Have you ever had one of those weeks? Those moments in life lend itself for two things...immense laughter or tears. I have done both this last week. I have laughed at how much I have cried wondering what it will be like when my eyes aren't red and puffy. Long month seems to be an understatement.
There have been so many moments this month where I shake my head in disbelief at our luck. Whether it be sitting in traffic at the exact wrong time you need to be sitting in traffic because you are SO late for something (but really is there ever a good time to sit in traffic?) Or being so awed by how rude the customer service seems to be every time Sam tried to buy something. At one point my friend Danielle and I had to look away as we watched the shoe lady fit Sam for shoes while she berated each slight imperfection he had. The irony...I went in the next day and got fitted and have the same issues with my feet yet the lady was so sweet to me and I left feeling affirmed. Or my personal favorite was going to Outback with Holly and Kimberly...kind of too make fun of Australia because I bought Sam a shirt that said "Not Australian." The waitress was so shockingly rude all we could do was stare in disbelief. Holly, ever finding the positive in situations, decided that the lady was being "in character" and realized that Sam was from New Zealand so she had to be rude to them because of their countries rivalry.
We had a few bumps in the road in Redding and in the midst of vacation felt like we didn't really leave the stress, yet those situations made us laugh. Or my personal favorite laughing moment...which did end up being a huge stress reliever yet kind of bad. Sam and I were on a sweet walk at the McConnel Foundation just enjoying the nice weather and having fun together. He was having a great time bowling rocks likes cricket balls and making me smile. There was a huge flock of geese flying above us, and Sam thought it would be a fun idea to throw the rock into the flock. Seconds later it was like a scene from a movie. Sam watching the rock, me walking next to my guy, the birds dodging the rock, the one bird not dodging the rock, BAM, the bird falling to the ground, THUD, the bird walking around stunned, sam erupting in laughter saying, "I can't wait to tell your dad." The whole time me being so nervous that I was going to get kicked out of Redding!
All in a weeks fun...right? We finally had a great day, no tears, no stress, no fights and even NO rain. We spent the day at the lake, talking, laughing, sam bowling rocks like cricket balls, and me full of smiles.
We went and got Sam those shoes he got fitted for after shopping around for three days, then went to dinner with friends. We were heading to Sports Authority to get me some new running shoes, and I naively said, "we made it through a day with no drama, fights, tears...only a few more hours and we did it!" Then....
My boyfriend decided it would be a great idea to show me he could jump up and touch a sign in Sports Authority. I have to stay that I was VERY IMPRESSED that he did it. I didn't think he could do it, not because he isn't incredibly athletic but because it was SO high. And when he said he could I innocently said, "no you can't." If that wasn't the BIGGEST dare for a bloke I don't know what was. Well he did it....even hit the middle of the sign not just the bottom. As I stared open mouthed so proud of my guy, I looked down to tell him how impressed I was but instead saw him writhing in pain with that horrifying athlete in excruciating pain face. All I could do was stare thinking you have got to be kidding?
Why was I shocked? Not sure...it seemed to be how our week had gone in Redding. Sam landed on his knee and rehurt it (he was supposed to get surgery in New Zealand before he came but he didn't....came her instead).
So I did what any supportive girlfriend would do in that moment...burst into tears. I grew up around injuries and sports injuries so I knew the face and even knew what to do but it seemed to be that proverbial straw that broke the camels back. Sam was in pain but did look at me and say, "It's funny....c'mon it is." Sam put his knee back in place and said, "You might want to get me home. I am in shock so I have 5 or so minutes for it to wear off." So we hobble out of Sport Authority and came home and I just shook my head all the way home. So much for those running shoes and our plans to run the next few weeks...
All in all it has been a long week and last night we just looked at each other and laughed at how life sometimes is. I said to him, "feels like we take one step forward and two steps back." But at the end of the day I have kept the most important things in life in perspective--The fact that my boyfriend jumped and hit the sign in Sport Authority. I mean really what else could a girl want? A healthy knee is overrated!
