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Can I take a moment to be completely honest?
I'll take your lack of answer as a yes ;) I am only updating up until the present day because I want to prove a point to myself. I usually start things with such fervor, then it slowly fizzles out. That's what started to happen until my Dad persisted in telling me to do this since I said I would. The man makes a good point :) And I'm glad I am. But honestly, these blogs are WAYYYYY too long lol. Don't worry; we're all thinking it ;) So, I am going to revamp it AFTER the blog is caught up to the present day. So here Round Six goes:
Day Sixty-Eight (Tuesday, April 20)
A few days prior, I randomly discovered a blog, which led me to a funny video by someone named Dave Barnes, who I fell in love with! Not only was he funny and cute, but I soon found out he was a musician. My college pal "DJ the DJ" knew who he was too and he told me about one of his songs that's at the top of the charts on Christian radio, called "God Gave Me You." Haha, I've listened to that song way too many times to keep track of.
Admittedly, I have too much time, which is why I had time to both continue uploading pictures on my dad's facebook account and burn picture CDs. While doing so, I got to fondly reminisce about my recent past. While doing so, I came across some great model-like pictures of my brother. It got me all lovey-dovey and so I texted him. This started a series of texts between us. It was so fun catching up that way. He was on set for a new TV show that he's an extra in. And in one of the final texts, he told me that Sarah Chalke just passed him. LOL WHAT?????? (You know her as Elliott in Scrubs.)
Later that night, I went to one of my favorite highlights of the week: Bible Study at Erin and Jaclyn's house. It was honestly one of the best I've been to. We studied Galatians 4:12-31. We talked about the characteristics of a healthy relationships. (i.e. Giving of yourself, welcoming each other with open hands, telling hard truths, being in the present moment with each other, knowing what's going on in each other's lives, being in anguish until your friend is saved through Jesus Christ.) We also talked about being part of the body. Here are some favorite thoughts from the night:
"Our sin doesn't just affect us but everyone else in the body too. (Both sin ad joy affect all.)"
"When a couple divorces, where are the bridesmaids and groomsmen? They are supposed to hold them accountable and help knock them on the head when they're making mistakes in the marriage."
"Do we have an urgency to see others grow in the Gospel? Paul, when he was deathly ill, planted a church! What are we doing??!"
"If you're just concerned with yourself, God, and the Bible, you won't grow! You grow through service to others."
"When we don't make an intentional effort to keep each other accountable, we forget! We sometimes forget to disciple others, or what have you. We need reminding for many things."
"You could refrain from adultery and murder, but what good are you doing? Are you loving the annoying and uncool people?"
"Jacob was promised the blessing, even though he was the younger brother. He couldn't wait so he dressed up as his brother and stole his blessing, which angered God. Same with Abraham who rushed ahead of God and took Hagar as his wife to bear children. There were MAJOR, far-reaching consequences in both these circumstances. We're promised so much, yet we rush ahead of God to get what we want now."
Both before and after group started, I had some great conversations with Erin. I love that woman and feel so comfortable around her. She's a very caring and fun woman and I'm so glad I know her. When I got there (early), she and Dave were on the porch overlooking the canal. It was a standout night overall.
Day Sixty-Nine (Wednesday, April 21)
Paul said that he does what he does not want to do and does not do what he ought to do (in the Bible). That's certainly true of me, my friend. *Sigh* sad but true. I even have repented of things before God then gone back again to the very thing I determined not to do. Fortunately, I did again rethink things and have since refrained. (It's now 12:40am on Monday, May 3rd.)
Quite honestly, most of this day remains hazy, so I have nothing more to say.
Day Seventy (Thursday, April 22)
This day, on the other hand, is quite clear. It's the day I took my dad's advice and started up the blog again. It was also my Aunt Jiwon's birthday.
It's the day I did and stumbled on a lot of random things, such as a video Sam posted on my brother's facebook wall. Hopefully you can access it here.
First thing in the morning, I ate breakfast on the balcony while I spent time with God, sitting on a (long) chair I have never sat on before. Haha, minor, I know, but it's still noteworthy to me and my silly need-for-new-experiences self.
It was also a big Korea-day, in terms of making some calls, doing some research for it, and talking on gmail to a high school friend, Stephanie, about the pros and cons of going there. It was certainly interesting and unique hearing it from someone who is actually half-Korean herself. Oh yeah, and I also made a video of why the company I was in communication with should hire me. Furthermore, I made some calls and research for various jobs and internships. All mundane things, but ones that matter for my future, you know?
So it was a good day.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Days 64-67 (Apr. 16-19): Varied Weekend Events & Dad's 57th Birthday
I really don't know how to categorize the following, besides the following four days being packed full of incredible memories! Eight words to describe the following four days are:
1) Leadership meeting
2) Art Institute
3) Breakers' brunch
4) Dad's birthday
So, here goes Round Five:
Day Sixty-Four (Friday, April 16)
Unless I reply right away to email and phone messages, I tend to forget to do so. That's why I forgot until 2 weeks later to RSVP to the leadership meeting at Rob and his wife's house. I decided pretty last minute to go to the meeting, and had no idea how many people were going, including my pastor and his wife. I met him at the Christmas party in December, so it'd been awhile since we first spoke. And he remembered me when we saw each other again! In a congregation the size of Coral Ridge, that's quite remarkable.
It was a great meeting and I'm excited about the initiative my church is taking to get involved in the community and in our church community's lives. It was so cool seeing the passion of folks like Tullian and his wife, Jon and his wife Nicole, and Rob and his wife. It was also so cool (and surprising) to see how many people were there to help get involved! I really enjoyed talking with a lot of people there, such as Jaclyn before dinner (where she showed me her new car and so on) and the Whitneys. I also enjoyed catching up with Erin and Lisa at the counter, shortly after taste-testing some various desserts.
Shortly before taking off, Jon talked to me, telling me why he had recommended me for this leadership meeting. I hadn't known you were supposed to be recommended for the dinner, but apparently so! He said he thought of me for planning events because I was always doing so with our group of friends. Awww! That was a perfect sendoff.
Day Sixty-Five (Saturday, April 17)
One of the options for my future is to go back to school. So, I inquired about it to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, since I'm interested in photography. Since getting the mailing to attend an open house there, my mom and I had planned on going to it. I actually didn't want to go that morning, but ended up liking it. I took a tour of the photography department and learned a lot about it. I must say, it was very interesting, even though it went long.
Afterwards, my mom treated me to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, the Cheesecake Factory. It was so goooood! I literally had THE best Kobe burger to ever touch my lips. It. Was. Heavenly. And I really enjoyed talking with mom and hearing her tell me her take on going back to school. I really love my mom.
Later that day, I met my friends Alli and Val at Starbucks on Federal for a couple hours. It was so fun! I love those girls. We just chatted, took pictures, and had fun. (LOL I think Alli might like taking pictures even more than me! Nuts right? I love it!)
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Day Sixty-Five (Sunday, April 18)
Weeks ago, Allison invited 3 people to go have brunch at her workplace, which happens to be THE BREAKERS! I don't know if you know what that is, but it's a pretty famous place. In fact, Jessica Biel and Taylor Swift were there in the past 1-2 weeks. Anyway, it's pretty expensive to dine there. $115 for brunch. And we got to go for free, thanks to Alli. As concierge, she gets points for getting reservations, so she chose to use some on us. WHAT a great friend!
So, we all went to first service at 9am instead of the 11:15am service, since we wanted to make our lunch reservations in time. I was really tired but it was a good sermon, and I even got to see and talk to Alan, who I haven't seen in so long!
While we waited for Val to sing in the beginning of second service with the choir, Jaclyn, Alli and I all waited at Jaclyn's house for about an hour. It's a good thing we had all that time to stew in hunger while we waited, because there was an EPIC spread of food waiting for us there.
It was also fun driving to West Palm Beach together in Alli's car. We got there a little early before our reservation and went outside to take round one of pictures together.
Haha, when they called us in for our brunch, the hostess seemed put off by our display of posing, etc. LOL totally worth it though.
It is just gorgeous there! I had no idea (being one of the people who hadn't heard of it before) that it was so nice there! Not only nice, but the atmosphere was awesome! There was even a harp player and GORGEOUS ceilings! Wow, very impressive and breathtaking even.
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There really isn't any wonder it's so famous, because not only is it so incredible inside, but it's located on the ocean and has 4 or 5 pools. After a hearty lunch and dessert, we got a tour of the place.
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The following pictures are proof of how cute these lovely friends of mine are:
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Even the rain couldn't dampen our moods though. We had a relaxing drive home with all that food in our stomachs. Haha, I even napped for a bit. After Alli dropped Jaclyn and Val off, she and I took off to upload all our pictures at Starbucks. It was so cozy! We had hot cocoa and just traded pictures together for about an hour or so, while it poured outside. I LOVE that kind of thing!
Clearly, I was in the best mood when I got home around 8pm. I got there just in time for Mom and Dad to be lighting Dad's ice cream cake. I guess they wanted to celebrate early, especially since they'd already eaten dinner at Texas de Brazil. But I didn't know they'd be doing that the day before his actual birthday, so I'm glad I made it in time!
Aww, yes my parents are cute. Tell me though, does he LOOK 57??? No, for sure not, if I do say so myself. And I must say how grateful I am for parents who are still in love almost 31 years later after getting married. (Which means they've been TOGETHER for 33, almost 34 years.)
Furthermore, I'm so excited because Karl told me that he's going to come visit me this summer, around the Fourth of July!! Yayy!!!! It will be so good to see him! I love that guy!
Lastly, I had to thank Alli ONCE AGAIN for her blog shoutout. She makes me feel famous :)
Day Sixty-Seven (Monday, April 19)
It was my Dad's birthday! He turned a very young (and young-looking) 57 years old and had a GREAT day! He said it was one of his best even! After his workday ended, his co-workers called him back to the office (he hadn't yet gotten into his car yet) and surprised him with an ice cream cake! Awww. And a lot of people wrote on his facebook wall, sent him emails, and called him to tell him how much they loved and appreciated him. They Knoxes even sang to him.
