laurie's little blog

i choose better

2010-11-11T16:06:00.003-05:00

As I continue to read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, the quotes are jumping off the pages! I want to share lots of them on this blog! And perhaps i will. But for now, as i consider my own story, i thought this small section would be a good one to post:

My friend Josh Shipp is one of the greatest communicators I've heard. He's only in his twenties but speaks around the country at high schools and is often a guest on MTV. Kids love him because he is funny and direct. Josh grew up in more than twenty foster homes, never knowing his real parents. And yet he is incredibly successful. I asked Josh why he's so healthy, so emotionally stable, considering his childhood. Josh told me something I'll never forget. He said, "Don, when something hard happens to you, you have two choices in how to deal with it. You can either get bitter, or better. I chose to get better. It's made all the difference." (pp. 180-181)

I. LOVE. THIS. It's probably the simplest form of expressing this idea that I've come across. It is SO true too. There really are only those two options, bitterness or betterness (new word??). As I reflect on my own life, there have been different situations that have easily lent themselves to justifiable bitterness. It made sense that i would feel bitter. But God wanted more for me. He knew that if i allowed myself to remain in that bitter stage, I would not become the woman he made me to be. So after some time, I chose to get better.

Making that choice is step 1. Step 2 is actually getting better. That's the hard part. That's the part that's painful and icky and forces your emotions to go to places you'd much rather avoid. It's what i like to call the growing pains. In order to grow, we must experience these pains. If we havent yet, then have we really grown??

Step 3 is a sheer delight! It happens when you reach the other side of the pain and realize that you are better! And not just like "better" in the form of "i'm better from my cold, therefore I'm back to who i was before the cold." It's like an abundant, awesome, "let's celebrate!" kind of better. You're not who you once were. Rather, there's a lightness in your soul. Bitterness is no longer the lens from which you view the world around you. And best of all, you are free to be the best version of you!

Only through the love and grace of Jesus have i been able to release my bitterness in the past and move forward, embracing that freedom and joy. As my future unfolds, His love and grace will allow me to keep choosing better. Praise the LORD!!

photos and the gym

2010-11-10T16:21:00.003-05:00

It's been 2 days since i wrote my last post and i am happy to report that my creativity and motivation to do new things is going well! Yesterday and today, i got up early and went to the gym! A month or so ago, this was turning into a habit, and then i hurt my neck, then my foot and yada yada yada, i havent worked out in a good while. So this is a great accomplishment! And it feels great to force myself to wake up and take control of my day from the start!

Last night when i got home from work, i had the apt to my self for the evening. Immediately when i walked inside, i was craving some lounge time! My determination kicked in though, and i forced myself to keep moving...tidying up, cooking dinner, etc. By the time i had eaten dinner, i was still energized and excited to tackle my shutterfly photobook project. And that is what i did for the majority of the evening. It was quite lovely!

creativity

2010-11-08T21:20:00.006-05:00

I'm sitting at my dining room table writing on this here blog while my wonderful husband writes in his journal. We have a box of crayons and markers in between us, along with a sketch pad to his left and a coloring book to my right. Photos are being uploaded onto my Shutterfly account in the background. We are relaxing. But not any kind of relaxing... creatively relaxing!! And it. feels. good.

We've decided to RECLAIM CREATIVITY!

We human beings are filled to the brim with ideas, colors, imaginations, art, song, dance, music, and the list goes on and on... And yet, i dont know about you but for me it can be oh so difficult to even so much as pick up a book at the end of the day. But whenever i get going on some sort of creative task, i find that i gain energy! My husband feels the same way. So we have decided to make time for it.

We both were feeling somewhat aimless today, reflecting upon the past few weeks which have been filled with life and busyness. Good things yes, but leaving no time for creativity. In fact, one of our friends wrote a post on his blog this morning expressing similar feelings. Going, going, going without much time to smell the roses, let alone draw them!

Thus, my husband and i decided tonight that we want to ACT, not just talk about acting. We want to make positive changes in our lives NOW instead of wishing that we had made them 10 years from now. But as I have experienced in the past (example: project wake up = fail!), veering from our individual version of "the norm" takes major discipline, diligence and determination... and God!!!

So we'll see what transpires in this new season, as we seek to make time for and embrace creative moments more often.

a great story

2010-09-29T17:14:00.005-04:00

I've been reading a string of good books recently, from the fiction novel The Help to Jodie Sweetin's autobiography (which is so sad!). The latest is Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. I would classify him as a brilliant author in that he tells stories in a way that shows he is just as much on a journey as the rest of us. He isn't at the "end" and now telling us all how to live. He's rather in the midst of it, exposing just as many of his own flaws as he is nuggets of truth. I like that. I like his transparency and boldness, feeling free enough to write about his imperfections. Heavens knows we all have them!

He shares with his readers in a very real way how God is shaping his life. Not every chapter has the word "God" in it and i think that's ok. Because if you've read Donald Miller, you know that God is sprinkled throughout his life and choices, and is simply a part of who he is.

This book talks about his discovery of the importance of a good story, in our lives, not just on the big (or small) screen. He wants to live a great story and recognizes that in order to do so, he must take risks and get out of his comfort zone. Otherwise, his life won't really be that great of a story. The more risks he takes, the bolder he becomes and then the more risks he wants to take. It's a cool cycle that once he gets in, he can't (and frankly doesn't want to) get out of.

The idea of living a great story is a really cool way to approach our lives. And when i think about the Bible, i immediately think of the richness of the stories - David and Goliath, Joseph, Moses parting the Red Sea, Jonah and the whale. And then i think about Jesus' time on earth. How did he teach? Through stories.

They are everywhere!! The great ones get passed on to new generations, through words, actions, influences, etc. The not so good ones lose a spot in history.

My prayer is that my story will be one of the good (and dare i say "great") ones. That doesnt mean that I want to be well-known, but i desire to take those risks, to radically love on people, to look at life as an adventure, and to have a positive lasting effect on those around me.

Thank you Donald Miller, for another great expression of truth and thus, another great story.

loneliness

2010-09-23T12:10:00.007-04:00

I am taking a Group Counseling class this semester. It is a required class for my School Counseling grad school program. The class is fascinating! And so is the text book. Thankfully, my husband finds the subject of counseling about as interesting as i do because when i read this book, i often turn to him every few minutes saying, "you've gotta hear this!" It's Good Stuff.

The author, Irvin D. Yalom talks about some common, universal issues that people struggle with. Loneliness is one of these. He indicates that virtually everyone has feelings of loneliness, and that this can often lead to depression, anxiety, etc. I certainly have dealt with loneliness, even at times when no one would suspect it. I would have thought that living in New York, being surrounded by people ALL the time from the sidewalks to the subways would keep us New Yorkers from feeling lonely. In actuality, it seems to perpetuate it even more.

New York is filled with people. People on the go. People on bikes. People asking for money. People with big strollers and umbrellas (that often dominate the sidewalks and drive me nuts!, as i mentioned here). And yet it is extremely rare to cross paths unexpectedly with someone you know. We are virtually all strangers, living in proximity, sharing common modes of transportation, but yet very disconnected from each other. Thus, it can be even more lonesome in a big city because it is easy to romanticize about the life of a bustling passerby, and therefore assume that he or she is doing "just fine" while you are not.

