Day 30: My New Job As A Photographer's Assistant and My Blonde Highlights

Day Thirty
Today was a dream come true. As I mentioned for yesterday's events, I got to meet Monica Dyer, a photographer. Monica said to go to Constitution Park in Deerfield Beach at 4:15 but I aimed for 4:00pm. As it turned out, she gave me the wrong link for how to get there, but it wasn't far off, and I ended up finding it right away, even without a Garmin GPS! (That in itself thrilled me!) It was fun being there for the photoshoot of a very good looking couple. (They're not engaged, but just wanted pictures together.)

I learned a lot of basic stuff, like how to shade the couple so the sun didn't get in the way of a good shot. I learned other things I don't know the name of yet LOL; I definitely have a lot to learn. One of my favorite moments was when Monica complimented me for reminding HER to do certain things (respectfully of course). After about an hour, we drove to Deerfield Beach. We were there for an hour and the beach shots were so fun! Actually, it all was. I'm not even sure if I liked the beach or park setting better because they were both so fun!

Here's what I know: I was at the beach, helping a (really good) photographer out in my bare feet, with the ocean in the background. The constant thought circulating throughout that time (at the park and the beach) was how this was undoubtedly the best day of "work" I had ever experienced. It was largely an observational day, but I get paid, and for something I would gladly have done for free! (Only because I'm interested in being a photographer someday, yet need to learn a lot.)

I was there for about 2 hours for that session and it went by so fast! I've already learned a ton! AND I'M HIRED!!! Monica said she likes me a lot and that she could tell by my initial phonecall that I was good with people and would make a good assistant. She said she really decided it when I emailed her my information and what I'm looking for in a job with her.

I have another photoshoot tomorrow at 5pm and I'm so excited about it! It's going to be a flexible schedule so that whenever she gets clients who want to have a session, she will let me know right away, and if I can't do it, no problem since she has other photographer friends who have been helping her out when needed. She says she wants me to have another job so that I'm not depending on her for income (though she's paying me generously).

We really made a connection and she even hugged me afterwards. Oh yeah! And she told me that a lot of people tend to call and ask if they can have a job, but with me, she could just tell I would make a good assistant. OH MY GOSH!!!!

This is yet another direct answer to prayer. I don't understand why God has been blessing me so much since coming to Florida! All I know is that I'm awestruck and thankful beyond words. I could cry, laugh, and do a happy dance all at once!

A shoutout goes to some guy I don't know at Starbucks. After dinner with my friend Allison at Moe's Southwest Grill, we went to Starbucks for more precious one-on-one time. When we walked in, a guy who was facing my way (as I approached the barrista) randomly said, "I like your highlights." It didn't register at first that he meant me, but when it did, I raised my eyebrows in surprise and thanked him. He followed up with, "You're gorgeous," which of course was the perfect cherry on top to my day.

Laurs, out.

Day 29 (Friday, Mar. 12): Job Leads, Tim Burton, and A Secret Admirer

Day Twenty-Nine (Friday, March 12)
There are countless ways that Friday was an incredible and unforgettable day. For one thing, I had the day off. For another, I used it to the fullest. I spent the day in my PJ's, but don't let that fool you my friend. While in my jammies, I googled then called employers I wanted to work with. I took the advice of my photographer contact and googled "Fort Lauderdale Photographers" then made calls. Well, I should say, made a call. The first person I called was Monica Dyer of Monica Dyer Photography. I introduced myself and cut right to the chase, asking if she had any openings for jobs. She asked what I was looking for and I told her I wanted to break into the photography world, though I'd only taken one Photo I class in college a few years ago. She let me continue with the fact that I take an absurd amount of pictures and decided to turn my casual passion into a job I could get paid for. She then told me that she does need an assistant and would I be available for a photoshoot tomorrow and Sunday. I needed exactly 0 seconds to think about my answer.

I did a jump-up-and-down dance both during and after that phonecall. I also had a deafening battle cry of victory lol. I was THAT happy. Wanna know why?

About 3 days ago, on Tuesday or Wednesday night, I had prayed that God would specifically give me an editing job and photography job by April Fools day. I've been getting more and more focused in what I want to do with my life, and that was an extension of that. So, only 2 or 3 days later, God answered my prayer with a big fat "Okay." And only on my FIRST phone conversation with a photographer! And she pays me WAY more than my current boss does!!! (I have to give a shoutout to my friend Nik who prayed over the phone with me that I would get a job perfect for me with better pay.)

Shortly after that phonecall, I googled "Fort Lauderdale Publishers" and made some calls. The first was to Peach Publishing. A woman called me back and asked me why I wanted to work there. After I told her my college and journalism background, she said she shared a similar one and that she thought she might have a few openings for me. I'm going to one of the events next Saturday and will get to meet her. In the meantime, I've emailed my resume and other contact info.

It seemed fitting to celebrate these two not-so-small things, which was perfect since Friday night's 8:10PM showing of "Alice in Wonderland" was soon here. There were 27 people who used the IMAX 3-D tickets Zach bought in advance. It was SOLD out! We were a little close to the screen, but other than that, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience! It was way better than I thought it'd be. I loved the actress who played Alice, and the Chesshire cat was probably my favorite character. Oh yeah, and it still cracks me up that Crispin Glover (of "Back to the Future" fame) was in it. He was good too! His goofy voice was non-existent, which alone I have to applaud him for.