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Mom and I put together some presents for him, which he really liked! I wore my favorite outfit and we took lots of pictures (and videos) of him opening Mom's segment of the birthday gifts. (I couldn't wait past dinner and made him open mine before he finished eating, lol.)
I was jealous of how cute/amusing his pictures and poses were, so I joined in. Haha, I literally have the best Dad in the world!
Haha, we put a stop to the pictures when we went for a family walk. My parents do that about every night, but I actually joined them this time. It was fun too! We walked for about an hour along AIA and they even got in a few parent lectures ;) but were excused because of the special day that it was, haha.
On the way home, we stopped at Winn-Dixie. While I was looking for kettle corn popcorn (and never found it, or else lost interest) there was a random guy who asked me where I was from. He guessed I was from somewhere in Latin America. He was harmless though and didn't talk to me in a sleazy way. I politely moved on after a few minutes of conversation. Then, when going for some other item in the store, I happened to be browsing the aisle where his (much cuter) friend was in. His (rather loud) friend - the first guy - yelled at him from the other end of the aisle: "Guess where she's from!" LOL okay...The cute guy guessed Peruvian. It was pretty cute, or at least entertaining, I must admit. I never mind having people guess my heritage.
As if the day wasn't great enough, I got a really sweet email from Alli, thanking me for being in her life. She also suggested a TV show marathon next weekend (of either The Office or Friends).
While I was on the computer, I decided that it was about time I backed up my pictures. I also started the weeklong process of uploading pictures onto my dad's facebook, since my facebook deactivation from that world meant he lost all the pictures I tagged of him.
Anyway,
Laurs, out.
1) Leadership meeting
2) Art Institute
3) Breakers' brunch
4) Dad's birthday
So, here goes Round Five:
Day Sixty-Four (Friday, April 16)
Unless I reply right away to email and phone messages, I tend to forget to do so. That's why I forgot until 2 weeks later to RSVP to the leadership meeting at Rob and his wife's house. I decided pretty last minute to go to the meeting, and had no idea how many people were going, including my pastor and his wife. I met him at the Christmas party in December, so it'd been awhile since we first spoke. And he remembered me when we saw each other again! In a congregation the size of Coral Ridge, that's quite remarkable.
It was a great meeting and I'm excited about the initiative my church is taking to get involved in the community and in our church community's lives. It was so cool seeing the passion of folks like Tullian and his wife, Jon and his wife Nicole, and Rob and his wife. It was also so cool (and surprising) to see how many people were there to help get involved! I really enjoyed talking with a lot of people there, such as Jaclyn before dinner (where she showed me her new car and so on) and the Whitneys. I also enjoyed catching up with Erin and Lisa at the counter, shortly after taste-testing some various desserts.
Shortly before taking off, Jon talked to me, telling me why he had recommended me for this leadership meeting. I hadn't known you were supposed to be recommended for the dinner, but apparently so! He said he thought of me for planning events because I was always doing so with our group of friends. Awww! That was a perfect sendoff.
Day Sixty-Five (Saturday, April 17)
One of the options for my future is to go back to school. So, I inquired about it to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, since I'm interested in photography. Since getting the mailing to attend an open house there, my mom and I had planned on going to it. I actually didn't want to go that morning, but ended up liking it. I took a tour of the photography department and learned a lot about it. I must say, it was very interesting, even though it went long.
Afterwards, my mom treated me to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, the Cheesecake Factory. It was so goooood! I literally had THE best Kobe burger to ever touch my lips. It. Was. Heavenly. And I really enjoyed talking with mom and hearing her tell me her take on going back to school. I really love my mom.
Later that day, I met my friends Alli and Val at Starbucks on Federal for a couple hours. It was so fun! I love those girls. We just chatted, took pictures, and had fun. (LOL I think Alli might like taking pictures even more than me! Nuts right? I love it!)
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Day Sixty-Five (Sunday, April 18)
Weeks ago, Allison invited 3 people to go have brunch at her workplace, which happens to be THE BREAKERS! I don't know if you know what that is, but it's a pretty famous place. In fact, Jessica Biel and Taylor Swift were there in the past 1-2 weeks. Anyway, it's pretty expensive to dine there. $115 for brunch. And we got to go for free, thanks to Alli. As concierge, she gets points for getting reservations, so she chose to use some on us. WHAT a great friend!
So, we all went to first service at 9am instead of the 11:15am service, since we wanted to make our lunch reservations in time. I was really tired but it was a good sermon, and I even got to see and talk to Alan, who I haven't seen in so long!
While we waited for Val to sing in the beginning of second service with the choir, Jaclyn, Alli and I all waited at Jaclyn's house for about an hour. It's a good thing we had all that time to stew in hunger while we waited, because there was an EPIC spread of food waiting for us there.
It was also fun driving to West Palm Beach together in Alli's car. We got there a little early before our reservation and went outside to take round one of pictures together.
Haha, when they called us in for our brunch, the hostess seemed put off by our display of posing, etc. LOL totally worth it though.
It is just gorgeous there! I had no idea (being one of the people who hadn't heard of it before) that it was so nice there! Not only nice, but the atmosphere was awesome! There was even a harp player and GORGEOUS ceilings! Wow, very impressive and breathtaking even.
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Eileen was a great waitress! She even offered to take this photo of us.
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Blurry but hey, we still have proof there was a harp player.
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Dark, but I still wanted to capture the idea of the many-windowed dining room.
Along with gratuity being included, they also served us
a Mimosa, some Champaign, and/or a Bloody Mary drink.
There really isn't any wonder it's so famous, because not only is it so incredible inside, but it's located on the ocean and has 4 or 5 pools. After a hearty lunch and dessert, we got a tour of the place.
Sassy pose with the sassy host of this wonderful day.
lol Not sure what caught Jaclyn's attention, but that's okay since she's so pretty.
(Okay, even if she weren't so pretty, it would be okay because I love her so much.)
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As you can see by the trees in the background, it was really windy.
Both Val and I had to pull a Marilyn Monroe with our dresses while walking (in The Seven Year Itch).
The following pictures are proof of how cute these lovely friends of mine are:
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Without asking her to, a lady offered to take this picture for us! Awww people are so nice!
This was RIGHT before it started to rain hard.
Even the rain couldn't dampen our moods though. We had a relaxing drive home with all that food in our stomachs. Haha, I even napped for a bit. After Alli dropped Jaclyn and Val off, she and I took off to upload all our pictures at Starbucks. It was so cozy! We had hot cocoa and just traded pictures together for about an hour or so, while it poured outside. I LOVE that kind of thing!
Clearly, I was in the best mood when I got home around 8pm. I got there just in time for Mom and Dad to be lighting Dad's ice cream cake. I guess they wanted to celebrate early, especially since they'd already eaten dinner at Texas de Brazil. But I didn't know they'd be doing that the day before his actual birthday, so I'm glad I made it in time!
Aww, yes my parents are cute. Tell me though, does he LOOK 57??? No, for sure not, if I do say so myself. And I must say how grateful I am for parents who are still in love almost 31 years later after getting married. (Which means they've been TOGETHER for 33, almost 34 years.)
Furthermore, I'm so excited because Karl told me that he's going to come visit me this summer, around the Fourth of July!! Yayy!!!! It will be so good to see him! I love that guy!
Lastly, I had to thank Alli ONCE AGAIN for her blog shoutout. She makes me feel famous :)
Day Sixty-Seven (Monday, April 19)
It was my Dad's birthday! He turned a very young (and young-looking) 57 years old and had a GREAT day! He said it was one of his best even! After his workday ended, his co-workers called him back to the office (he hadn't yet gotten into his car yet) and surprised him with an ice cream cake! Awww. And a lot of people wrote on his facebook wall, sent him emails, and called him to tell him how much they loved and appreciated him. They Knoxes even sang to him.
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Mom and I put together some presents for him, which he really liked! I wore my favorite outfit and we took lots of pictures (and videos) of him opening Mom's segment of the birthday gifts. (I couldn't wait past dinner and made him open mine before he finished eating, lol.)
I was jealous of how cute/amusing his pictures and poses were, so I joined in. Haha, I literally have the best Dad in the world!
Haha, we put a stop to the pictures when we went for a family walk. My parents do that about every night, but I actually joined them this time. It was fun too! We walked for about an hour along AIA and they even got in a few parent lectures ;) but were excused because of the special day that it was, haha.
On the way home, we stopped at Winn-Dixie. While I was looking for kettle corn popcorn (and never found it, or else lost interest) there was a random guy who asked me where I was from. He guessed I was from somewhere in Latin America. He was harmless though and didn't talk to me in a sleazy way. I politely moved on after a few minutes of conversation. Then, when going for some other item in the store, I happened to be browsing the aisle where his (much cuter) friend was in. His (rather loud) friend - the first guy - yelled at him from the other end of the aisle: "Guess where she's from!" LOL okay...The cute guy guessed Peruvian. It was pretty cute, or at least entertaining, I must admit. I never mind having people guess my heritage.
As if the day wasn't great enough, I got a really sweet email from Alli, thanking me for being in her life. She also suggested a TV show marathon next weekend (of either The Office or Friends).
While I was on the computer, I decided that it was about time I backed up my pictures. I also started the weeklong process of uploading pictures onto my dad's facebook, since my facebook deactivation from that world meant he lost all the pictures I tagged of him.
Anyway,
Laurs, out.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Days 60-63 (Apr. 12-15): Beauty in the Ugly and Mundane
As soon as I'm finally caught up on all that time I went without blogging, I am going to make some changes to Pollyanna's Protege. However, before then, it's all about a hasty review of things. Haha, I do apologize for the long-winded deal, but believe me when I say it's necessary. So here comes Round Four:
Day Sixty (Monday, April 12)
Do dirty old men know they're dirty pieces of scum, or do they actually think their elevator-eye action is flattering? Probably a mix, I'm guessing. The reality of their actions? It's an I-Really-Need-At-Least-Three-Showers kind of disgusting. I usually love older people and feel wholesome around them, but when the gross ones come along, it's just so disappointing. Such a "man" crawled out from under a rock and into my presence on the way back from the post office. Ugh. Nasty. He just stopped to give me the once over and said something that was *fortunately* blocked by my headphones and ipod.