We might be taking steps backward but at least we are moving and having fun in the midst of super stressful circumstances....So for now that is the update on the road...I will continue to keep you posted and add some fun pictures soon.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Season 7 Episode 4
As we drove up North to visit my family and friends yesterday I saw one of my most favorite sites...Almond Blossoms. The white flowers on the end of each branch signify a new season. I can remember as a young girl knowing that the end of the school year began with the blossoms coming out. Only a few more months until the Magnificent Summer...swimming, no homework, TV shows, playing outside until it was dark to then come in an play for a few more hours...Ahh the blossoms ushered in a new season and created such joy and excitement.
The timing of the blossoms was fitting for the state of my life. Sam was sleeping as I drove down the 99 and I reflected on the many beginning and endings life has seemed to have. I have used the term "seasons" for my life for years now. It helps me have hope that life will change if its bad or if I am bored. It reminds me there are new things ahead, and it helps me when life is dark or stagnet to know that just like winter there will be an end and spring will come. Pretty much, it's a coping mechanism...a mind game, if you will, that I play with myself when life isn't going "how I planned." :)
The more I thought about it yesterday though the more I decided my life isn't really like the Seasons, it seems to be more like a TV show with different seasons and different episodes. My friend Kerri and I have joked for years about our life happenings, giving them an Episode Name...much like the way Friends used to name their episodes. Again, I think for us it has become a coping mechanism/mind game to make us laugh at very "unlaughable" moments in our lives. And you know what? It worked. In a moment when life seemed to be falling apart, I would get an email or a text or nowadays a facebook message with one of Kerri's "episode titles," and I would laugh out loud, remembering that life really isn't that serious.
So this particular day I thought, really my life is more like TV show episodes, not predictable seasons. I just never seem to know what is going to happen in my life. If you would have told me some of these things would have happened I would have laughed at you. But then...then are actually really happening in my life. I had to stop and reflect for a second about the TV show seasons concept. It seems to work a bit better for me. My life changes a bit more like weekly episodes with new themes every year or so. And there is always some emotional extreme in my life and there are always new characters popping in and out.
Like now for instance, I just finished a temporary job in L.A. (the fun Red Carpet Pictures are below...) while having my AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL boyfriend, who moved around the world for me. If you would have told me last February that this would be my life I would have laughed you out of my face. Funny how in a moment (or a single trip to Fiji) one's life can totally change. You can't write stuff this good (as my friend Kerri often tells me when I share the latest drama in my life) I still don't have an apartment and now I don't have a job. And I started today, me and Sam affectionately are calling our next month..."perpetual vacation." We headed to my parents for a night, then will be off to Redding, but like all good sitcoms we couldn't just go to my parents and drive up to Redding. We both get sick, fight all the way over the grapevine and then end at my parents with Sam so sick we can't go to Redding. The best well laid plans just don't ever seem to work these days. The whole time too, my life and lack of order for my life is rolling through my head. After this "perpetual vacation" what will I do for a job, where will I live, where will Sam live, what is next, what do I want to do with my life? Did we ask these questions after college....how am I hear again?
But ironically, I LOVE my life. I was driving home in crazy traffic Saturday and had been sitting for over an hour already when I just SMILED HUGE thinking of getting to go home and see Sam, get Mexican food right down the road and call one of our friends in New Zealand. All I could think was "when did this become my life?" So simple and not glamorous but so sweet and what I hoped for. We walked on the beach at sunset this week, frustrated at some things in life and unsure where to go next but all I could think was "perspective dana, perspective." It is just another episode and a great story to tell. How many people really get to not have a place to live and a job and then live this adventure? The best part of a Season a lot of times is the first episode after a summer break and the season finale that you wait for all week once you see the commercial reminding you the finale is coming. The middle is interesting and often makes you laugh and/or cry, but the best and most intense things happen at the end.