Here's the first of two good deeds for the day. When I got there and went to park my car in the garage, I was $3 short. I called Zach to ask what I should do, and he said he'd meet me out there. He spotted me more than enough money and I was able to park and make it in time to socialize before the movie. Zach is one of the nicest guy I've met in Fort Lauderdale. I'm so blessed to know and be friends with him.

Afterwards, we went to an Irish Pub called The Fields for some food and drinks. Two more people joined us who hadn't been at the movie, so that was fun too. It was a gorgeous night out and most of us sat outside for our meal. I wasn't really feelin' the Fish and Chips, but ordered my favorite drink (White Russian).

Here's the kicker: At the end of the night when our bill arrived, I was at a different table socializing with other people. People told me that I didn't owe any money, and I was super confused. Then they said the waiter hadn't charged me for my drink or food. When I tried to get Eric (the lone guy at our table of women) to show me, he wouldn't for awhile. When I finally looked, it indeed said $0.00 for my White Russian. So, it wasn't like our waiter just forgot to put it on there. He actually showed that he knew what he was doing. I couldn't find my fish and chips meal on there either, but then again, Eric for some reason wouldn't let me see the bill for very long. Haha, not sure what his strategy there was. All I know is that it made me really shy in front of the waiter after that. People told me I should wink at him or something, but I seriously didn't know how to act LOL.

Oh man, Friday was an enormously huge day for me and I'm so thankful for it!

Days 22-28 (Mar. 5-11): Catching Up / No, I Have Not Quit

No, I have not quit this blog. I was tempted to in the week that I wasn't writing, but then I remembered that one of the reasons I started this blog was to stay committed and see something through. So, that's why this is a catch-up session. Here I go.

Day Twenty-Two (Friday, March 5)

Working on my off-day wasn't too bad, and then I got to rejoin Scott and Dan back at home. In honor of Scott's roadtrip to Hollywood, we had our family friends, the Shoemakers over for dinner. I thought it was super cute when my brother gave them a gift to thank them for their friendship. Just having them here was incredibly soothing and nostalgic. I love that family! (I wish Cristian and Nathan had been there though, instead of off in Singapore and Morocco lol.)

The other sweet thing, which follows throughout Scott and Dan's time together, was how (overall) great they were about letting me take an insane amount of pictures together. They hate it now, but they will all thank me endlessly later. This I know.

The protesting begins

Gathering to pray around him as a send-off

lol

The Shoemakers, some of Scotty's biggest supporters

 

I rediscovered my Converse shoes and took an obsessive amount of pictures with them

Day 23 – Saturday, March 6

I managed to get the day off from attending Omar's seminar in order to see my brother and friend off. However, the coolest thing is that they decided last minute to stay an extra day and go to church with us before they started on their roadtrip.

I had such a good time with the boys, including when we used a cup to stereo-fy Dan's iphone. We then played music when people would walk by us and see if they fell in beat with the appropriate expression and attitude. LOL and a lot of them did!! 

Dan came through for my others-good-deeds moment. My brother and I are VERY comfortable together when we're around certain people, such as Dan, so we sometimes fight in front of him. It's never all that serious (not usually anyway) but I guess Dan REALLY hates it. I never knew how much. So, when we were in our lounge chairs, he pleaded with us to stop because he was on Spring Break and wanted to enjoy himself. He then came up with a compromise we could both agree on, and that helped create peace. 

See what I mean about them appreciating what I do after all? :) 

Lastly, we had dinner at Bonefish. We were told it'd be an hour wait, but a waiter named Josh randomly invited us to avoid the wait. He said that there was an outdoor section of the restaurant if we wanted to go there. That was a no-brainer, especially since it was nice outside. This was 10 minutes into our wait. I guess not everyone wants to sit outside. I can understand that in Illinois, but in Florida? Those people totally missed out! As I said, it was gorgeous outside and the atmosphere in the tented area was REALLY sophisticated and pleasantly atmospheric.

Seriously, Josh is the best waiter I've ever had. He was so enthusiastic, upbeat, professional, great with people, and energetic among other things. Yeah, he made me think being a waiter would be fun! (A thought I never have.)

A candid shot of my movie star brother.

Day 24 – Sunday, March 7

Sadly, Scott's last day in Florida was soon here. So much of me didn't want to embrace this reality, but it was (and still is) an exciting day.

I agreed to go to Mom and Dad's church at Calvary in order for all 5 of us to be together. It didn't hurt that Lee Strobel was speaking. As expected, it was a great message. Then we went to lunch at our favorite sushi joint, Shinju.

Afterwards, we went to the mall to get one last thing before they took on the road. Afterwards, they all humored me once more for pictures. While we were busy starting the goodbye process, there was a family next to us in the car to our right, who were loading up their car with their purchases. While Dan was snapping a picture of our family, one of the guys stopped loading up their car and offered to take the picture for us so we could all get in it.

Before the guy next to us offered to take a group picture of all 5 of us

...Then he ran off....I miss that camera.

Just kidding. He was merely a good neighbor, not a thief. And I really like how the picture he took of us turned out. Here are some other candid ones while we said our goodbyes.

They already LOOK Hollywood.