Here's why I list this mundane happening: It reminds me how blessed I am to know chivalrous men, both young and old.
There are two other "mundane" occurrences that I wanted to record. Okay, they really are mundane (without the quotation marks)happenings, but to me, even the mundane means so much to me. For one, I had a quick gmail convo with a friend who asked me to relay a message to someone. I felt really awkward because it was to invite this other person to something I thought I wasn't invited to, lol. When I said as much (amiably, of course), she cleared things up and said of course I was invited, and hadn't she told me about it.
The second thing was when Mariam texted me to ask if I was coming to Book Club. I hadn't missed it yet, but did opt to stay home instead. Knowing how Book Club is and how fast it can pick up, I was flattered that Mariam checked on me, what with her being the club leader. Awww, that kind of thing makes me feel loved, so I really appreciated it.
Lastly, I got an email with my first book segment to edit!!
Day Sixty-One (Tuesday, April 13)
There are two mentalities of who to surround yourself with: People who are smarter than you & People who are mediocre or even stupid.
I am of the first mentality, which is one of the many reasons I'm friends with my dear childhood friend Karl. He's one of the people I use as a sounding board in my life, which is why I went to him for advice about some major Next-Step decisions. He gave me GREAT advice, partly in the form of 4 questions:
1) Which would you enjoy the most?
2) Which would you be best at?
3) Which seems the most plausible?
4) Which do you just feel like you should do?
I also had a good chat with one of my old college roommates, Liana. We both used to watch Bones at the en of the day in our apartment, and are HUGE fanatics! So, we were discussing the 100th episode that had just aired. There's something so comforting about easily being able to pick up with someone you haven't spoken to in far too many months to mention.
Now, none of this day is in chronological order, including when my Mom stopped by the post office when I was there. Instead of being greeted by a dirty old man, I had the pleasure of seeing my beautiful young mom. We chatted for a bit and she drove me to the nearby Dunkin Donuts (where there's free wifi), so I could do a few things without the distraction of my beautiful home. (Sometimes you just need to get away too, you know?)
There, I met a cute elderly-ish man named Frankie who was very friendly and sweet. We talked briefly and he said I'm a very nice young woman and that I should be sure to talk with him next time we're both in there, since he hangs out there quite often. Awww, I love friendly, non-sleazeballs.
So, even though I slept most of the day, I had some really nice, stand-out moments. (Since quitting, I had been catching up on a LOT of sleep. It's so nice not to have to set my obnoxious alarm clock, you know?)
Day Sixty-Two (Wednesday, April 14)
Some time ago, I had decided that college was NOT the only time I was allowed to have one-on-one time with guys. So, I've been on a "mission" to "recruit" great guys to get to know better in a platonic manner. Enter one of my "candidates" lol. (Wow, that all sounds so crass and experimental.)
On Sunday before going to Panera, a guy friend and I decided to get together on Wednesday. He and I met up at Deerfield Beach, and though it was gloomy out, it was still nice to sit in the sand and chat. He gave me some interesting things to think about. We actually didn't agree on much to do with our faith, but did agree to disagree. It was quite...interesting really.
The most interesting thing of all was realizing I can't force anything, especially friendship. Relationships aren't (necessarily) gained by a forced mission, lol. Well, I mean, it's good to pursue people to an extent, but at the same time, it's probably better to just let things happen naturally. That's true for me anyway. So, though I can and probably should (somewhat) pursue friendship (with guys and girls), it's better to be sure that they will also reciprocate and initiate the friendship as well. I don't want a repeat of my other unhealthy relationships wherein I was doing all the work.
My cousin Jennifer and I had been in contact about grad school, and I have been looking at it as another option. (Not entirely sure where it stands now for me, to be honest.) I told her to give me a straight up opinion from someone who is in grad school getting her Masters. She gave me a no-holds response that really helped bring things into perspective! I appreciated her not wasting anytime pandering to what she thought I'd want to hear. I respect that and found it very informative. Thank you Jenn!
I also want to give a shout-out to Rebecca for her random text saying she missed me. Awww! I love my friends.
Day Sixty-Three (Thursday, April 15)
If ever there was a mundane day, it was today lol. I spent most of it applying to various opportunities, as well as chatting with Andrea (catching up on life), and my old co-worker. She told me about the new girl, we reminisced about our favorite lunch spot: Sals, and she told me her chivalrous ways with Omar when he tried to gossip about me and she wouldn't have any of it. Aww! I appreciate people who stand up for me!
I also enjoyed the beauty of waltz dancing once more, such as the Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens scene in HSM3 on the roof of their school. Seriously, it's just GORGEOUS! I had been playing that scene over and over endlessly throughout the course of the time before it was due back at the library. Wow, I really appreciate anything dance-related! So good!
Day Sixty (Monday, April 12)
Do dirty old men know they're dirty pieces of scum, or do they actually think their elevator-eye action is flattering? Probably a mix, I'm guessing. The reality of their actions? It's an I-Really-Need-At-Least-Three-Showers kind of disgusting. I usually love older people and feel wholesome around them, but when the gross ones come along, it's just so disappointing. Such a "man" crawled out from under a rock and into my presence on the way back from the post office. Ugh. Nasty. He just stopped to give me the once over and said something that was *fortunately* blocked by my headphones and ipod.
Here's why I list this mundane happening: It reminds me how blessed I am to know chivalrous men, both young and old.
There are two other "mundane" occurrences that I wanted to record. Okay, they really are mundane (without the quotation marks)happenings, but to me, even the mundane means so much to me. For one, I had a quick gmail convo with a friend who asked me to relay a message to someone. I felt really awkward because it was to invite this other person to something I thought I wasn't invited to, lol. When I said as much (amiably, of course), she cleared things up and said of course I was invited, and hadn't she told me about it.
The second thing was when Mariam texted me to ask if I was coming to Book Club. I hadn't missed it yet, but did opt to stay home instead. Knowing how Book Club is and how fast it can pick up, I was flattered that Mariam checked on me, what with her being the club leader. Awww, that kind of thing makes me feel loved, so I really appreciated it.
Lastly, I got an email with my first book segment to edit!!
Day Sixty-One (Tuesday, April 13)
There are two mentalities of who to surround yourself with: People who are smarter than you & People who are mediocre or even stupid.
I am of the first mentality, which is one of the many reasons I'm friends with my dear childhood friend Karl. He's one of the people I use as a sounding board in my life, which is why I went to him for advice about some major Next-Step decisions. He gave me GREAT advice, partly in the form of 4 questions:
1) Which would you enjoy the most?
2) Which would you be best at?
3) Which seems the most plausible?
4) Which do you just feel like you should do?
I also had a good chat with one of my old college roommates, Liana. We both used to watch Bones at the en of the day in our apartment, and are HUGE fanatics! So, we were discussing the 100th episode that had just aired. There's something so comforting about easily being able to pick up with someone you haven't spoken to in far too many months to mention.
Now, none of this day is in chronological order, including when my Mom stopped by the post office when I was there. Instead of being greeted by a dirty old man, I had the pleasure of seeing my beautiful young mom. We chatted for a bit and she drove me to the nearby Dunkin Donuts (where there's free wifi), so I could do a few things without the distraction of my beautiful home. (Sometimes you just need to get away too, you know?)
There, I met a cute elderly-ish man named Frankie who was very friendly and sweet. We talked briefly and he said I'm a very nice young woman and that I should be sure to talk with him next time we're both in there, since he hangs out there quite often. Awww, I love friendly, non-sleazeballs.
So, even though I slept most of the day, I had some really nice, stand-out moments. (Since quitting, I had been catching up on a LOT of sleep. It's so nice not to have to set my obnoxious alarm clock, you know?)
Day Sixty-Two (Wednesday, April 14)
Some time ago, I had decided that college was NOT the only time I was allowed to have one-on-one time with guys. So, I've been on a "mission" to "recruit" great guys to get to know better in a platonic manner. Enter one of my "candidates" lol. (Wow, that all sounds so crass and experimental.)
On Sunday before going to Panera, a guy friend and I decided to get together on Wednesday. He and I met up at Deerfield Beach, and though it was gloomy out, it was still nice to sit in the sand and chat. He gave me some interesting things to think about. We actually didn't agree on much to do with our faith, but did agree to disagree. It was quite...interesting really.
The most interesting thing of all was realizing I can't force anything, especially friendship. Relationships aren't (necessarily) gained by a forced mission, lol. Well, I mean, it's good to pursue people to an extent, but at the same time, it's probably better to just let things happen naturally. That's true for me anyway. So, though I can and probably should (somewhat) pursue friendship (with guys and girls), it's better to be sure that they will also reciprocate and initiate the friendship as well. I don't want a repeat of my other unhealthy relationships wherein I was doing all the work.
My cousin Jennifer and I had been in contact about grad school, and I have been looking at it as another option. (Not entirely sure where it stands now for me, to be honest.) I told her to give me a straight up opinion from someone who is in grad school getting her Masters. She gave me a no-holds response that really helped bring things into perspective! I appreciated her not wasting anytime pandering to what she thought I'd want to hear. I respect that and found it very informative. Thank you Jenn!
I also want to give a shout-out to Rebecca for her random text saying she missed me. Awww! I love my friends.
Day Sixty-Three (Thursday, April 15)
If ever there was a mundane day, it was today lol. I spent most of it applying to various opportunities, as well as chatting with Andrea (catching up on life), and my old co-worker. She told me about the new girl, we reminisced about our favorite lunch spot: Sals, and she told me her chivalrous ways with Omar when he tried to gossip about me and she wouldn't have any of it. Aww! I appreciate people who stand up for me!
