wtf???

This picture arrived in the mail today, folded in a white envelope addressed to me. There was no explanation or a note. Just this creepy fellow with a chainmail cloth thing on his head. How very odd. Anyone know anything about this? Huh???? Anyone, anyone?

***There is an update on this WTF. I discovered the guilty party shortly after this post. The city and state threw me off, but once my friend called me to chat. I knew instantly that it was she and her husband. When I saw her name pop up on my cell phone, I answered with "It was you, wasn't it? You sent me that creepy guy picture didn't you?" Silence followed. Then giggling. Uh huh. GUILTY!

Having a hamster on a wheel day

I am feeling a little bit down today. Just want a break from the monotony. I am feeling like a trained hamster. I wake, I shower, I rush around, I feed, I work, I go home. Hit the repeat button. I would be fretting if there was no routine to my life and yet. . . Just having one of those days, I guess. Luckily, when I come home, I have someone worth coming home to, and he is wonderful at cheering me up and making the sad leave. Even when he is having a bad day too. (Today was one of those days for him too.) Nothing like getting called into work, doing something mindless and boring for hours and when you are done, there is a nice parking ticket waiting for you. Grrrrr!

I was watching the news the other day and I was mortified by the report I saw. A woman a couple of years older than myself, dead. She was hit by her kid's school bus. She had just kissed little Bobby goodbye and was heading back to her car on the crosswalk. Just a normal day, just a trained hamster day, cut short, lives changed forever. The camera focused in on her glasses that were lying on the road. They had to include in their report that she was not only hit once but twice because the driver didn't know that he or she had hit a person. The glasses really bothered me. How cold and inconsiderate.

I noticed that I have been developing a horrible case of road rage while driving through the city streets. People think that they are invincible and that their cars are indestructible. They pull out without any knowledge of others driving skills or whether or not the other party's brakes work. It takes me almost forty minutes to drive 9 miles to work. That is nuts! There is gridlock, construction, school buses running over moms, and aggressive a-hole drivers that want to run me down.

I almost hit a man with my truck a few weeks ago. He walked right out in front of my truck while I was going 25 miles an hour. I slammed on my brakes and my vehicle skidded sideways a little bit. The man did not even glance in my direction. I almost ended his life and he did not even care.

I got angry at a vehicle that stopped in the middle of the road one day. I wanted to know why he was inconveniencing me by leaving his open his car door in my way. When I stopped because I had no choice, I looked over to see that the man was actually stopping to help a woman who had fallen down on the sidewalk. He was helping her gather the things that she dropped and pulling her to her feet. I felt like an ass.

the flying monkey

My love decided that he wanted a tattoo for his birthday. I am here to tell you people, the chest is tender. Really really tender. Let's take a look at the progression of the tattoo.

Here's before the tattoo. I just included this pic because the lighting is so great and my honey is so handsome!

This is when the fun began. . .




OUCHIE!!!!!!!





Now let's add a little color!



Complete! Hooray!

my cheesecake walk

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! mommy can i have some??



I had to burn off the calories from that deadly cheesecake. . .I didn't eat the whole cheesecake. :-P

That's The Way

This song came on my i-pod while i was walking in the park. (i walked five miles, yay!) Thinking about "kissing tiny flowers" made me happy.

And yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers,
But all that lives is born to die.
And so I say to you that nothing really matters,
And all you do is stand and cry.
-That's The Way by Led Zeppelin

Rainy Saturday

I slept in this morning. I did laundry. Sipped highlander grog coffee. Watched a corny chick flick while folding clothes.

I am currently making European peasant bread from scratch and pepperoni balls. A day at home. Ahhh! Time to make some tea and get creative!

snippets from my journal

a walk in the park

sunday afternoon i took a stroll in the park and had a nice visit with nature. this time of the year is wonderful, savor september while it lasts.

all you need is. . .

things that make me smile

things that make me smile. . .