Yet the reality is that that person we pass who appears to be "just fine" is very likely making the same judgment about us! All the while, no one is really "just fine."

I think there is such a healing power in knowing that we are not alone when it comes to some of these universal struggles.

So here I go, opening up, sharing more truth:

Do i feel lonely all the time? No.

Have i gone through seasons of loneliness? Absolutely.

Do i occasionally find myself struggling with feeling lonely? Of course.

To take it one step further, i believe that this void in our hearts will not be completely filled until we are reunited with our Maker in Heaven, which will ultimately satisfy the desires of our hearts. He is what our hearts ultimately long for, to be in community with Him, and when that day comes our loneliness will forever dissipate. Until that time, there is no getting around it. We will feel lonely and discontented, not always but some of the time (and perhaps for some, a lot of the time).

In the meantime, i have found comfort in knowing that loneliness is indeed a universal issue. We are not alone in feeling alone!! I pray that people may find rest in this fact. And that perhaps the walls we put up in order to protect ourselves may come down, so we can better know and care for one another. For me, this discovery is a freeing one! It also keeps me from prejudging those i pass and instead moves me to pray for them, their day, their heart, the struggles they have.

So as i strive to become more transparent, i hope that through this post, someone out there might feel a little less alone today.

not always rays of sunshine

2010-09-21T16:04:00.007-04:00

In re-reading my post from yesterday, i wonder if it was a bit too jumbled for folks to gather what i was trying to convey (as i wrote in that cloudy, down state i was in). So i thought, again with the intention of being transparent, i would give a little background on where i was coming from and why it was such a big deal for me to be ok with being down.

The Lie:

Appearance is everything.

This is something that was unconsciously instilled in me oh, who knows when by who knows who. But as i think back on my life and childhood, i have no recollection of NOT believing this. As long as i appeared to be "fine," and acted like everything was ok, then the outside world would believe it. After all, why burden others with my problems? That's not what they want to hear. People want to hear good things! They want to hear the successes and only the successes.

This, again unconscious, mentality led me to push down the negative feelings and emotions. And let me tell ya, pushing them down does not make them go away! In fact, they manifested themselves, albeit subtly, in other aspects of my life and personality. For some, they will manifest into violence and drugs and loads of other dangerous choices. Thankfully, my life did not take me in that direction, or anywhere near there. Nonetheless, i had issues and many stemmed from my belief that it was not safe to express the ups and downs of life.

As the years passed, I sought counseling for other, seemingly unrelated, issues. Counseling is something i believe every person should undergo. Without it, i would never have made the connection (and so many others) between some of my personal struggles and this lie that appearances are everything. What i believed for my entire life to be the norm turned out to be nothing but a pathetic lie that had paralyzed me for years in ways beyond my own understanding. Had i not had the help from counselors, to bring to light these dark lies that had shaped so much of who i was, then i would today be vastly further from knowing, and living out, who i truly am. I would still be walking in this darkness, shoving my true self down, as far away as possible from others, because, well, that appearances thing would be dictating my choices.

Exposing this lie led me to acquire a deep, wonderful, glorious freedom within myself to express my full range of feelings and emotions, good and bad, with the people around me. I have not yet mastered this new way of living. This is, after all, 20+ years of living through the lens of a lie! Rather, I give myself grace and simply continue on this path, embracing as much as i can this newfound freedom to express myself.

Thus, on days like yesterday, i occasionally still find myself struggling to allow myself to feel down, and to let others in on it. Focusing on truth, and detaching more and more from those lies is a great tool to help me on those days.

bad day

2010-09-20T16:21:00.004-04:00

In an attempt to be transparent on here, I would like to share that I am having a bad day. Nothing in particular is getting me down per se, but I am simply having one of those days where I feel down. And the truth is that I am giving myself a hard time for this because circumstances tell me that life is good! The sun is shining, I am blessed beyond belief with my wonderful husband, family, church family, and the list goes on and on... As I write that, i recognize how silly it is to get frustrated with myself for not feeling a certain way because of my circumstances. There's no long term substance or grounding there. Circumstances are fleeting, as are emotions. And if i look to them for my source of happiness and fulfillment, i too will be all over the map. So i turn to God. But there has been some strange distance between Him and me lately. Not a "do i believe" kind of distance at all! Rather, it's been one of those seasons where I truly have to rely on what I know to be TRUTH because the feelings are not consistent. Which is a good season to have because it reminds me of how fleeting feelings and emotions really are.

To sum it up, I will allow myself to have this bad day, accepting where i'm at without over-analyzing it (which sometimes is oh so tempting to do!).

I will, though, take captive these negative thoughts (which i know are NOT true at all), call them out, and replace them with TRUTH. If I am going to have a bad day, let me at least eliminate what i know to be false.

Truth: I am a child of God. I am beautifully and wonderfully made by Him. He DIED for me! Even if i had been the ONLY person on earth, He still would have died...for ME! I, then, (clearly!) have value. I have worth. God told me so.

new favorite quote

2010-08-07T16:17:00.004-04:00

I have received several comments over the years about the quote that i used as my "signature" at the end of my emails. It was one that i found in the book Captivating, which is still and will always be one of my favorite books. I grew as a person tremendously from it. When we first started dating, Ben read Captivating and I read the men's version of it, Wild at Heart. These books spawned many deep discussions and helped us get to know one another. Couples near and far, we recommend doing this!!

The quote was:

"Security is not found in the absence of danger, but in the presence of Jesus."

SO TRUE!! I love it still to this day, and still find it to be such a comfort, especially in knowing that Jesus is with me all the time. Therefore, what is there to fear?? Um...NOTHING. Ahhhh, such sweet, sweet freedom.

So as you can see, this quote is near and dear to me, so in order to say that i have found a new one to turn to and find truth from, indicates that it must be great.

I found it in the book i'm currently reading that I talked about here. It is specifically in Chapter 3, Struggle: The Spirituality of the Desert Saints. I for one had never heard of the desert saints (has anyone??) and am discovering the vast amount of wisdom that these folks have to pass on. This particular quote is part of their core beliefs. My prayer is that this wisdom will reach the core of my spirit and shape me. It is one thing to read a good book or good quote; it's another to have it change the reader. That is my prayer - that i will be truly changed by what I am reading.

This particular quote i find to be filled with truth and it also comes at a perfect time.

So here it is:

"...the goal of life in this world is not ease, prosperity and success but intimacy with God, maturity of character, and influence in the world."

Having just returned to New York from a fantastic vacation in North Carolina and Tennessee, i have been noticing more than usual the difficulties of New York living. You know, no laundry or dishwasher, having to walk everywhere even when it is 95 degrees outside, lighting issues in the apartment, noise, costs... So this quote is reminding me that in this life, I will struggle. I will not always have ease and comfort. I may some day not appear to be successful in the world's eyes. But if those things are not my goal, then they don't have to affect me, who I am at my core.

I desire so much to increase my intimacy with God, to continue to become a woman of mature character, and to make a difference in the world during my lifetime. These are the things of substance. These are the things that really matter.

