tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58384393595458550162012-02-01T08:41:59.780-06:00Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.comBlogger4731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-49254777259164474672012-01-28T22:37:00.003-06:002012-01-28T22:47:44.034-06:00

That's what I did tonight. I barhopped.Alone.My Racers were scheduled to be on ESPN3 and I wanted to watch them extend their historic record to 21-0, remaining the only unbeaten team in men's college basketball. So I called and found a bar/grill that said they had ESPN3. Friends couldn't go, but I decided to go anyway. I've never been to a bar alone so figured I'd expand my single horizons, plus

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-17276850119558372942012-01-27T22:32:00.002-06:002012-01-27T22:43:53.603-06:00

I'm thankful for my mom who calls to talk to me about social media. I'm thankful she knows I'm multi-tasking while we're talking.I'm thankful for my friend who calls at 9:20 a.m. to ask for a coffee date. I'm thankful for when he offers to bring it to me later in the afternoon.I'm thankful for when he arrives at just the right moment and gives me the coffee.I'm thankful that he waits another 7

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-75262166109494029962012-01-26T21:48:00.004-06:002012-01-26T21:59:10.706-06:00

When I walked into the Cottage tonight I was greeted by a smiling, wagging, bounding dog.Well, as smiling as dogs can get, and as bounding as a 15-year-old old man can be.But he was up, he was himself and he was trying to overdo it again. It wasn't enough to walk to follow me around, he had to trot and skip.Well, not literally trot and skip, but he put way too much spring in his step for my

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-26916546492245018862012-01-25T21:26:00.003-06:002012-01-25T21:37:42.322-06:00

...that while browsing through Dollar General for aspirin and sugar-free candy I got very excited about this endcap?And that I whipped out my cell phone and took a picture of it?And this one too?And that I made a pact with myself to return and buy seed starter kits?

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-48044179245522669902012-01-24T09:07:00.003-06:002012-01-24T09:27:34.007-06:00

I thought that he might die last night. His eyes were resigned and his body posture, laying spread out across the kitchen floor. didn't lend itself to life.I didn't hear him barking for me while I was unlocking the door and most notably, while I was letting Skye out of her crate, he stayed on the floor - didn't even lift his head. I knelt down next to him, rubbed his head for several minutes and

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-16983778758808016412012-01-23T19:54:00.004-06:002012-01-23T20:09:00.474-06:00

If you're of the mind that God loves the Broncos and that's why they kept winning in unlikely scenarios, then I could probably convince you that Murray, Ky. is heaven, the Murray State Racers are angels and Coach Steve Prohm is god.It's either that or on the scale of God Loves Sports, the Racers rank high. Really high, because we keep winning.As a matter of fact, if you haven't heard, the Racers

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-30940448305872983212012-01-21T12:49:00.003-06:002012-01-21T17:03:51.544-06:00

There's a boy and his name is Tim Tebow.You might have heard of him. He was unplanned. He plays football. He prays. He's inspired headlines that mixes "God" and the "NFL." His last name is a verb now and Scripture verses are part of sports analysts' vernacular when they discuss him. He's galvanized some sports fans - if you're not a Tebow fan, you don't love Jesus, and if you are a Tebow fan,

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-74543070300131691052012-01-20T08:25:00.002-06:002012-01-20T08:49:32.364-06:00

Life is like a bag of dog food that spills its entire contents into the dog bowl when you're not ready for it.And then you curse-murmur under your breath, or at least I do. Or I yell, "I wasn't ready for that shit!" But ready or not, prepared or not, blindsided or not, life has arrived in all its slippery unpredeictable glory.Life might provide the music, but we can choose the dance.What was

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-83773020603829518022012-01-17T22:09:00.001-06:002012-01-17T22:11:53.142-06:00

I don’t like goodbyes because I don’t like change. I know. It feels like a contradiction coming from someone who thrives on adventure and taking risks. Consider it a flexible contradiction. You see, I do love adventure and I take as many opportunities to fulfill it as possible. I spontaneously slept in a deer blind Saturday night in below-freezing temperatures and then hunted Sunday morning. (

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-68110596383064090232012-01-13T22:07:00.002-06:002012-01-13T22:22:31.314-06:00

I get this way every once in awhile. This wondering what's happening on the other side of the world.This wanting to see it for myself.This crushing need for adventure.This nostalgic gratitude for my simplicity.This reminiscent mindset.This peace like a river.This urge to write quotes on mirrors and window frames.This humor when I've done so in permanent marker.This appreciation of house and home,

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-21316254596359306992012-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:002012-01-12T08:00:11.099-06:00

Before you read this and think that I'm some sort of angel who comes home every day and speaks in the most pleasant of tones, let me assure you that does not always happen.Case in point:The last two nights I've been rude to my dogs.I did not want to play. I did not want to cuddle. I was not amused by antics that are usually amusing. I wanted them to go lay down and leave me alone. And then I

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-9587773611481278742012-01-11T20:44:00.002-06:002012-01-11T20:53:16.121-06:00

I don't particularly like sleeping on a mattress on my mother's living room floor. But I do it often.Nearly every time I go home.One of my siblings asks me to and what can I say? "No" is not an option.And since we live in a household where mattresses are just as easily taken off their box springs as they are put back on, there's little dispute when we build our makeshift bed.Don't put it past us