Cloud 9 Rooibos Tea from Teavana
J. Jill
Living the Creative Life by Freeman-Zachery
Narrow Stairs album by Deathcab for Cutie
making my own cheese!!!
that fall is approaching
playing with the camera
medieval cookery
my new scone pan
meadowfoam honey (tastes like marshmallows!)
Anthropologie www.anthropologie.com

stranger in a strange land

Sometimes we need a little culture shock to remind us that there is life outside of our little neck of the woods. Even if it is only an hour drive away. Stepping back in time with an open mind is not easy. But it is fun. Yes, that is a flying penis.

face it

this is on my screen at work so that embee is with me all day. purrrrmeow meow meow!

inspiration

sometimes i don't feel like i have anything important to say. but i have to keep trying. if i don't allow the words to flow then they will get backed up like a clogged drain. right now i have this wonderful loving kitty on my lap licking my elbow and being cute. she is keeping me company while my honey is gone. she really is great.
i keep thinking that i will begin my novel when. . .(insert excuse here). i am afraid to try and fail, so i procrastinate. i have been in love with writing for a long time, and i haven't indulged enough. be inspired. be you. writing brings a feeling of euphoria. makes me want to do the string cheese dance in my underpants.

perspective

Growing up was hard. Being an adult is harder. Giving yourself a break and being your own best friend can be the hardest thing of all.
Hiding from yourself does not make things happen. Avoidance can stunt your growth. You have to pull out the weeds to allow the flowers to grow and if you don't change your perspective then you won't see just how beautiful the garden can become. Stop focusing on the ugliness of the weeds. Stand up and look out over the beauty in front of you. There is potential, there is hope.
Keep focusing on being the best you possible. A little growth does go a long way, but it is an ongoing process. Keep going, keep smiling, keep loving, keep growing. Change is not easy, it is not smooth, and it is not always going to be fun. But the feeling of peace that comes with the perseverance will be so worth it!

loss

I woke to terrifying news that morning. One of my dearest friend's father passed away. When she said the words on the phone they did not register in my brain and I was silent. She asked if I was still there, I could feel the overwhelming pain through the phone line.
My mind searching for the perfect thing to say. No words came to me. . .just "I'm sorry."
My friend so strong, so unbelievably strong is faced with a loss that causes pure shock. Numbness, to get through. No one can ease the harsh blow that follows after the shock lifts.
My friend, my soul sister, I am here.

Death feels so real, so close and inevitable. My heart breaks.

rebel

I do what I want. UH.

Boston

newbury street

Boston is a cool city. There are a lot of old ghosts. I walked to the Back Bay neighborhood from Cambridge, to Newbury Street. A perfect summer day on a Saturday. There are well groomed women with their perfectly beautiful pets and children heading to the salon for pampering.

A shopper of unique boutiques dream come true. Tea shops, pottery shops, tons of clothing shops, and my very favorite Lush, homemade cosmetics. Bliss and rapture.
I walked the busy Boston streets as an observer but apparently appearing to some to be a local, receiving inquiries for directions. Friendly shop girls kept me from feeling lonely with questions about where I am from and why I am there.

I had Thai tea, an iced chai, peach tranquility tea from Teavana. Yummmmmm.

I stumbled upon the Shops at The Prudential Center and the beautiful Boston Public Library. I sat in the library courtyard resting, and people watched. I saw an Asian toddler chasing a bird around the fountain. (seen in the picture). I watched a young couple get engagement pictures taken, posing in front of the fountain. I listened to the languages around me and the conversations, and rested with my new found love for Boston.

connected

faith

No one knows what the future holds. If we did, who would want to keep going? What is around the next corner? What obstacles lie ahead? Will I live a full and fulfilling life? Will I make a difference in some one's life? In the world? Is living day to day life not enough? What is going to happen to me? Am I someone I can be proud of? Why do my emotions get the better of me? How can I control them? Is it better to let it all out? I have such high expectations of what life should be. I want to write, I want to learn to play the guitar. To be in shape. To be with my love. To be a mommy. To be helpful to people who need help. To be a good person. I want to be happy. I need to remember to have faith. My love will endure. My strength will not fail. My path will lead to my home. My puzzle piece is my home.