Day 25 – Monday, March 8

I'll be honest, it was a TERRIBLE day. Just terrible, for reasons I will not divulge. But it was somewhat salvaged at our first Book Club session at Mariam and Jovanna's house. A great group of women gathered together, some of which had never met each other. We started our discussion on the book "Lies Women Believe: And the Truth That Sets Them Free." I am soooo excited to get to know these women and to get a lot out of the book.

Day 26 – Tuesday, March 9

Sadly, we had to cancel Bible study. As a gentle compromise, we all met at Chik-Fil-A to fellowship. I've never eaten there before, so that was a first. (Well, there was one time in Junior High where I might have had something from there, but I totally don't remember it. I don't even know if that's an actual memory.) I enjoyed the "Strawberry Explosion" as one of the employees described the Strawberry Shake. I also enjoyed the conversation with some wonderful women. Some cool developments even began, which I'm REALLY excited about! Again, due to sensitive information, I can't talk to much about it, but it's in the good news category.  

           

Day 27 – Wednesday, March 10

I love Wednesdays. I don't work either Wednesdays or Fridays and I can't even tell you how great a thing that is. I went to my new family doctor, who gave me a clean bill of health. It'd been about 2 years since my last checkup, so that was a relief. (I found out the next day that my blood tests also came back with no incident.)

I also have to give props to my Mom who let me use her car again. I drive it to work everyday, and one of the (many) reasons I don't work Wednesdays or Fridays is so she can use HER OWN car. She had told me she needed it in the afternoon, but when I called to check in, she said I could use it the rest of the day if I needed it (which I did). After she told me this, I drove to a photographer's office to ask if they had any openings, because I am in need of another source of income. She had just hired someone 2 weeks ago, sadly, but she gave me simple, but needed advice. She told me just to google "Fort Lauderdale Photographers" in order to see what's out there and get my foot in the door. She said that's how her new employee got the job. (I want to pursue my "casual" interest in photography. When we were uploading pics, Dan really encouraged me to pursue photography since I love it so much. That made an impact on me, and I decided to do it.)

Honestly, Wednesday was just FULL of good things. My friend Andrea and I had coffee at a spot I'd never been to, but which is 3 minutes from my home! It's called Undergrounds. It was really fun having much valued one-on-one time. I love that girl and love the way she lovingly challenges me to keep growing as a person.

Afterwards, my college friend Nik gave me a call. I felt bad when Shannee called at the same time :( but hopefully she and I can catch up on Monday. Anyway, Nik was an incredible blessing to me during that hour-long phonecall. We talked about various situations and he asked if I had a minute so he could pray over me. I too prayed for him, and it was just WONDERFUL! It made me miss all my college guy friends, in particular. I'm so grateful for how uplifting and encouraging he was to me. I needed that phonecall in every way.

Day 28 – Thursday, March 11

Yesterday was a mixed day of events. I was late to work, but my boss was pretty nice about it, fortunately. Work was super blah, but it was so nice when I clocked out, with more hours than usual.

Skip ahead to the good stuff. I waited at Starbucks for my friend Liz, and after awhile we relocated to Panera for dinner. We got lost in conversation and were the last people there @ 9:15 or so. Oh. My. Gosh. That woman is a Godsend. I love our conversations and just how real we are with each other. I've missed her because both our schedules have been off in terms of finding time to get together.

And to end this slew of catchup posts, I enjoyed finally talking on the phone with my friend Kevin from Wheaton. It'd been WAY too long! I miss him!! He made me want to go swing dancing again :)


Whew...I'm finally done! I will save today's post for when the day is over. I get to go see "Alice in Wonderland" at the IMAX theater with a bunch of people and am super excited about that. It's just the 2nd week that's it's been in the theater and it's done REALLY well!

Laurs (finally), out.

Day 21 (Thursday, Mar. 4): Unknown Kindnesses and Reciprocation

Day Twenty-One
I'm big into reciprocation, so when my friends do things like call me up to chat, or what have you, it means a lot to me. I had 3 great conversations on the phone yesterday with some great people, and though I used to hate talking on the phone, I enjoy it now.

Interestingly enough, on the way home from work, I was thinking about a friend and how long it's been since she and I really got to chat. I began to really miss her, and then she called me up! It was so fun catching up! We're going to try to get together next week.

My cousin also called me up to see how I was doing, and as always, it was so great talking with her. I've always appreciated how good she is about reciprocating, as well as the way she's always so sweet and uplifting to me. I literally have the best family and relatives in the world. :)

I had been looking forward to going home all day since my long-time friend Dan Berger got in at midnight that day. It was kinda surreal when he was the one to answer the door when I got home. I loved it! The boys were sweet enough to let me tag along for our twilight walk by the pool and on the beach. It was also cool that Dan and I were in agreement that lotsa pictures had to happen, haha.

A personal fave

Proactive Deed for the Day
My friend had some things she asked me to look over for her, and as usual, I enjoyed playing editor a TON! So really, you could say we BOTH were proactive, since she gave me that thrill.