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-58673625144002168822012-01-06T22:10:00.002-06:002012-01-06T22:17:21.024-06:00

Sock buns are all the rage at the Cottage.Someone asked me today: "So what are you doing different with your hair? Sleeping in curlers or what?"I don't usually tout my beautifying secrets, but she asked so I answered."I just discovered the sock bun," and she replied with: "You are a 90-year-old grandmother.""Have you ever heard of the sock bun?" I asked in defense."Yes," was her reply. "From my

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-64934111580794728502012-01-04T13:01:00.001-06:002012-01-04T13:01:56.036-06:00

It’s true that my emotions are all over my face, but they’re in my voice too.I guarantee you that the woman at my electric company knew I was incredulous over the phone when she told me how much my electric bill was.First, the obvious question from me: “Um…why?” Internally, I was screaming: why the hell is my electric bill more than $100?The kind woman explained that it’s gotten colder and

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-74294028284108581172011-12-31T23:10:00.004-06:002012-01-04T22:31:01.352-06:00

If I were to describe 2011 in a word, it would be migration and I would mean it in a literal and metaphorical sense.There were ups and downs, twists and turns, some doubling back and circling around. There were tears, angry arguments, frustrated phone calls and conversations in parking lots. There was unequivocal joy and dancing to silly music. It was a summer spent with no air conditioning (!!!)

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-54067159591178249642011-12-31T15:39:00.002-06:002011-12-31T15:41:56.692-06:00

I took a break from cleaning and watching college basketball to explore the old barn for a Saturday project.And I found it!An old, old window frame that I cleaned up, scraped off dirt and excess paint and hung it at the end of the bed.I was trying to figure out how to decorate it or what to put on it and then I remembered I can write on it with a dry erase marker. So that's what I did.The best

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-91659159566699237052011-12-31T14:21:00.003-06:002011-12-31T14:25:40.557-06:00

It is New Year's Eve day here in Texas and the weather is fine. Just fine. So fine, in fact, that I have all the doors to the Cottage open and if I were inclined to crank open the old windows, I would do that too.But I'm not. So the windows remain closed.I've spent the morning deshedding the Cottage and trying to keep the dogs out. They are confused and don't understand.And after fighting with

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-45370605224480692682011-12-30T21:07:00.003-06:002011-12-30T21:28:55.881-06:00

I will admit it.Not only do I build my own furniture, but I shop at second-hand stores, too. Oh, and I get really excited about it prior to going and then when I've secured my deals, I text close friends to tell them. I was involved in a discussion recently with people at work about shopping at thrift stores. Someone threw it out there, the other people around were awkward about it, I dove into

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-80771975061289336892011-12-30T12:36:00.005-06:002012-01-04T22:45:15.710-06:00

He's like the neighbor kid who won't go away because your house is much cooler and way more fun. My morning routine includes an obligatory "good morning, Blue" when I sleepily let Skye and Zeb outside. He plays with Skye for awhile and when I step outside 30 or 45 minutes later to play fetch with Skye, he chases her back and forth and proudly tries to steal her ball. When I retreat back inside,

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-35419710607106777352011-12-30T11:14:00.001-06:002011-12-30T11:16:03.106-06:00

The Cottage has a flaw, though it began as a selling point the first time I walked through it and wanted to curl up on the carpeted floor and go to sleep.Hot water does not flow from the shower head at a consistent rate.The first couple weeks I was there, I thought there was a flaw in the hot water heater. Like, maybe it didn’t work. But then one day I stood in the shower long enough to realize

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-54387957567759196522011-12-27T20:51:00.002-06:002011-12-27T20:58:31.215-06:00

Ah, Christmas. It came back around again this year, didn't it? It was a good day with good food, good family, good card games, good movies, good wrestling, good photo shoot, good time spent together. It was good.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-8439837626556293022011-12-23T21:33:00.006-06:002011-12-23T22:39:02.814-06:00

Money scares the shit out of me. Growing up, it was scarce and stored in manilla envelopes. Maturing into my adulthood, my math-fried brain and financial nerves of Jello-O have led me at times to negative balances and overdue statements. My reaction, like in many instances, is to run. Flee. Take advantage of the flight adrenaline coursing through my psyche and don't let the door hit me in the ass

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-1860295113704959712011-12-22T21:50:00.003-06:002011-12-22T22:04:50.468-06:00

I would not call myself a health nut.I like fast food, I can eat way too many peanut M&Ms, and pizza and beer is a favorite. I don't exercise as much as I should, I work too much sometimes and stress has a tendency to eat away at the hours I sleep.Compared to my marathon-running and Iron Man participating friends, I have a long way to go.But for me, I've also come a long ways and recent illnesses

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-54676146733205202802011-12-20T14:14:00.005-06:002011-12-20T14:21:22.022-06:00

Nine months ago I visited my dentist.In that time span, I could've had a baby. But I didn't.Instead, I got my wisdom teeth + 1 pulled.Today my first root canal went very well, and I feel very accomplished that I took care of the problem. The whole thing took more than an hour and I went home to see how I'd feel. I felt fine, so I balanced my budget, packed my lunch and came to work. I walked

