Thoughts of a Rainy Day

If the weather were my mood today it would be dark, cloudy and rainy.
Despite my really great weekend I'm sad.

When I was little my Barbie's always had the same name...My average time at every job I've worked is 3 years. I've been in Calgary for 6 years and only lived in 3 houses, all within 8 blocks of each other. I don't like change...I don't like when change is forced on me...

I don't like when people think they know me and it turns out they don't have a clue.
I worry too much about what others think...
I should be nicer...

Most of all I don't like drama

I shouldn't blog when I'm sad
L

Sunday Dinner with Cam

Ever had an evening so good you weren't sure how any other would top it...last night was that night.

Sunday dinner with Cam was full of many pleasant surprises. We were a little concerned about the dinner because Cam was nervous and we felt we'd kind of forced him into hosting but all our concerns were for naught...Cam not only held his own but he took it to the next level.

It started off as any other dinner, set up and preparation. None of knew what we were eating but we'd been given very specific instructions on what to bring so we were looking forward to seeing it all come together. Kabobs were on the menu for the evening and the question was raised...what makes a shish kabob different than a regular kabob? Jane is happily cutting some meat we found in the fridge when Cam opens the oven to reveal mostly cooked marinated steak and chicken, in an act of pure instinct Jane freezes, "Cam am I cutting up your dinner for tomorrow?" The fridge meat was in case we ran out, which we didn't but it was a beautifully classic moment.

I was whipping cream in an ice cream bucket due to the lack of a bowl when I noticed cream all over the counter...when using an ice cream bucket to whip cream make sure you check for cracks in the bottom of the bucket. :o)

Cam amazed us once again by pulling out "the BBQ set". It was so awesome it defies description. Dinner was delicious, dessert was a perfect ending to the meal.

Next came out Catchphrase...I'm a little ashamed that the girls were beat 3-2 by the boys...it never should have happened. Personal highlight of the evening "Shut up Nathan!" I don't think I've laughed that hard in a year, it brought me to tears. Thanks Cam

Just when we thought the evening was coming to an end Cam stepped it up again and out came the smores.

The evening ended with a chuckle after us being not so subtly kicked out so Cam could head to bed...the memories from this evening will be long lasting and hopefully the next dinner is not shadowed by the overwhelming success of this one.

One of the highlights of 2006 for sure!
L

Middle Name Pride Day!

Happy Middle Name Pride Day!!!

Hope everyone is celebrating...I have a pretty sweet party planned for the evening. We're all going to go by our middle names for the evening.

If you didn't already get the evite you should stop by my house tonight at 7:00, it's going to be a good time!

Hopefully I'll update this with pictures of the actual event...hope to see you all tonight!

Have you ever had a day where you were so bored that you typed up your grocery list and organized it by the layout of the store? (I know, pathetic) That was my day yesterday...today looks like it will be about the same...hopefully I'm wrong.
At least that was the first really boring day in a while.

Stay tuned for Middle Name Pride Day Pictures
M (Michelle)

Bowling

I went bowling on Saturday. I don't think I've been bowling for at least a year. Last time I went was with Cora and Ken and I can't remember who else. I just remember my shameful game. I was terrible...luckily I vaguely remember someone being worse than me (but it was pretty bad). So this weekend when someone suggested bowling I had my reservations.

The last time I went was ten pin and this time we decided to play five pin which apparently makes a HUGE difference. After warning everyone multiple times how really bad I was I somehow managed to come in first in my lane and second overall...twice! I was more surprised than everyone (especially Nathan who got beat by a girl twice :o). It turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable evening.

So the moral of this story...don't give up on something if you're really bad at it...just try a new variety of the same something! You might be surprised.