I pray that I will truly, deeply be changed from this.

imitation

2010-07-16T16:40:00.006-04:00

My husband and i have recently been reading Hebrews. We have had a wonderful discussion on the first few chapters and hope to keep the discussions going! In the meantime, i spent some time meditating on chapters 5-7, seeking to absorb them as best as i can.

Upon reading chapter 6 the first time, i was immediately struck by verse 12: "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

Imitating those who have come before me.

At about this same time i had just finished reading this memoir and had rediscovered my love for memoirs. (Girl Meets God is one of my favorites.) So i found it appropriate that i now felt called by God to read more of them in order to learn from, and thus imitate, others.

So i began my search for the *perfect* person whose life i could learn from, in a Christian, Jesus-filled kind of way, who had also written about it. I started off at Barnes & Noble, perusing their Biographies and Memoirs section. Nothing stood out. I then spent an endless amount of time checking out all the books on Amazon's "bestselling memoirs" list. Again, nothing that really grabbed my attention. Clearly someone's story should suffice, right??? But since i had received Word from God about imitation so clearly, i didn't want to simply settle for just any book.

And then one day i arrived to work (like i always do), turned on my computer monitor (like i always do), and began my day (like i...well you get the idea. same old same old). All the sudden, i looked down at the two books that i have stacked underneath my monitor (to raise it) and thought, "hey, i wonder what these are all about." To my amazement, one of these was the perfect book!

It's called Water from a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from Early Marytrs to Modern Missionaries. It takes the reader through Christian history, specifically highlighting those Christians who have stood out for one reason or another. So not only do i get to read about one person, i get to read about several people throughout history!!

I have been reading whenever I have the chance and have been captivated by the stories and lessons I can learn from those who have come before me. Plus, it's written in a reader-friendly kind of way so I haven't ever gotten the sense that I'm reading a text book.

I highly recommend this for anyone who would like to imitate those who have come before us. There's so much to learn.

More info on the book can be found here.

yummy childhood goodness with a twist

2010-07-16T15:05:00.004-04:00

Today I found out some great news... some TASTY great news. Two of my fondest, tastiest treats from my childhood have joined forces to create what I believe will be one of the yummiest treats out there.

Before I unveil this new creation, here's a brief background of the two treats i grew up with.

The first treat:

photo credit

When i was in elementary school, the only Krispy Kreme shop nearby was located in Daytona, FL. Therefore, whenever we would venture to the beach, we would also stop at Krispy Kreme and enjoy some doughnuts!! It was a win win situation! Beach time and doughnuts. I never imagined that a better combo could be born...until today.

The second treat:

photo credit

Cheerwine. Ahhhh... Love it still to this day! For those of you who don't know, it's a soda that has a very distinct taste, almost similar to dr. pepper cherry vanilla. It too was hard to come by, since it is only available in the Carolinas. I connect my love with Cheerwine with childhood memories of cabins and family vacations there. My grandparents rented out cabins (and eventually built their own) in North Carolina and we had quite a few family gatherings there through the years. Oftentimes, my sister and i would insist on having our parents bring back a few 12 packs of Cheerwine to Florida!

And now, the great unveiling...

photo credit

The Krispy Kreme Cheerwine Doughnut!!!
http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/07/16/krispy-kreme-cheerwine-doughnut-announced-lets-brainstorm-other-ultimate-southern-collaborations/

And this makes me VERY excited! Especially because i'll be heading down to North Carolina next week where I will be able to indulge in this fabulous combo!! When i return, i will post my review.

moments from heaven

2010-07-02T13:30:00.003-04:00

My co-worker (and Pastor of a church in NYC who i'll refer to as PC) just returned from an hour and a half "coffee run."

But there's a Starbucks on every block in New York! Why the heck did it take so long??

Well, in Starbucks PC noticed a guy sitting at his own table, reading The Shack. (PC and I have spoken many times about this book and about how life-changing it has been for many, including people close to us.) So PC made a comment in passing to this guy of how good a book it was.

The guy responded, "Do you know much about it? Because i've got a lot of questions."

And thus began an hour long conversation between them about the book, Jesus, Christianity, and other such topics. PC has a gift for engaging in natural conversations with people about these topics, never getting into "debates" or seeking to "convert" but rather hearing the person, getting to know them, and addressing their needs in love.

At the end of their time together, no major conversion took place. The gentleman did not declare himself to be a Christian. (But is "on-the-spot conversion" the point? I don't think so.) Rather, he left with a sense that he was heard, with a greater understanding of Jesus and with much to contemplate. This conversation may perhaps serve as a mile marker as his journey continues onward.

I love it when God gives us moments from Heaven like this.

another definite "elaine" experience

2010-06-30T20:12:00.004-04:00

This is not one of my prouder moments, but i feel that writing about it will help me move forward and ease my mind. Do you remember that episode of Seinfeld when Elaine is pretty sure that the ladies at the nail salon are talking about and laughing at her? Well, that is EXACTLY how i felt at the nail salon today, and it. did. not. feel. good! :(

I was super excited for my "July mani/pedi." Summer school ended last week, and this was a wonderful way to celebrate and also get "prettied up" for my upcoming weekend in PA. So i scouted out a few places and settled on a small place that advertised a $19.99 deal for both! Perfect! Jack pot! AND it was only three blocks from my apt.

My overall experience at this Chosen Place was pleasant, aside from another customer next to me, who insisted on having her manicure done a certain, unnecessary way. I tuned her out as best as i could. I chose my pretty bubble gum pink color and all was groovy...

Until it was time to pay...

Normally, I have cash on me. But not today. So when I was asked to pay, I politely asked if i could put the tip on my credit card. No was the answer, followed up with but you can get cash from the ATM next door. Back in my single days, i would have happily obliged but, well, nowadays my husband and i are on a budget and really every dollar is important! I couldn't justify in my mind spending an additional $2.50 (most likely) on that darn ATM fee.

Now i have been told that i can be quite charming and convincing in times like these. I usually can "make things happen" for myself, and do it gracefully. I tried this.

Since this is my first time here, is there any way that i can charge the tip on my credit card just this once? (insert smile and shoulder shrug) And I'll know for the future to bring cash.

Not only did i get the cold shoulder from the store owner, I got ignored by her! She continued to look down at her magazine, even though i was a mere 4 feet away!

I started to get aggravated.

Excuse me, ma'am? MA'AAM???

She finally looked up and, well the rest is a bit of a blur... I ended up being charged an additional dollar for having used my credit card for the tip AND found out that I had been charged another dollar for something else that i had not been told would cost a thing! I spouted out some things about how i would not be coming back there and how i was shocked by the customer service and treatment i was receiving, etc...

And then i had to wait for those dang nails to dry! So i sat, tension filled, so NOT relaxed after my time at the spa...

and that's when it began... the huddle of female employees in the corner, then the laughter, and then at one point, one of them literally pointed at me!! I wanted to run for the hills!!

...but those DANG slow-drying nails!!!

So sit there, i did. Until FINALLY!! They were dry!!!

I left with the little bit of dignity that i could muster and came home feeling wiped out and sad. Elaine walked out of her salon in much the same way. I may even have some mascara smudged below my eye like her.