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-24096240874731104932011-12-19T22:09:00.003-06:002011-12-19T22:55:49.600-06:00

'Twas the night before my first root canal and all through the Cottage...I'm mincing two cloves of garlic for my pot of chili,And I'm sweeping the floor,And making a salad,And washing the dishes, And feeding the dogs,And thinking that I should pluck my eyebrows,And wash my hair,And wishing that the zit would go away,And that when my dogs drank water, they wouldn't dribble it across the floor,And

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-44278492345406742472011-12-18T22:42:00.003-06:002011-12-18T22:59:53.685-06:00

I've been going back and checking myself out from a few years ago, thanks to Facebook. Funny thing is, these photos weren't taken that long ago - two years, in fact. And then this is the one taken Saturday. Thank goodness.When I talk about weight, weight loss and the journey to get there, it is, in fact, a JOURNEY. It's one foot in front of the other, one small step at a time. I texted my sister

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-34407291774450502872011-12-18T18:16:00.003-06:002011-12-18T18:19:51.792-06:00

Remember this?I found it in a burn pile and I wanted it. It needed some TLC, but it fits in my corner just fine.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-48507064376462760402011-12-18T18:04:00.002-06:002011-12-18T18:14:11.830-06:00

I woke up yesterday morning in need of a bookcase. Well, I've been needing one since I moved in the Cottage, but my weekends have been filled with other things, like building tables.I present you with this weekend's completed project, which I spent no money on and did not measure one thing...I've been looking for a home for this delightfully distressed piece of wood and I found it, thanks to many

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-50833171023991779182011-12-17T20:11:00.002-06:002011-12-17T20:24:34.821-06:00

You have to eat to survive. I eat for a lot of different reasons, which I've expressed before.This diet reminds me how often I turn to food for reasons outside of hunger. I'm bored, stressed, happy, depressed, anxious, lonely, celebratory, socializing... Any emotion is cause for eating, and hormones too. Food is everywhere and convenient. Sixteen months ago I started my weight loss journey and

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-29466790483400162582011-12-17T14:30:00.003-06:002011-12-17T16:31:43.394-06:00

It's been like that since before she was born.Irresistable. Compelling. Adrenaline-rushing.My niece, Evalyn Grace, was born in June 2006, and when I got the call that she was coming, myself and a good friend boarded a plane in Nashville, Tennessee, and arrived in Austin as quickly as possible.I can't walk through the Austin airport without remembering the moment we deplaned. I wanted to collapse,

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-35036935235999680572011-12-13T22:13:00.003-06:002011-12-13T22:31:27.461-06:00

It's been a simple night, nothing fancy.I left the newsroom early (for me), came home and followed my usual routine. Routines is what stuff is made of, isn't it? It's funny the routines I follow without thinking. Purse and lunch bag go on the counter. I unpack the clean Tupperware from my bag, put it away and fold the bag into the cupboard. Simultaneously, I open the utility room door and let Zeb

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-70893843373580255272011-12-12T11:45:00.000-06:002011-12-12T11:45:00.100-06:00

"I don't care if he hurt your feelings - GO!""You should've pooped when I let you out. Now you have to hold it.""Get back in there. You know better.""I love you but I don't want you on top of me right now.""Stop being an asshole and play with your neighbor.""You're annoying. Oh.my.gosh.""You literally have two seconds to pee and if you don't, we're getting back in the car.""Mama loves you even

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-77959673485124352762011-12-10T22:19:00.002-06:002011-12-10T22:23:30.716-06:00

Blue has wanted to play with Skye for days, but her haughty obsessive self has been too preoccupied with Blue's cat. Until today.Today, they played.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-48724478945987686092011-12-10T11:35:00.003-06:002011-12-10T11:42:34.197-06:00

There are ballsy animals living under the Cottage, and I think they have the flu given the noises that were drifting up through the floorboards last night. They were also tormenting Skye more than usual by purposefully running back and forth below the floor and letting her track them. I heard them laughing. All that to say, it is on like donkey-kong. Whatever is getting under the Cottage via this

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-73245093509912855682011-12-10T00:38:00.002-06:002011-12-10T00:38:50.314-06:00

I started the diet (THE diet) this week. I have a goal. I'm excited.Prepare to watch me shrink.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-20576150499114499892011-12-08T20:28:00.005-06:002011-12-08T22:00:36.120-06:00

There is an Old Man staying in the Cottage. He is my heart and soul, the only man in my life. He knows what I want before I want it. He understands my sign language. He's the dog everyone needs in their life.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-3186864968911387162011-12-05T19:21:00.002-06:002011-12-05T19:49:34.664-06:00

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you have was once among the things you only hoped for."When I read this quote on Pinterest, I inhaled slowly and felt it resonate in my soul. This is the validation for the moments I want to live in, why I must enjoy this moment for this moment is my life.When I perch myself mentally a distance from my body and my

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-51811981082590531322011-12-04T13:12:00.002-06:002011-12-04T13:33:39.246-06:00

I hit myself in the face with a hammer.Who does that?People like me, who get so involved with the umph needed to pull out a nail that I get my face so close, and my brother says, "Be careful, you're going to hit yourself in the face."A couple plays later (football talk), it happened. I couldn't get the nail out and before I knew it, my face (mouth, more specifically) was perfectly aligned with

