Maybe it's the holidays that makes me all lovey dovey, maybe it's just part of me, or maybe it's this new website I came across.
Remembering the CHRIST in CHRISTmas can be difficult for anyone. It's easy to get wrapped up in the shopping, sales, movies, parties, sweets and shine! We would all be lying if we said it wasn't a lot of fun or exciting. But I know a lot of families are now giving to charities instead of each other, serving food at a shelter, or doing little things throughout the season to bring back the true meaning of Christmas.
So, back to the website I am now obsessed with. It's called Moreloveletters.com and you should check it out. You can sign up to get emails from their team with a story of someone who is in need of some encouragement, love, or acknowledgment. Or you can just start leaving little notes of encouragement in random spots. Some lucky person will find it and turn their day around. Many people leave notes in coat pockets, books, coffee shops, or tape them to a table (and leave the website on the note for the reader to share their story, or read about the organization and how it got started).
Hannah Brencher was trying to find her place in the world, and was doing so in NYC. She began writing letters and leaving them all around the city and kept a blog about writing love letters. She began receiving messages from people all over the world. They were asking her to send them a love letter, and in 9 months she wrote and mailed over 400 letters! These letters went to people she didn't know and would probably never meet, but the connections she made has touched thousands!
More Love Letters has "The 12 Days of Love Letter Writing," which starts today. When you sign up, you will receive an email each of those 12 days, with a request from someone for encouragement during the holiday season. You have one week to mail your letter from the day you receive the request. They will bundle all of the letters and mail them to the unsuspecting recipient just in time for the new year!
This holiday season I hope everyone finds their own way of giving back to the community and helping redefine Christmas! It's the season of giving, not receiving.
I am planning to keep up with the letters beyond Christmas. It's a great activity to do as an individual, in a group, with your students, with your family, or at random. You can make it a new family tradition and start writing letters on Thanksgiving, which you can leave throughout the city for people to find during the holiday season!
"Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store."
Monday, December 3, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Turkey. Thanks. Tradition. My triple threat.
What is Thanksgiving to you? Turkey or ham? Gravy or stuffing? Christmas music or lame music?
Thanksgiving in my family is about as big of a production as a wedding in most others. Well, that's how it used to be. My mom is one of three kids. Add grandparents, spouses, a few cousins, and a couple family friends. It is about 15. Easy enough, right?
Here is where it gets crazy. My dad is one of twelve. Yes, twelve.
Now, I have never been good at math, but if you add the grandparents and spouses, that's 26 people. Each of them have at least 2 kids. Some have 3. That's a minimum of 24 cousins. That's almost 50 people if only family comes, and everyone comes.
Here's where it gets crazy. Again. Having twelve kids means there is a big length of time between the first and last kid (In this case, twins). So we have one of those situations where your nephew is a year younger than you. So you also have to add in the significant others of the 3G (third generation) cousins.
Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a time where the aunts and uncles catch up, the young cousins get to play, the older cousins get to be too cool for their siblings, and where the grandparents bask in the glory of a legacy. Their legacy and our tradition.
But, like any normal American family, families split and not everyone goes to Thanksgiving or Christmas. Some families are forming new traditions, while others are keeping up with the old. The years go by and the numbers start to grow, but also start to slip away. And now all of the cousins are pairing off and starting their own families. Starting their own legacies.
Whether you have Thanksgiving with friends or family, eat turkey or ham, stay home or travel, stuff your face with pumpkin pie or apple pie, it's a time to be with those you care about.
We overlook the small things because we are so focused on the big things. The small things are what makes us, and we are what makes the big things.
I do have to admit.... this post was originally going to be a recap of the dreadful day I had (A man pushing a woman down, while getting off the bus and the hour and 45 minute commute to work, which made me 30 minutes late). Commuting sucks. It really does. But I can change that by moving to Seattle, or getting a job close to home. But I don't. I love where I work and I love where I live.
I had a time where I felt like a sitting duck. I couldn't get a job I wanted. It sucked and I had a massive pity party for myself. The economy sucks. It's hard to get jobs. Blah blah blah. You don't get anywhere if you think like that. But like I said earlier, the small stuff... It's what makes us. It's that fire under your butt that gets you to the big stuff.
Everyone has different "big stuff," and as long as you're working toward it and heading down the right lane, it doesn't matter who is passing you. They're headed somewhere else anyway.