Relaxation attempt - FAILED!

p.s. When I told my husband this story, he so kindly replied, "honey, just so you know, in the future, you have my full support to use one of those costly atm's if it will save you aggravation like this!" :) I love him!!

waking up is hard to do-ooo

2010-04-23T15:04:00.002-04:00

After a few months of contemplating this idea, giving it one faulty try, and talking with others about the issue, I have made the leap into morningdom. This is a feat that could not be done on my own, however. I am doing this alongside some other amazing people in my church community. We have committed to waking up at least 20 minutes earlier than normal for some intentional God-time, for the next four weeks (and beyond). Along the way, we are sharing with each other our thoughts, struggles with tiredness, and ways that God is speaking to us and through us. Day 5 is upon us and so far, so good! I'm not saying it has been "easy," but i will say that it's been worth it and the fruits of our sacrifices are already showing!

One of the first thoughts i had prior to Day 1 of this season was, "My spirit is willing but my flesh is so weak." This summed me up! I so desperately wanted to start my day with God, allowing Him to "fill up" my spiritual/emotional tank each day, but I just didnt think that the sacrifice of less sleep would do me any good. I need sleep! I need rest! And, yes, this is of course true, but what i gathered from that verse (not sure where in the Bible it is) was that if i have a willing spirit, God will take care of the rest.

And He has!

In fact, this week i have had a couple of incredibly tired days. I mean, we're talking cant keep my eyes open kind of tired. And yet, even so, I have been more available to others, more alert to those around me, and have had such a strong desire and capacity to love on others. Prayers have been answered within this community, God has been bringing people into our lives to love on, and we have been receiving a vast amount of encouragement from Him.

With this incredible community and with the Holy Spirit walking with us, I fully believe that we will make it though the tough days and press on together in this journey!

weekend retreat

2010-04-16T15:06:00.003-04:00

Well, the fog might not have lifted yet from the pathway between North America and the UK/Europe, but i am happy to report that my Thurs fog has passed! Oh to be on the other side of that dreadful day is truly a delight! My mood has improved, my motivation is strong, and my outlook on life is a positive one again. Yippee!!!!

This weekend, i will be in the Catskills with my AMAZING church community for a much-needed retreat. There will be over 30 of us, living it up in a house together. I pray that the Holy Spirit speaks to us in powerful ways as we seek to know Him and each other better. I pray for spirits of transparency and joy to fill the house. I pray for safety and good health for all of us. I pray for a spirit of renewal to come upon each of us, so that we may return to the city energized and ready to live mightily for Him. And lastly, i pray that this will be a time of CELEBRATION as we bask in the goodness and grace of Jesus.

Let the fun begin!! :)

thursdays

2010-04-15T17:09:00.003-04:00

Thursdays. SUCH DIFFICULT DAYS TO GET THROUGH.

We're oh so close to the sweetness of Fridays but wait, we've gotta make it through this stinkin' day first. We've almost made it to the very end of the week which means that the weekend is very close by...but not here yet! So i endure. I trudge through this thursday in hopes that the lights of friday will soon be shining brightly upon me. How sweet that day will be!! Just gotta get through this one first.

Even when good things happen on Thursday (today is a perfect example of this!), its still a day that i'm excited to have behind me.

Yes, such the debbie downer i become on thursdays. Womp-womp.

walking skills

2010-04-07T18:42:00.003-04:00

As i was walking down 14th St. this evening after work, dodging left and right the traffic of people, something occurred to me:

I was trained for these sidewalks.

That's right, i was trained, and trained well to dodge oncoming traffic and swerve past the slow pokes on the mean sidewalks of NYC. It all began in 6th grade in the hallways of my middle school. I dodged like none other! In fact, i have recollections of using my elbows to aid in weaving through the crowds. Perhaps my petite size had an impact on this. I was more easily able to maneuver my way, slipping past groups of students at a time. See, we didnt have much time to make it to our next class, and sometimes that meant heading to the other end of the school. Tough times called for tough action. And as petite was i was, i still packed a punch (or an elbow swat).

Now, let me convey that i have ceased using the elbow swat. It was useful at the time but now i fear that it would lead to much more trouble than simply a confused glance.

So nowadays, on the sidewalks of New York, i use my walking skills. I dodge, i swerve, i hustle, i even occasionally awkwardly run-walk. And these learned skills have been with me since age 12. They are put to good use on a daily basis. The feet of New Yorkers are like cars for suburban folks. They are our primary mode of transportation. So i suppose that these walking skills are like the steering wheel, the windshield wipers, and even the fuel gauge - necessities to survive. All need to be in excellent working condition.

So halls of middle schools, i do hope you are continuing to serve as the training ground for our future New Yorkers. You have certainly served me well.

early to rise

2010-04-06T13:17:00.002-04:00

Ben and I have been in awe of his brother Joel for awhile. He wakes up so dang early, from what we can tell, every single morning! Not only that, but he is chipper at that time of day! This is something i cannot understand, having never been one to awake with a smile already on my face. Growing up, I remember snapping at my mom on several occasions because she simply would ask me a question or try to engage in a brief conversation. But it was while i was getting ready for school and thus i was not in the mood to be chatty patty. (sorry mom!)

But times they are a changin' and now i desire to make the most out of every day. Therefore, I wanted to find out from my bro-in-law what his secret was to rising AND shining at that time of day.

Joel told me that he used to have a tough time waking up early, and that he had to train his body to make the transition. He still goes to sleep at a normal to late time so he has trained himself to not need as much sleep as he was used to getting.

He likes waking up early because, as he said, this is when the people who change the world are up and out the door. I found that to be very interesting. He and Ben agreed that there was something very nice about walking around the city in the crispness of the morning. It's more quiet, more peaceful, and there's a full day to look forward to.

I asked Joel how long it took him to make the transition to morning man. One, two days?? Weeks perhaps? His response: about 6 months or so. Yikes! That's a long time! I'm not the most high functioning person when i dont get my desired amount of sleep and so the thought of being at that level for 6 months is terrifying! But would it be worth it in the long run???

This weekend, i was awake early each morning and it made for a fun, fun time. I got tired here and there but the joy of living life made it worth it. So as i ponder the words of my bro-in-law, i feel inspired to attempt the transition to this new lifestyle. I always find myself saying, "if only there was more time in the day!" Well self, there is! I just have to be awake for it.

games and drawings and colors

2010-04-02T11:56:00.004-04:00

I love games.

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE GAMES! I find them to be so much fun and, with my husband (who's equally fond of games) at my side, we have a blast playing games together. In fact, we will find ourselves on a Saturday afternoon or after work on a weeknight playing games for hours on end. It's a stress reliever like none other and its also just such a great way to spend time together. Since we're both strong in our "quality time" love language, it works out perfectly.

We also love hosting game nights. And our motto is always, "everybody wins!" (which, if you've been to one of our game nights in the past year, you definitely know this!)

Another thing we have found ourselves doing since we got married is drawing and coloring. Yes, sounds like these activities are "for the kids" and that adults have better, perhaps "more sophisticated" things to do with their time, but frankly, it's just good, creative FUN! I am far from a "good" visual artist but even so, i rather enjoy the art of creating something (even if its simply one of my very strange looking animals that normally do not resemble at all the animal i intended to draw.) It still brings LOTS of laughter and i can still say at the end of the day that i created something! Ben feels the same way, although his animals more often than mine actually DO turn out to be what he intended them to be!