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-70850409125906458572011-12-04T00:18:00.004-06:002011-12-04T00:30:54.902-06:00

"We have $15 to spend, that's our budget."I was speaking to my brother, and he hopped back out of the truck."There is noooooo way we can get what we need for $15. It's not even worth going."I convinced him that, yes, we could go and that we could get what we needed on a budget. And if we needed more, we would have to wait.Off to Lowes we went.In fashion true to the nature of my family, it became

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-51848635021349270852011-12-03T10:22:00.004-06:002011-12-03T10:48:20.717-06:00

I used to scrub toilets for a living in the not-so-distant past, relatively speaking.But I had completely forgotten about this one place, until I poured a good dose of Pine-Sol in my kitchen sink and before I knew it, I was back within those cinderblock walls.It wasn't jail! Not those kind of cinderblock walls, although at the time it felt like it.It was a summer, maybe 2004 or 2005, and it was

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-19156021111661239942011-12-02T20:58:00.005-06:002011-12-08T09:54:08.034-06:00

It's said that Facebook isn't your diary, and it's directed at people who incessantly update their statuses. So, Facebook might not be my diary, but this is. Sort of. It's one of many, anyway. ...buying TP makes me feel like an adult....I walked in my bathroom, looked in the mirror and cursed....my dog prefers drinking out of the toilet....it's creepy when you live alone and you see something

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-21372608308818758492011-12-02T20:11:00.002-06:002011-12-02T20:46:55.194-06:00

I had an armload of crap this morning as I was busting ass to leave the Cottage to go to work. And the crap, I later realized, represented a lot of who I am.On one arm was slung my purse, which is an oversized bag, basically. It's got important stuff in it like a journal, notebook, calendar and random bosslike stuff.Over that was my lunch bag, but not my regular green one, which I couldn't find

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-90434396348201481422011-12-02T11:00:00.000-06:002011-12-02T11:00:02.602-06:00

I don't have a good memory.I know that I know things that could relate to a myriad of conversations that would validate my opinion, make me sound smarter, perhaps give the people around me confidence in the adamant dispensation of my words.But more often than not, I don't interject my opinion, because what's an opinion that you can't back up? And when the questions start rolling in about why I

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-33692743692628329012011-12-01T21:09:00.002-06:002011-12-01T22:03:33.891-06:00

A friend texted me tonight:"Remember that time we ran into you in the parking garage at Western and you ended up sitting with us at the game?"My first reaction: I was weird then.I was awkward and self-conscious. I felt inferior to everyone, shy and a little (okay, maybe a lot) introverted. This was a memory I had completely forgotten about.I've been thinking a lot about this recently - memories.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-62387537872909169652011-11-29T22:01:00.003-06:002011-11-29T22:09:08.091-06:00

I've been eating a lot, a lot of unhealthy things, and my body started begging me for freshness.Listening to my body is lifesaving, so I paid attention and yesterday I bought as many fresh fruits and veggies as I could. Last night, I steamed cabbage, onions, mushrooms and 93/7 lean ground beef in the crockpot. I also combined a ginormous amount of fresh greens (and reds and yellows) and steamed

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-89799393443284910812011-11-28T19:53:00.004-06:002011-11-28T20:27:38.267-06:00

Pure religion is, according to the Bible, taking care of the fatherless and the widows.Pure spirituality is, according to me, the enriching current of conversation that flows between friends.It's discourse, exchange of information and ideas, melding passions and differing opinions without the threat of domination. It's laughing, and drinking coffee in a cafe unfamiliar to both of us. It's

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-91485041033979118042011-11-26T23:44:00.003-06:002011-11-26T23:57:04.695-06:00

You just can't get away from the coloration journey of my hair, can you?It started with Pinterest, so if blame has to be laid somewhere, we can lay it there.Tonight, I wanted another streak. A blue one, to be exact. So I did.To be honest, I temporarily freaked out when I first applied the cobalt blue oil pastel. It was very blue. But I took deep breaths and repeated, "It's just hair; it'll grow

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-47029821840233207802011-11-26T19:37:00.003-06:002011-11-26T19:57:43.794-06:00

I'm a picker.Watching.Reflecting.Drinking.Plotting.Wondering.Looking.Welcoming.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-77000102389709109702011-11-26T12:47:00.002-06:002011-11-26T12:51:29.960-06:00

I can't really explain the green streak in my hair, except to say that I wanted to try it and so I did.It was not the result of alcohol on Thanksgiving Day, or teenage rebellion, which wouldn't make sense anyway since I'm not a teenager. It doesn't have any significance.I just wanted a green streak in my hair.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-23534238187736788622011-11-26T09:27:00.003-06:002011-11-26T11:29:34.058-06:00

People are always curious about our Thanksgivings. I think it's a mixture of knowing me, knowing the other individuals in my family and then imagining us all together. And our sheer number guarantees that there's some form of entertainment.On the crazy family spectrum, I am the loud drunk aunt. Perhaps not literally, because I'm loud enough at times to solicit a "Have you been drinking?" during

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-55095460781822964652011-11-23T16:23:00.003-06:002011-11-23T17:04:56.046-06:00

