Monday, July 13, 2009
When I Grow Up...
Do you ever think about what you want to be when you grow up? I do. Are you ready? Here it is. I want to be a Book Reading/Beach & Travel Critic. Do you know anyone with openings? If this kind of position isn’t available, my second choice is being a Pool Critic. I'll gladly test the waters of swimming pools of any size and shape. If none of these positions are available, I guess I would consider being just a regular travel critic. Can we start in Western Europe? Let me know where to send my resume……
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Contemplating....my life
Time passes. Life seems the same day after day. But is it really the same? I recently printed a bunch of pictures that I haven't really looked at in a while -- or at least not in picture form. All too often, I view these on my computer or off a disk. I had forgotten what holding a printed picture in your hand, for close up inspection, can remind you of. Additinionally, what memories you have that go with it, instead of just what the picture shows. Here are a few things that I have learned (or re-learned) about myself.
1. I was totally adorable as a child.
2. Precision has always mattered to me.
3. I always loved school and couldn't wait to go.
4. Your favorite toy doesn't have to look impressive to anyone except you.
5. Even your smallest accomplishments matter to your family.
6. Having a sister means having a built in best friend.
7. You can dream big about your husband long before you meet him.
8. Your college years are some of the best years.
9. Falling in love is fabulous!
10. Family matters!
11. Children bring unimaginable fun to the old(er).
12. Travels help make great memories.
13. Life is worth fighting for.
14. The best is yet to come.
1. I was totally adorable as a child.
2. Precision has always mattered to me.
3. I always loved school and couldn't wait to go.
4. Your favorite toy doesn't have to look impressive to anyone except you.
5. Even your smallest accomplishments matter to your family.
6. Having a sister means having a built in best friend.
7. You can dream big about your husband long before you meet him.
8. Your college years are some of the best years.
9. Falling in love is fabulous!
10. Family matters!
11. Children bring unimaginable fun to the old(er).
12. Travels help make great memories.
13. Life is worth fighting for.
14. The best is yet to come.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Sisters........Could I Say, an Ode to Andie?
A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. -Marion C. Garrety
Your sister will be the first to criticize you, but if anyone else tries to, your sister will defend you until the end of the world. -Lisette Favier
There is no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me. -Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
Even when you are sixty, you are still six to your sister. -Pam Brown
To be sisters and friends is happiness doubled. -Unknown (to me anyhow.)
A sister is both your mirror and your opposite. -Elizabeth Fishel
She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. -Barbara Alpert.
Never let an angry sister comb your hair. -Patricia McCann
I love my sister dearly. She is my best friend, the person I can tell all my secrets to, and one of the few people on this earth who understands me. She is creative, talented, caring, compassionate, motherly, resourceful, wise, good hearted, full of potential, an awesome writer, loyal, and dedicated. Most people are unaware of how very talented she is. I consider myself fortunate to be among the handful of people who can experience this greatness. I am constantly amazed at the vastness of her vocabulary, how much her writing moves me, and how creatively she can transform the simple into magnificence. All of the above statements make me think of her now, and wish that we were just a little less separated by miles. I love her. I miss her, but she is forever in my heart.
Your sister will be the first to criticize you, but if anyone else tries to, your sister will defend you until the end of the world. -Lisette Favier
There is no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me. -Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
Even when you are sixty, you are still six to your sister. -Pam Brown
To be sisters and friends is happiness doubled. -Unknown (to me anyhow.)
A sister is both your mirror and your opposite. -Elizabeth Fishel
She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. -Barbara Alpert.
Never let an angry sister comb your hair. -Patricia McCann
I love my sister dearly. She is my best friend, the person I can tell all my secrets to, and one of the few people on this earth who understands me. She is creative, talented, caring, compassionate, motherly, resourceful, wise, good hearted, full of potential, an awesome writer, loyal, and dedicated. Most people are unaware of how very talented she is. I consider myself fortunate to be among the handful of people who can experience this greatness. I am constantly amazed at the vastness of her vocabulary, how much her writing moves me, and how creatively she can transform the simple into magnificence. All of the above statements make me think of her now, and wish that we were just a little less separated by miles. I love her. I miss her, but she is forever in my heart.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Beauty...