This Thanksgiving I have more to be thankful for than any year before. I may not be right where I want to be, but I'm on my way. I've chosen my lane and I'm choosing my big stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Thanksgiving in my family is about as big of a production as a wedding in most others. Well, that's how it used to be. My mom is one of three kids. Add grandparents, spouses, a few cousins, and a couple family friends. It is about 15. Easy enough, right?
Here is where it gets crazy. My dad is one of twelve. Yes, twelve.
Now, I have never been good at math, but if you add the grandparents and spouses, that's 26 people. Each of them have at least 2 kids. Some have 3. That's a minimum of 24 cousins. That's almost 50 people if only family comes, and everyone comes.
Here's where it gets crazy. Again. Having twelve kids means there is a big length of time between the first and last kid (In this case, twins). So we have one of those situations where your nephew is a year younger than you. So you also have to add in the significant others of the 3G (third generation) cousins.
Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a time where the aunts and uncles catch up, the young cousins get to play, the older cousins get to be too cool for their siblings, and where the grandparents bask in the glory of a legacy. Their legacy and our tradition.
But, like any normal American family, families split and not everyone goes to Thanksgiving or Christmas. Some families are forming new traditions, while others are keeping up with the old. The years go by and the numbers start to grow, but also start to slip away. And now all of the cousins are pairing off and starting their own families. Starting their own legacies.
Whether you have Thanksgiving with friends or family, eat turkey or ham, stay home or travel, stuff your face with pumpkin pie or apple pie, it's a time to be with those you care about.
We overlook the small things because we are so focused on the big things. The small things are what makes us, and we are what makes the big things.
I do have to admit.... this post was originally going to be a recap of the dreadful day I had (A man pushing a woman down, while getting off the bus and the hour and 45 minute commute to work, which made me 30 minutes late). Commuting sucks. It really does. But I can change that by moving to Seattle, or getting a job close to home. But I don't. I love where I work and I love where I live.
I had a time where I felt like a sitting duck. I couldn't get a job I wanted. It sucked and I had a massive pity party for myself. The economy sucks. It's hard to get jobs. Blah blah blah. You don't get anywhere if you think like that. But like I said earlier, the small stuff... It's what makes us. It's that fire under your butt that gets you to the big stuff.
Everyone has different "big stuff," and as long as you're working toward it and heading down the right lane, it doesn't matter who is passing you. They're headed somewhere else anyway.
This Thanksgiving I have more to be thankful for than any year before. I may not be right where I want to be, but I'm on my way. I've chosen my lane and I'm choosing my big stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Rude Awakenings... Déjà Vu
Well it's half past midnight and I'm currently sitting on my floor in my bedroom. I have one blind propped up at eye level, so I can watch my street.
How do you suppose one falls asleep after calling 911 in the middle of the night? (I will report back later on that)
I have been taking part in the daily post on Facebook saying what I'm thankful for. Since it is officially a new day, I am thankful for Pet Detective Tigerlily.
Who needs a watchdog when you have a horrible narcoleptic sleeper and a fidgety 3 year old cat to fight the neighborhood crime?
I'm not sure if I woke her up, or vice versa. Whatever, it's a moot point. Anyway, I went to let her out for the night and she crouched down and was peering around the corner. We had an incident a few weeks ago with the Fugliest... Nastiest.... Shithead raccoon, so I thought the damn thing must be back. I step out on the porch, reindeer pajama pants and all, and expect to find a hissing raccoon.
Let's just say, I wish the raccoon came back.
I watched a man, who was scoping out a neighboring condo for sale. He didn't see me of course, but I ran inside to watch from my house. I turned on all the lights downstairs except for my room. I stood and watched for him through the blinds. He set his gym bag and another bag down on the sidewalk while he scoped out the for sale condo. Meanwhile I grab my phone to call 911, I watch him walk back down the steps and look down at each of ours. He picked up his bags, unsure of which way to go, then heads down the street closer to our house. He was giving each place a once over and was checking where each window was. Then he started to head down a side street. He for some reason changed his mind and kept going down the main street.
My heart was POUNDING so fast as I described what I could to 911. I've called 911 three times in my life.... Twice being in the last 2 months. Once was like I said before, to see what happens. I was ohh 6 or 7 years old?