My mechanic is programmed in my phone, but most noteworthy is that I have one.Finding and keeping a good one is more important to me than finding a doctor, or a hair dresser. If you've read here very long, you'll remember why. When I lived in Kentucky, I had a mechanic, but then I've moved a lot and a sacrifice of moving is never finding a shop my car can call its own.Well, now it can.The deal

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-15801799260684307012011-11-23T10:00:00.000-06:002011-11-23T10:00:00.490-06:00

I've been wondering about myself and this aura I'm currently living under.I'm a little confused, to be honest. At first, I thought sleep deprivation had a hand in it, but I've made conscious efforts to get more of that necessary stuff and the feeling remains.This feeling of creative energy.That's putting it mildly. I've been calling it creative aggression, but that sounds like I'm about to go

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-71580542907534992062011-11-22T23:09:00.002-06:002011-11-22T23:13:11.598-06:00

revivedinvigoratedunstoppablecreativestronghappycomfortablestretchedchallengedaggressivespontaneousblessedreceptivetalkativegenerousI feel alive.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-1952102536112789362011-11-20T11:05:00.002-06:002011-11-20T11:45:50.351-06:00

What is the proper protocol?I ask myself that a lot about random shit that probably doesn't even have protocols.Like, what's the proper protocol for introducing yourself to the new neighbor? Do you wait until after they've moved in? During? Is 9 p.m. too late? Is 8:30 a.m. too early? Do you have to take a gift? What if you don't? And what if you never do - does that mean you never introduce

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-30199005734734347402011-11-19T23:02:00.004-06:002011-11-19T23:12:27.478-06:00

She is mine and she is everything I want in a sanctuary. Large enough to dance in the kitchen. Small enough to foster simplicity.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-6907869208457041082011-11-18T09:33:00.003-06:002011-11-18T09:43:08.053-06:00

She worships the ground I walk on......or the couch I'm sitting on......or the bed I'm laying in...The day after our all-nighter, she grounded me to the couch by falling asleep in my lap.She knew I wouldn't wake her up by moving to flit about the house in what's been called "frantic energy" so she camped out there for as long as I could possibly ignore the laundry.She's always been an independent

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-57763546587884103492011-11-16T21:53:00.002-06:002011-11-16T22:08:20.000-06:00

My best friend has a baby and I took him to a winery, because that's what best friends do.The complete story, if you must know, is I was watching him in an unfamiliar town where I did not know where parks were located. Since we wanted to play, I needed grass so it was either the winery or a cemetery. And as I suspected, there was lots of ground for him to play on at the winery, and even corn hole

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-67773280886278244392011-11-13T03:22:00.002-06:002011-11-13T03:47:47.496-06:00

It's late, early, whatever we call it at this hour. My dog's laying on the couch across from me wondering why we're still awake. Yes, she's on the couch...looking at me and dozing off.Usually at this hour I watch re-runs of previously aired college football games, but tonight I'm watching DVR'd Tosh.0. When I'm stressed, I pace a lot. I did a lot of pacing tonight. And laundry. Laundry is good

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-13246271975079860102011-11-10T21:39:00.001-06:002011-11-10T21:45:48.014-06:00

Some people are destined to change your life. Josey Ann changed mine over and over again. I can’t remember the first time I met her – my memory tells we were just always a team. Me, her nanny; her, my sidekick. I’ve written about her many times here, and the last time I saw her was in February 2010. I was worried driving over to her last Thursday. Worried that she’d have forgotten about me,

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-67375752928988300152011-11-09T20:00:00.002-06:002011-11-09T20:15:26.860-06:00

Friends who don't usually stay up late, waited up for me last Saturday night and met me in their driveway when I rolled in at nearly midnight. My moments with them are strangely normal. We don't do anything fancy. We play cards when the kids go to bed, we watch TV, we move around in the kitchen at the same time, I tag along during chores and errands, and sit in the nursery with them during church

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-65501629855630538192011-11-09T00:35:00.002-06:002011-11-09T00:39:22.828-06:00

I'm glad you asked.I've been a lot of good places in more ways than one.I've been here and there and over there. I've been to my favorite kitchen table, and my favorite farmhouse.I've been kissed by dogs who aren't mine.I've talked and laughed and contemplated and thought.I've been high and low, relaxed and stressed. I've been in pain and in revelation.I've lived in the moment, which brings me to

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-35032775779162241242011-10-24T22:50:00.002-05:002011-10-24T22:53:19.534-05:00

A guy asked me the other day: with your busy schedule, how do you see yourself making time for someone else?It’s been two days and I haven’t responded.The truth is that I don’t have a reason to make time for someone else. Perhaps most importantly, I don’t want to right now.I am still learning how to walk my own journey.While my peers were training themselves for marriage and Bible school, I was

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-44994470531303066142011-10-23T22:49:00.002-05:002011-10-23T22:57:19.376-05:00

We've been through many seasons of life together, and despite the several seconds it takes him nowadays to get up, he moves as quickly as he can to keep up with me. I like to think that when I walk in the door, his eyes light up.He's slowing down - I'm not deceiving myself. Last weekend, he got incredibly stiff and I had to help him get up every time he needed to. But he walked it off. This

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-62478317602735611212011-10-22T15:21:00.004-05:002011-10-23T14:27:37.725-05:00

