It has been quite a summer so far. First and foremost, I have been blessed to have time to spend with my kids. We've done some fun things such as go t
o the park, drove to Bend to see family, and even went to the beach for a few days (hubby go to go too). It's been a great time so far and I am grateful to each and every day we have that time together. However, one of the stressors that has been plaguing me on a daily basis has been the job hunting nightmare. It consumes my every waking moment it seems. It encompasses that finanicial stresses that comes with being unemployed. It is tough on the mind and the heart. However, I was fortunate that a little fairy godfather in the form of TinkerBill, granted a wonderful wish...and that was to go see Shelley.
I got to spend five days in Houston, (well, Spring to be exact) Texas with my dearest friend in the world. I have made some fabulous friendships in my own community (they know who they are), however Shelley is the icing on the cake so to speak. She has been a part of my past, present, and will be there in the future. I've said this before, but I'll say it again...she is a gift in my life. We did a lot of amazing things that ranged from the simple to the adventurous. If you want the detailed version of our time together complete with pics, then check out her blog by clicking on the "Toadally Talking" blog link to the right. I've opted to just include some of my favorite highlights as my computer is acting funny and won't let me upload any pics from my digital camera. I'm hoping to get that problem fixed soon.
The plane ride down was a real hoot. It was a 6am flight to start. Just as I got settled into my window seat, this lady sits down next to me and begins to fret over her daughter being a couple seats away. I empathized with her as I would do the same thing if I couldn't be near my own child on a flight. So through a series of strange events, I offered to change seats with her daughter so they could be together. This put me into a middle seat across the aisle from where I had been. Let me make this point loud and clear...I. CAN'T. STAND. THE. MIDDLE. SEAT!!!! However, I didn't think about this at the time I was making the offer, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Even though I felt a little claustrophobic, I met some very colorful passengers in my new spot too. One gal was eighteen and on her way to see New York for the first time and hadn't been on a plane since the age of ten, so she was alternately giddy and frightened. In the aisle seat was an older woman with a shock of wild, grey hair. She turned out to be a career missionary that loved her Johnny Walkers early in the morning and traveled to underpriveleged areas of the world to donate vitamins, medicine, and children's books. She was a kick. I do believe in karma, so moving seats was the right thing to do.
As I got settled into Houston, I couldn't help but begin to melt from the humidity. The first and second days weren't so bad, since Shelley and I spent most of our time store-hopping for scrapbooking supplies, clothes, or anything else that tickled our fancy. Then came Friday. I think I felt like the Wicked Witch of the West as she melted into a puddle, it was that hot and sticky. What a whirlwind day though! We spent a little time in court so Shelley could finish a motion she had to appear for (part of her pro-bono work). Then we were off to NASA to play at the Johnson Space Center like a couple of kids in a candy store. We attempted to plan a Mars mission, experienced floating in space via the green screen, and even got to tour Historic Mission Control.
We were in such a great mood on this particular day that we actually entertained the wild idea of driving onto New Orleans. We were on our way to Galveston and considered what it would be like to just keep going. We thought it would be a crazy and spontaneous thing to do, something we both craved. However, fatigue soon set in and so we thought maybe we'd settle for tattoo shopping. When we reached Galveston, we looked for shells along the beach and took in the Gulf of Mexico. Windblown and drained, we felt too tired to go all the way to Lousiana, but didn't rule it out on a return trip someday.
o the park, drove to Bend to see family, and even went to the beach for a few days (hubby go to go too). It's been a great time so far and I am grateful to each and every day we have that time together. However, one of the stressors that has been plaguing me on a daily basis has been the job hunting nightmare. It consumes my every waking moment it seems. It encompasses that finanicial stresses that comes with being unemployed. It is tough on the mind and the heart. However, I was fortunate that a little fairy godfather in the form of TinkerBill, granted a wonderful wish...and that was to go see Shelley.I got to spend five days in Houston, (well, Spring to be exact) Texas with my dearest friend in the world. I have made some fabulous friendships in my own community (they know who they are), however Shelley is the icing on the cake so to speak. She has been a part of my past, present, and will be there in the future. I've said this before, but I'll say it again...she is a gift in my life. We did a lot of amazing things that ranged from the simple to the adventurous. If you want the detailed version of our time together complete with pics, then check out her blog by clicking on the "Toadally Talking" blog link to the right. I've opted to just include some of my favorite highlights as my computer is acting funny and won't let me upload any pics from my digital camera. I'm hoping to get that problem fixed soon.