So I plop myself on my bedroom floor and watch the man walk out of my sight and wait for the cops to drive in that direction. I watched one cop car drive by and a minute later watched another cop car drive by. I felt a little better, but who knows where the man had walked when he went out of my sight? What if he comes back this way?
A few minutes later I see one of the cop cars very slowly cruise back by and check out each of our places. Not a minute later I hear a car gassing it and see the cop car head the direction it just came from. About 10 or 15 minutes later I heard some sirens in the distance. I haven't seen either cop car come back this way. I'm going to assume that is a good sign and maybe they caught the guy.
It's been about an hour since this all started and I'm still sitting on my floor.
Well crap, just saw a firetruck go by. Now I'm way too curious to try to fall asleep.
Here I am, 26 years old and sitting on my bedroom floor in my Christmas pajamas watching out the window as if it's Christmas Eve and Santa should be arriving any minute. I wish it was Christmas Eve because I would totally have Santa's cookies and milk. All of this neighborhood watch has me starving and in need for a 1AM snack.
I decided not to wake up my roommates because the three of us would feed off each other, create the worst scenarios and none of us would have the slightest chance of getting a restful night of sleep.
Today I am not only thankful for my poor sleep habits, my obnoxious cat's poor sleep habits, but for the people who protect us everyday. You may not feel thankful for police officers if you're speeding down the highway and get a ticket. But when you're in a situation like this, you realize the significance of each of those people. It's a scary, but also humbling a experience to need help from a police officer. They are doing things like this everyday and every night.
For me? It's going to be a rough night sleep (what's new), but I can sleep better knowing they are taking care of this.
It's Veterans Day this weekend and there are TONS of people we owe our thanks to. Men and women are fighting and protecting us everyday.
Thank them.
I have 4 hours until I need to wake up. Lets give this sleep thing another shot.
Say thank you. Lock your doors. Say your prayers.
How do you suppose one falls asleep after calling 911 in the middle of the night? (I will report back later on that)
I have been taking part in the daily post on Facebook saying what I'm thankful for. Since it is officially a new day, I am thankful for Pet Detective Tigerlily.
Who needs a watchdog when you have a horrible narcoleptic sleeper and a fidgety 3 year old cat to fight the neighborhood crime?
I'm not sure if I woke her up, or vice versa. Whatever, it's a moot point. Anyway, I went to let her out for the night and she crouched down and was peering around the corner. We had an incident a few weeks ago with the Fugliest... Nastiest.... Shithead raccoon, so I thought the damn thing must be back. I step out on the porch, reindeer pajama pants and all, and expect to find a hissing raccoon.
Let's just say, I wish the raccoon came back.
I watched a man, who was scoping out a neighboring condo for sale. He didn't see me of course, but I ran inside to watch from my house. I turned on all the lights downstairs except for my room. I stood and watched for him through the blinds. He set his gym bag and another bag down on the sidewalk while he scoped out the for sale condo. Meanwhile I grab my phone to call 911, I watch him walk back down the steps and look down at each of ours. He picked up his bags, unsure of which way to go, then heads down the street closer to our house. He was giving each place a once over and was checking where each window was. Then he started to head down a side street. He for some reason changed his mind and kept going down the main street.
My heart was POUNDING so fast as I described what I could to 911. I've called 911 three times in my life.... Twice being in the last 2 months. Once was like I said before, to see what happens. I was ohh 6 or 7 years old?
So I plop myself on my bedroom floor and watch the man walk out of my sight and wait for the cops to drive in that direction. I watched one cop car drive by and a minute later watched another cop car drive by. I felt a little better, but who knows where the man had walked when he went out of my sight? What if he comes back this way?
A few minutes later I see one of the cop cars very slowly cruise back by and check out each of our places. Not a minute later I hear a car gassing it and see the cop car head the direction it just came from. About 10 or 15 minutes later I heard some sirens in the distance. I haven't seen either cop car come back this way. I'm going to assume that is a good sign and maybe they caught the guy.
It's been about an hour since this all started and I'm still sitting on my floor.
Well crap, just saw a firetruck go by. Now I'm way too curious to try to fall asleep.
Here I am, 26 years old and sitting on my bedroom floor in my Christmas pajamas watching out the window as if it's Christmas Eve and Santa should be arriving any minute. I wish it was Christmas Eve because I would totally have Santa's cookies and milk. All of this neighborhood watch has me starving and in need for a 1AM snack.