The newsroom was all swirly yesterday. That's code for stressful, which is also code for fun (post-stress.) But before I worked much longer yesterday than I had planned or anticipated, and before I got all worked up and then decompressed, I took advantage of a quiet morning with my dog. And a river. It works well. Swimming is her favorite form of exercise and watching her swim is one of my

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-88050013017857441142011-10-20T21:11:00.002-05:002011-10-20T21:19:04.245-05:00

I do a lot of the same things.I eat oatmeal for breakfast nearly every morning.I always take my lunch to work, except for rare occasions that I have a lunch date.I can't get my work clothes off fast enough as soon as I walk in the door.I eat the same snacks.I typically sweep the kitchen floor every night.I eat copious amounts of Saltine crackers.And, I wear a lot of the same clothes. So it was

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-10108050594141274372011-10-18T21:47:00.002-05:002011-10-18T21:53:12.594-05:00

I like lists. A lot. And I like this one because it reminds me of the things I've accomplished, and the things I should probably (maybe) get busy on. :)By 30, you should have:1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.3. Something perfect to wear if the employer

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-20927666078461220752011-10-17T14:15:00.005-05:002011-10-17T15:23:38.291-05:00

There aren't a lot of dog rules in our house. The general rule is that wherever I am, she can be there too. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. She can follow me on the carpet except after river outings or playing in the hose/mud.She can get on the bed except after river outings or playing in the hose/mud or when I'm sleeping. She is not a gentle cuddler.She can jump on me except when

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-25612393935451910912011-10-16T23:30:00.003-05:002011-10-17T00:34:20.784-05:00

"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid." - Franklin P. Jones I would say…I’m never afraid. But I won’t because I am. I would say…I go to sleep every night without a fear or a worry. But I won’t because I can’t. I would say…I never obsessively worry. But I won’t because I do. It's a thing with me. I worry. It's my not-so-secret secret. Its force on my heart is unavoidable - I want

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-25290656543368362232011-10-13T21:20:00.003-05:002011-10-13T21:27:46.044-05:00

We ran out of gas (not my fault) on a tipping slope (again, not my fault) and Ev needed a little extra help supporting her head. Mainly, she thought it was a game.Her and I swang in the hammock and enjoyed rain falling on us. Skye loves me. She would also rather I paid more attention to her than my work when I get home.When peace like a river...

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-83888366187150810512011-10-13T20:08:00.003-05:002011-10-13T20:51:53.924-05:00

In the last 30-some odd hours, I've been taken back 20 years to Oct. 16, 1991, the day of the Luby's massacre.It was some sort of fate that forced our October 1991 book to open to Oct. 17, 1991 when I cracked it open in our library Wednesday. Story after story after story lined the archaic pages for days, months after chronicling the day's events, the press conferences, the release of the

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-53548865887944457232011-09-27T20:27:00.003-05:002011-09-27T20:54:46.527-05:00

"Writing, I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality and once in that mirror which waits always before or behind." ~Catherine Drinker Bowen, Atlantic, December 1957I had a friend once say she was jealous of my job because at the end of every day, I could see tangible evidence of my work in the form of a news

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-37412702370170529682011-09-23T10:00:00.000-05:002011-09-23T10:00:05.586-05:00

I’m an optimistic realist, but how does that translate into my celebrity crushes? My optimism would like to believe that my chances of bumping into Mike Rowe in Starbucks and him asking for my number are pretty good.Realistically? Not bound to happen.Same goes for Danny Forester, who my heart instantly sank for while watching “Build it Bigger” and him getting stuck in concrete on top of a dam in

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-66682998845446250192011-09-22T20:25:00.005-05:002011-09-22T21:24:22.598-05:00

When my now 14-year-old brother texts me and asks me indirectly if I will go to his football game in the town 30 minutes from my office, I clear my afternoon schedule, press through my final meeting of the day and the myriad of questions that stack up when people see me gathering my things, I make arrangements to edit night stories from home, and I bolt early - the first day in six months I've

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-67711306012634618802011-09-22T19:51:00.001-05:002011-09-22T19:56:58.248-05:00

I have a friend and together we solicit danger.When I say danger, I mean fire ants. And ill-advised exposure to sun.It’s funny, though, how the element of pain is erased by the power of a good memory.When I think of our 24-hour trip to the coast, I remember Scuttlebutts, and not the second-degree sunburns I sustained on my face. Or the first-degree burns on 40 percent (total guess) of my

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-44690753723595222962011-09-20T19:47:00.003-05:002011-09-20T19:52:44.167-05:00

This note on my pen holder on my desk.Visiting cemeteries with my little brother.My weekly water routine with the horses.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-4524117716495628242011-09-17T10:44:00.003-05:002011-09-17T10:53:39.483-05:00

Who would sit on the back deck?Me!Who would sit on the back deck with a cup of coffee?Me!Who would sit on the back deck with a cup of coffee, laptop, and a stack of work?Me!Who would sit on the back deck in their pajamas, braless with a cup of coffee, laptop and a stack of work?Me!Who would sit on the back deck in their pajamas, braless with a cup of coffee, laptop and a stack of work, and happy

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-4984472065420145112011-09-13T21:02:00.002-05:002011-09-13T22:14:24.459-05:00

