to happen to you, and you would hope to be given the benefit of a little patience too.
Something else that becomes irksome at times is the customer who feels the need to be cute/funny/smart with me. Don't get me wrong, I think that being silly is important, and I indulge in being silly as often as I can. There's no reason to take life too seriously. At the same time, when I'm providing you with good customer service, I'm giving you all of my attention and time. If I ask you if there is anything else I can do to help you, please respond if there is truly something I can do. I'll be glad to do what I can for you. Don't however use that question as a time to let your inner comedian come out. No, I can't give you the winning lottery numbers. If I had them I would take the selfish route and use them myself. No, I can't lower the price on whatever it may be that you're buying. If I had that authority I'd be glad to do so, but the fact of the matter is in order for any business to be successful a profit of some type needs to be made. If the price of the goods or services I offer are too expensive, use your voice and approach the competition. That gets the attention of the business much more than asking me to lower your bill. And no, I can't send you a couple of hot blondes to entertain you for the evening. That's not the kind of business I work in, and furthermore, I happen to know and respect several very attractive women (with a variety of shades of hair color) who deserve much more respect that you are giving women in general at the moment. Several of them would also knock you flat if they had the chance. My point is, if you are asked by a customer service representative how they can help or assist you, be honest and respectful. I promise you, when you give a little respect you get back that and more.
I'm sure I could list more things that can cause a negative response in me within the parameters of customer service, but I think I've touched on the big ones for me. Really it all just comes down to the golden rule. Respect one another and treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. I remind myself of this daily and hope that you do too.
So yeah, there's my deep thoughts for the day. Now that I've expressed that I think I'll put the serious mode away and focus on something less thought provoking. I'm sure I can find some reviews of tonight's X-Factor episode to read through. :)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
A little bit light-hearted
Now that formal introductions are out of the way, I feel like I can post something not quite so serious. If you know me you know that I can be serious, but I'm at my best when I'm light-hearted and fun. At least that's what I think anyway. And since this is my blog, my opinion is all that really matters. :)
I'm really excited for the possibilities I have for my blog. I envision a good mix of stories, random things I find interesting, and occassionally interesting topics that I have an opinion on and want to share. I also envision having some different features that I'll incorporate to hopefully generate some conversation and comments. I'll do what I can to keep things interactive.
I thought one thing I'd like to blog about for the month of November are things that I'm thankful for. I know some people are doing "day of thanks" updates on their Face Book pages, but I'm going to post them in my blog instead. If nothing else it gives me incentive to log in and post regularly. And, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so if I can make it last all month long I'm for it.
Today I'm thankful for creativity. I have creative friends and a creative husband, and they inspire me to do new and exciting things and to challenge myself. For example, tonight Craig made a ramen noodle stew for dinner. He found the recipe on a budget-friendly web site for starving college kids. He doctored it up with some herbs and spices, and it was delicious. I love that he is creative and inventive with food. I also have creative friends who blog, who come up with new and exciting ideas, and that feeds my creative mind. So thank you for creativity!
Another feature that I plan on mentioning regularly is a way in which I was amazed today. In my introductory piece I mentioned that I think you should be amazed by something every day. So from time to time I'll share things that have amazed me, and feel free to share things that have amazed you too. Today I was amazed by the weather. For November 1st, we had gorgeous sunshine and 70 degree temperatures, and I can't remember the last time that happened.
I'm starting to run out of ideas to write about at the moment, and I have some other projects I also need to work on, so I think this will be the end of my blog for tonight. I'm sure I'll have something to say again tomorrow, so feel free to stop by.
And, because it's Tuesday, and Glee was on, I'll leave you with my favorite quote from tonight's episode.
"I want to talk about that thing we never talk about."
"You mean that Sour Patch Kids are really just Gummi Bears that turned to drugs?"
:)
I'm really excited for the possibilities I have for my blog. I envision a good mix of stories, random things I find interesting, and occassionally interesting topics that I have an opinion on and want to share. I also envision having some different features that I'll incorporate to hopefully generate some conversation and comments. I'll do what I can to keep things interactive.
I thought one thing I'd like to blog about for the month of November are things that I'm thankful for. I know some people are doing "day of thanks" updates on their Face Book pages, but I'm going to post them in my blog instead. If nothing else it gives me incentive to log in and post regularly. And, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so if I can make it last all month long I'm for it.
Today I'm thankful for creativity. I have creative friends and a creative husband, and they inspire me to do new and exciting things and to challenge myself. For example, tonight Craig made a ramen noodle stew for dinner. He found the recipe on a budget-friendly web site for starving college kids. He doctored it up with some herbs and spices, and it was delicious. I love that he is creative and inventive with food. I also have creative friends who blog, who come up with new and exciting ideas, and that feeds my creative mind. So thank you for creativity!
Another feature that I plan on mentioning regularly is a way in which I was amazed today. In my introductory piece I mentioned that I think you should be amazed by something every day. So from time to time I'll share things that have amazed me, and feel free to share things that have amazed you too. Today I was amazed by the weather. For November 1st, we had gorgeous sunshine and 70 degree temperatures, and I can't remember the last time that happened.
I'm starting to run out of ideas to write about at the moment, and I have some other projects I also need to work on, so I think this will be the end of my blog for tonight. I'm sure I'll have something to say again tomorrow, so feel free to stop by.
And, because it's Tuesday, and Glee was on, I'll leave you with my favorite quote from tonight's episode.
"I want to talk about that thing we never talk about."
"You mean that Sour Patch Kids are really just Gummi Bears that turned to drugs?"
:)
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