I decided not to wake up my roommates because the three of us would feed off each other, create the worst scenarios and none of us would have the slightest chance of getting a restful night of sleep.
Today I am not only thankful for my poor sleep habits, my obnoxious cat's poor sleep habits, but for the people who protect us everyday. You may not feel thankful for police officers if you're speeding down the highway and get a ticket. But when you're in a situation like this, you realize the significance of each of those people. It's a scary, but also humbling a experience to need help from a police officer. They are doing things like this everyday and every night.
For me? It's going to be a rough night sleep (what's new), but I can sleep better knowing they are taking care of this.
It's Veterans Day this weekend and there are TONS of people we owe our thanks to. Men and women are fighting and protecting us everyday.
Thank them.
I have 4 hours until I need to wake up. Lets give this sleep thing another shot.
Say thank you. Lock your doors. Say your prayers.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Something for you dirty folks....
This is my dirtiest post thus far...
Get ready for it....
Okay, so I just had to do my annual training at work... and let me tell you.... I feel DIRTY!
The number of bacteria on YOUR body RIGHT NOW is greater than the number of PEOPLE in the UNITED STATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OUR hands can contain up to 5 MILLION germs at a time...
98% of infections are SPREAD by contaminated HANDS
It's that time of year, so get your flu shots and wash your hands you dirt balls!
Sincerely,
An obsessive hand-washer
Get ready for it....
Okay, so I just had to do my annual training at work... and let me tell you.... I feel DIRTY!
The number of bacteria on YOUR body RIGHT NOW is greater than the number of PEOPLE in the UNITED STATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OUR hands can contain up to 5 MILLION germs at a time...
98% of infections are SPREAD by contaminated HANDS
It's that time of year, so get your flu shots and wash your hands you dirt balls!
Sincerely,
An obsessive hand-washer
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Give and Take
Commuting has a lot of advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the disadvantages... Because that's all I can think about right now. Traffic has been SO awful in the mornings that even when I get on a bus 5 or 10 minutes earlier, I'm still late. This morning for an example, I got to the bus station a few minutes early to try to get on an earlier bus. I noticed that a car parked on the hill had its door open, but no one was in the car or around the car. Being the day after Halloween, I wasn't going to put myself in some weird Halloween aftermath and try to see where the driver disappeared to. I was planning to tell the security at the bus station to have them to check. And maybe I'm overreacting and someone just left their door open in the pouring rain?
I run down, can't find a security officer, so I hop on the bus. The driver said their were a few seats left, I walk to the back of the bus and there were 3 potential seats. Seats where 2 can fit very comfortably, but if you add a 3rd person, it's a little tight. Well, these lovely commuters didn't budge. No one moved their bag or scooted over. So, as I walk off the bus I say loud enough for the whole bus to hear "I'll just catch the next one, no one wanted to make any room back there." The bus driver said he would make them make room, but I said thanks but no thanks. I wasn't about to piss off the already pissy people on the bus.
Well, it's 7:45 and I am normally just about to get on my connecting bus right about now. Guess where I am? Boeing. Stopped. I imagine I will be about 30 minutes late? Probably more, 30 minutes is a pretty generous guess.
Summer traffic is awful in the afternoon and okay in the morning. The summer afternoons are full of Sounders traffic, Mariners traffic, people being idiots traffic.
Fall and winter traffic is awful in the morning and awful in the afternoon. It's dark, cold, gloomy, and wet. I swear it rains 90% of the year and we have a month or two of total dryness and everyone forgets how to drive in the rain.
It's honestly like people are surprised by the rain. "Gosh, I can't believe this weather!" Oh really? That's odd since you've lived here your whole life... And it rains like this 9 months out of the year... EVERY year!
It's been 10 minutes... And all I can see is Boeing.
Okay, there are some great things about commuting.
#1 - I'm not driving.
And thank God for that. If you've followed my posts, you know I can be an idiot driver.
#2 - It's cheap.
I pay $7 a month and my work pays for the rest. I don't pay for parking, I don't pay for gas, I don't get road rage.
#3 - I get to read.
In the last 6 weeks, I've finished 4 books... JUST reading on the bus to and from work.