I also enjoyed the beauty of waltz dancing once more, such as the Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens scene in HSM3 on the roof of their school. Seriously, it's just GORGEOUS! I had been playing that scene over and over endlessly throughout the course of the time before it was due back at the library. Wow, I really appreciate anything dance-related! So good!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Days 53-59 (Apr. 5-11): You Don't Own Me! And Other Tales Post-Resignation
Wow, the difference between the week before this one and the week I am about to tackle is staggering! So here that goes:
Day Fifty-Three (Monday, Apr. 5)
As mentioned at the beginning of the last post, I now have a former-boss. I've still never been fired though, thankfully.
As I said, my boss essentially gave me an ultimatum on Thursday, April Fools Day; and it was no prank. He told me that if I didn't accept the full-time position, it was okay because he would find someone else to take the position in addition to my working there. Yeah...When you work somewhere for a few months, you get a feel for Image vs. The Real Man.
Image: He was trying to seem easy going.
The Real Man: He had no intention of letting me stay if I didn't take his "offer."
Almost immediately on Monday, he asked me to come into his office before our daily "meeting" between the 3 of us in the office. I knew this was the moment I had been preparing a speech for lol. We went in there, and I asked him to go over the main points of my new position if I took it. He told me that I would have to do whatever he wanted me to do, no matter what. (Um, sexual innuendo much?) Then I asked if I would be getting a pay raise and benefits this time around. He was visibly upset about that, and said no, not until I proved myself. (Sounds reasonable right? Nah...last time he said that to either me or my co-worker, he renigged and...well, I'll stop the rant right there.)
Instead of going the route of telling him off, the way I had planned (and every employee who hates his/her job plans), I played the affable card. I told him I didn't think we were a good fit for each other. It soon came to the point of my asking if he wanted me to stay for 2 more weeks while he looked for my replacement, but he said no. I said I'd leave after the day was over but he said I might as well leave then. (Nicely of course...)
So, he paid me my remaining paycheck, I cleaned out my area, and we signed the resignation papers. I hugged my co-worker and was out of there. I left by 10:30am or so.
Though I'm somewhat bitter about my old boss, I'm sooooo happy to be out of there! It was toxic on far too many levels! Not only that but he's a dirty old man (who doesn't think he's old) who has no common sense. (When the internet was down after a bad storm, he said he would fix it, then proceeded to ask me where the antennae was. I put on my best poker face when I compassionately said that I "didn't think" there was one, while trying not to make him feel stupid.) From now on, I'm going to interview my prospective bosses to be sure that when they tell me, "You're going to be in charge of editorial tasks alone" they mean it. I think I will get it in writing too.
Anyway, before I went home to celebrate my departure with my Mom, I went to the library to get some movies. Among them were Confessions of a Shopaholic which I TOTALLY recommend! I didn't originally want to see it because the trailers were sooooo bad! It's not all about shopping but is far better! I now love that actress. (Plus, the guy has an accent in it and is incredibly attractive! That never hurts.) More on that movie's impact on me later.
When I walked in the door, my Mom and I hugged and rejoiced over my being free from Omar. (My parents were completely supportive of my decision.) She then told me that to celebrate, she was going to take us to our favorite sushi joint: Shinju.
It was a perfect mother-daughter outing. I loved our conversation and the food was incredible, of course. She also took me to Kohls to treat me to what is now my favorite Sunday outfit. She is an indescribably wonderful and generous mom and I'm so glad we got to spend time together.
Later that day, I went home and watched both High School Musical 3 (Don't start) and Confessions of a Shopaholic. The waltz scene in HSM 3 still steals my heart and takes my breath away, as do many of the other scenes. Wow, if there are any guys reading this, feel free to ask me to take waltz dance classes with you ;)
Anyway, "Confessions" was far better than I'd anticipated. I only rented it because my parents saw it last year and raved about it. They said it was about a young woman who is in journalism and that the romantic storyline was good. And it definitely was! Obviously, the main character, Rebecca Bloomberg, is addicted to shopping. It defines her. With that said, there's a scene where she and her dad (played by John Goodman) are talking about how to get her out of her financial rut. He offers to sell his prized possession: His trailer, which he and his wife sold everything else for to buy. Here's an excerpt from that scene, which deeply moved me:
Rebecca Bloomberg: "No daddy! You can't [sell it]! That trailer defines you completely! Completely!!"
Mr. Bloomberg: "Nothing defines me. Only you and your mother [do]."
After the scene came to an end, I put the movie on pause and went to the balcony with my ipod. I took time to think about what it is that I let define me. Sadly, facebook is one of those things. So, I made the drastic decision to deactivate my facebook account for 3 months. I made the announcement to my folks before I wrote one of my last facebook updates, telling people that I was terminating it in 2 days. Haha and I got soooo many responses right off the bat, including by facebook, email, text message, and phonecall. It was very flattering and a fun way to go off.
Day Fifty-Four (Tuesday, Apr. 6)
In a continued celebration of my post-resignation, I spent most of the day outside. I think I was out there for 7 hours. Haha, and the flattery continued when several people kept texting me about my "disturbing" decision to quit facebook for awhile. The funny thing is that it was from people who teased me endlessly about how much time I spent on there.
I finally replied back to some people comments, saying how these reactions reminded me of a funeral wherein I get to hear what people think of me lol.
Besides the beach, I slept most of the day, which was INCREDIBLY nice! Thank you Omar!
Day Fifty-Five (Wednesday, Apr. 7)
Jaclyn introduced me to hummus on soft pita bread. She came over for a swim, later met my parents, then we had appetizers at the Greek restaurant right by me. I have never wanted to try the stuff, but it was good! As usual, she built me up thoroughly, as is second nature for her to do to everyone she comes in contact with. She's just that kind of (wonderful) person.
Obviously, I wrote a little bit back how much an impact March 31st made on me. I had at least 3 huge epiphanies and since then have been learning and applying major things in my life. For example, I realized that I wasn't ready to move out quite yet. I dreaded telling my once-future-roommate about this, but Alli was so sweet and understanding. I called her up after Jaclyn left and sat on the beach while I told her I had to back out. *Sigh* I'm so thankful for her gracious reaction though, and since then, we've only gotten closer as friends.
The moment I'd been warning about finally came upon me at 9pm. I deactivated my account.
I had often contemplated doing this very thing, but never had actually done it, so when I did, it felt good! It actually did; I knew I was doing the right thing. Imagine, *gasp!* people would find out from ME, rather than my status updates, what I'm up to. Haha, not that I'm hating on people who have facebook; I'm just making fun of my own use of it prior to this act.
Day Fifty-Six (Thursday, Apr. 8)
One of the reasons I quit facebook was to spend less time in front of the laptop screen. Therefore, I went outside and spent a lot of time tanning on the beach, reading by the pool, snacking on snacks from the cafe, and listening to my ipod in the hot tub. Oh. My. Gosh. It was so therapeutic.
I had some great forms of digital communication. There was texting with Erin and Jim; then Julie emailed me to tell me she'd talked to her sister Dianne about me. Dianne is an editor in Boston, so I was excited about hearing from her. I definitely appreciated it. During our texting, Jim agreed to host a spontaneous Arrested Development marathon for whoever I invited to come.
I had a great phone conversation with my college friend Micheal, who never fails to cheer me up and encourage me. It was so great exchanging advice and updates, and I was soooo excited that he might visit me later on this summer!!!!
The best part? I didn't even have to use facebook to make all these friend connections ;)
Day Fifty-Seven (Friday, Apr. 9)
I wanted to be sure I did not start my day with technology, so I ate breakfast on the balcony as I read the Bible and wrote out my thoughts. It was the perfect start to the day. There's such a huge difference starting it that way versus the internet, like I too often do, ugh.
So, after taking advantage of the beach and hot tub, I got a great email from Julie's sister Dianne, giving me advice about how to get into publishing. Then, I chatted with Pete via gchat about the Arrested Development marathon. Oh man, if he weren't overseas, it would have been so cool to have him there, what with his many ideas to spice up the party. For instance, he said anyone who made their car so it could handle hop-ons should win a contest or that I should provide prison jumpsuits. I was tempted to bring a journal that read "Bob Loblaw's Law Blog" for people to write their favorite references in (but didn't). So, though I knew I wouldn't bring timosil to relax people, wear fake eyebrows that fall off at times, or offer massages, I was excited about the marathon.
But I was even more excited about that night because Erin invited me to go out dancing, saying she'd pick me up, since I didn't have a car. So, later that night, she, Liz, and Jon came to pick me up and we met Veer and some of his friends at downtown Fort Lauderdale for drinks. I got some great advice from Jon about one of my options for the future. Then we went to Off the Hookah to dance! And oh. My. Gosh. It was so fun! After watching a belly dancer do her thing, we five finally started dancing. I didn't think I was in the mood to dance, but as it turns out, I was very wrong. I had SO much fun. I danced for all but 10 minutes; and we were there until 2am. LOL and my "boyfriend" came outta nowhere...Right Erin?
But all good things must come to an end, so Liz and I took off, ate some subs, then yelled at some guys who were cat-calling us. One of my favorites was, "We're God's creations! We're someone's daughters!" LOL it was oddly fun.
Day Fifty-Eight (Saturday, Apr. 10)
The day was filled with mixed events and emotions. There was no beach, but full on sun poisoning, the Arrested Development (AD) marathon & Bluth Bananas, as well as a wake up call.
It's funny how everyday BUT Saturday seemed to be sunny out. Oh well, it was just as well since I got sun poisoning. LOL apparently that's what happens when you spend far too much time in the sun without applying sunscreen more than once. Who knew?
The AD fest was fun, especially since Jaclyn made Bluth Bananas for everyone. (I'm talking melted Ghirardelli chocolate and colored sprinkles, then put in the freezer for that X-factor touch.) There were those who had never seen AD before and others who were devoted fans. Before I got there, Jim offered to order 3 pizzas for people. What a great host! That was the perfect addition because some people hadn't eaten dinner.
As was the theme since March 31st, I had more convictions, revelations, and wake-up calls. (Yes, I realize they're all pretty much the same thing; but these various happenings felt so diverse.) Around 10:30, the marathon came to an end, and I just felt compelled to drive up and down AIA for about an hour with the top down on my dad's car, and listening to both rock and heartwarming music. It was SO therapeutic. It was partly to reflect on a phone conversation I had earlier in the day with a friend.