In my free time, I enjoy reading fashion and beauty articles. (Some of my favorites used to be a series written by Anna Johnson for MSN. She no longer does this because she's had a child now and is currently covering motherhood via her book and blog, The Yummy Mummy Manifesto.) I came across an article today that gave me some inspiration. "Beauty - the qualities that give pleasure to the senses or exalt the mind," or so says Webster. Wow. I never really thought about it in those terms. So much of our society relates beauty to appearance. I like Webster's version better......pleasure to the senses -- which I forget means sight, sound, taste, sense, and smell. Wow....cake is beautiful not only based on it's decorated appearance but by the way the fork goes through the layers, and the aroma, and the sweet, sugary taste of frosting as you lick some from your fingers! (Not that I'm eating cake these days.) And...exalt the mind -- now there's one that blows me away. Qualities that exalt the mind. I could hang on this thought for days -- probably will. Let's hope that I can possess the qualities that make me beautiful, not necessarily by sight, by through the exalting of the mind. Whoa! Wow! (Wow -- that's apparently my word this week.) Now there's something to think about.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
...Random Things...better late than never
25 Random Things about me. Who will care? But here goes anyway.
1. I planted a tree at the University of Southern Mississippi on Earth Day in 1999. The tree is amazingly big now, and I park near it during football season.
2. I was an aerobics teacher in college and no matter how many lifts, bends, thrusts or squats completed, I never had any "Baby Got Back" (and still don't).
3. My favorite thing in Paris are the "bookinists" along the Seine. This is the best way to shop. (Samaritaine's is a close second.)
4. I have a penchant for ABBA.
5. I dump cooking oil down the kitchen sink with gobs of dish soap. (Go ahead and boo-hiss me now!)
6. I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch -- 7 years straight.
7. I only eat jelly/jam that is red.
8. My biggest fear is falling down and knocking out my front teeth.
9. Much to my mother's chagrin, my red converse hi tops were my favorite pair of shoes as a kid. (A close second were the smurf sneakers Grandma & Grandpa Gregory bought us.)
10. I still love the smell of brand new ballet shoes.
11. I was secretly happy as a child that my black molly's ate all of Andie's angelfish.
12. I'm very slowly, but surely, learning more Spanish. (Deseo un platano.)
13. QVC rocks; HSN sucks.
14. I think people should still write letters.
15. I miss my jelly shoes from the TG&Y.
16. I miss camping at Camp Wahi every fall.
17. I love fake frogs & hate real ones.
18. I believe our churches have become too social -- this isn't the Bible bar or Club of Jesus people!!! What happened to the worship?
19. Kangaroos are still my favorite animal.
20. I did lie about taking the cookies off the cookie sheet. Sorry Mom!
21. I am still mad about getting spanked unfairly when I did pick up my toys.
22. I hate my current hairstyle and have an even stronger distrust & dislike of hairdressers.
23. Sweet tea can heal almost any woe.
24. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder - go Mahogany.
25. I drive like a maniac so get out of my way!
1. I planted a tree at the University of Southern Mississippi on Earth Day in 1999. The tree is amazingly big now, and I park near it during football season.
2. I was an aerobics teacher in college and no matter how many lifts, bends, thrusts or squats completed, I never had any "Baby Got Back" (and still don't).
3. My favorite thing in Paris are the "bookinists" along the Seine. This is the best way to shop. (Samaritaine's is a close second.)
4. I have a penchant for ABBA.
5. I dump cooking oil down the kitchen sink with gobs of dish soap. (Go ahead and boo-hiss me now!)
6. I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch -- 7 years straight.
7. I only eat jelly/jam that is red.
8. My biggest fear is falling down and knocking out my front teeth.
9. Much to my mother's chagrin, my red converse hi tops were my favorite pair of shoes as a kid. (A close second were the smurf sneakers Grandma & Grandpa Gregory bought us.)