Day 20 (Wednesday, Mar. 3): Proactive Deed Time

Day Twenty
I got the day off and pretty much did nothing but sleep and read. It was amazing! So, when I got a text from my co-worker Elizabeth, asking me if I could come in Friday for a bit to help out before the event, my first reaction was how to say no in a let-her-down-easy kind of way. I mean, my brother leaves on Saturday, so obviously this seemed like the thing to do. However, after talking with my wise family members, I decided to say yes. When I talked on the phone with Elizabeth, she was soooo grateful to me because they really need the extra set of hands, what with Omar's event on Saturday. I'm actually excited about it because I get more money and it's not a bad job. Plus, it's just for part of the day, and that gives Scotty and his best friend Dan time to just hang out the two of them.

Laurs, out.

Day 19: Faraway Observations

Day Nineteen
One of the totally different things about Florida (compared to Illinois) is how much selling activity there is at stoplights. People here are pretty nice about it and I never fail to see at least a few people give money to various "vendors" whether they be people who lost a job, are jobless and pregnant, or whatever.

Today, just as the stoplight turned green, I happened to see someone in a beat up car still in the same place, despite the green light. I wondered what he was waiting for, when he opened his window and stuck his hand up in the air with cash in his hand. He flagged down the man with a sign that read "Just lost a job" (among other things). As I said, the man who gave him some cash was in a beat up car, and unlike many others who are often guilted into giving money, he volunteered pretty forcefully. The best part? This isn't an abnormal sighting.

So, my family ate at a place called Chimas (pronounced Sheemas) in honor of my brother's soon-to-be departure to Hollywood, CA. It was a very nice steakhouse similar to Texas de Brazil. Anyway, there were about 4 parties there who all got sung "Happy Birthday" to. One of the tables next to us loudly requested to have the birthday song sung in Brazilian. There were only 3 servers left (out of the 10 or so who had originally joined to sing in English) by that time, and 2 of the 3 looked suddenly queasy and confused by the request. But the third guy just jumped into it and sang it alone. I love that kind of person!

I also have to say how much I love when people accommodate my picture taking quirks ;) such as tonight with my parents (and brother, who is far more reluctant, lol). When I saw a giant coffee cup randomly placed near the valet outside Chimas, I had to get me some of that. Haha, I love my family.

Laurs, out. 

Day 18: My Boss Feeds My Stomach and Soul (Cheesy As That Is)

Day Eighteen
I think I take it for granted how often my boss takes Elizabeth and me out for lunch, his treat. We ate at 5 Spice in Boca again today and it was bloody fantastic. I hadn't even realized I was hungry until we started eating.

Additionally, Omar was pretty understanding about my having to bow out of the (optional - for me) Saturday event. I told him how my brother is leaving sometime on Saturday and he was overall great about it. Once it was decided I wouldn't be there, he asked me a lot of questions about Scotty (my brother). Having met him, Omar knew how important this was to Scott and he kept saying how happy he was for my brother making his dream happen.

Laurs, out.

Day 17 (Sunday, Feb. 28): Networking Made Easy

Day Seventeen
There were several great parts to yesterday but one of the main ones that sticks out to me is when my friend Valerie gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. She and I were talking about my brother and how he's moving to LA soon. She soon led into telling me that her brother is there, working for the Grammys and Emmys! Whaaaaaatttt? She also knows someone who works with directors on movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean" and other big movies that I am blanking on, much to my annoyance. She said I could get her my brother's info and she'd put them in contact with each other. Ummmmmm wow!!! I didn't even hint at this but she came out with it because she's that kind of person :)

I always enjoy Church, whether it's because of a great sermon or fellowship. I talked to a lot of friends, as well as people I rarely talk to or see. For instance, I got to talk to someone who I hadn't seen in awhile. In fact, she'd always intimidated me somewhat (because she's so pretty, etc). But for some reason, I was in a talkative and friendly mood, as has been the case lately, praise God! We caught up briefly, then exchanged numbers and will hopefully see each other more often. Haha, and as an unofficial event planner with my friends, she will definitely be getting texts from me. (It's so fun getting people together, I am surprised to find out. There's something cool about seeing unlikely people get along so well and having fun.)

Another highlight was when Andrea told me what she meant by her text the night before. She told me something she'd been observing about me, and we agreed that we would get together when she gets back in the country, to talk about it further. I am really interested in developing that for sure. It's so nice when people actually invest themselves in others and try to help them grow.

Laurs, out.

Day 16 (Saturday, Feb. 27): Shutter Island and a Just-in-Time Text

Day Sixteen (Saturday, February 27)

I have been super swamped this whole weekend, so it was difficult to blog. Yesterday was pretty full. I started it off by waking up super early on a day I didn't have to (7:30am?) and then going to see "Shutter Island" with my dad and brother. I totally recommend it by the way. Scorcese (sp?) did a beautiful job, as did all the actors. I really loved DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo as an acting team. I'd say my parents are two of the most generous people I know and I felt like giving the first kindness slot to my parents because they are always so loving and generous in general. 

So, on Wednesday or Thursday, I found out my brother is moving to LA next Saturday, and it didn't hit home until Friday night. So, I cancelled my social plans for the weekend and hung out at home on Saturday and Sunday. We had guests (co-worker family of my Dad's) and honestly, I was soooo tired and out of it. My family and I stayed up late after getting back from bowling the night before, watching "Music and Lyrics" so our bedtime was 3am. Therefore, when it was only 8pm, I wanted to go to sleep really badly but obviously couldn't. Then I was kinda bored since I couldn't really connect to what everyone was talking about.