And last but not least, coloring books. Let's just say that i still get excited to help Alice and the Mad Hatter come alive in shades of blue and green and pink.

the little colorful buds

2010-04-01T17:54:00.003-04:00

It has been such a long time since i last wrote a post. This lack of communication is for good reason - my life took an incredible turn which left me without much time to do much of anything but enjoy, plan, and live. The "budding" relationship i mentioned in one of my last posts turned into an engagement which turned into marriage! Ben asked for my hand in marriage on March 27, 2009 to which i of course reponded "yes! yes! yes!!" The next six months was devoted to wedding planning. We pulled off a glorious celebration of our love and future together with much help from our friends and family. In fact, we couldnt have done it without this help! We were incredibly humbled by the willingness of so many people to contribute their talents and time to our big day. The big day was on October 17, 2009. We felt the presence of God in such powerful ways all day long. And oh the joy!!! We were praising Him for all of his many blessings that brought us to this special day. We've now been married for over five months! Time has flown by as we have set up our life together. We have an adorable apartment and have been learning what it's like to combine our lives with someone else's. And it's been a fantastic journey!

My friend Katie pointed out in her blog that the buds on the New York City trees magically appeared yesterday. I too noticed this, along with, i am sure, most other New Yorkers. And i love it! Every year at this time, my friend Cady notices the "new green" as she calls it, that shows up on the trees. It's a bit brighter, more fresh and alive looking. It's just so refreshing to see all of these new colors appear all around me! For me, it's a sign of new possibilities on the horizon, new opportunities just around the corner, new relationships to develop... New, new, new!! Not only that, but taking the old and cultivating it to become something even better. And this makes me excited to see what new colors are going to show up in my own life and in the lives of the family and friends who i love so dearly.

It also makes me in awe of God. That He would create plants to be cyclical like this, so that we can be reminded each and every year of the hope we have and of the freshness of new seasons.

So thank you, little colorful buds! You havent even been around for a week and yet have already brought so many smiles to my face!!

just in case

2009-02-05T17:56:00.003-05:00

I did a major cleaning/organizational sweep in my room before the new year. My room had become an organizational disaster and yet i didn't feel like i had that much stuff. What the heck was causing this overcrowding? How come i had no space to put my text books? I became confused. I became distressed. I mean, i take pride in my organizational abilities and yet here i was, failing miserably in my own apartment! For shame, for shame!

Thus, my decision to take on this end of the year project. And in tackling the problem, i began to notice a common theme among the stuff i was getting rid of.

"I've been holding on to these super old credit card statements just in case i need to refer back to them one day"

"I've been holding on to these books i got for free just in case i have time to read them one day"

"I've been holding on to this mini sewing kit (for 10 years!) just in case i 1. want to learn to sew and 2. actually need to sew"

And the list went on and on. I realized that my room had become a storage unit for "just in case" items! And they seemed small enough, but add together many "just in case" items and suddenly you have no room left for the things you actually use! This is the trap i fell into. There was no room for the stuff i really used and so those things were getting piled on my floor, and frankly it didnt look good!

I realized that the chance of me actually needing these "just in case" items was slim. And keeping them was causing the earlier-referenced confusion and distress (and oh the shame!). My mentality had to change. And i hope to impart the wisdom i gained from this experience onto you in hopes of providing relief from the organizational mess you may have found yourself in too.

Here's the logic:
Old perspective - "I'd much rather hold on to something just in case i need it, because it will save the hassle and stress of either having to purchase it again or not being able to access it at all."

New perspective - "I want to come home to an organized room! Holding on to these "little" things is causing a big mess. Living in a disorganized place has become a daily stress, more so than it would be to need one of these "just in case" items down the road. And chances are, i wont need any of those "just in case" items anyways!"

My encouragement to you is to consider what you may be holding on to "just in case." And free yourself from these chains that bind! I cant express just how much i love having SPACE for my text books and bank statements!

big umbrellas

2009-01-28T17:58:00.002-05:00

It was a glorious day, waking up to find the ground covered in glistening white snow. A friend of mine commented about how he loves the silent sound of a snowfall. I completely agree. I love that fun surprise of finding everything looking completely different from how I saw it the night before.

Snow boots on, there was an extra spring in my step today, walking through (or should i say "crunching through") the gorgeous snow flakes.

By mid afternoon, the snow was losing its place in the city, getting replaced by rain, rain, and more rain. Snow turned to brown snow, which turned into brown slush (which caused me to lose that extra spring in my step and take a more cautious approach to walking).

And the umbrellas came out.

And i realized a major pet peeve of mine - big umbrellas. Particularly big umbrellas being carried by small to average sized people! There i was, on the sidewalk, trying to return to work after a deposit run, and found myself in a traffic jam - because of one of these big umbrellas. One umbrella took up the ENTIRE width of the sidewalk! Underneath it was a man who could not have been any bigger than 150 pounds and 5 ft 9. No need for such a large umbrella! And because of it, those of us behind him were forced to walk at his pace.

I was tempted to purchase an umbrella of a NORMAL size and give it to him. "Think of the others! You dont rule the sidewalk umbrella guy!"

oh the places we'll go (or not go to again)

2008-09-12T14:26:00.009-04:00

Part of my morning routine includes stopping at the local deli by my office to pick up a caffeinated bottle of soda. I have joined the ranks of folks who are dependent on this lil caffeine kick in order to function as a human being in the wee hours of the morning (1oam). It's amazing how much more "alive" i feel after taking a few sips! Well yesterday, while riding the subway to work, i counted my $1.50 in change which would be used in a few minutes to purchase this delightful beverage. I went to my deli, got my soda of choice (normally it's cherry coke zero but this time it was a diet orange sunkist - also quite refreshing!), and headed to the counter, where my deli man stands every morning with a smile on his face, to complete the transaction. I handed him my change at the same time as he said, "that'll be $1.75." !!!!! What?? How can that be? i thought in great distress. So i responded with, "$1.75, really?" He said the price for bottled soda was raised the day before. ALL bottled sodas would now be $1.75. Since i had already handed him the money, and since i have proven to be a loyal customer for well over a year, he allowed me to make one last purchase for the reasonable price of $1.50. I savored that moment, took it all in - my deli man, the soda, the purchase price of $1.50. This occurrance had been a staple in my day. And upon hearing, "that'll be $1.75," i knew things would never be the same.

The question i am faced with now is: do i resist price increases that americans everywhere are having to accept and find a new place to get my soda fix, or do i stay loyal to my deli man, accept prices for what they are and keep my morning routine in tact?

Oh how i am torn! I think some good meditation and prayer is in order...

bueller? bueller?? ...laurie? laurie??

2008-08-27T22:37:00.002-04:00

I know, it's been a loooooong time since my last posting. It has been something i've thought about and wanted to sit down and compose such a post as this for, well, months. But alas, in the words of ferris himself,

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

That pretty much sums up what i've been doing these few months - stopping to look around at life and to experience it to the fullest. It started with a concussion (no fun, no fun), moved on to a business trip to LA where i was reunited with a couple of special college friends, and then to a blossoming relationship with a great guy. This August has been weddings galore in DC, Orlando, and this weekend Seattle. My masters program for school counseling starts on Tues which will keep me occupied for the next couple years.

