When My Hands Get Cold

So if you know me at all it's no secret that I love to hold hands. Irena will vouch for me.

I've been thinking about it a lot lately... what is it about simple hand holding that's so enjoyable?

Friendship
Comfort
Love
Trust
Affection

At least I can say that in the last little while I've been much more responsible with my hand holding. It's been a long time since I've caused drama for myself...
L

Christmas Time is Here

When I was about 15 or 16 my Mom found these Christmas sheets for our beds. She bought 2 sets, one for me and one for MIchelle. She made our beds and hung mini lights above the beds so when we came home there was this glow and fresh turned down beds with the sheets showing. There have been other friends over the years that Mom has suprised with this little treat. This has become something of a tradition. Every year on or around the first of December we'd put the sheets on our bed, sometimes we'd put up the lights, sometimes we wouldn't. Michelle and I moved away from home and made sure we took our sheets, every year we'd continue to put the sheets on. Not only a Christmas tradition but however cheesey you may think it, it's also a bit of a bonding thing... Michelle and I knew that both of us were sharing in our sheets, even though we don't live close anymore.

So last year I got this fantastic new bed, it really is the best bed ever. Let me explain the beauty of it... The magic starts with the upgrade from the regular twin to a grown up queen. Pillow top on the top and bottom. I have a heated mattress pad that goes underneath the sheets, no more cold feet. Then I have these really nice chocolate brown sheets, a quilt from Grandma (Grandma quits really are the best) and then to top it all off a lovely feather duvet with a pretty cover. I sacrifice a lot of space for the bed and it wouldn't fit down the stairs so it had to come in the window but all this is worth it. The only real downside of this bed is that I no longer have Christmas sheets that fit. Last year I just did without and figured it didn't really matter. I was fully prepared to do the same this year but in Michelle's blog she mentioned her sheets... Michelle got married so she also upgraded and doesn't have sheets anymore either but she at least has pillow cases. Her blog made me realize just how much I miss my sheets... I know this sounds stupid but they are the beginning of Christmas for me.

So last year I felt a little scrooge-ish, I had a really hard time getting into the spirit of things. That's unusual for me, I normally really love Christmas. This year I'd been making more of an effort, I've been listening to Christmas music and trying but something was lacking. I've been putting off buying presents and I'm not even putting up a tree. I haven't taken any goodies to my neighbors yet and I feel this overall stress.

Yesterday was our Institute Choir Christmas performance... my Mom really loves our director and our choir so Mom, Dad and Grandma came up to listen to me sing, and play the handbell (insert handbell arm motion here).

They got to my house at 4:30 ish, I'd made them dinner so we ate but I had to leave at 5 to practice so I left my parents at my house, they came to the church at 7:00. The performance went well, I played my bell (insert handbell arm motion here), did the usual visiting and went home. I was heading downstairs to change and there was a light on in my room... I was surprised I'd left my lamp on cause it's not very like me. I decend the stairs, face my room... and freeze! All I could do was stare, open mouth. While I was gone my Mom had made and turned down my bed with brand new flannely Christmas sheets (they have snowmen on them). The glow wasn't my lamp but mini lights hung above my bed! So she's pretty much the best mom ever :)

So I slept in my super cozy sheets last night and for the first time in 2 years it really feels like Christmas. Apparantly the sheets were vital to my Christmas spirit. I'm looking forward to making goodies for my neighbors (I'm still not setting up the tree though). I feel like I'm really ready. It very much felt before like I hadn't done something I was supposed to do so nothing else was in the right order. Well the order is right and now I'm ready for Christmas, bring it on!

Christmas time is here

Happiness and cheer

Fun for all that children call

Their favorite time of the year

Snowflakes in the air

Carols everywhere

Olden times and ancient rhymes

Of love and dreams to share

Sleigh bells in the air

Beauty everywhere

Yuletide by the fireside

And joyful memories there

Christmas time is here

We'll be drawing near

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year...
L

If you had a superpower what would it be?

So I love this show called Heroes... "Ordinary People Discovering Extraordinary Abilities"

http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/

In the last episode there was this girl who remembered everything she heard, read or saw. If I could pick a super power I think that'd be it. You'd never forget anything, you could od anything you wanted because you'd know everything.

What would you pick?
L

Manly man

"You lock your doors at night?"

"It's a house of 4 girls, of course we do."

"but you live next to 4 boys"

So if someone were to come in at night (not break in cause the doors were open), then I can expect him to wake up and come save the day?

I appreciate his confidance in himself and his manly protector attitude but I'll stick with the locked doors :)
L

A Song to Change your Life

So I've been thinking about his concept for a while now...

You know that song, that one that you hear that changes the way you feel? There's something about it that hits you in a way to change everything, or so it seems (I should have prefaced this by saying it's possible I can be a little over dramatic sometimes).