(As a side note, by the time I got to the end of this blog I remembered vividly my last bowling experience. There were three boys there that made things extremely complicated...one of them I was just beginning to be interested in...one I'd held hands with but wanted nothing to come of it and one I think I should be interested in. I bravely attempted to show equal interest in all three so no one's feelings were hurt and I think overall it was pretty successful. Take my advice...don't go with three boys you might be interested in...not good.)
L

I Carry Your Heart

So I watched the movie In Her Shoes this weekend and despite my low expectations I loved it! It was such a great girl movie. In the movie they read this poem that I think is really beautiful so I'm going to post it here...just because I can :o)
L

i carry your heart with me

I carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings

Relient K!!

So last night I went to this fantastic concert. I went to see Relient K! They’re such a great band, if you don’t know who they are you should go here and check them out…it’ll be worth your time.

http://www.relientk.com/news.aspx

So it was my first real “mosh pit” experience. Up until this point when the opportunity to mosh presented itself I’ve opted out but this time I was with some fun, hard core moshers so I committed and in I went. I’ve gotta admit, I enjoyed the experience a whole lot more than I expected and I was a lot tougher that I thought I’d be, I discovered that I can hold my own in the pit.

We maneuvered our way in and eventually, after shoving like mad we made it up to the very front. We pushed, we jumped we screamed and got soaked as security gave us water. We decided it should be a rule that all girls must put their hair up in the pit because dealing with girl’s hair everywhere is unpleasant.

The opening bands were Maxeen (pretty great), you can check them out here http://www.maxeen.com/intro.html and The Rocket Summer who I think are super lame but you might like them…you can go here http://www.therocketsummer.com/ It doesn’t get any more EMO than this. I did touch the lead singer’s leg as he crowd surfed over me, too bad it wasn’t someone I actually liked. I got a guitar pick from Relient K though, that’s something right?

Sadly the night had to end sometime and before we knew it, it was all over. We lay exhausted at home drinking water and drying off.

Thanks for making it a great night Aaron, Kim, Irena and Mikyla (sorry about the spelling)
L

Cookie Scandal

So Last night we decorated sugar cookies for FHE. Jane made some great heart shaped cookies and some nice pink icing, all we had to do was combine the two. Since small group FHE is routinely at my house I had the leftover cookies. I thought it would be a nice Valentine gesture to bring them to work for my co-workers.

Now I think I’m an honest person…I don’t steal, I normally drive the speed limit.

I don’t know what possessed me today, but I took full credit for those cookies. They raved about how good they were and wondered how I had the time to make them. Two girls even asked for the recipe…so I gave them “the recipe” (my own personal one). They asked about the icing so I made up some ingredients. I modestly accepted their praise thinking the whole time "What am I doing...I didn't make these cookies Jane did" but it was too late...the damage had been done.

“Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.”
- Proverbs 12:22

How will I ever live among this web of lies!

(Sorry Jane)
L

Lip Balm Anonymous

http://www.lipbalmanonymous.com/

They say the first step towards solving the problem is admitting you have one...

I firmly and proudly say "I don't have a problem" :o)

So I like my lip gloss, what's the big deal...so what if I have 6 different varieties in my purse right now and wouldn't leave home with out them, that's not an addiction, it's an interest...right?

It did make me second guess myself when the site talked about how companies are devious and give you free samples to hook you. All I could think was "Fee samples? Where?"