I am most definitely alive and kickin! Life is good. Looking forward to continuing to "live in the now"! (to quote another classic movie character) :)

shocking news - a forrest gump contradiction??

2008-05-13T17:24:00.003-04:00

I have seen Forrest Gump many times. My friend cady and i quote it often. Perhaps one day, i'll do a post on "favorite movie blips" and share a few of the favs with you.

One reference, though, always leads me to pause and think "wait a minute..." Maybe someone can clear up confusion if it's on my end. If i raise a good point, then this blog will have served a purpose of cracking the code on one of hollywood's most beloved films. (brilliant!)

Forrest lets jenny know that he is headed to war. "They're sending me...to viet-naaam."
Jenny, worried, responds with: "Promise me somethin'. Whatever happens, dont try to be brave. Just run. Just run away."

Cut to the war scene. Forrest is brave! Forrest doesn't just run away! In fact, he runs back into battle many times to save his fellow soldiers, including bubba, which leads to one of the sweetest moments in the film. "If i had known that this would be the last time i spoke to him, i probably woulda thought of somethin' better to say... hey bubba." (awww, best-good friends are great!)

The next time forrest runs into jenny, he is in washington dc receiving the metal of honor. Upon their departure, forrest gives the metal to jenny.

"Jenny, I want you...to have this."
"I cant take your metal, forrest"
"But i got it just by doing what you told me to do."
(now this is the point when i pause and say "wait a minute..." Is it just me or did he actually do the exact opposite of what she told him?)

I'm left baffled everytime.

a definite "elaine" experience

2008-05-10T19:55:00.008-04:00

At least once a week, my boss refers to me as the seinfeld character elaine. I think i must have some elaine tendencies. I cant exactly articulate what those are (other than my, if i must say so, exceptionally awkward, and therefore completely dead-on, version of the "elaine dance"). I recently had an experience, though, that i would characterize as "totally elaine".

Coming home from the city to my quiet apartment, i decided to stop by a restaurant to get some take-out. I chose a quaint french place nearby, decided on a salad (a big salad??) and placed my order. The hostess keyed in the order, gave me the total, and i handed her my credit card. "Oh, we actually arent taking credit cards right now." (sigh) I had cash at home, but nothing with me. Rather than heading to an ATM and throwing my money away on those dang ATM fees, i decided to change the order to delivery.

My apartment is about a 7 minute walk from this restaurant. I did my usual power walking and presumed that i would be quite a few minutes ahead of the delivery guy. So i called a friend, chatted outside and then headed into my building's lobby. I quickly noticed a delivery guy speaking to the doorman (never thought i would say i had a doorman!!), but i thought to myself "there is no way that my delivery guy would be here now!" After another couple of minutes, i figured i should check. It was indeed him! He had just left the building, and I caught him just before he was about to jump on his bike and ride away with my dinner. I apologized, which he got the gist of but didnt totally understand because of, what i would soon discover, our language barrier. He spoke NO english.

My cash was in my apt, so i gestured for him to follow me. Once in the apartment, i grabbed my money and handed him the $20. He indicated that he didnt have any change. A delivery guy with no change?!? How can that be? We tried talking to convey our points of view, but since he spoke no english, this conversation was hopeless. I stood there hoping he might give in and say (well, or gesture), "just take the food. It's my mistake that i dont have change, so go ahead and enjoy. You shouldnt be punished for my unpreparedness." No. Didn't happen. So we headed back down to see if the doorman had any change. No luck. But fortunately the guy speaking to the doorman did! He handed me 4 five's, 3 of which i gave to the delivery guy.

My salad cost around $11.50. So in my attempt to avoid the scam of an ATM fee, i spent about $3 more than i would have spent had i given in and paid the fee! (double sigh!) But that's not the end...

As i said "au revoir" to my (actually spanish) delivery guy, i received a call from the french restaurant. "We have a delivery guy there trying to get your food to you. He's been waiting for a long time. What's going on??" I finally got a word in and explained that the food/money exchange had just taken place. The woman sounded very annoyed about the whole situation. I have a strong feeling that my face and apt number will not be leaving their memories anytime soon, which means that my days of enjoying delicious french cuisine are probably over. It was a good run. I did enjoy the "big salad," with the exception of the anchovies.

But like elaine, i may try to beat the system by creating a new apartment number using the trash room across the hall.

thank you dream!

2008-05-08T22:21:00.018-04:00

It has been brought to my attention that i have been majorly slacking on my blog the past few weeks. And with the lingering of my last post, i wanted to make it clear that i am alive and doing quite well, having survived the tick-tock of the clock as it moved me into this "dreaded year"... and to be honest, so far so good! It's not so bad afterall. I am embracing this age, taking ahold of it and trying to own it as much as mrs. bedazzled "owned" her tacky sweater (but rest assured, i have no desire to actually own one of those sweaters). In fact, to my surprise, i recently had a moment of complete thankfulness about being this age.

It was brought on by a dream. A dream that was brought on by a conversation i had with my coworker and boss which involved me swimming across the hudson from ny to jersey, which i have never done. Yes, this conversation sounds rather odd and it lasted a good 3-5 minutes! (note references in prior posts to my "crazy" office.) So that night, i dreamt that i was about to embark on a journey similar to this "hudson-cross," except i am not completely sure that it was in fact the hudson i was crossing. The water in my dream did have quite a murky look to it, and made me question what i was jumping into and why the heck i was jumping into it. I'll say this - it certainly wasn't the mediterranean! So for posting purposes, we'll call it the hudson. I had a backpack which must have been filled with the necessary "river swim" equipment, and i was saying good-bye to my good friends megan and joel, who were bidding me adieu from the dock. (M&J, please never allow me to swim in any kind of hudson-like river in real life, let alone travel to jersey! -just a little joke, jersey folks.) As i was about to make the jump into the water and begin my swim, M&J wished me a happy birthday. This birthday they were referring to was the one i will have a year from now. I was turning yet another year older! With backpack in hand, i jumped... and sunk, rather far down that i found myself panicked that i wouldn't make it to the surface in time to take my next much-needed breath of air. Feeling more nervous, i picked up the pace to swim to the surface. This was no easy task since i was being weighed down by my backpack... but i made it to the surface in time! And then i heard scott & todd in the morning blasting from my radio and realized that it had all been a dream. And for that moment, after having felt like i was even a year older than i am, i was incredibly thankful, and proud, to be my actual, so-called "dreaded" age.

another year is almost here...oh dear!

2008-04-21T22:59:00.008-04:00

In honor of my (gulp) birthday being just around the corner, i thought it fitting to pause for a moment and reflect on life and the past year. "It has gone by so fast," as they say. Or in saved by the bell terms, "it seems like only yesterday we started..." Yes, i do get sentimental on these annual momentous occasions. (although, my cat mia isnt letting me get too sentimental, as she is meowing to get my attention so i'll play with her... "in a second, little one") Back to reflecting... What new insights did i have? How did i grow and change? Any "firsts"?? (food poisioning comes to mind! oh, and of course, joining my bloggy bloggy friends in the blogging community)

Truth be told, this is my "dreaded" birthday year. In talking with friends, it seems that many of us have an age which we have defined in our minds as "that age" which will separate us from "the old days" and bring us into "an older stage of life." The actual age is different for everyone and well, most of us are not ready for it when it comes knocking on our door. That's me this year. And tonight, as i try desperately to hold on to my current year, which has suited me well, i know that my only option is to surrender to destiny's knock, open the door graciously, and well, be a good host to this new phase. (glad i tidied up!)