Have you ever had a lesson-waiting-to-be-learned stare you straight in the face one day? It's like I'd been aware of this one particular truth for most of my life, but it actually only came alive after talking to this friend. The moment I realized what I had been blinding myself to, it was like everything had changed for me. I started contemplating various next-step ventures, which were really exciting.
I mentioned Ugly Betty for my first blogpost, and that show again becomes very applicable. The second to last episode (ever!) made an impression on me. (Oh, and DO NOT read the following paragraph if you haven't seen it and want to see still.)
In this episode, Betty and Henry, her first love reunite for Hilda and Bobby's wedding. He was moving back to New York for a big-shot job. However, Betty was offered an opportunity to move to London to start a magazine ("A New Yorker with a younger voice") with one of the world's top magazine publishers. But, she wasn't sure what she was going to do. Well, Henry has a young son and on their breakfast date, they clashed, oddly enough. While considering a relationship with Henry again, Betty's good friend Daniel Meade got mad at her for moving backwards in her life. She was trying to force things.
That episode sobered me up, because though it doesn't fully apply to me, it did remind me that I was putting things on hold for one reason or another. I once passed up studying overseas in Thailand my junior year in college. My reason? I wanted to be with my friends. *Sigh* I regret that decision from time to time. I'm not saying it was the absolute wrong choice, but I was far too in the moment. Now, I have about 5 different opportunities to pursue amazing next-step options for my life. They're all very diverse and no doors have been shut yet. I'm praying and trying to decipher what it is that God wants me to do. Ugh, I wish I were better at doing that.
Day Fifty-Nine (Sunday, Apr. 11)
It was a far more low-key day of good things (and no bad things, in case you thought I meant there was mostly bad things).
Church was incredible. I'm always blown away by the humble sermons that Pastor Tullian delivers, and that was especially true of this day's sermon. I took 6 pages of notes, and wanted to share a few key moments in the sermon.
"Most people reject the Gospel because they think Christianity is all about rules, regulations, and cleaning yourself up. They might think they're not good enough."
"A lot of people think Christianity is about a good Man preaching to good people so they can become better people."
"We often think repentance is repenting when we do something really bad. But not only must we repent of our dirty rags, but we have to repent of our 'good deeds' or so-called righteousness. Even the good things we do are not as good as we think. We need to repent of our goodness as well as our badness."
Yes, the above seems odd. If I have any readers, it's possible I got a few "booooo"'s. But Tullian had such great points. It can partly be summed up by the following:
"Get people innoculated by letting them think they can be good, polite people. You don't need God for that...They have enough of a good thing to be immune from hearing Jesus preached. Anyone can be 'good'."
"Legalism says we gain approval by upholding certain values and standards. Whether you're performing to be good for God OR the world, it's still you relying on you! When we do this, we are trying to do it on our own."
"We know the world is chaos and devastation, so we impose legalistic expectations on ourselves and others so as to avoid the chaos and pain."
"We are all guilty of adding to Jesus. (i.e. We need Jesus AND success. We need Jesus AND others.)"
"Rules make us feel safe. Therefore it becomes our substitute God."
"Don't let your standards become your shackles, because when you do, you kill your relationship with Christ."
Just stop to think about some of that. My pastor was right on and spoke so much needed truth for me. Afterwards, a big group of us went to Panera Bread for lunch. I had intended to go home for lunch, but am glad I changed my plans. It was so good socializing with friends after a great sermon. Nothing of real note happened there, but I was happy. I love these people. One of my favorite things is that when people say goodbye, it's like you're parting ways for a month, what with the hearty hugs and goodbyes. It easily makes one feel like a celebrity. I love it :)
Haha, I also have to thank Karl for helping me discover yet another reason to love Neil Patrick Harris: "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog." I did this while researching some publishing houses in the country and also chatting on gmail with Andrea who was still out of the country for her job.
So, that was my homage to my freedom from my former employer, Omar.
Laurs, out.
Day Fifty-Three (Monday, Apr. 5)
As mentioned at the beginning of the last post, I now have a former-boss. I've still never been fired though, thankfully.
As I said, my boss essentially gave me an ultimatum on Thursday, April Fools Day; and it was no prank. He told me that if I didn't accept the full-time position, it was okay because he would find someone else to take the position in addition to my working there. Yeah...When you work somewhere for a few months, you get a feel for Image vs. The Real Man.
Image: He was trying to seem easy going.
The Real Man: He had no intention of letting me stay if I didn't take his "offer."
Almost immediately on Monday, he asked me to come into his office before our daily "meeting" between the 3 of us in the office. I knew this was the moment I had been preparing a speech for lol. We went in there, and I asked him to go over the main points of my new position if I took it. He told me that I would have to do whatever he wanted me to do, no matter what. (Um, sexual innuendo much?) Then I asked if I would be getting a pay raise and benefits this time around. He was visibly upset about that, and said no, not until I proved myself. (Sounds reasonable right? Nah...last time he said that to either me or my co-worker, he renigged and...well, I'll stop the rant right there.)
Instead of going the route of telling him off, the way I had planned (and every employee who hates his/her job plans), I played the affable card. I told him I didn't think we were a good fit for each other. It soon came to the point of my asking if he wanted me to stay for 2 more weeks while he looked for my replacement, but he said no. I said I'd leave after the day was over but he said I might as well leave then. (Nicely of course...)
So, he paid me my remaining paycheck, I cleaned out my area, and we signed the resignation papers. I hugged my co-worker and was out of there. I left by 10:30am or so.
Though I'm somewhat bitter about my old boss, I'm sooooo happy to be out of there! It was toxic on far too many levels! Not only that but he's a dirty old man (who doesn't think he's old) who has no common sense. (When the internet was down after a bad storm, he said he would fix it, then proceeded to ask me where the antennae was. I put on my best poker face when I compassionately said that I "didn't think" there was one, while trying not to make him feel stupid.) From now on, I'm going to interview my prospective bosses to be sure that when they tell me, "You're going to be in charge of editorial tasks alone" they mean it. I think I will get it in writing too.
Anyway, before I went home to celebrate my departure with my Mom, I went to the library to get some movies. Among them were Confessions of a Shopaholic which I TOTALLY recommend! I didn't originally want to see it because the trailers were sooooo bad! It's not all about shopping but is far better! I now love that actress. (Plus, the guy has an accent in it and is incredibly attractive! That never hurts.) More on that movie's impact on me later.
When I walked in the door, my Mom and I hugged and rejoiced over my being free from Omar. (My parents were completely supportive of my decision.) She then told me that to celebrate, she was going to take us to our favorite sushi joint: Shinju.
It was a perfect mother-daughter outing. I loved our conversation and the food was incredible, of course. She also took me to Kohls to treat me to what is now my favorite Sunday outfit. She is an indescribably wonderful and generous mom and I'm so glad we got to spend time together.
Later that day, I went home and watched both High School Musical 3 (Don't start) and Confessions of a Shopaholic. The waltz scene in HSM 3 still steals my heart and takes my breath away, as do many of the other scenes. Wow, if there are any guys reading this, feel free to ask me to take waltz dance classes with you ;)
Anyway, "Confessions" was far better than I'd anticipated. I only rented it because my parents saw it last year and raved about it. They said it was about a young woman who is in journalism and that the romantic storyline was good. And it definitely was! Obviously, the main character, Rebecca Bloomberg, is addicted to shopping. It defines her. With that said, there's a scene where she and her dad (played by John Goodman) are talking about how to get her out of her financial rut. He offers to sell his prized possession: His trailer, which he and his wife sold everything else for to buy. Here's an excerpt from that scene, which deeply moved me:
Rebecca Bloomberg: "No daddy! You can't [sell it]! That trailer defines you completely! Completely!!"
Mr. Bloomberg: "Nothing defines me. Only you and your mother [do]."
After the scene came to an end, I put the movie on pause and went to the balcony with my ipod. I took time to think about what it is that I let define me. Sadly, facebook is one of those things. So, I made the drastic decision to deactivate my facebook account for 3 months. I made the announcement to my folks before I wrote one of my last facebook updates, telling people that I was terminating it in 2 days. Haha and I got soooo many responses right off the bat, including by facebook, email, text message, and phonecall. It was very flattering and a fun way to go off.
Day Fifty-Four (Tuesday, Apr. 6)
In a continued celebration of my post-resignation, I spent most of the day outside. I think I was out there for 7 hours. Haha, and the flattery continued when several people kept texting me about my "disturbing" decision to quit facebook for awhile. The funny thing is that it was from people who teased me endlessly about how much time I spent on there.
I finally replied back to some people comments, saying how these reactions reminded me of a funeral wherein I get to hear what people think of me lol.
Besides the beach, I slept most of the day, which was INCREDIBLY nice! Thank you Omar!
Day Fifty-Five (Wednesday, Apr. 7)
Jaclyn introduced me to hummus on soft pita bread. She came over for a swim, later met my parents, then we had appetizers at the Greek restaurant right by me. I have never wanted to try the stuff, but it was good! As usual, she built me up thoroughly, as is second nature for her to do to everyone she comes in contact with. She's just that kind of (wonderful) person.
Obviously, I wrote a little bit back how much an impact March 31st made on me. I had at least 3 huge epiphanies and since then have been learning and applying major things in my life. For example, I realized that I wasn't ready to move out quite yet. I dreaded telling my once-future-roommate about this, but Alli was so sweet and understanding. I called her up after Jaclyn left and sat on the beach while I told her I had to back out. *Sigh* I'm so thankful for her gracious reaction though, and since then, we've only gotten closer as friends.
The moment I'd been warning about finally came upon me at 9pm. I deactivated my account.
I had often contemplated doing this very thing, but never had actually done it, so when I did, it felt good! It actually did; I knew I was doing the right thing. Imagine, *gasp!* people would find out from ME, rather than my status updates, what I'm up to. Haha, not that I'm hating on people who have facebook; I'm just making fun of my own use of it prior to this act.