Plus, I was bummed when a friend mass texted people about doing something. I really really wanted to! (I value my weekend social life so much, as does everyone who works. Before, when I wasn't employed, I liked my weekends okay, but I didn't value them, you know?)

So, I put away all the food and cleaned the kitchen up while our 4 guests chatted with my parents and brother. It was a three-fold motive since I wanted to wake up, get out of boring conversation, and beat my mom to cleaning. (She has fiber-mialga so it hurts her wrist to lift heavy things.) And it did wake me up some.

But it wasn't until I got 2 text messages from my friend Andrea that I really woke up and felt a mood lift. I was dead-bored and just wanted to sleep, but when I read her messages, my mood lifted from bored, tired, and restless to charmed, touched, and more awake. She totally encouraged me and made me grateful for friends like her. Plus, she gave me something to look forward to at church. (She told me to ask her about something.)

Laurs, out.

Day 15: Kids, Thai, and Bowling

Day Fifteen

Today was the perfect bounce back from yesterday. I righted some wrongs and was resilient overall. I also met a lot of new people and just had a blast.

As mentioned, I was my friend Erin's "Mystery Reader" for her 3rd grade class. Unfortunately, I was running late. When I walked in, the kids were waiting for me on the floor. They were in front of the couch where I took my spot as Mystery Reader. Oh. My. Gosh. They were seriously adorable. (There were 15.) And they were so sweet with all their enthusiasm and questions. I had so much fun reading to them while Erin snapped pictures of the whole thing!

Afterwards, Erin asked if I would autograph the wall of Mystery Readers. Little Ryan guided me over there to show me what to do lol. He chose pink for me when I asked what color I should use. I think he had a crush on me lol because he kept shooing off the other kids when they tried to show me how to do it too. And I found that flippin' adorable!! Oh and they got so excited that I knew some of the other guests they've had, such as Alan and Gabe.

Afterwards, we had a little dance party to 2 songs. One was John 3:16 and the other was "Every Move I Make." It was so fun jumping around and such. Afterwards, we gathered in a circle to pray as we held hands. Then, before they were dismissed, some of the kids gathered around me and asked me if I was really afraid of grass when I was little and if I still was lol. (Erin reads 5 clues about the reader who comes in. The grass tidbit was one of them.) I assured them I am over that phobia.

Oh man, I definitely want to do that again. And I definitely enjoyed talking with Erin for awhile afterwards. That girl grows on me more and more everytime I spend time with her!! I also aspire to be as cute as her.

As I said, a friend of mine and I planned a last minute get together and it was pretty successful I'd say. There were 8 people at dinner at a cute little spot called Talay Thai. I got to meet some new people, as well as get to know ones I'd met awhile ago. Plus I got sushi! Sadly, I didn't get to say goodbye to those who didn't end up bowling.

There ended up being 6 people who bowled and we bowled in one lane. It was a smaller group than I had thought, but it was the perfect size! Having a small group proved to be the perfect setting and we all got along really well. I love when that happens; it brings me serious joy when people who have just met get along so well!

Jaclyn joined us but didn't bowl.

By the way, I'm a TERRIBLE bowler, but as I told them, I served as the self-esteem raiser with my scores of 55 and 40-something. LOL yeah I had to have broken some sort of record. It was really fun though. Haha, the best part is that when others were upset for only knocking down 8 pins, I was excited when I knocked down 3. We bowled for 2 hours and people were great about paying me back, which is always a welcome thing.

Bonus Kindness

Before my night started, I had to get gas. On the way out of the gas station, there was a lot of traffic zooming past me, which made it hard to ease my way into traffic. While I was waiting for an opening, I was taking up far too much room in the entrance. When a car came my way, he didn't even flip me the bird like I thought he might. He instead paused in the entrance, blocking the way for me so other cars couldn't get by as easily. He did that until I was safely out of there while gesturing for me to go. WOW! That kind of thing totally sticks out to me.

Day 14: Sometimes Pollyanna Just Can't Show Up...

Day Fourteen

Near the beginning of when I first started this blog, I made the amendment that if nothing good or "kind" happened, I would have to do something to make the world a better place. As I write these words, I have no idea how I will do so.

Okay, I just got back inside from staring at the ocean and nothing came to me. So instead I will be honest.

Today was crappy. Like, I-want-to-cry crappy. There were just a lot of stupid little things I did or that happened, whether it be spilling cereal on my laptop, being late for the first time and therefore making our tax person wait outside the locked office, realizing I'd forgotten my wallet when I went to fill up the gas, miscommunications, and...well, since I'd rather forget about today for the most part, I won't list the remaining things. (And yes, there are remaining things.) 

One thing I can say about today is that it's going to help other days look that much better. It wasn't the day from hell or anywhere near, so I really shouldn't complain.

My Pollyanna Moment Shows Through...

On the upside, it was fun planning something social with Zach for tomorrow night. He randomly asked me what we could get a group together and do. And since I randomly wanted to go bowling, that's what we're doing tomorrow night. First we'll eat at Panera Bread, then go bowling.

And before that, I get to read a children's book to about 14 third graders. Then I guess they have dance parties afterwards. If tomorrow doesn't take my blues away, nothing would have been able to...