The plane ride down was a real hoot. It was a 6am flight to start. Just as I got settled into my window seat, this lady sits down next to me and begins to fret over her daughter being a couple seats away. I empathized with her as I would do the same thing if I couldn't be near my own child on a flight. So through a series of strange events, I offered to change seats with her daughter so they could be together. This put me into a middle seat across the aisle from where I had been. Let me make this point loud and clear...I. CAN'T. STAND. THE. MIDDLE. SEAT!!!! However, I didn't think about this at the time I was making the offer, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Even though I felt a little claustrophobic, I met some very colorful passengers in my new spot too. One gal was eighteen and on her way to see New York for the first time and hadn't been on a plane since the age of ten, so she was alternately giddy and frightened. In the aisle seat was an older woman with a shock of wild, grey hair. She turned out to be a career missionary that loved her Johnny Walkers early in the morning and traveled to underpriveleged areas of the world to donate vitamins, medicine, and children's books. She was a kick. I do believe in karma, so moving seats was the right thing to do. 
As I got settled into Houston, I couldn't help but begin to melt from the humidity. The first and second days weren't so bad, since Shelley and I spent most of our time store-hopping for scrapbooking supplies, clothes, or anything else that tickled our fancy. Then came Friday. I think I felt like the Wicked Witch of the West as she melted into a puddle, it was that hot and sticky. What a whirlwind day though! We spent a little time in court so Shelley could finish a motion she had to appear for (part of her pro-bono work). Then we were off to NASA to play at the Johnson Space Center like a couple of kids in a candy store. We attempted to plan a Mars mission, experienced floating in space via the green screen, and even got to tour Historic Mission Control.We were in such a great mood on this particular day that we actually entertained the wild idea of driving onto New Orleans. We were on our way to Galveston and considered what it would be like to just keep going. We thought it would be a crazy and spontaneous thing to do, something we both craved. However, fatigue soon set in and so we thought maybe we'd settle for tattoo shopping. When we reached Galveston, we looked for shells along the beach and took in the Gulf of Mexico. Windblown and drained, we felt too tired to go all the way to Lousiana, but didn't rule it out on a return trip someday.
There wer
e many fun moments on this trip, but one of my favorites was when were walking through Old Town Spring and came across this little Amish furniture store. After oohing and aahing at the fine craftsmanship, we plopped down into two rocking chairs in this little side room. Like two old biddies on the front porch reliving their youth, we just rocked and contemplated how much fun we had had on this visit. It was relaxing and mellow, a great time to just reflect on what is. Shelley and I share a passion for creating a zen lifestyle, so this was almost a meditative moment for us, minus the incense of course. It was in this moment that I was reminded of just how lucky I am to have a friend in Shelley. I was overwhelmed by her kindness and generosity, but she knows how grateful I was. And yes, I know...I owe you a huge plate of beignets...:)
And the trip wouldn't have been complete without Shelley's Dad. He treated us to dinner at Sizzler on Saturday night. This man is the best thing since sliced bread and I can see where Shelley gets her sense of humor. So here is my little shoutout to Bill...you rock!
I have since returned to the humdrum of daily life. I am deep into the jobhunting stuff and once again am feeling the stress that I had temporarily left behind on my trip to Texas. It is odd that a northern gal from a fairly progressive state like Oregon can find solace in down south in the good 'ol boy Lonestar State. However, they do say that opposites attract and you can't beat Texas BBQ, you really can't. And it helps that it is where my best friend calls home.