Day Fifty-Six (Thursday, Apr. 8)
One of the reasons I quit facebook was to spend less time in front of the laptop screen. Therefore, I went outside and spent a lot of time tanning on the beach, reading by the pool, snacking on snacks from the cafe, and listening to my ipod in the hot tub. Oh. My. Gosh. It was so therapeutic.
I had some great forms of digital communication. There was texting with Erin and Jim; then Julie emailed me to tell me she'd talked to her sister Dianne about me. Dianne is an editor in Boston, so I was excited about hearing from her. I definitely appreciated it. During our texting, Jim agreed to host a spontaneous Arrested Development marathon for whoever I invited to come.
I had a great phone conversation with my college friend Micheal, who never fails to cheer me up and encourage me. It was so great exchanging advice and updates, and I was soooo excited that he might visit me later on this summer!!!!
The best part? I didn't even have to use facebook to make all these friend connections ;)
Day Fifty-Seven (Friday, Apr. 9)
I wanted to be sure I did not start my day with technology, so I ate breakfast on the balcony as I read the Bible and wrote out my thoughts. It was the perfect start to the day. There's such a huge difference starting it that way versus the internet, like I too often do, ugh.
So, after taking advantage of the beach and hot tub, I got a great email from Julie's sister Dianne, giving me advice about how to get into publishing. Then, I chatted with Pete via gchat about the Arrested Development marathon. Oh man, if he weren't overseas, it would have been so cool to have him there, what with his many ideas to spice up the party. For instance, he said anyone who made their car so it could handle hop-ons should win a contest or that I should provide prison jumpsuits. I was tempted to bring a journal that read "Bob Loblaw's Law Blog" for people to write their favorite references in (but didn't). So, though I knew I wouldn't bring timosil to relax people, wear fake eyebrows that fall off at times, or offer massages, I was excited about the marathon.
But I was even more excited about that night because Erin invited me to go out dancing, saying she'd pick me up, since I didn't have a car. So, later that night, she, Liz, and Jon came to pick me up and we met Veer and some of his friends at downtown Fort Lauderdale for drinks. I got some great advice from Jon about one of my options for the future. Then we went to Off the Hookah to dance! And oh. My. Gosh. It was so fun! After watching a belly dancer do her thing, we five finally started dancing. I didn't think I was in the mood to dance, but as it turns out, I was very wrong. I had SO much fun. I danced for all but 10 minutes; and we were there until 2am. LOL and my "boyfriend" came outta nowhere...Right Erin?
But all good things must come to an end, so Liz and I took off, ate some subs, then yelled at some guys who were cat-calling us. One of my favorites was, "We're God's creations! We're someone's daughters!" LOL it was oddly fun.
Day Fifty-Eight (Saturday, Apr. 10)
The day was filled with mixed events and emotions. There was no beach, but full on sun poisoning, the Arrested Development (AD) marathon & Bluth Bananas, as well as a wake up call.
It's funny how everyday BUT Saturday seemed to be sunny out. Oh well, it was just as well since I got sun poisoning. LOL apparently that's what happens when you spend far too much time in the sun without applying sunscreen more than once. Who knew?
The AD fest was fun, especially since Jaclyn made Bluth Bananas for everyone. (I'm talking melted Ghirardelli chocolate and colored sprinkles, then put in the freezer for that X-factor touch.) There were those who had never seen AD before and others who were devoted fans. Before I got there, Jim offered to order 3 pizzas for people. What a great host! That was the perfect addition because some people hadn't eaten dinner.
As was the theme since March 31st, I had more convictions, revelations, and wake-up calls. (Yes, I realize they're all pretty much the same thing; but these various happenings felt so diverse.) Around 10:30, the marathon came to an end, and I just felt compelled to drive up and down AIA for about an hour with the top down on my dad's car, and listening to both rock and heartwarming music. It was SO therapeutic. It was partly to reflect on a phone conversation I had earlier in the day with a friend.
Have you ever had a lesson-waiting-to-be-learned stare you straight in the face one day? It's like I'd been aware of this one particular truth for most of my life, but it actually only came alive after talking to this friend. The moment I realized what I had been blinding myself to, it was like everything had changed for me. I started contemplating various next-step ventures, which were really exciting.
I mentioned Ugly Betty for my first blogpost, and that show again becomes very applicable. The second to last episode (ever!) made an impression on me. (Oh, and DO NOT read the following paragraph if you haven't seen it and want to see still.)
In this episode, Betty and Henry, her first love reunite for Hilda and Bobby's wedding. He was moving back to New York for a big-shot job. However, Betty was offered an opportunity to move to London to start a magazine ("A New Yorker with a younger voice") with one of the world's top magazine publishers. But, she wasn't sure what she was going to do. Well, Henry has a young son and on their breakfast date, they clashed, oddly enough. While considering a relationship with Henry again, Betty's good friend Daniel Meade got mad at her for moving backwards in her life. She was trying to force things.
That episode sobered me up, because though it doesn't fully apply to me, it did remind me that I was putting things on hold for one reason or another. I once passed up studying overseas in Thailand my junior year in college. My reason? I wanted to be with my friends. *Sigh* I regret that decision from time to time. I'm not saying it was the absolute wrong choice, but I was far too in the moment. Now, I have about 5 different opportunities to pursue amazing next-step options for my life. They're all very diverse and no doors have been shut yet. I'm praying and trying to decipher what it is that God wants me to do. Ugh, I wish I were better at doing that.
Day Fifty-Nine (Sunday, Apr. 11)
It was a far more low-key day of good things (and no bad things, in case you thought I meant there was mostly bad things).
Church was incredible. I'm always blown away by the humble sermons that Pastor Tullian delivers, and that was especially true of this day's sermon. I took 6 pages of notes, and wanted to share a few key moments in the sermon.
"Most people reject the Gospel because they think Christianity is all about rules, regulations, and cleaning yourself up. They might think they're not good enough."
"A lot of people think Christianity is about a good Man preaching to good people so they can become better people."
"We often think repentance is repenting when we do something really bad. But not only must we repent of our dirty rags, but we have to repent of our 'good deeds' or so-called righteousness. Even the good things we do are not as good as we think. We need to repent of our goodness as well as our badness."
Yes, the above seems odd. If I have any readers, it's possible I got a few "booooo"'s. But Tullian had such great points. It can partly be summed up by the following:
"Get people innoculated by letting them think they can be good, polite people. You don't need God for that...They have enough of a good thing to be immune from hearing Jesus preached. Anyone can be 'good'."
"Legalism says we gain approval by upholding certain values and standards. Whether you're performing to be good for God OR the world, it's still you relying on you! When we do this, we are trying to do it on our own."
"We know the world is chaos and devastation, so we impose legalistic expectations on ourselves and others so as to avoid the chaos and pain."
"We are all guilty of adding to Jesus. (i.e. We need Jesus AND success. We need Jesus AND others.)"
"Rules make us feel safe. Therefore it becomes our substitute God."
"Don't let your standards become your shackles, because when you do, you kill your relationship with Christ."
Just stop to think about some of that. My pastor was right on and spoke so much needed truth for me. Afterwards, a big group of us went to Panera Bread for lunch. I had intended to go home for lunch, but am glad I changed my plans. It was so good socializing with friends after a great sermon. Nothing of real note happened there, but I was happy. I love these people. One of my favorite things is that when people say goodbye, it's like you're parting ways for a month, what with the hearty hugs and goodbyes. It easily makes one feel like a celebrity. I love it :)
Haha, I also have to thank Karl for helping me discover yet another reason to love Neil Patrick Harris: "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog." I did this while researching some publishing houses in the country and also chatting on gmail with Andrea who was still out of the country for her job.
So, that was my homage to my freedom from my former employer, Omar.
Laurs, out.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Days 47-52 (Mar. 30 to Apr. 4): Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Jupiter
Although it's emotionally exhausting to pour so much thought and time into recalling things from a month ago, I love doing it. It brings back good memories, and it also helps me learn from foresight. So here Round 3 goes:
Note: I had just finished writing a really detailed rendition of this post when I finally posted it. Then way OVER HALF of it got erased. Grrrrrr! Oh well, sometimes round 2 of edits are better than the first anyway. Sigh, so here it goes.
Erin, her friend Lisa, and I all went to Miami to visit Vizcaya Museum. Erin told me it's a great spot for pictures, and she was completely right. Oh man, it was so good!
Note: I had just finished writing a really detailed rendition of this post when I finally posted it. Then way OVER HALF of it got erased. Grrrrrr! Oh well, sometimes round 2 of edits are better than the first anyway. Sigh, so here it goes.
Day Forty-Seven (Tuesday, March 30)
After work, I met up with a friend who urgently wanted to talk to me. We hadn't spoken for a bit, due to various reasons. So, we met at Starbucks and sat outside to talk. It was an emotional talk but in a good way. I appreciate when people level with me and when they help me become a better version of myself. That's what this friend of mine did for me. That takes guts (and prayer).
Afterwards, I had a brief chat with another friend before I took off for Bible Study. Since then, Pete and I have become better friends. I mention this tidbit because it's interesting how various friendships form. The first couple times we met, we barely talked but now it's been cool getting to know him.
It was an interesting sendoff to Bible Study after that. The best part, I slept so well that night! I actually fell asleep by 11pm. That is RARE! (And nice.)
Day Forty-Eight (Wednesday, March 31)
This was the day of 3 lessons. They were all hard ones. (That's what she said.)
In the morning, I did something selfish that left someone in the lurch. I didn't even think of how I could make it easier for this person, but just did what benefitted me. As a result, she got in trouble with someone. Fortunately, she let me have it for that. I say fortunately because it made me think and really try to think of ways to never do it again. That moment of tension really made an impression on me and I'm actually thankful for it. Not thankful for it happening, because I wish I could have spared this person the pain and consequences of my actions, but at least they didn't timidly let me get away with it, you know? It was difficult to part ways on bad terms though...