I know that "i'm young," that "i have my whole life ahead of me," that i'll look back at this post in one year, five years, fifty years and smile at how melodramatic i was (and all of those other sayings we hear "the older generation" pass down to us - which we will inevitably pass down to the next generation). But darnet, it's my birthday, and not just any birthday but my "dreaded" birthday, and i'll be how i want to be and say what i want to say! (now how's that for dramatic??)

They say a watched pot never boils... perhaps if i get one of those going, i will be able to beat time at its own game! (or i'll just end up staring at a pot of water for a really, really long time. Not really my idea of birthday fun.)

Fine. I surrender! Bring on the birthday!! :)

walmart update

2008-04-13T13:43:00.005-04:00

My college's fight song was introduced during my first week as an incoming freshman. There i stood, along with the other newbies, in elkins auditorium, singing this tune over and over and over again. We sang it at least five times. For most of us, who were all about our new school, ready to create lasting friendships and great memories on this campus, this was a little cheesy, but fun nonetheless. For my much more cynical college friend, who didn't exactly "take to the campus culture," i imagine that this was probably the first moment he questioned his college choice ("group sing-alongs?? what the...??"). :)

The final word in the song is "victory," sung "vic-tor-eeeee!," and the "eeeee!" practically jumps up an entire octave from the preceding note. As we all struggled to hold on to the words and figure out the notes (sheet music would have been helpful), it was virtually impossible to stay on key thus causing the song to end, well, on a bad note. And even to this day, i still haven't figured that note out.

As i have transitioned away from college life, this fight song has stayed with me and on rare occasions, the "vic-tor-eeeee!" sound pops into consciousness. This happened a couple of weeks ago when i heard the news - that walmart had dropped the case against the woman i blogged about on march 29th. Thank goodness! Now, I would be naive if i thought that walmart's change of heart had to do with a recent visit to see the wizard. There were indications that thousands had blogged about and petitioned to boycott walmart as a result of this case. Were those at walmart who changed their minds then most likely looking out for their own interests? Um...yes. But sometimes i believe we have to take what we can get, focus on this woman and her family who have finally been given the justice they deserve, and be excited about that. SO...

My congratulations, well-wishes, and prayers of thankfulness go out to this family!

And here's a real loud "vic-tor-eeeee!" to you!

we didn't start the fire!

2008-04-01T22:31:00.004-04:00

Tonight, while watching one of my singer/songwriter friends rock the house (acoustic guitar style), i was nudged by a friend at the table to take a look at the sweater of this sweet senior citizen who arrived midway through the set. (Note: my friend's music is relevant to this generation! The senior crowd was there to see the following performer rock the house - cello style.) This sweater was one that immediately triggered the word "b-dazzled" in my mind. You know, the rhinestones, multiple colors, excessive shine. Her shine was arranged in the shape of three crowns. I looked over and couldn't help but smile. You know when a really posh person can "pull off" something quite atrocious? Well i realized that this senior (and well, most seniors) can pull off this kind of sweater! She rocked it - sweet old lady style! Not many in my circle could pull this off, but she did. I also realized that there will come a day when i too sport the b-dazzle sweater. And i hope to "own it" in the same way this lady did.

Several minutes later, the same friend who pointed out mrs. b-dazzle's sweatshirt indicated to them that a napkin was illuminating from their senior table - fire style! The senior gentleman (mr. fire) looked down at these starting flames quite taken aback. My friend grabbed a glass of water and poured it on the table. The fire was out. (whew!) The three seniors (mrs. b-dazzle, mr. fire, and mrs. oblivious) turned around to our table, thanked my friend, and expressed to us their surprise at this event. "We had no idea!" "We were so focused on the performer, we didn't see the flames!" "We did not see that at all!"

So yes, the greatest generation certainly has wisdom to offer. They have earned their right to wear tacky sweaters and speak out at inappropriate times during church. And i'll be darned if i try to take these rights away from them! (shoot, i'll do all i can to be assured that these rights will still be in place when it's time for me to cash in my birthday candles.) But we, my generation not only didn't start the fire; we helped put the fire out!

the singer/songwriter mentioned in this post is katie arnold. She rocks! (katie arnold style) Check her out at www.myspace.com/katiearnoldmusic.

mamma mia!

2008-04-01T17:48:00.016-04:00

Today marks the unofficial fourth birthday of my darling cat, mia! Happy Birthday Sweet One! Why "unofficial?" you may ask. Well, allow me to provide you with the answer...

her story:

Mia spent the first two years (roughly) of her life in the bronx (what, what!!). She was a bronx baby. Grew up on the mean streets. Apparently developed such prodigious street smarts that she was even too much for her adopted sibling to handle! Since she and "mr. how could you not love your adorable sister?!? cat" apparently battled it out more times than their owner would have preferred, the owner made the choice (and clearly adorable, sweet, charming, hilarious had no impact on the decision) to seek out a new home for mia. Said owner was my old roommate's co-worker at the time. So my roommate anna received the mass email looking for those interested in adopting mia. Anna, also a fan of cats, and i considered the possibility of bringing mia into the big city to live with us. After giving it some thought we decided that we would proceed with the adoption! This was about two years ago. When the owner brought mia to us, we asked about mia's birthday. Her response "um, it was sometime around now, two years ago." (mostly helpful information, mostly...but that would have to do.) Thus, mia's unofficial birthday is today!

After the drop-off, mia was frightened and hid under my bed for two days. Attempting to gently coax her out did nothing, so, at the suggestion of my mom, i used the ole' tough love tactic and pulled her out against her will, assuring her that i was nice and that all was well. She quickly made the adjustment after that. (thanks mom!) When anna and i were no longer roommates, it was evident then that i would take mia with me. Mia has been such a joy to have in my life. She's adorable! (to back up this statement, see pics below)

precious!

like any girl, she's very protective of shoes

making my bed is cause for celebration

putting my clothes away is cause for a good afternoon nap

Happy Birthday Mia!!

corporations

2008-03-29T17:39:00.005-04:00

When i picked up my friend's copy of Fast Food Nation last year, while cat-sitting, i had no idea that i would be as affected by it as i was. It shocked me! We all are familiar with the nutrition side of the "anti-fast food" argument. Yes, fatty food is bad for me. I get it. That is why i do my best to eat everything in moderation. So when i started reading this book, i was relieved to read (in the intro, i believe) that this would not be the author's focus. He would be tackling topics that effect everyone, not just those who eat fatty foods. I hope to re-read this book and blog on some of Eric Scholler's points from time to time but that will be saved for other days. The primary eye-opener for me, though, was to learn about the way these major corporations have set themselves up to essentially control the world. Frightening!