On a slightly different note, I watched the documentry, An Incon
venient Truth. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least and is a film that everyone should see. In fact, it should be required that everyone see this film. In a nutshell, we are slowly cooking our planet to death by the effects of global warming. We are all accountable and all should play a small role in going green so to speak. It isn't so much for us, it is so that our children and other generations will reap the benefits of being alive on this great planet. We are fighting for our very survival at this point. It makes you rethink a lot of things. After this my trip, I got very reflective on the plane ride home about what is truly important to me.
Mark Twain once said...
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know.
It's what we know for sure that just ain't so."
Politics is a mind game, religion is based on faith in things we cannot see, and science is supported by what we can prove. Life however, is grounded in the here and now. When I think about my own little niche in this great big world, it all seems so much to take in. This job hunting crisis is critical in that we need to pay our bills, but the what the job will be is no longer of the utmost importance to me. Sure, I want to enjoy what I do. However, I want to start focusing my time in more meaningful ways, such as what memories can I create with my family and friends...what sort of mark will I leave on this planet...and so on. These may sound like grandiose ramblings to the cynical, but I am proud that I am finally having these thoughts. It is difficult to lift yourself out of the daily hum of your life to see what else is going on around you. Here's hoping that I can hitch this wagon to a star...
Okay, midnight ramblings done (well, 10 o'clock anyhow). Time to go back into hibernation mode. Night night for now.
e many fun moments on this trip, but one of my favorites was when were walking through Old Town Spring and came across this little Amish furniture store. After oohing and aahing at the fine craftsmanship, we plopped down into two rocking chairs in this little side room. Like two old biddies on the front porch reliving their youth, we just rocked and contemplated how much fun we had had on this visit. It was relaxing and mellow, a great time to just reflect on what is. Shelley and I share a passion for creating a zen lifestyle, so this was almost a meditative moment for us, minus the incense of course. It was in this moment that I was reminded of just how lucky I am to have a friend in Shelley. I was overwhelmed by her kindness and generosity, but she knows how grateful I was. And yes, I know...I owe you a huge plate of beignets...:)And the trip wouldn't have been complete without Shelley's Dad. He treated us to dinner at Sizzler on Saturday night. This man is the best thing since sliced bread and I can see where Shelley gets her sense of humor. So here is my little shoutout to Bill...you rock!
I have since returned to the humdrum of daily life. I am deep into the jobhunting stuff and once again am feeling the stress that I had temporarily left behind on my trip to Texas. It is odd that a northern gal from a fairly progressive state like Oregon can find solace in down south in the good 'ol boy Lonestar State. However, they do say that opposites attract and you can't beat Texas BBQ, you really can't. And it helps that it is where my best friend calls home.
On a slightly different note, I watched the documentry, An Incon
venient Truth. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least and is a film that everyone should see. In fact, it should be required that everyone see this film. In a nutshell, we are slowly cooking our planet to death by the effects of global warming. We are all accountable and all should play a small role in going green so to speak. It isn't so much for us, it is so that our children and other generations will reap the benefits of being alive on this great planet. We are fighting for our very survival at this point. It makes you rethink a lot of things. After this my trip, I got very reflective on the plane ride home about what is truly important to me.Mark Twain once said...
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know.
It's what we know for sure that just ain't so."
Politics is a mind game, religion is based on faith in things we cannot see, and science is supported by what we can prove. Life however, is grounded in the here and now. When I think about my own little niche in this great big world, it all seems so much to take in. This job hunting crisis is critical in that we need to pay our bills, but the what the job will be is no longer of the utmost importance to me. Sure, I want to enjoy what I do. However, I want to start focusing my time in more meaningful ways, such as what memories can I create with my family and friends...what sort of mark will I leave on this planet...and so on. These may sound like grandiose ramblings to the cynical, but I am proud that I am finally having these thoughts. It is difficult to lift yourself out of the daily hum of your life to see what else is going on around you. Here's hoping that I can hitch this wagon to a star...
Okay, midnight ramblings done (well, 10 o'clock anyhow). Time to go back into hibernation mode. Night night for now.
1 comment:
I'm so collecting on that plate of beignets you owe me;)
Thank you so much for everything...you have been the best, best friend and most solid person in my life. I could ask for nothing more than what I have been given in you.
Post a Comment