Being Super Excited About Something

Day 4

Doesn't mean you'll enjoy it.

Last night we started our scuba training.
Last night was review of what we learned during our self-study prior to the class.

I was super excited about all the possibilities that scuba could bring.
The feeling of weightlessness.
The fantastic sights to see - the fish, the coral.

This morning we were in the pool.

And.
It.
Was.
Trau-
matic.

I'm not very comfortable under the water, and I've never been able to do anything under water without physically plugging my nose. The first exercise we had to do under the water was breathe through the regulator without wearing a mask. For a full minute.

This was extremely difficult for me.

I did not like it.
It put me into total panic mode.

I was able to finish most of the other requirements during today's pool session, but I did have to skip one entirely. No mask-buddy drag.

It was all just a bit too much.

I've been on an emotional roller coaster ever since. I can't even count how many times I've fought back tears. ok actually cried.

Way too much stress!

Jeff and I have spent hours discussing this. What could have been different. How my reaction was normal/justified.

Now, I'm totally torn. Do I continue working toward my certification or do I quit? Most of what we're learning are emergency procedures that most likely I'll never need to do. Most likely, once in open water it will be a much easier, more enjoyable experience.

I've pushed myself immensely in the past year at riding a bike, so I'm *nearly* convinced I can push myself at this, too.

It will just take time.

Creature Comforts

Day 3

My friend, K, said she'd like to read a favorite things post, so....

Introducing...

drumroll, please

Five Favorites for Friday

In yesterday's post, I mentioned being grateful to live in a time with so many creature comforts, so I thought I'd share five of my favorite creature comforts with you!

1. Contact Lenses. They can be a HUGE pain what with all the care and maintenance, but they also make my life so. much. easier. I can see better and don't have to worry about pushing up my glasses or getting all sweaty underneath my glasses or dropping/stepping on/breaking my glasses. Of course, I'm grateful for glasses as well. They make great back-ups and allow me to rest my eyes from time to time.
2. Climate Control. Be it heat or air conditioning, I'm ultimately grateful for it. I get cold super easy, so I often complain about A/C, but there are definitely times when I appreciate it greatly. Now, if summer will just hurry up already!
3. Smartphones. Sure, these little buggers can be addicting, and maybe I shouldn't spend as much time on mine, but it definitely is nice to always have a way to contact someone in a variety of ways (phone, text, IM, email, blog, etc) or research something or whatever else to pass the time.
4. Social Media / Networking. I'll admit it. I'm terribly nosy. And probably a bit of a gossip. *shrug* I just like to keep up-to-date on the people I care about but don't have the chance to see very often. Enter email, Facebook, blogging, etc. Now I can spy on keep up with old friends, new friends, family, news, etc, etc, etc.
5. Indoor plumbing. I'm not just talking about the toilet, either. Though with as many times as I have to pee in a day, I sure am glad I don't have to slog myself outside every. single. time! Imagine life without a bathtub or shower. I definitely enjoy long, hot showers. Or a washing machine. Doing laundry on washboards? Um. No, thank you! Or kitchen sink. Or dishwasher, for those lucky ducks who have one. I have a hard enough time doing the dishes. They'd never get done if I had to lug buckets of water into the house first!

What about you? What are your favorite creature comforts?

*****
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Being Grateful

Day 2

Last summer, I was on a roll with posting a Thankful Thursday post each week. I'm not sure what happened, but they suddenly stopped in mid-July. I even had a post in draft that I never finished.

It was simply a link to a friend's post with a quotation from President Hinckley about gratitude. I still think it's a great quotation!

"Be grateful. How thankful we ought to be. How comfortably we live. How very easy is life compared to what it once was. . . . We have it so easy, so pleasant, so delightful. We ride in cars that are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. . . . [We have] the miracles of medicine, the miracles of science, the miracles of communication, transportation, education---what a wonderful time in which to live. Of all of these wondrous, challenging things with which we live, I hope you regard it a blessing to be alive in this great age of the world. . . . I hope you walk with gratitude in your hearts, really. Grateful people are respectful people. Grateful people are courteous people. Grateful people are kindly people."

Be grateful (The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 250).

I am grateful for so many things in my life - especially to be living in a time with so many creature comforts!

The Challenge Begins...

Day 1

Last week, I mentioned that I was going to challenge myself to post something everyday for the next 30 days, beginning June 1st.

Thank you to those you gave me some blogging ideas! If/when I use your idea, I'll be use to link back to you. :)

I can't believe it's already after 4pm, and I'm just now finding time to put something together. To start the month off, here's some total randomness going through my head right now.

• I absolutely can NOT believe it's already June! Where did the first ½ of 2011 go?
• I am so tired of MN weather! This past winter was so cold and long and spring has been pretty nonexistent.
• I'm looking forward to moving some place where it feels like summer all year round.
• Even though it's 74°F and sunny outside, I'm wearing a sweater at my desk, and my fingers are little ice pops.
• I ♥ to complain, but I don't consider myself a negative person.
• One week from Friday, I head up north for my Pedal & Paddle weekend.
  11-mile kayak trip on Sat.
  45-mile bike ride on Sun.
  It is going to be T-O-U-G-H!
  But the weekend will be spent with my good friend, Laura, and I'm sure we'll have a blast with the other women. Did I mention it was a women's only weekend?
• SCUBA diving lessons this weekend! Fri, Sat, Sun. I'm so excited! I just hope I love it. :)
• I ♥ my MyTouch 4G phone, but I have to charge it 2-3x per DAY. That can get a bit annoying.
• Oh, this past weekend, I watched Die Hard for the very. first. time.

I think that's good for my first post. :)

Happy June!

Need Ideas!

I've been wanting to blog for the past few days, but everytime I think about it, my mind completely goes blank!

Do I really have nothing to say?
No opinions on life...or anything?
Nothing going on in my life?

C'mon now. I must have something to contribute to the blogosphere, right?

I saw on a friend's blog several weeks ago that she was doing a 30-day posting challenge, and I thought, hey, I want to see if I can do that, too! Since June has 30 days, I figured it would be a perfect time to start this challenge*.

Will I really find something to say every. single. day?
I'm hoping I'll find a good variety of things to share.
Some posts may be long and some may be very short, but I promise** to post something everyday in June.

Be it my thoughts, my goals, my experiences.
A quotation, a video, a song, a picture.

Like I said, hopefully I'll get a good variety.

Now, is where I may need your help.
Are there any particular topics you'd like me to discuss?
Anything I should steer away from?
Any meme you'd like me to revive? Tech Tuesdays? Thankful Thursdays? Flashback Fridays?

Any ideas at all would be most welcome.
Please leave me a comment on this post or send me an email.

*I have the most difficult time starting any new challenge on a day other than the first of the month or the beginning of a week. I just cannot start something in the middle! Just one of my loveable quirks, right?

**Take the word promise with a grain of salt. I will really, really try to keep this promise, but, well, you know....

24 - Unaired Pilot back from 1994

Even if you've never watched the show 24 (I've never even seen one episode), I'm sure you'll still find this hilarious! My boss was cracking up watching it at work a few weeks ago, so she sent me the link.

It's always good to laugh at work.

Happy Friday the 13th

In honor of Friday the 13th, I present you with a clip of Freaky Friday. The original. With a young Jodie Foster.

Watch "Freaky Friday(1976) Body Swap" on YouTube

Ah. 70s movies. Aren't they grand?!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend! I'll be writing a paper and studying for a final. Exciting, I know.