It might be the lyrics that hit you just so, they describe you at that moment better than anything else can or it's something about how right the chords are, how perfect the harmony is.

Weeks, or months down the line sometimes they've lost their magic... they're just another song but sometimes they'll be special forever.

There are a bunch of those songs for me right now...

Pompeii - Numbers
Something Corporate - Konstantine
Making April - Hurry Up and Wait
Vega 4 - Life is Beautiful
Mike Doughty - I Hear the Bells
Pompeii - States

So my thought is... how many other songs like these ones are out there waiting for me to find them? What if I miss them? What if I never find them? These songs affect me when I find them so not finding them must affect me too... In what way?

It worries me
L

The Best Cupcake You've Ever Eaten

Picture it...

1. The perfect chocolate cupcake, not too cooked and dry. Just the right size too, not small or big (leave them wanting more)


2. The best icing, sweet but not hurt your teeth sweet. Strawberry or Blackberry... you choose. Both made with real, pureed berried.


3. Just when you think that's all there is to it there's a perfet little surprise waiting for you. A centre filled with light, fluffy cream cheese goodness.

What did I tell you? The best cupcake you've ever eaten (sorry, no modesty here).
Bet you're wishing for one right now :)
L

There's an Ogre in my Shoes

You ever feel like an ogre woke up in your place?

I'm grouchy today, unreasonable grouchy. I suppose I could blame it on lack of sleep but since I chose to stay up late it's not really a very good excuse.

It's taking all my energy to keep myself in check and not inappropriately rip someone's head off. I'm seriously concerned for Betty... one wrong move and I could blow.

Be patient with me today, I'll be my usual cheery self tomorrow, promise.
L

Salt on the Shoulder

So I have this new theory for life

Whatever you decide to do you just have to commit to it.

Let me tell you how this came about (you’ll probably think I’m silly). So I’m making this ice cream pie, and it’s a really good pie. Skor bits, chopped up peanut butter cups and chocolate chunks mixed inside ice cream with a yummy corn flak-y, caramel-y crust. Then on top I drizzle peanut butter and chocolate as the finishing touch. It’s delicious and good looking.

So I’m about to drizzle the chocolate and as I take the spoon full of chocolate from the bowl to the pie to artfully drizzle I chicken out, I hesitate, I get nervous. What do I end up with? A blob of chocolate.

Example #2 – I’m out to dinner with friends and someone knocks over the salt, “What shoulder are you supposed to toss it over?” It’s the left, so she picks up the salt shaker and goes to toss but halfway through changes her mind... salt all over her shoulder.

One more... boys are so different. You take a paperclip; untwist it halfway so it will stand by itself pointing straight up. Take your palm and slam it on the upright paperclip (I know, the girls are thinking “why?”). If you do it with confidence the paper clip crumples. If you chicken out halfway through, the paper clip sticks in your palm.
Where am I going with this? Whatever you’re doing you just have to commit or you’re going to end up with a blob of chocolate, the paperclip will be stuck in your hand and you’ll have salt all over your shoulder. Had I just committed and drizzled with confidence it would have been beautiful, I’ve done it before. The same is true in life, just commit, give it your all and don’t chicken out. If you’re going to do something than you’d better really do it.

There should be no half way in life.
L

Betty Strikes Again

Remember Betty, the batty one?

This girl is not normal. She’s the kind of personality that you have to walk on egg shells around because you know that even if you mention it to her it won’t make a difference... she just doesn’t get it.

Well today she crossed the line. Maybe I wasn’t feeling very tolerant today but I can’t take it anymore! I won’t tell you what happened because it’s a long and boring story but I didn’t put up with it. I emailed her and told her it wasn’t okay. She rudely email back and things didn’t really end very well but I have hopes that somewhere deep down it made an impression on her. I want her to at least realize that I won’t accept that kind of treatment. I fully intend to call her on her rude behavior in the future too.

So here’s to standing up for myself!!
L

Good and Bad

I did it!

How long have I been complaining about wanting a raise? Well I finally did something about it today. I asked my manager if we could have a meeting so we headed off to a board room.

I told her that I’d been wanting to mention for a long time now that I really feel I deserve a raise. There was a co-worker who’d left to pursue a new job and since she’d left my role had changed. I have taken on more responsibility and I’ve been happy to do it.

The good part is she wholly agreed that my role has changed and that I deserve a raise. The bad part is she said raises only happen here in April. So apparently I’ll have to wait. I’m not sure if that’s an acceptable response but it will do for now. She also told me the percentage the raise usually is and it’s going to be way lower than I want it to be but I’ll deal with that when the time comes. I also mentioned that there are some courses I’d like to take and she was very receptive to that. She told me names of a couple people in the office who could probably help give me some direction with what courses would be most helpful. She also told me that she’s mentioned my change in role to the next higher up so when April comes that should help with the percentage of the raise.

All in all it was a good conversation, I didn’t get the results I wanted but I still feel good about it.
L