I have no real transition to go from the last thought...so here it goes without a transition:
In the morning, I did something selfish that left someone in the lurch. I didn't even think of how I could make it easier for this person, but just did what benefitted me. As a result, she got in trouble with someone. Fortunately, she let me have it for that. I say fortunately because it made me think and really try to think of ways to never do it again. That moment of tension really made an impression on me and I'm actually thankful for it. Not thankful for it happening, because I wish I could have spared this person the pain and consequences of my actions, but at least they didn't timidly let me get away with it, you know? It was difficult to part ways on bad terms though...
I have no real transition to go from the last thought...so here it goes without a transition:
Erin, her friend Lisa, and I all went to Miami to visit Vizcaya Museum. Erin told me it's a great spot for pictures, and she was completely right. Oh man, it was so good!
Everyone was doing their Quincinera (sp?) photoshoot there, that day! This was a particularly sassy 15-year old LOL. I love how she's spinning her rose for the picture.
Cave lined with shells.
There were a couple of magazine photography crews there. I guess they were doing a spread.
A really nice group of people were posing and we took their picture for them. Then they did the same for us. Oh so fun! This is my favorite of the day!
This is my favorite non-people picture of the day. Isn't it breathtaking??
It was really cool being able to hang out with them. After we were done there, we drove to a shopping area, parked, then looked for the perfect place to eat. We decided on a cute French cafe and it was so cute! The woman had a thick French accent and was adorable. It was the perfect way to end our little adventure.
I had to note that on the drive to Miami, the person who I'd wronged called me up to make quick amends and tell me she cared about me. It really meant a lot.
Lesson #2 came in the form of really good car conversations with Erin. I really enjoy her straight-up personality and appreciated something in particular she told me that I hadn't really known before. It made me do some thinking on a topic I had already been getting convicted about 2 or 3 times in the proceeding days. God must really have wanted to get my attention in this department, and I'm soooo grateful He did! Ugh, I hate knowing I was carrying on a really painful tendency. Gag. Mysterious I know.
Another thing that helped drive in lesson #2 was when I went home and checked my facebook. I had recently friended someone and written on his wall. I also friended another person and both had either turned down my friendship request or defriended me! That hit and hurt deeply. But it also served as a wakeup call for more reasons than I want to list. It was mostly a good thing though, because it made me do some MAJOR thinking and even some, cheesy as it is to say, soul-searching.
The third important lessons came into play when I heard James Barnett talk to a group of us outside of Starbucks on the patio. He's a young guy who was in the height of his career when he decided to give away all his possessions and move into a van that he travels from city to city in. He ministers to the homeless in particular, but really anyone who is needy. He just decided one day that he wanted to be more like Jesus, and to do so, he would spend time with the needy, ministering to them for the Kingdom of God. Wow.
James was not what I expected. When Andrea told me about him, I didn't picture him being as good with people as he was! He's a very charismatic person with a great sense of humor and deeply rooted confidence as well as humility. As he pointed out, Jesus didn't socialize with elites or socially acceptable; instead, He spent His time with the homeless, widows, the sick, orphaned, and untouchables of society. The terrifying thing James brought up was that some of us THINK we're Christians, yet when we die, God could very well tell us He doesn't know us! Yeah...James definitely gave me a lot to think about.
I spent some time inside Starbucks after that, and did some thinking. When I got in the car to drive home, the tears came in hoards. Maybe that's crass to mention, but I needed the cry fest. There was just so much that happened and that I needed to experience throughout the day. I'm really grateful for it.
I had to note that on the drive to Miami, the person who I'd wronged called me up to make quick amends and tell me she cared about me. It really meant a lot.
Lesson #2 came in the form of really good car conversations with Erin. I really enjoy her straight-up personality and appreciated something in particular she told me that I hadn't really known before. It made me do some thinking on a topic I had already been getting convicted about 2 or 3 times in the proceeding days. God must really have wanted to get my attention in this department, and I'm soooo grateful He did! Ugh, I hate knowing I was carrying on a really painful tendency. Gag. Mysterious I know.
Another thing that helped drive in lesson #2 was when I went home and checked my facebook. I had recently friended someone and written on his wall. I also friended another person and both had either turned down my friendship request or defriended me! That hit and hurt deeply. But it also served as a wakeup call for more reasons than I want to list. It was mostly a good thing though, because it made me do some MAJOR thinking and even some, cheesy as it is to say, soul-searching.
The third important lessons came into play when I heard James Barnett talk to a group of us outside of Starbucks on the patio. He's a young guy who was in the height of his career when he decided to give away all his possessions and move into a van that he travels from city to city in. He ministers to the homeless in particular, but really anyone who is needy. He just decided one day that he wanted to be more like Jesus, and to do so, he would spend time with the needy, ministering to them for the Kingdom of God. Wow.
James was not what I expected. When Andrea told me about him, I didn't picture him being as good with people as he was! He's a very charismatic person with a great sense of humor and deeply rooted confidence as well as humility. As he pointed out, Jesus didn't socialize with elites or socially acceptable; instead, He spent His time with the homeless, widows, the sick, orphaned, and untouchables of society. The terrifying thing James brought up was that some of us THINK we're Christians, yet when we die, God could very well tell us He doesn't know us! Yeah...James definitely gave me a lot to think about.
I spent some time inside Starbucks after that, and did some thinking. When I got in the car to drive home, the tears came in hoards. Maybe that's crass to mention, but I needed the cry fest. There was just so much that happened and that I needed to experience throughout the day. I'm really grateful for it.
Day Forty-Nine (Thursday, April 1)
There are no good April Fools pranks to report on here.
The following can be categorized in a few departments, whether good, bad, or undecided. My now-former boss Omar called me first thing in the morning (at work) since he wasn't coming in for the day. He told me that he wanted to offer me the opportunity to become a full-time version of what I was at the time. (I was a part-time office assistant.) This seems like a no brainer, right? Well, he said that if I accepted, I would have to do anything he wanted me to. Ummmm. At one point he wanted me to do his personal taxes (instead of his CPA) but I objected and even got my way on that issue. (He hired someone to do that for a few days.) He told me that if I took the role, I would have to do what he wanted, no matter what.
I told him I needed time to think, but I instantly knew my answer. I suspected that he wouldn't give me a pay raise or any benefits. I also suspected that he would "encourage" me to leave the moment I turned it down. So I decided to wait for Monday.
Though I'd been wanting to quit for awhile, it was still a bummer to know I would be getting no more more paychecks. So I was feeling kinda down for awhile there. However, then I got a text from my friend Danny which lifted my spirits. Just a simple "Hey! How are ya?" did the trick. Throughout the day, I had some great convos with 3 great people: Rebecca, Danny, and Karl. Thank God for friends who do random things at much-needed moments. I even had a heart-to-heart texting session with Rebecca at Borders later that day, haha.
My dear childhood friend Karl agreed to help keep me accountable about my 6 month "fast" from romance. Haha, not that I have any prospects, but I've spent much of my life - if I'm going to be completely honest - dreaming about one guy or another. The day before, amidst my many convictions, I realized that I need to pour more of that energy into my relationship with God.
There are no good April Fools pranks to report on here.
The following can be categorized in a few departments, whether good, bad, or undecided. My now-former boss Omar called me first thing in the morning (at work) since he wasn't coming in for the day. He told me that he wanted to offer me the opportunity to become a full-time version of what I was at the time. (I was a part-time office assistant.) This seems like a no brainer, right? Well, he said that if I accepted, I would have to do anything he wanted me to. Ummmm. At one point he wanted me to do his personal taxes (instead of his CPA) but I objected and even got my way on that issue. (He hired someone to do that for a few days.) He told me that if I took the role, I would have to do what he wanted, no matter what.
I told him I needed time to think, but I instantly knew my answer. I suspected that he wouldn't give me a pay raise or any benefits. I also suspected that he would "encourage" me to leave the moment I turned it down. So I decided to wait for Monday.
Though I'd been wanting to quit for awhile, it was still a bummer to know I would be getting no more more paychecks. So I was feeling kinda down for awhile there. However, then I got a text from my friend Danny which lifted my spirits. Just a simple "Hey! How are ya?" did the trick. Throughout the day, I had some great convos with 3 great people: Rebecca, Danny, and Karl. Thank God for friends who do random things at much-needed moments. I even had a heart-to-heart texting session with Rebecca at Borders later that day, haha.
My dear childhood friend Karl agreed to help keep me accountable about my 6 month "fast" from romance. Haha, not that I have any prospects, but I've spent much of my life - if I'm going to be completely honest - dreaming about one guy or another. The day before, amidst my many convictions, I realized that I need to pour more of that energy into my relationship with God.
Day Fifty (Good Friday, April 2)
I never know whether to say "Happy Good Friday!" or "It's Good Friday." Regardless, I deeply appreciate this day. The things Jesus went through for our sake blows my mind. I know a lot of people write God off as cruel, but if they knew what Jesus went through just so we could go to Heaven, they'd see Him differently.
I didn't do a whole lot, since I had the day off. Some things that stand out are my conversations online with both Pete and Karl. (I love gchat!) Among many great conversations with Pete, he helped me get more familiar with Amos Lee's music, as well as introduced me to Ray LaMontagne, whose song, "You Are The Best Thing" I became instantly obsessed with! He has such a hauntingly beautiful voice!
The day before, amid my high from multiple convictions, I emailed Karl to ask him a guy question. (Over the years, we've talked to each other about the opposite sex to get another perspective on them. We've become each other's Relationship/Opposite Sex Guru's. He's helped me innumerable times in this department.) I told him not to pull any punches but just to tell me what I needed to hear. So he did. He asked me a series of great questions, including, "Do you believe God is in complete control?" and "How much do you trust God?" The series of emails we exchanged were brilliant! He helped me pinpoint things I had been floundering to know the answer to for YEARS! I think God knew that I wouldn't have been receptive to it until now though. I'm just so glad I know them now.