#4 - The bus drivers
I have grown to love my bus drivers. It pays to be nice to them. If they see you sprinting down the road, they'll wait for you. But only if you are nice to them and make a point to say hi and thank you. They play jokes on you and wave at you, then pretend they aren't going to pick you up, just to tease you. They ask where you were the other day if you didn't catch their bus.
They may not always run on time, but they always get me home safely.
I run down, can't find a security officer, so I hop on the bus. The driver said their were a few seats left, I walk to the back of the bus and there were 3 potential seats. Seats where 2 can fit very comfortably, but if you add a 3rd person, it's a little tight. Well, these lovely commuters didn't budge. No one moved their bag or scooted over. So, as I walk off the bus I say loud enough for the whole bus to hear "I'll just catch the next one, no one wanted to make any room back there." The bus driver said he would make them make room, but I said thanks but no thanks. I wasn't about to piss off the already pissy people on the bus.
Well, it's 7:45 and I am normally just about to get on my connecting bus right about now. Guess where I am? Boeing. Stopped. I imagine I will be about 30 minutes late? Probably more, 30 minutes is a pretty generous guess.
Summer traffic is awful in the afternoon and okay in the morning. The summer afternoons are full of Sounders traffic, Mariners traffic, people being idiots traffic.
Fall and winter traffic is awful in the morning and awful in the afternoon. It's dark, cold, gloomy, and wet. I swear it rains 90% of the year and we have a month or two of total dryness and everyone forgets how to drive in the rain.
It's honestly like people are surprised by the rain. "Gosh, I can't believe this weather!" Oh really? That's odd since you've lived here your whole life... And it rains like this 9 months out of the year... EVERY year!
It's been 10 minutes... And all I can see is Boeing.
Okay, there are some great things about commuting.
#1 - I'm not driving.
And thank God for that. If you've followed my posts, you know I can be an idiot driver.
#2 - It's cheap.
I pay $7 a month and my work pays for the rest. I don't pay for parking, I don't pay for gas, I don't get road rage.
#3 - I get to read.
In the last 6 weeks, I've finished 4 books... JUST reading on the bus to and from work.
#4 - The bus drivers
I have grown to love my bus drivers. It pays to be nice to them. If they see you sprinting down the road, they'll wait for you. But only if you are nice to them and make a point to say hi and thank you. They play jokes on you and wave at you, then pretend they aren't going to pick you up, just to tease you. They ask where you were the other day if you didn't catch their bus.
They may not always run on time, but they always get me home safely.
Monday, October 15, 2012
The Best Things in Life...
I have been wanting to write this post for a few weeks now, but couldn't find the right energy to do so.
Last night I decided to look through some old pictures just for fun. I do this every few months and I find something new each time. Although technology has changed and taken over, I still like to get my pictures PRINTED. Not just sitting on some invisible "drive," on my computer... Or floating around in space. And the same goes for books. I like to physically hold the book and turn the pages. Not just swipe my finger.
Anyway, I decided to look through more pictures tonight. I found my autobiography, which was written my senior year in high school. It is full of (now) hysterical and embarrassing pictures. And it wouldn't be complete without a timeline, life story, and prediction of the future.
Well, lets just say I'm not where I thought I'd be, but I'm exactly where I should be.
I was shocked when I read my prediction, not just because I'm not married, don't have kids, or make all the money in the world, but because I read word for word what I wanted to write my post about.
It reads "The best things in life depend on timing and personality." So, part of this post I've been waiting to write is about how I don't believe in "everything happens for a reason." BUT I believe that the timing of everything happens for a reason. To some of you, you probably think that sounds the same. When people tell you everything happens for a reason it's a way of comforting you and trying to make sense of what has happened.
Working and being surrounded by cancer patients is a huge wake up call. I mean, can you imagine telling them that everything happens for a reason? "It's making you so much stronger," people say. Yes, it does make you stronger, but it also makes you weaker. For those who are lucky enough to survive, they might think you're right. But the ones who don't make it? For their families? I wouldn't dare tell someone their family member lost the battle for a "reason." Yes, I believe in God and I believe He has a plan for everyone. But what He can't control is our health. He is there to guide us and give us faith, but He cannot change physical things about ourselves and the world we live in. That would be pretty awesome if He could, but what lessons would we learn if we were given everything we wanted?