10. I still love the smell of brand new ballet shoes.
11. I was secretly happy as a child that my black molly's ate all of Andie's angelfish.
12. I'm very slowly, but surely, learning more Spanish. (Deseo un platano.)
13. QVC rocks; HSN sucks.
14. I think people should still write letters.
15. I miss my jelly shoes from the TG&Y.
16. I miss camping at Camp Wahi every fall.
17. I love fake frogs & hate real ones.
18. I believe our churches have become too social -- this isn't the Bible bar or Club of Jesus people!!! What happened to the worship?
19. Kangaroos are still my favorite animal.
20. I did lie about taking the cookies off the cookie sheet. Sorry Mom!
21. I am still mad about getting spanked unfairly when I did pick up my toys.
22. I hate my current hairstyle and have an even stronger distrust & dislike of hairdressers.
23. Sweet tea can heal almost any woe.
24. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder - go Mahogany.
25. I drive like a maniac so get out of my way!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Moving.......
Welcome Home Tony and Kristin!
Let me begin by saying Tony and I began moving this weekend. Boy, I've been reminded of some extra muscles I forgot I had.
Let me also say.....we have too much stuff! When did we get so much junk? When did I become a stuffie? Well move over stuffie because here comes the evacuator. Everything non essential needs to go. And during a move is the perfect time. I'm also reinstating Spring and Fall cleaning. To include not only house cleaning, but also the purging of shoes, clothes, appliances, etc, etc, etc............
Simplify is my new motto. Now let's see if I can succeed.
Let me begin by saying Tony and I began moving this weekend. Boy, I've been reminded of some extra muscles I forgot I had.
Let me also say.....we have too much stuff! When did we get so much junk? When did I become a stuffie? Well move over stuffie because here comes the evacuator. Everything non essential needs to go. And during a move is the perfect time. I'm also reinstating Spring and Fall cleaning. To include not only house cleaning, but also the purging of shoes, clothes, appliances, etc, etc, etc............
Simplify is my new motto. Now let's see if I can succeed.
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Smoothest Coffee on the Road
Each day of the week that I'm going into work, I stop at one of my favorite coffee shops - The Seattle Drip. I've been going there for some time now. Years actually, thanks to a tip from my best friend & sister Andie! You can't meet better people, or get better coffee in my opinion.
Every time I pull up, I'm greeted with a cheerful smile, and feel genuinely appreciated for showing up to buy coffee. And the employees are great listeners. Whether I'm having a rough start, or a calm morning, I always find someone who seems happy to see me, fixes me the perfect cup of coffee, and listens to whatever meaningless or meaningful chatter I'm putting out there.
I've felt a lot of inspiration from this group over the years. There is always a flier for a community event up for the customers to preview (right now it's Sandi Patti). Every Christmas, there are reminders about donating to the less fortunate. This week it's a reminder to donate to Southern Pines Animal Shelter! Jake (an employee there) and his dog will participate in the Doggie Dash on Saturday to benefit the shelter. Nevermind the employees who share tidbits of their own lives & generosity that remind me to be more generous than my greedy heart would be on its own.
If you've not been to The Seattle Drip, go there! Ask for a Jenn Special and tell 'em Kristin sent you. You won't be disappointed!
Every time I pull up, I'm greeted with a cheerful smile, and feel genuinely appreciated for showing up to buy coffee. And the employees are great listeners. Whether I'm having a rough start, or a calm morning, I always find someone who seems happy to see me, fixes me the perfect cup of coffee, and listens to whatever meaningless or meaningful chatter I'm putting out there.
I've felt a lot of inspiration from this group over the years. There is always a flier for a community event up for the customers to preview (right now it's Sandi Patti). Every Christmas, there are reminders about donating to the less fortunate. This week it's a reminder to donate to Southern Pines Animal Shelter! Jake (an employee there) and his dog will participate in the Doggie Dash on Saturday to benefit the shelter. Nevermind the employees who share tidbits of their own lives & generosity that remind me to be more generous than my greedy heart would be on its own.
If you've not been to The Seattle Drip, go there! Ask for a Jenn Special and tell 'em Kristin sent you. You won't be disappointed!
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