I go crazy over football. I can make calls before the ref does, and sometimes when I'm in public I silently fist pump in victory or grab my head in defeat. I record games and then watch them, after sending out a text/Facebook blast to NOT tell me the score, which has definitely happened.I don my team's shirt and drag my little brother to dinner with me - in front of a TV and we sit there for four

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-48451481882525532262011-09-09T17:38:00.002-05:002011-09-09T17:41:56.523-05:00

There's a blog coming soon about emotions, work, stress (you know, all the fun things in life), but for now I will tell you a story.I needed peanut M&Ms so I went to the breakroom to get some out of the vending machine.A man was sitting eating dinner. I said hello, as I always do to random people in my breakroom.I vended my M&Ms and they got stuck. I gingerly tilted the small vending machine

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-21562434723700662392011-09-08T12:21:00.004-05:002011-09-11T13:59:20.763-05:00

Sometimes managing a newsroom is much like balancing gravity on your fingertips. It's crushing.There are two moments, among many, that I especially enjoy. One, when the sun's streaming through the blinds onto my desk and computer, creating a glare off the thin layer of dust on my monitor, and the room is either empty or mostly silent. I get my first look at the day's paper, a second and third

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-81700549381780793822011-09-06T00:29:00.004-05:002011-09-06T00:39:03.052-05:00

It is no secret that I am a multitasker. Case in point, I have five windows open in my Internet browser right now. My email, work Twitter, Facebook, Blogspot, and a Google search on the anatomy of a wildfire. I am also remoted into my work desktop and have three windows open there.But when I needed inspiration yesterday to write the final installment of a travel series for my paper, I headed to

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-30768341284115462902011-09-05T22:20:00.003-05:002011-09-05T22:28:33.602-05:00

In the last five days, I:- turned 28- painfully sent in my old phone in exchange for a new one- loved exploring my new Kindle- played copious amounts of Yahtzee with my willing little sister- watched a lot of college football- edited stories- wrote stories on a lake shoreline- explored a cemetery with my little brother- played with the horses and my dog in the water hose- yelled at my little

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-33545807878217341232011-08-31T21:26:00.002-05:002011-08-31T21:43:34.987-05:00

I might as well have been naked the past five days. I was phoneless. It's an isolated feeling to think that no one could get in touch with me in the rare moments when I wasn't connected to a computer monitor, which wasn't very often thanks to my work computer, laptop and home desk top. But still, there were moments. Moments like covering a city council meeting Friday night. While the council

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-2330473360849861412011-08-30T21:41:00.002-05:002011-08-30T21:57:51.251-05:00

I met an old man yesterday and he was surprised I was a city editor. I didn’t look old enough, he said. He mentioned it twice - once to me and then again when he introduced me to his wife and asked for my title again. I was told the same thing today while I was registering my car. She looked at me quizzically and said, “I always imagined an editor to be old, much older than you, with her hair

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-38813903115086216132011-08-27T22:12:00.002-05:002011-08-27T22:14:16.481-05:00

I drove my car yesterday for the first time in a year. It's been in the shop for a year. I wrote an entire column about it - I'll post it here when I'm on the computer the document's on. In the meantime, my car is back, I am glad, very thankful for my brother who made it happen, and everyone in my family who has worked out the Vehicle Situation for a year. I'm blessed.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-42308424714680436012011-08-24T17:53:00.002-05:002011-08-24T18:31:26.994-05:00

Taking care of things is my thing. What makes you happy? Taking care of something. Raising a litter of puppies. Taking my dog to the lake. Cooking dinner for the fam. Meticulously bleaching the white porcelain kitchen sinks. Sweeping the porch. Brushing the dogs. Scrubbing out horse troughs and dog dishes. Cracking an egg on top of the dog food. Laundry. Playing a game of Yahtzee. It's good

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-45189980779339305192011-08-23T18:43:00.001-05:002011-08-23T18:44:45.473-05:00

My momma told me there’d be days like this… The song’s been in my head all afternoon, but when I Googled the lyrics, I 1) didn’t understand them and then 2) realized they had nothing to do with my current mood. Or maybe they do. Like I said, I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around them on days like this. On days like this, I’m wishing for days like yesterday, and for days tomorrow and

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-67347255832133778182011-08-19T00:05:00.002-05:002011-08-19T00:26:46.567-05:00

I needed Ibuprofen today and I had to ask a coworker for it. I'm out. It seems I'm out of a lot of things recently and my optimism is cracking a little, teetering. "It'll work out," is something I say a lot. To my family, friends, coworkers, and I believe it and it does. But sometimes I doubt it. Tonight I doubt it. Yesterday I doubted it. This week I've doubted it. Today I wished for

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-45206293460623307022011-08-16T22:26:00.003-05:002011-08-16T23:15:17.342-05:00

Once upon a time I had a complex about drinking alone. What a sad thing to do, to sit by ones self and pour a glass of wine. It means you have no friends and why would you waste alcohol alone? If only I could go back in time and pat my sweet little self on the head. How precious. I have no such complex now. Or shame, which could mean one of two things: 1) I have arrived at a state of such

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-78269004077070951442011-08-15T22:19:00.005-05:002011-08-15T22:46:02.709-05:00