While we have had our fair share of intense in this season, this season is not over, we are just on to a new episode. Scenes from last week...to catch you up because of my lack of blogging :)
(On the way into the Awards Show I worked on the last two months...)
(All Dressed Up On The Red Carpet...Who knew?)
(More Pictures...Sam had to look snazzy because he was walking Elizabeth Perkins down the Red Carpet moments later...he was her date all night long. Who would have thought? A guy from Te Puna walking a celebrity down the Red Carpet..."
(The end of a VERY LONG night....)
(The day after the Award Show I woke up early, skipped a shower, went and got Sam and took him to the Rugby 7's that happened to be in San Diego. This was right before we walked in....we like taking pictures in the Car Parks)
(In Petco Stadium waiting for New Zealand to play)
(Sam was pretty stoked to have Beer and Chips and even more stoked that they had New Zealand Beer--Steinlager)
(Look at that smile! This was right before he was hassled by a security gaurd, got pretty angry, then found out that in America they close the alcohol sales at 4PM. Him, along with every other non-American in the stadium was appalled that at a Rugby tournament that their would ever be a stop of alcohol sales. It was even worse when the Steinlanger just sat tempting and taunting him at the concession stands after 4....only in our TV Show do you start out to give your guy a great day after a long few weeks and end on an emotional roller coaster of chaos. He looked at me at the game and said...I used to be so even keeled before you....Ooopsise...welcome to my emotional roller coaster of a life. Kind of crazy, but never lacking for excitement and laughter...)
Scenes from next week...
Redding.
Tons of Friends.
Kids I have missed like Crazy.
Linclon--more friends and more kids to play with.
LA for a bit.
Florida to meet all Sam's family that lives in the states.
Then....
Reality Check.
Stay Tuned...it seems simple enough and straight forward, but you know with me it NEVER seems to go as planned!
The blogs will continue now and the episodes will be up for your viewing on a more regular basis :) For now enjoy the "hour long episode" to catch you up!
The timing of the blossoms was fitting for the state of my life. Sam was sleeping as I drove down the 99 and I reflected on the many beginning and endings life has seemed to have. I have used the term "seasons" for my life for years now. It helps me have hope that life will change if its bad or if I am bored. It reminds me there are new things ahead, and it helps me when life is dark or stagnet to know that just like winter there will be an end and spring will come. Pretty much, it's a coping mechanism...a mind game, if you will, that I play with myself when life isn't going "how I planned." :)
The more I thought about it yesterday though the more I decided my life isn't really like the Seasons, it seems to be more like a TV show with different seasons and different episodes. My friend Kerri and I have joked for years about our life happenings, giving them an Episode Name...much like the way Friends used to name their episodes. Again, I think for us it has become a coping mechanism/mind game to make us laugh at very "unlaughable" moments in our lives. And you know what? It worked. In a moment when life seemed to be falling apart, I would get an email or a text or nowadays a facebook message with one of Kerri's "episode titles," and I would laugh out loud, remembering that life really isn't that serious.
So this particular day I thought, really my life is more like TV show episodes, not predictable seasons. I just never seem to know what is going to happen in my life. If you would have told me some of these things would have happened I would have laughed at you. But then...then are actually really happening in my life. I had to stop and reflect for a second about the TV show seasons concept. It seems to work a bit better for me. My life changes a bit more like weekly episodes with new themes every year or so. And there is always some emotional extreme in my life and there are always new characters popping in and out.
Like now for instance, I just finished a temporary job in L.A. (the fun Red Carpet Pictures are below...) while having my AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL boyfriend, who moved around the world for me. If you would have told me last February that this would be my life I would have laughed you out of my face. Funny how in a moment (or a single trip to Fiji) one's life can totally change. You can't write stuff this good (as my friend Kerri often tells me when I share the latest drama in my life) I still don't have an apartment and now I don't have a job. And I started today, me and Sam affectionately are calling our next month..."perpetual vacation." We headed to my parents for a night, then will be off to Redding, but like all good sitcoms we couldn't just go to my parents and drive up to Redding. We both get sick, fight all the way over the grapevine and then end at my parents with Sam so sick we can't go to Redding. The best well laid plans just don't ever seem to work these days. The whole time too, my life and lack of order for my life is rolling through my head. After this "perpetual vacation" what will I do for a job, where will I live, where will Sam live, what is next, what do I want to do with my life? Did we ask these questions after college....how am I hear again?