What I'm Going to Do to Pollyanna it Up

I'm going to write 5 letters to people telling them what I love and appreciate about them. Not sure who yet. But that is tomorrow's task. 

Day 13: Cliche movie role?

Day Thirteen

Originally, I was supposed to be the creative director at my job part-time, but it's turned more into being another office person. I've come to terms with that, especially as other editing possibilities have been presenting themselves. (And especially considering this economy.)

I've learned that I need to choose my battles; I now view this job as a way to save money while I work towards my dream job of being an editor.

With that said, there's been some drama at work. I won't go into it, but I was in a situation where I was going to be forced to say no to my boss. (Don't worry, nothing sleazy.) However, this morning, I decided to take a deep breath, take a step back, and be more of a team player. (I still can't say yes for the most part, but I'm a little more willing to give an inch than I was before.)

Well, almost immediately, God did something remarkable and miraculous, if you know my boss. He brought someone in to do the exact job I was going to say no to. He said he knew I was too swamped with everything else and that this was the best solution for everyone. Oh. My. Gosh. So, there's no showdown or future discomfort in the office. (I know, I know; not very specific. I don't want to get into it though.)

I almost feel as if I'm the key player in a cliche movie wherein the screenwriter decided to make the message "Let go if you want it back." And I will totally do an encore...

Day 12: Positivity Amidst Multiple Car Troubles

Day Twelve
Today has been quite the day filled with car...malfunctions? Haha, and not just one time either. When I tried to start my car this morning, I quickly discovered that the headlights had been on all night. (It's supposed to be automatic I thought...) Oops. The valet guy tried to jumpstart it but said the problem was that there wasn't enough energy to enable the car to really start or something like that. Ugh. His name is Isaac and since he was so helpful, running all over the place, etc., I tipped him. He refused at first, but I didn't back down, haha.

So, we called our car dealership and then a tow truck service (called A Touch of Class). Then began a whole new slew of problems which I just have to laugh at. The garage my car is parked in has a 6 foot 2 height limitation so the tow truck couldn't fit in. The tow truck driver, his name is Levonne, was INCREDIBLY positive and a total sweetheart. He didn't look that buff, but he was! He had me sit in the car while it was in neutral. I steered while he pushed it down from the 3rd level. When it was going down a big incline, he both steered and "drove" it out so that I wouldn't have to risk crashing it when momentum picked up.

LOL and then there were more problems with getting the car BACK in neutral once out in the open. He had to put it back in park in order to pop the trunk and get the cables. Again, he just had a big fat smile on his face and was all about thinking outside the box. It was wonderful to be around, and it worked out, of course.

On the drive to the car dealership, we had a great conversation about his job, positive attitudes, and life. He's this cute little Black man who is way stronger than he looks, and grew up in West Palm Beach. I think he's about 55 or 60 years old. It was so fun talking to him!

So, I have a rental car now, and on the way home, I decided to stop in at Dunkin Donuts and use the free wifi (that's where I am now). JUST as I was about to pull all the way into the perfect parking spot in front of the donut shop, MY CAR DIED! It just stopped running. I have ZERO idea why. I apologized to the people behind me and put it in neutral so I could push it all the way into my spot. As I was doing this, one of the drivers who'd tried to pass me before it died got out and helped push it too. Another guy in an office next to Dunkin Donuts also came out and helped me. The first guy who got out of his car got it to work, but I still have no idea what happened. LOL oh life.

So, surprisingly, I've enjoyed my day greatly. It's gorgeous outside and I'm excited to go to Bible Study tonight. (True, those are two very unrelated thoughts, but I'm at peace about it ;) haha.)

Day 11: An Author Gives Me Access to Him Whenever

Day Eleven
I was in the office for half an hour when a man called to register for one of my boss's events. He said his name is Tad G. and that he related to Omar's story. (Omar's family left Cuba when he was 7 years old with nothing but what they were wearing, though they'd been very wealthy. They had to escape Castro's regime and came to America to do it.) Anyway, he briefly told me his story. It was about a 30 minute conversation and I found him very pleasant to speak to. He buttered me up a bit at the beginning when he told me that he could tell I was a people person with a genuine smile on my face and in my voice. (He was right; I was totally smiling the whole time.) I also enjoyed it when he said he genuinely loved this country. (That was what he led into his story with.)

Anyway, he said I could always feel free to call him and ask him questions about his book "Hitler, Stalin, and I" even at 11:30pm because he never sleeps. So that was kind of a sweet way to start my day off.

Day 10: Church, Social, Editorial, and Sunny Breaths of Fresh Air, as Well as a Random Wheaton Spotting!

Day Ten

Today was one of the most perfect days I've had in a long time, and that's considering this has been one of the best weeks of my life. (I know I tend to exaggerate, but seriously, it has been: Got editing leads, grew closer to new friends, met more people who I'm interested in becoming better friends with, got a raise, organized and went salsa dancing, had some previous mindsets altered in a good way, went on the beach, discussed entrepreneurial possibilities, etc. Didn't I tell you?! An amazing week!)

I was really convicted me on a lot of levels at church. It was actually hard for me not to cry, because of various insights. So, while Tullian sadly wasn't there today (he's our pastor), Rev. Herst did an excellent job. My favorite portion was about Bob who came to know the Lord after years and years going to church and singing in the choir. He had just put the Gospel out of his mind, and it took another godly man to really force him to confront his lack of salvation. There are a lot of hard decisions - but freeing ones - that I came to because of God's word spoken straight to my heart. (He preached about Methibosheth in 2 Samuel.)