It's funny how the Internet works. One blog led me to Donald Miller's blog last week, and I obediently followed the link because I like the guy. Read his books, I think he's generally well-spoken. And the title of the article piqued my interest: "How to Live a Great Love Story, Vol. 1," which if you try to Google it, it's hard to find because he deleted it along with the second volume addressed

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-12618921500861215662011-08-14T20:41:00.003-05:002011-08-14T21:00:33.598-05:00

My family was fractioned off this weekend and I got the kiddo part. I consider myself lucky. A week in advance, I reserved my not-so-kiddo little brother for Saturday and we convened in the afternoon for a nearby cave tour. First stop was an observation tower where, at the top, there was little circulation and we all sweated considerably. It was so comfortable to just be together. We were

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-32784201893109987502011-08-11T12:41:00.002-05:002011-08-11T22:54:11.766-05:00

There's no easy way for me to say this, and maybe it's one of those things I shouldn't admit to. ... Nah. Where's the fun in that? I forgot to put my bra on Wednesday morning. Yup. This crazy chick who might look like I have it all together actually forgot a key element (besides coffee) to my day. What's worse is that I didn't realize it until I was fully (sans bra) dressed and reaching

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-17998462838144661182011-08-08T01:06:00.002-05:002011-08-08T01:21:21.514-05:00

It felt like whiplash that I'd kinda, sorta been expecting, but was hoping to avoid. I didn't entirely and I'm hopeful that last night's little, eh, episode will be the end of that.That.If you haven't been reading here for awhile or have ignored my pages at the top of my home page, this will be the first time you learn I have chronic Lyme disease and while most days I manage it, some days it

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-47359818478830421562011-08-07T10:26:00.004-05:002011-08-07T13:55:22.410-05:00

I fell in love with her at first sight when her picture was transmitted onto my cell phone, and I had to figure out a way to get her from Kentucky to New Mexico, which I did. That was 2 1/2 years and many miles ago. Come to think of it, many, many miles. So, I fell in love at first sight, but I think it's taken her longer. And our trust has been longer in forming. She's spent more time not

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-26920273178494375242011-08-06T17:14:00.003-05:002011-08-06T17:25:55.479-05:00

I had enough clarity at the age of 24 to know that the lonely adventure I was living at the base of the Black Range Mountains in Silver City, New Mexico was one I would miss. And I was right.So although I grew despondent and fought moments of depression and loneliness, I reveled in the adventure I was livingn in my old adobe house. That's the beauty of living in the moment. It's your moment to

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-33879351968876117962011-08-05T11:11:00.002-05:002011-08-05T11:20:00.498-05:00

Forty-eight hours later - still no pain! A little headache every once in awhile and a bruised sensation on my face, but no pain. I think I might have taken one too many pain pills last night when I got confused on the time. I woke up at 7-something thinking it was 10, but it wasn't and I'd just taken a pain pill at 6. That caused a couple hours of sleeping disorientation and some crazy dreams.

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-62292611127350134112011-08-03T19:24:00.003-05:002011-08-03T19:30:53.368-05:00

It took 55 minutes and my teeth were gone. I was awake for the whole thing, but couldn't feel anything aside from pressure. The IV sedation wasn't knock-you-out sedation, apparently. I didn't mind it. Not that I really had a choice.I'm glad I shaved my legs. The overseeing doctor rubbed my leg a couple times.I remember the ride home and remember sleeping a little bit.I'm just resting now and have

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-51227075251876105952011-08-02T23:19:00.002-05:002011-08-02T23:29:46.073-05:00

I was taking a bath tonight to shave my legs. If, in some twist of fate, my pants have to be ripped off in an emergency during oral surgery tomorrow, I would like for my legs to be clean-shaven. So I was shaving and reading a woman's magazine. A section called for answers to handling "tricky teen situations", which somehow when I first read that, my mind saw "sticky." Anyway. As I was reading the

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-13374473501346735492011-08-01T21:34:00.004-05:002011-08-01T21:51:31.280-05:00

I am an expert douche-bag spotter.And that's why it's easy to recognize when I'm being a total douche. Sometimes I shame myself.So.M@tch.com claims that one in every five relationship forms online. In my "uh-huh, oh yeah?" frame of mind, I jump on the little thing we call the Internet and I cruise. I cruise my M@tch.com profile, because what's a single chick without a M@tch.com profile? She's

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-45269392823649177192011-08-01T14:33:00.001-05:002011-08-01T14:33:54.526-05:00

I guess I’ve always had a flare for the dramatic, but when I say I could die Wednesday, it’s not a joke.One out of 350,000 patients sedated for dentistry die each year.And aside from that terrifying number, there are really no other statistics to raise concern.Boring.I’m approaching Wednesday as if I’m taking an overseas five-day hiatus. That’s how excited I am to have five teeth removed and

Life as I know ithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10201674496396914303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5838439359545855016.post-81093255136887215032011-07-31T21:42:00.003-05:002011-07-31T22:00:24.427-05:00

I got bit by an unknown bug at the lake. It swelled and my ears started itching. Now, the site of the bite is hard, swollen and hot and I think I should never be outside again.That's impossible, though, because I love being outside.I was outside a lot this weekend. Thinking, crying a little, laughing, hanging out with my animals. I like their company. One of our horses was cracking me up. I wish

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