I believe in the timing of everything. Let's take a sequence of bad events. For example.... About 4 years ago my grandma passed away. A month or two later, my uncle was diagnosed with cancer and the diagnosis didn't look good. A few months after that, my grandpa passed away. A few months after that, my uncle with cancer passed away. The week of his service, another uncle wasn't feeling well. He had cancer 10 years before that. He fought like hell that round and made it out on top. But he knew something wasn't right. Cancer was back. How could that be? A year later he passed away. The month he passed away, his daughter was diagnosed with cancer.
So, writing this down in words seems a little insane. And yes, it was insane. BUT the sequence of events makes sense. Not the events itself. Grandma and grandpa passed away first, which saved them the pain of losing their children. The first uncle decided to fight the "C" word so he could buy some time with his loved ones. He chose quantity. The next uncle decided against the treatment because he had already gone through it before, then watched his brother suffer through it. He chose quality over quantity. And lastly, my cousin who was diagnosed when her dad passed away. My gosh. I can't even imagine that happening. I still can't. BUT... She fought it and kicked its ass. She made it out on top.
10 years ago I wrote "The best things in life depend on timing and personality." Today? I would say it again, but add the best AND worst things.
The second part of what I wrote said "What is a horrible day for one, might be the best day for another." This doesn't make your worst days unimportant, it's just something to acknowledge.
I saw a quote this week that I wish could be posted on each of our foreheads.
"The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for."
Do the best you can and do it with all you've got. So that when these shitstorm life events happen, we can safely say we did all we could.
Last night I decided to look through some old pictures just for fun. I do this every few months and I find something new each time. Although technology has changed and taken over, I still like to get my pictures PRINTED. Not just sitting on some invisible "drive," on my computer... Or floating around in space. And the same goes for books. I like to physically hold the book and turn the pages. Not just swipe my finger.
Anyway, I decided to look through more pictures tonight. I found my autobiography, which was written my senior year in high school. It is full of (now) hysterical and embarrassing pictures. And it wouldn't be complete without a timeline, life story, and prediction of the future.
Well, lets just say I'm not where I thought I'd be, but I'm exactly where I should be.
I was shocked when I read my prediction, not just because I'm not married, don't have kids, or make all the money in the world, but because I read word for word what I wanted to write my post about.
It reads "The best things in life depend on timing and personality." So, part of this post I've been waiting to write is about how I don't believe in "everything happens for a reason." BUT I believe that the timing of everything happens for a reason. To some of you, you probably think that sounds the same. When people tell you everything happens for a reason it's a way of comforting you and trying to make sense of what has happened.
Working and being surrounded by cancer patients is a huge wake up call. I mean, can you imagine telling them that everything happens for a reason? "It's making you so much stronger," people say. Yes, it does make you stronger, but it also makes you weaker. For those who are lucky enough to survive, they might think you're right. But the ones who don't make it? For their families? I wouldn't dare tell someone their family member lost the battle for a "reason." Yes, I believe in God and I believe He has a plan for everyone. But what He can't control is our health. He is there to guide us and give us faith, but He cannot change physical things about ourselves and the world we live in. That would be pretty awesome if He could, but what lessons would we learn if we were given everything we wanted?
I believe in the timing of everything. Let's take a sequence of bad events. For example.... About 4 years ago my grandma passed away. A month or two later, my uncle was diagnosed with cancer and the diagnosis didn't look good. A few months after that, my grandpa passed away. A few months after that, my uncle with cancer passed away. The week of his service, another uncle wasn't feeling well. He had cancer 10 years before that. He fought like hell that round and made it out on top. But he knew something wasn't right. Cancer was back. How could that be? A year later he passed away. The month he passed away, his daughter was diagnosed with cancer.
So, writing this down in words seems a little insane. And yes, it was insane. BUT the sequence of events makes sense. Not the events itself. Grandma and grandpa passed away first, which saved them the pain of losing their children. The first uncle decided to fight the "C" word so he could buy some time with his loved ones. He chose quantity. The next uncle decided against the treatment because he had already gone through it before, then watched his brother suffer through it. He chose quality over quantity. And lastly, my cousin who was diagnosed when her dad passed away. My gosh. I can't even imagine that happening. I still can't. BUT... She fought it and kicked its ass. She made it out on top.
10 years ago I wrote "The best things in life depend on timing and personality." Today? I would say it again, but add the best AND worst things.
The second part of what I wrote said "What is a horrible day for one, might be the best day for another." This doesn't make your worst days unimportant, it's just something to acknowledge.