At one point, I glanced over a couple rows and noticed someone. I did a double take because he looked so much like someone I knew from college. When service ended, I decided to go find out once and for all, because I figured the worst that could happen would be that I make a new friend. But, sure enough, it was TOTALLY who I thought it was!!! It was Sheridan (Mark)!!! We went to Wheaton together, and sold books door-to-door on the same team together in Houston, Texas!! He's absolutely the last person I would ever have thought I'd see again! The chances were totally stacked against this meeting since I know him from IL, worked together in TX, and he lives in MI with his wife. While his wife is in Thailand, he's visiting a friend here and just happened to be visible to me a couple rows down from me in church!! Of all things!!! Oh my gosh, that made my day!!! (If you can't tell by all the exclamation marks.)

Southwestern Company in the summer of 2004

When I went back to my friends, I talked with Mariam about her new blog. The cool thing is that she and I have come to an arrangement (to be further developed) wherein I can use my editing passion. (It's perhaps dorky, but I seriously LOVE editing papers and making things in print better than it was before.) I won't elaborate on that, but all I know is that I could not be more excited! I really hope we can help each other out.

Sometimes the young adults like to go to lunch together, and today was one such day. About 15 of us went across the street to Olive Garden for what turned out to be a rather long lunch. I greatly enjoyed all the people I sat by, because each conversation was an enormous blessing. I got to hear Andrea's amazing conversion story again, got to do some editorial networking with Julie (as well as get to know her better), got to know Eric better, and enjoyed Mariam's company in general. (Not that the huge blessing I experienced can at all be summed up in a simple sentence. It really can't.) Oh yeah, and when I realized that I had TOTALLY forgotten to bring my wallet with me, a friend stepped in for me, ensuring I not have to do dishes at Olive Garden in order to pay for my meal.

To back up, Julie further made my day when she told me about a cousin she has in Boston who is an editor in a publishing house, if I remember correctly. She's gonna see what she can do to get me advice and even some leads in Florida. Um, wow. Thank you Julie! (Oh yeah, and I'm excited about getting baking lessons from her at some point!)

After lunch was over, I went to a Turkish festival with 4 other women. (Liz, Mariam, Andrea, Erin.) It was a perfect day outside and I really enjoyed my time with other women. (Coed is great, but there's just something great and necessary about all-women get-togethers.) I also love the fact that it was a cozy group of women, rather than too many to be able to fit in a conversation with.

Me, Erin, and a cute pony!

I must add that this blog has been such a blessing on my life. It has really helped me keep my focus on the positive aspects of my life. It's also helped prove to myself that I DO have the capabilities (and desire) to stick with something.

However, with that said, I'm going to stop tagging people on my facebook with it though lol. (I'm a bit of a facebook tagging nazi as my "friend" Jim so graciously pointed out.)

Here's to another week full of kindness and proactive deeds.

Laurs, out.

Day 9: Entrepreneurial Ventures, Elevator Viewpoints, and Educational Victories

Day Nine

I've been trying to think of ways to add additional income to my life, and one way is a business idea I ran across my friend Jim. It was fun meeting with him and my brother on the beach with all the other residents at L'Hermitage who were taking advantage of the great weather. It should be fun to develop our ideas. I'm glad he's so on board to do this.

(P.S. to that: My brother showed me kindness with the simple gesture of letting me use his sunglasses when I didn't have mine. We were facing the same direction even, but he sacrificed.)

On the way up from saying goodbye, I was standing in front of the elevator, absent-mindedly playing with my hair. A woman walked up as the elevator door opened and we both stepped inside. Right as she was about to  get out of the elevator on her floor, she turned to me, and said, "Your hair looked really good that other way." It was the cutest, most surprising thing. I told her so, saying she was so sweet as we parted ways.

Lastly, while on the beach with Jim, I finished my book! It's the first non-novel I've started and finished in a long time. It's been fun slowly falling back in love with books again. (College overwhelmed me and made it much less appealing to read books at that point. I think that was mostly an excuse though. I totally missed out with that excuse.) So, I'm thrilled, and will totally read that again. (Oh, and I TOTALLY recommend the book. It's called "I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How To Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It" by Barbara Sher.)

Honorable Mention: I got my mom to join facebook the other day. She's developing a blog and I'm helping her with that too. It's fun seeing her get so excited about so many things like that.

Day 8 (Friday, Feb. 19): Bonus on the Dance Floor

Day Eight (Friday, February 19)
Yesterday was just what I needed. Aside from the obvious joy I got from dancing again, there was a lot of kindness and proactive deeds that went on. So, aside from Amanda's blog dedication, I am creating this "bonus report."

A friend of mine and I decided to plan a salsa dance event, so I wrote a (what else) facebook note inviting people. I thought there would be like, 4 people, but there were 16 altogether! Before the great turnout though, I kept bombarding about 14 people with changes to the plan, including the place, time, and eating arrangements. No one displayed any sort of exasperation but were only gracious. Everyone was so nice! Whenever I said how I hoped no one would block my phone calls, my friend Liz sweetly soothed my insecurities.