Last week, I received an email from my cousin (which was forwarded to many of you) about the horrible treatment of a walmart employee. The shortened version of the story is that this woman, who's son recently died in Iraq, was in a car accident eight years ago which left her with severe brain damage. She was awarded $417,000 (after legal fees) to pay for her longterm care. In the fine print of walmart's insurance policy, there is a clause which gives walmart the right to recoup from employees the money they paid towards their employees' medical care. So walmart sued this woman for the $470,000 - and won. This woman is now forced to give basically all that she has to a multi-billion dollar company. The family's attorney appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but they unfortunately refused to hear the case.

I was horrified to hear this. Yes, walmart has the legal right to collect this money. It was in the insurance policy. But was it ethically right to take this woman's money? No. Absolutely not.

This is walmart's response from the cnn.com article (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/25/walmart.insurance.battle/index.html?iref=newssearch):
"Wal-Mart spokesman John Simley, who called Debbie Shank's case "unbelievably sad," replied in a statement: "Wal-Mart's plan is bound by very specific rules. ... We wish it could be more flexible in Mrs. Shank's case since her circumstances are clearly extraordinary, but this is done out of fairness to all associates who contribute to, and benefit from, the plan.""

This quote exemplifies an aspect of the corporate setup that i find to be very unsettling. Men and women allow themselves, on behalf of their company, to act in extremely unethical ways - but since it's "on behalf of their company," they are able to wash their hands of the situation and take no responsibility for it. These ceo's need to come out from behind the curtain and own the way their "company" is unethically treating others. To hide behind walmart's "plan," like this spokesman did, instead of showing human compassion for a family who has suffered enough, is outrageous. What's even more outrageous, though, is that, in the end, walmart wins.

After hearing about this, I felt compelled to forward my cousin's email, which asked people to reconsider shopping at walmart. That's how i will leave this post as well.

bridges

2008-03-29T15:23:00.010-04:00

I watched a feature on the travel channel a few weeks ago about the top 10 bridges in the world. It was fascinating! I found myself hooked after five minutes. They took us all across the world to get a glimpse of these amazing structures. Where in the world would the next stop be? I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation. And i am proud to report that the Brooklyn Bridge made the cut (holla!).

I took special note of one bridge in particular: The Sydney Harbour Bridge. This bridge is the widest longspan bridge in the world, with its eight lanes of traffic. It was the tallest structure in sydney until 1967. "But why take special note of this one?" you may be asking. The answer? The Climb (as the aussie bridge-folk call it). This was the appeal for me - its walkway on top of the bridge. So you can actually climb over it! I love hikes and heights, and i'm always up for a good challenge with a magnificant view as the reward. So when i heard about this bridge, sydney was added to my list of "must-go" places. (Not to mention, places with fun accents always earn extra points!) Another selling point was seeing that this funny guy had made the trek...

The bridge's website, http://www.bridgeclimb.com/, includes a section written for those who suffer from agrophobia. They say that the Climb "has helped thousands overcome their fear of heights." Interesting...

Well, as i read this and then noticed two decks of cards nearby, i could not help but ponder my generation's fear of bridge - the game, that is. Most are aware of my great appreciation for bridge. It is a game i would like to play more often but the problem is that rounding up a group is not easy (unless i venture to the nearest senior center. Perhaps not a bad idea every once in a while, but don't know how ready i am to fully embrace "the senior life" in my mid-20's.) Therefore, this is where i shall make an unabashed plea to my generation.

This game is amazing!
It's both enjoyable and challening.
It's not as difficult to learn as many of us were raised to believe.
It wasnt always a "grandparents-only" game - they were youths once too! (and part of a freaking cool generation if you ask me.)
For those gamblers out there, you may not know that it was common to bet on bridge games. (and my grandma won her quarters fair and square)

But sadly, bridge seems to be fading fast. [Insert shocking statistics] It served a generation well for many, many years, and i believe that it can do the same for us. So let's "bridge the gap" between the generations and pick up this game!

As you're walking or driving around today, pondering life perhaps, I encourage you to take a moment and give bridges some thought. Plan your next getaway to sydney or call your grandma to talk strategy. ("How did you win those quarters??")

Consider the possibilities.

office pranks

2008-03-27T23:45:00.000-04:00

In a city that is fueled by mega financial companies and cut-throat corporations looking for their next million, my little office is anything but. In fact, this little office of mine is something that i imagine i will be blogging about rather frequently since loads of crazy schenanagans take place there. (Costume Friday, for example, is a weekly event. Sweatshirt day is tomorrow. My London, Fall 2000 sweatshirt will have to do the trick.)

Anyways, something my coworkers and i have not ventured into is the joyful bliss of "the office prank." You know, the old "stapler in jello" trick, or the "quarters in the phone" routine. (Yes, The Office provides many a good idea!) Well today, the office prank ship set sail and made a nice first showing. It was motivated by one of my coworkers and i being left in the office during lunchtime while most others were out to lunch on the company's dime. I make it sound like we were the two misfits who had to face our punishment or like we were "the young ones" who haven't reached the same level of adulthood as the others. Not the case. There actually was a very legitimate reason for leaving us behind during this particular lunch. Nonetheless, we bid adieu to those heading out to enjoy a scrumptious meal (for free!), while heating up our leftover Easter dinner (him) and munching on the second half of our mediocre wrap (me). And frankly, we felt the (totally exaggerated, we know) injustice of the situation! So we started brainstorming possible office pranks. We tried taping the chairs to the floor. No good. Our test chair didn't stick well and it would take up too much tape (we try not to be wasteful at the Midpoint/Beaufort office). We considered other alternatives, but after a few minutes decided to utilize google.com. "Office pranks" was the search term.

After reading through a few options, we settled on a simple yet effective prank. In fact, it's one that i highly recommend! It involves a small post-it and a computer mouse (i like that i felt the need to specify "computer"). Place the post-it on the bottom of the mouse. This causes the track-ball to be ineffective and the mouse cursor does not move. This is what Kevin and I did to the mice (mouses?) of all four lunch-goers (including one of the company's VPs). On each post-it, we wrote "and this is why you always bring kevin and laurie to lunch." When they returned, we got the reactions we had hoped for! Slight confusion for a short amount of time, followed by a good laugh...

(Had i been working at one of those mega financial companies, i may have had to add "followed by a good firing, followed by a good eviction from my penthouse apartment, followed by a good tarnishing of my reputation." Whew, glad that wasn't the case! I love my job!)

a little bit of blog

2008-03-27T23:42:00.000-04:00

This was my first choice for a blog name. I thought it was catchy and clever, not to mention one of my favorite people in the whole world suggested it. But alas, feeling very much like Forrest Gump on a school bus, it was "taken." I think the name i have settled on, though, will be quite suitable. I hope for this to be a fun, enjoyable, contemplative, and anti-corporation filled blog for everyone. Hopefully this post will not be the first and last!

I've never thought of myself as someone to follow the crowd (follow that bird, maybe). Until now. Some of my closest friends now have blogs. I have known about "blogging" for quite some time, but never considered starting my own...until "everyone started doing it." It's as if it's become the cool thing to do and now i'm wondering "am i one to be enticed by the allure of being part of the cool crowd?" Maybe. However (and more likely) perhaps i have really appreciated hearing about these friends' lives and thoughts, and have wanted to provide for them the same...NYC style! So blog world, my little life and etc. will now join you!