I saw a quote this week that I wish could be posted on each of our foreheads.
"The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for."
Do the best you can and do it with all you've got. So that when these shitstorm life events happen, we can safely say we did all we could.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Rude Awakenings
Some of you may have seen the story on my Facebook status last week about the perverted international phone call I received..... 9 times. For those who didn't, here it is.
My phone started ringing and it was an 11 digit phone number, normally I wouldn't answer, but my mom had been in Europe the last few weeks, so I thought maybe it was her.
Unless my mom turned into a perverted Spanish speaking man, it wasn't her. I was trying to ask what he wanted or why he called, but he began making some sick noises, so I hung up. I turned to tell my roommates about it and they said "What if its something with your mom!" But I said I didn't think that's what was going on, but that maybe someone was pranking me.
The next day at 6:00 AM, he called. I answered to hear the same nasty stuff he was saying before, and told him to stop calling. He called again. I answered and said a big F.U. And hung up. He then called 7 MORE TIMES!!! The last time I answered, I rambled off a bunch of horrible things and gave up.
This phone call was really a very sour way to start my day. When I told my sister I said I was worried something happened to mom she told me she had a missed call from her in the middle of the night, with a 2 minute message of background noise. Okay... Then I started to worry again. I called my mom and she was alive and had not kidnapped by some pervert... Big sigh of relief. Since I didn't want to chance of being harassed again, I called Verizon to have them block the number.
Verizon: Was it a telemarketer?
Me: No, it was an 11 digit number, Spanish speaking man... Trying to have phone sex
Verizon: OH! OH MY GOSH I'M SO SORRY!
Me: Yeah, it was pretty creepy.
Verizon: Well, we will block the number, it's a Mexico number. Did you have anyone home who speaks Spanish who could tell him you'll call the cops?
Me: No, but I said a universal saying I am quite sure he understood.
Verizon: HA! Okay, we'll its taken care of, thanks for calling.
Awesome. That was a weird and rude awakening, but it's settled.
Until last night.
As I have mentioned before, I have wacky and wild dreams that can be VERY VIVID. So this morning, before I could get myself to write this post, I text my roommate to ask "Did that really happen last night or was I dreaming? I'm totally serious." And when she wrote back she said "Yes hahaha it really did happen!!!"
SO... Yay for not being crazy.
It was 2:30 AM, I was half asleep/ half dreaming and could swear I heard knocking at the door. I got out of bed, and as weird as this is (mom don't kill me for having candy in the middle of the night) , I grabbed some mike and Ike's and went to go see if someone was in fact knocking (surely I am hearing things). The second I grabbed the mike and Ike's, the doorbell rang, and following that was VERY loud knocking.
I literally threw the mike and Ike's up in the air and all over the floor. I opened my curtains to peek out at who was out there, I saw a red car and a cop car, and two officers. Oh shit. When I headed for the door, I checked through the blinds a second time, to see if they had some weird person with them at the door.
I looked up the stairwell, hoping to God my roommates heard it, too, and were coming down to help me. I saw Kate and she pointed and whisper screamed "It's the cops!!!" While I essentially did the same thing to her.
I opened the door to face the officers.
"Hi there, is "___name____" here?"
"Ummm no..." (Trying to keep my head on straight, while pushing my heart back INSIDE my body. I'm pretty sure they could see it thumping through my pajamas, along with Kate's)
"Okay, sorry to scare and bother you, we're just going by the address we have."
I then started to think a bit more clearly and told the officers the woman they were looking for used to live here, we get her mail from time to time, but we've been here 2 years now.
The (smirking) officers apologized again for the bother and we shut the door. And as I shut the door I told my roommates I couldn't feel my arms. They both dropped to the floor and said they couldn't feel their legs. We all began laughing hysterically. So hard we were all crying and laughing silently. We sat on the floor of the entry way and laughed about the site we must've been for the officers at 2:30 AM. Between the confusion, awful pajamas, deer in headlights look, and clearly trembling girls scared out of their mind, I think we provided them with some laughs as they went on with their duty.
We sat and discussed why we each thought the cops were there and why they might be after the woman who used to live in our condo. All three of us mentioned the smirks on their faces when the three of us piled in the door jam waiting to be questioned. We don't know why the red car was there, maybe undercover? I didn't notice these small details, but my roommates noticed the cop car was from the sheriffs department and one of the men had on a fire department jacket.