Early on, I was asked to dance by some random guy. He was pretty good and helped me with my rusty salsa dancing. He also bought me a drink (which I only drank half of). His friend also taught me some merengue moves. I actually preferred dancing with that guy because I was feeling his moves moreso and had a lot of fun. We only danced for one dance though, sadly enough. They were really sweet and it was enlightening to meet them.

I have to give my friend Jim a shoutout. He told me (in his lighthearted way) that he was looking out for me when I was with those random guys. And this much I know about Jim, though I kid him around a lot, I think he genuinely meant it and would've come to my rescue if things had come to that.

So yeah, it was a pretty perfect night. Near the end of the night, around midnight, the club played regular tunes and everyone in our group immediately got out on the dance floor. I don't much care for regular dancing, at least not for long. So, when I got tired (and over) the regular dancing, I started to make my way through the crowd back to our table. However, my friend Ryan saw me try to leave and pulled me back into dancing with him and everyone else. From there, I had a ton of fun actually. It was a little thing, but meant a lot.

I was pretty thrilled because last night was the first group event I had helped plan, and it turned out really well. Everyone I talked to said they had fun and wanted to do it again. It seriously brought great joy to my heart to know everyone had fun and would do it again. PLUS, I got to DANCE!

So, that was my Friday-slash-Day-Eight.

Laurs, out.

Day 8: Thank God Amanda was born 25 years ago

Day Eight

My childhood (and adulthood of course) friend Amanda turns 25 today. I will be out late tonight and won't have time to write a blog if I don't do it now. (Going to a latin restaurant and salsa dancing with a bunch of friends until early in the morning.) So, this blog post is dedicated to her. I have known Amanda since kindergarten and took piano lessons from her mom. We grew up together, and I can't thank God enough for her!

Random memories:
* Making movies all through childhood
* Shopping
* Going to countless movies
* Taking zillions of pictures
* Went to high school together
* Went skiing with my youth group
* Laser tag with her youth group overnight
* Birthday parties
* Camp!
* Took golf lessons with our brothers and goofed off while golfing for fun
* Got drunk for the first (and basically last time) on my 21st birthday
* Dodged exploding Champaign bottle caps
* Went dancing in Fort Lauderdale
* Pretended we were various Batman and Power Ranger characters with our brothers.

My childhood is full of our memories and I am a better, fuller person because of these moments. I love her dearly and am so thankful to still call her friend.

Day 7: My Ex Earns My Respect and Gratitude

Day Seven
I debated making my ex the topic of one of my blogs, but the fact is, he impacted me positively both yesterday and today. He and I hadn't talked for about a year after our breakup, but we have since reconciled. We are on good (but distant) terms now.

The fact is, I was, am, and most likely always will be a major fan of his music. He's the real deal. And I ordered his newest (3rd) CD. It's pretty much incredible and I am so happy to finally own the final copy. (Back when we dated, I had various unfinished versions of his music.)

Anyway, on one on of the tracks, called "Take Me Back" he mentions my first and last name.

"There's only one girl that is really worth mentioning, her name is Laura Dunn and she really been a friend to me. They say you can't break up and be a friend too, but I think that depends on what the hell you been through."

This is after saying he's lost every girl he's ever been with. He sounds pretty angry for most of the song (but artistically). Then he says that nice thing about me!

I'm just blown away that he kept that lyric. It almost makes no sense at all really. He made then showed me that song when we were still on our sorta-dating, sorta-friends stage. Shortly afterwards, we had a major falling out and didn't talk for a long time. But as I said, we reconciled, shortly before his CD came out (which was not even a month ago).

Naturally, I assumed that by that time, he either bashed me in a song or two, or at least took out that favorable set of lyrics with my name in it. Not only did he not bash me, but he also kept that friendly lyric featuring my full name. That speaks volumes about him and touches my heart.

So, not only do I benefit from not being angry at him anymore, but I got a song out of it? I strive to be as classy to others as he was to me with that action.

Day 6: My Boss is Brilliant and Selfless & Andrea Never Stops Giving

Day Six
My boss is a wonderful man. He not only pays my meal ticket, but he advises me to do things that most bosses wouldn't. What I mean is that he selflessly told me I need to do what is right for me, rather than to just sacrifice for the company, if it comes down to it.

Today was my first day off. I used to work 5 days a week, but in our meeting last Thursday, Omar told me that he thinks I should take 2 days off to pursue my writing and other dreams. Therefore, I have Wednesdays and Fridays off. Wow, how many authors/motivational speakers are as legit as him?? Seriously, this man is one of a kind. He's a great boss, mentor, and friend.

I used today to the fullest, let me tell you. After reading Andrea's comment on my facebook note yesterday (which was already mentioned on yesterday's post), I called her up and we talked about what I could do to get that job as a part-time editor.

She is a rare friend who is truly giving and caring. I can already tell she'll be a lifelong friend of mine. She helped me tweak my resume; she sweetly told me when it could be better without breaking my spirit. I am blown away by how good God is to me through people like her. And it was fun meeting at Starbucks for 3 fast hours with her to talk about life and get to know each other better. I was very encouraged, inspired, and built up. I really really do appreciate my life. Praise God!

P.S. I haven't fixed the time on here. I almost didn't make the midnight deadline! It's now 11:43pm. Time for family prayer.