I spent a great day on the beach. There's something so relaxing about going solo on the beach that I love! It was gorgeous outside and I had several good convos there, including with my book editing employer. I also went back and forth with both Pete and Danny about where to all meet up before the concert. Danny said anything but Sushi and without knowing this about Danny, Pete, said he and his friend were going to Sushi Rock for dinner, if we wanted to join them. LOL well, I asked Danny how he felt about it and he, being the team player he is, said both he and his friend Ben would meet us there in Las Olas.
Dinner ended up being perfect! We all five got along so well! It was Pete and his (female) friend Cris who was visiting from California, me, Danny, and his friend Ben. Others had planned to come, but had to back out for whatever reason. We five all had fun laughing, talking, and high-fiving. (Haha, Cris brought on the high-fiving and it kinda became our thing.)
We ate outside and whenever a car would run over the sign that had fallen, it made a huge, annoying noise. I got tired of it and went over to move it so the madness would stop. Too bad it was really heavy. Fortunately, Ben, a mutual fan of Rascal Flatts, ran over to help me move it. I hadn't met either Cris or Ben before, but both were really great people! It was nice to all instantly get along. Oh, and can I just add that Ben reminded me SO much of Jeremy Piven. His voice was an exact match! And I was a fan of his tendency to exaggerate funny stories. LOL reminds me of how much I love exaggerating.
Afterwards, we all went to the Culture Club to see Amos Lee. It took him awhile to show up, which was okay since it was fun just socializing with each other. I even ran into a friend, Lindsey.
Let me tell ya, Amos Lee really is amazing in concert! He is so cute the way he addresses the crowds and thanks them for their support. I loved his music, especially "Sweet Pea." (Yes, I know I know, that's a cliche song to like, but I don't care!) It was a great show.
Afterwards, Pete, Cris, and I all got to meet Amos. They had warned me that he does NOT like getting his picture taken, but I guess a lot happens in a year. Whereas he freaked out when Pete and Andrea tried to get a picture with him, this year he took pictures with fans who waited their turn to do so. I may not have been at all photogenic that day, but WHO CARES?? I got a picture with someone whose music I now like!!
It really was a perfect Saturday. I'm so grateful for fun, interesting, and quality friends like these (and others.)
There are so many things to be grateful about this day. For one thing, Jesus rose again, giving us hope to one day join Him in Heaven when our time comes. For another, Pastor Tullian gave a GREAT sermon entitled "Restoration of Shalom." He reminded the congregation of a lot of important things. Here are a few meaningful notes to me:
"Every human being longs for Christ, whether they know it. There just isn't quite enough without Him. Things aren't quite right."
"God didn't create a broken world. We disobeyed. We decided we wanted to be our own gods."
"It's popular to view God as a popular "Nice Guy" Who doesn't really care what sins we have since everyone sins. He (or the version we create), is a pushover..."
"Jesus lived the life we couldn't live; He died the death we should have died."
"Mothers endure a great physical pain in childbirth because they know with each painful contraction, new life is promised."
Wow, incredible right? He's so right on each week and I'm thankful God brought me to this church! I also enjoyed sharing it with my friends/brothers and sisters in Christ. I enjoyed getting to sit with Ryan, Pete, and Laura during the service. It's so nice to sing praises and hymns with people you spend your weekends with, you know?
For another thing, it was a GORGEOUS day outside. It really puts one in the mood for Easter, you know? (Though, I think God's gift to us does that moreso ;) haha.)
Shortly after service, Ally and I drove to Jupiter to celebrate Easter with my parents and the Shoemakers. We had a great drive up talking and getting to know each other further. When we got there, we ate the most amazing meal! Oh man, it was so good! She and I also enjoyed - as is habit WHENEVER we hang out - taking pictures together. I LOVE THAT!!
.JPG)
After dessert (Oh, the dessert...) Ally and I got changed to go swim in the pool and take a dip in the jacuzzi. Thus began session 2 of our picture session :)
.JPG)
LOL accompanying our many fabulous photoshoots, we did 5 "Hot Tub Confession" videos that we both got a huge kick out of. (i.e. "Worst date" "Embarrassing moment" "Travel story") It was a packed and fun day. Even the drive back to Fort Lauderdale was amazing! She videoed and took pictures while I drove. We got a kick out of trying to sing along to songs whose words we didn't fully know, and just jamming to them, including Jason Derulo's "Whatcha Say.")
.JPG)
It was a wonderful Easter, with lots of driving. (Yes, I provided a link here of something that was written on April 6th. Alli referenced this day in her blog, which is why I have done so.)
Since this was the case, I decided to skip out on the barbecue at Eric's house. I got to instead just relax at home before my day of quitting. (My parents were still in Jupiter hanging with the Shoemakers.) It was a good ending to my wonderful Easter weekend.
I didn't do a whole lot, since I had the day off. Some things that stand out are my conversations online with both Pete and Karl. (I love gchat!) Among many great conversations with Pete, he helped me get more familiar with Amos Lee's music, as well as introduced me to Ray LaMontagne, whose song, "You Are The Best Thing" I became instantly obsessed with! He has such a hauntingly beautiful voice!
The day before, amid my high from multiple convictions, I emailed Karl to ask him a guy question. (Over the years, we've talked to each other about the opposite sex to get another perspective on them. We've become each other's Relationship/Opposite Sex Guru's. He's helped me innumerable times in this department.) I told him not to pull any punches but just to tell me what I needed to hear. So he did. He asked me a series of great questions, including, "Do you believe God is in complete control?" and "How much do you trust God?" The series of emails we exchanged were brilliant! He helped me pinpoint things I had been floundering to know the answer to for YEARS! I think God knew that I wouldn't have been receptive to it until now though. I'm just so glad I know them now.
Day Fifty-One (Saturday, April 3)
Dinner ended up being perfect! We all five got along so well! It was Pete and his (female) friend Cris who was visiting from California, me, Danny, and his friend Ben. Others had planned to come, but had to back out for whatever reason. We five all had fun laughing, talking, and high-fiving. (Haha, Cris brought on the high-fiving and it kinda became our thing.)
We ate outside and whenever a car would run over the sign that had fallen, it made a huge, annoying noise. I got tired of it and went over to move it so the madness would stop. Too bad it was really heavy. Fortunately, Ben, a mutual fan of Rascal Flatts, ran over to help me move it. I hadn't met either Cris or Ben before, but both were really great people! It was nice to all instantly get along. Oh, and can I just add that Ben reminded me SO much of Jeremy Piven. His voice was an exact match! And I was a fan of his tendency to exaggerate funny stories. LOL reminds me of how much I love exaggerating.
Afterwards, we all went to the Culture Club to see Amos Lee. It took him awhile to show up, which was okay since it was fun just socializing with each other. I even ran into a friend, Lindsey.
Let me tell ya, Amos Lee really is amazing in concert! He is so cute the way he addresses the crowds and thanks them for their support. I loved his music, especially "Sweet Pea." (Yes, I know I know, that's a cliche song to like, but I don't care!) It was a great show.
Afterwards, Pete, Cris, and I all got to meet Amos. They had warned me that he does NOT like getting his picture taken, but I guess a lot happens in a year. Whereas he freaked out when Pete and Andrea tried to get a picture with him, this year he took pictures with fans who waited their turn to do so. I may not have been at all photogenic that day, but WHO CARES?? I got a picture with someone whose music I now like!!
I was in the middle for most of the concert.
It was packed in there! Everyone stood for the concert, but it was worth it.
My later view from the back.
Lining up.
Pete standing next to Amos.
Nope, neither of us looks good LOL.
LOL if you use a stretched imagination, this is Pete and me posing with our good buddy Amos Lee.
It really was a perfect Saturday. I'm so grateful for fun, interesting, and quality friends like these (and others.)
Fifty-Two (Easter Sunday, April 4)
"Every human being longs for Christ, whether they know it. There just isn't quite enough without Him. Things aren't quite right."
"God didn't create a broken world. We disobeyed. We decided we wanted to be our own gods."
"It's popular to view God as a popular "Nice Guy" Who doesn't really care what sins we have since everyone sins. He (or the version we create), is a pushover..."
"Jesus lived the life we couldn't live; He died the death we should have died."
"Mothers endure a great physical pain in childbirth because they know with each painful contraction, new life is promised."
Wow, incredible right? He's so right on each week and I'm thankful God brought me to this church! I also enjoyed sharing it with my friends/brothers and sisters in Christ. I enjoyed getting to sit with Ryan, Pete, and Laura during the service. It's so nice to sing praises and hymns with people you spend your weekends with, you know?
For another thing, it was a GORGEOUS day outside. It really puts one in the mood for Easter, you know? (Though, I think God's gift to us does that moreso ;) haha.)
Shortly after service, Ally and I drove to Jupiter to celebrate Easter with my parents and the Shoemakers. We had a great drive up talking and getting to know each other further. When we got there, we ate the most amazing meal! Oh man, it was so good! She and I also enjoyed - as is habit WHENEVER we hang out - taking pictures together. I LOVE THAT!!
.JPG)
We legitimately (at least I did) lost balance during these shots.
Wrong date.
Group picture.
After dessert (Oh, the dessert...) Ally and I got changed to go swim in the pool and take a dip in the jacuzzi. Thus began session 2 of our picture session :)
Pool couch!
.JPG)
LOL accompanying our many fabulous photoshoots, we did 5 "Hot Tub Confession" videos that we both got a huge kick out of. (i.e. "Worst date" "Embarrassing moment" "Travel story") It was a packed and fun day. Even the drive back to Fort Lauderdale was amazing! She videoed and took pictures while I drove. We got a kick out of trying to sing along to songs whose words we didn't fully know, and just jamming to them, including Jason Derulo's "Whatcha Say.")
.JPG)
It was a wonderful Easter, with lots of driving. (Yes, I provided a link here of something that was written on April 6th. Alli referenced this day in her blog, which is why I have done so.)
Since this was the case, I decided to skip out on the barbecue at Eric's house. I got to instead just relax at home before my day of quitting. (My parents were still in Jupiter hanging with the Shoemakers.) It was a good ending to my wonderful Easter weekend.
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