I haven't the slightest idea what the heck was going on this morning. But I hoping that rude awakenings don't come in threes.
My phone started ringing and it was an 11 digit phone number, normally I wouldn't answer, but my mom had been in Europe the last few weeks, so I thought maybe it was her.
Unless my mom turned into a perverted Spanish speaking man, it wasn't her. I was trying to ask what he wanted or why he called, but he began making some sick noises, so I hung up. I turned to tell my roommates about it and they said "What if its something with your mom!" But I said I didn't think that's what was going on, but that maybe someone was pranking me.
The next day at 6:00 AM, he called. I answered to hear the same nasty stuff he was saying before, and told him to stop calling. He called again. I answered and said a big F.U. And hung up. He then called 7 MORE TIMES!!! The last time I answered, I rambled off a bunch of horrible things and gave up.
This phone call was really a very sour way to start my day. When I told my sister I said I was worried something happened to mom she told me she had a missed call from her in the middle of the night, with a 2 minute message of background noise. Okay... Then I started to worry again. I called my mom and she was alive and had not kidnapped by some pervert... Big sigh of relief. Since I didn't want to chance of being harassed again, I called Verizon to have them block the number.
Verizon: Was it a telemarketer?
Me: No, it was an 11 digit number, Spanish speaking man... Trying to have phone sex
Verizon: OH! OH MY GOSH I'M SO SORRY!
Me: Yeah, it was pretty creepy.
Verizon: Well, we will block the number, it's a Mexico number. Did you have anyone home who speaks Spanish who could tell him you'll call the cops?
Me: No, but I said a universal saying I am quite sure he understood.
Verizon: HA! Okay, we'll its taken care of, thanks for calling.
Awesome. That was a weird and rude awakening, but it's settled.
Until last night.
As I have mentioned before, I have wacky and wild dreams that can be VERY VIVID. So this morning, before I could get myself to write this post, I text my roommate to ask "Did that really happen last night or was I dreaming? I'm totally serious." And when she wrote back she said "Yes hahaha it really did happen!!!"
SO... Yay for not being crazy.
It was 2:30 AM, I was half asleep/ half dreaming and could swear I heard knocking at the door. I got out of bed, and as weird as this is (mom don't kill me for having candy in the middle of the night) , I grabbed some mike and Ike's and went to go see if someone was in fact knocking (surely I am hearing things). The second I grabbed the mike and Ike's, the doorbell rang, and following that was VERY loud knocking.
I literally threw the mike and Ike's up in the air and all over the floor. I opened my curtains to peek out at who was out there, I saw a red car and a cop car, and two officers. Oh shit. When I headed for the door, I checked through the blinds a second time, to see if they had some weird person with them at the door.
I looked up the stairwell, hoping to God my roommates heard it, too, and were coming down to help me. I saw Kate and she pointed and whisper screamed "It's the cops!!!" While I essentially did the same thing to her.
I opened the door to face the officers.
"Hi there, is "___name____" here?"
"Ummm no..." (Trying to keep my head on straight, while pushing my heart back INSIDE my body. I'm pretty sure they could see it thumping through my pajamas, along with Kate's)
"Okay, sorry to scare and bother you, we're just going by the address we have."
I then started to think a bit more clearly and told the officers the woman they were looking for used to live here, we get her mail from time to time, but we've been here 2 years now.
The (smirking) officers apologized again for the bother and we shut the door. And as I shut the door I told my roommates I couldn't feel my arms. They both dropped to the floor and said they couldn't feel their legs. We all began laughing hysterically. So hard we were all crying and laughing silently. We sat on the floor of the entry way and laughed about the site we must've been for the officers at 2:30 AM. Between the confusion, awful pajamas, deer in headlights look, and clearly trembling girls scared out of their mind, I think we provided them with some laughs as they went on with their duty.
We sat and discussed why we each thought the cops were there and why they might be after the woman who used to live in our condo. All three of us mentioned the smirks on their faces when the three of us piled in the door jam waiting to be questioned. We don't know why the red car was there, maybe undercover? I didn't notice these small details, but my roommates noticed the cop car was from the sheriffs department and one of the men had on a fire department jacket.
I haven't the slightest idea what the heck was going on this morning. But I hoping that rude awakenings don't come in threes.
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