Lip Balm Anonymous Self-Test for Lip Balm Addiction

1. Do you ever use more lip balm than you planned?
2. Has the use of lip balm interfered with your job?
3. Is your lip balm use causing conflict with your spouse or family?
4. Do you feel depressed, guilty, or remorseful after you use lip balm?
5. Do you use whatever lip balm you have almost continuously until the supply is exhausted?
6. Do you ever wish that you had never taken that first application or hit of lip balm?
7. Do you have an obsession to get lip balm when you don't have it?
8. Are you experiencing financial difficulties due to your lip balm use?
9. Do you experience an anticipation high just knowing you are about to use lip balm?
10. Without using lip balm, do you have difficulty sleeping without taking a drink or another drug?
11. Are you absorbed with the thought of getting coated even while interacting with a friend or loved one?
12. Have you begun to use lip balm while alone?
13. Do your lips, nose, or other areas hurt when you avoid Lip Balm?
14. Do you ever have feelings that people are talking about you or watching you?
15. Do you use larger doses of lip balm to get the same protection you once experienced?
16. Have you tried to quit or cut down on your lip balm use only to find that you couldn't?
17. Have any of your friends or family suggested that you may have a problem?
18. Have you ever lied to or misled those around you about how much or how often you use?
19. Do you use lip balm in your car, at work, in the bathroom, on airplanes, or other public places?
20. Do you occasionally coat heavily after a disappointment, quarrel or rough day?
21. When under pressure, do you always use more heavily than usual?
22. Can you handle more lip balm now than when you first started using?
23. When using with others, do you try to have a few extra coats when they won't know it?
24. Are there certain occasions when you feel uncomfortable if lip balm is not available?
25. When you start using, are you in more of a hurry to get the first hit than you used to be?
26. Are you secretly irritated when friends or family discuss your lip balm use?
27. Do you usually have a reason for occasions when you use heavily?
28. Have you tried to control your lip balm use by switching brands or following different plans?
29. Have you often failed to keep promises about controlling your lip balm?
30. Have you tried to control your lip balm use by changing jobs or moving?
31. Do you try to avoid family or friends while using?
32. Are you having an increasing number of financial and work problems?
33. Do more people seem to be treating you unfairly without reason?
34. Have you ever decided to stop using for a week or so, but only lasted for a couple of days?
35. Do you wish people would mind their own business about your lip balm use--stop telling you what to do?
36. Is lip balm affecting your reputation?
37. Do you crave lip balm at a definite time daily?
38. Does lip balm cause you to have difficulty sleeping?
39. Have you ever been to a hospital or institution on account of lip balm?
40. Are you afraid that if you stop using lip balm your work will suffer or you will lose your energy, motivation, or confidence?
41. Do you spend time with people or in places you otherwise would not be around but for the availability of lip balm?
42. Have you ever stolen lip balm or money from friends or family?
43. Can you apply lip balm with one hand?

Lip Balm Anonymous members adhere to a set of principles which are listed in Twelve Steps.

1. We admitted we were powerless over lip balm - - that our lives had become unmanagemeable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would ijure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other lip balm addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Good luck kicking your habit...personally I'm going to revel in mine for a little longer
L

Update on Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey

So get this...it turns out Jonathon's been arrested.
Hopefully this will put an end to his campaign.

Minn. governor candidate impaled by his past

Sharkey arrested on Indiana warrants issued for his pro wresting persona

MORA, Minn. - A fringe candidate for governor who played up his satanic side — and pledged public impalement for terrorists — wound up behind bars Tuesday thanks to a sharp-eyed sheriff's dispatcher.

Jonathon “The Impaler” Sharkey, 41, of Princeton was arrested Monday night on two felony counts from Indiana, said Mike Smith, the Mille Lacs County jail administrator. One warrant was for escape, another for stalking.

Sharkey launched his campaign last month under the banner of the Vampyres, Witches and Pagans party. His platform includes an emphasis on education, tax breaks for farmers and better benefits for veterans, but he also said he favored impaling certain wrongdoers in front of the State Capitol.

Sheriff Brent Lindgren said Sharkey's warrants were discovered by a dispatcher making routine warrant queries. Lindgren said the dispatcher had seen news stories about Sharkey's campaign and recognized the name on the warrant — Rocky Flash — as a name Sharkey had used as a pro wrestler.

Sharkey was arrested by police in Princeton without incident, Lindgren said. He remained in the jail Tuesday pending extradition proceedings.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11116988/
L

Dark Day for Laura

Yesterday was a dark day at work...

Apparently my MSN was noticed and so it was removed. I'm now left with nothing to do in my boredom but blog. My first thought when it was removed was "Maybe I should find a new job". I'll admit, that's a bit extreme and the desire passed but I was pretty devastated. At least I still have iTunes. I'll use Web Messenger occasionally but it's to frustrating to use all day.

So I have a new nephew...his name is Tyler James and he was born on January 31st at 11:00 am. He's just the cutest boy ever isn't he?
L