10.23.2007

Where I've Been

A friend of mine put up a map of all the places she'd visited. I thought I'd do the same. Mine isn't nearly as impressive as hers, but here it is...

I only included states that I have actually done something in (not just driven through).



create your own visited states map

Outside of the U.S., I've only been to Canada and the Bahamas, so my world map is even less impressive. I'm not even going to bother posting something like that.

10.20.2007

Reading & Crying

Recently, my old friend, Jill, recommended a book for me to read. She said it would make me “think, laugh, and cry.” I have not had a chance to read that book yet, but her recommendation made me think about another book and a funny story about reading & crying in public.

Some background…

When I was a teenager, there was one book, Charly by Jack Weyland, which I read over and over again. It was a very quick read. I loved this book and would read it whenever I felt a little down and needed a good cry. It has a very sad ending.

Fast forward to 2006…

When I was living in New York, I was working closely with one of the senior missionaries, Sister Scott. She told me that Jack Weyland and his wife were coming to NYC to serve a mission. I was SO excited!! I bought a new copy of Charly—hoping that I would have the opportunity to meet him and get a signed copy of this cherished book.

Jeff and I were taking a trip somewhere. I can’t remember where, but I know we were flying out of JFK. We were getting comfortable in our seats, and I pulled out this book to read during our flight. I had forgotten how funny the bulk of the book was; I had only remembered the sad ending. I was really getting into it when we were de-boarded because of a mechanical (I think) problem with the plane.

We were told to wait in the gate area. So, I continued reading my book—laughing quietly to myself.

Like I said, it was a quick read. Before I knew it, I was at the last chapter. This is where it gets really sad. Even though, I’d read the book many, many times before, and I totally knew what was coming, the tears still began to fall as soon as I turned the page to that final chapter.

It’s a lot more difficult for me to cry quietly to myself, because my eyes get all red and puffy, and my face gets a little blotchy. It’s pretty obvious to onlookers that I’m crying—even if I’m not making a lot of noise.

As I’m reading, Jeff leaned over to me and asked me if I was almost finished.

When I asked him why, he told me that there was a little girl that was just staring at us. Maybe she had never been as engaged in a book as I currently was, but the situation as she saw it was:

Here is a woman who is very clearly in tears because our flight was delayed and maybe there was something going on between her and her husband because she is trying to hide her tears behind that book.

Of course, I don’t know exactly what this girl was thinking, but I do know that she kept staring. She also whispered something to her mother and pointed in our direction.

Maybe next time I ought to read Charly in the comfort of my own home.

I never did end up meeting Jack Weyland, but I did get my copy of Charly signed. Now the book has become even more special to me.

10.08.2007

Tag...I'm it!!

I've been tagged by my old friend, Lara. She didn't seem very confident that those she tagged would follow through, so I thought I'd show her. Plus...I thought it would be fun.

What I Was Doing 10 Years Ago: Living in Rochester, NY, adjusting to life as a film student at Rochester Institute of Technology; probably working on a student film. I think this was about midterm.

What I Was Doing 5 Years Ago: Recuperating from my first marathon. It was the last Sunday in September that year, but I bet my body was still a little in recovery mode.

One Year Ago: Adjusting to life in Oregon with my husband as a student and living with my mother-in-law. Also enjoying a relaxing life without a full-time job--just trying to promote my PartyLite business and working part-time as a Classified Substitute in a few area school districts.

Yesterday: Attempted to watch General Conference, scanned in some old photos and memorabilia, napped, read scriptures, enjoyed dinner and good conversation with my family.

Five Snacks I Enjoy:
1. Homemade cookies
2. Doritos with cottage cheese
3. Chips & salsa
4. Pudding
5. Celery/Carrot sticks

Five Things I Would Do With A Million Dollars:
1. Travel the world with Jeff
2. Buy my sister a new house
3. Pay off all our debt (it's not anywhere near a million dollars, but any extra $$ right now goes to that).
4. Fight for custody/visitation rights enforcement for my step-son
5. Create savings accounts for my future children's college

Five TV Shows I Like:
1. How I Met Your Mother
2. General Hospital
3. Big Bang Theory
4. Rules of Engagement
5. Carpoolers
Those are just the ones I watch with any frequency. There are many more I would enjoy watching...but who has the time??

Five Things I Hate Doing:
1. Cleaning the shower
2. Driving
3. Listing things I hate doing
4. Making phone calls
5. Eating leftovers

Five Biggest Joys of the Moment:
1. Learning new things at my job
2. My fabulous studio apartment
3. My fabulous husband, Jeff
4. Relaxing with candlelight
5. Hearing exciting news from old friends/hanging out with new friends

Five People I Tag: Ooohh....this is a tough one... I don't think that I really get all that many visitors. Here are some random friends of mine with blogs, so maybe, just maybe, one of them will read this and respond to being tagged.
1. Rob
2. Sariah
3. Jeff
4. Jill
5. Staci

I did it!!

I just wanted to let everyone know that on Sept 30th, I fulfilled my goal to read the Book of Mormon in 3 months.

What a blessing it was in my life!

And now I am in the habit of reading/studying the scriptures each morning before work.

I am trying to get caught up on my Sunday School lessons. It's the New Testament this year, and I'm way behind in studying. Here's to getting caught up and staying caught up.

Seems like there is always so much to read...

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