But ironically, I LOVE my life. I was driving home in crazy traffic Saturday and had been sitting for over an hour already when I just SMILED HUGE thinking of getting to go home and see Sam, get Mexican food right down the road and call one of our friends in New Zealand. All I could think was "when did this become my life?" So simple and not glamorous but so sweet and what I hoped for. We walked on the beach at sunset this week, frustrated at some things in life and unsure where to go next but all I could think was "perspective dana, perspective." It is just another episode and a great story to tell. How many people really get to not have a place to live and a job and then live this adventure? The best part of a Season a lot of times is the first episode after a summer break and the season finale that you wait for all week once you see the commercial reminding you the finale is coming. The middle is interesting and often makes you laugh and/or cry, but the best and most intense things happen at the end.
While we have had our fair share of intense in this season, this season is not over, we are just on to a new episode. Scenes from last week...to catch you up because of my lack of blogging :)
(On the way into the Awards Show I worked on the last two months...)
(All Dressed Up On The Red Carpet...Who knew?)
(More Pictures...Sam had to look snazzy because he was walking Elizabeth Perkins down the Red Carpet moments later...he was her date all night long. Who would have thought? A guy from Te Puna walking a celebrity down the Red Carpet..."
(The end of a VERY LONG night....)
(The day after the Award Show I woke up early, skipped a shower, went and got Sam and took him to the Rugby 7's that happened to be in San Diego. This was right before we walked in....we like taking pictures in the Car Parks)
(In Petco Stadium waiting for New Zealand to play)
(Sam was pretty stoked to have Beer and Chips and even more stoked that they had New Zealand Beer--Steinlager)
(Look at that smile! This was right before he was hassled by a security gaurd, got pretty angry, then found out that in America they close the alcohol sales at 4PM. Him, along with every other non-American in the stadium was appalled that at a Rugby tournament that their would ever be a stop of alcohol sales. It was even worse when the Steinlanger just sat tempting and taunting him at the concession stands after 4....only in our TV Show do you start out to give your guy a great day after a long few weeks and end on an emotional roller coaster of chaos. He looked at me at the game and said...I used to be so even keeled before you....Ooopsise...welcome to my emotional roller coaster of a life. Kind of crazy, but never lacking for excitement and laughter...)
Scenes from next week...
Redding.
Tons of Friends.
Kids I have missed like Crazy.
Linclon--more friends and more kids to play with.
LA for a bit.
Florida to meet all Sam's family that lives in the states.
Then....
Reality Check.
Stay Tuned...it seems simple enough and straight forward, but you know with me it NEVER seems to go as planned!
The blogs will continue now and the episodes will be up for your viewing on a more regular basis :) For now enjoy the "hour long episode" to catch you up!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
New Room...New Rules
For those of you that follow my blog you might remember Raya's room rules....the most memorable one being, "NO OPEN MOUTH KISSING."
Well each morning Audrey (one of my current roommates who is 4) reminds me of a great "life rule"
She says each and EVERY morning, "what do girls do every day?"
CHANGE THEIR UNDERWEAR!!!
Just in case I forget this little important fact I have a walking 4 year old reminder....
For those of you who know me well, be kind in the comment section :)
Well each morning Audrey (one of my current roommates who is 4) reminds me of a great "life rule"
She says each and EVERY morning, "what do girls do every day?"
CHANGE THEIR UNDERWEAR!!!
Just in case I forget this little important fact I have a walking 4 year old reminder....
For those of you who know me well, be kind in the comment section :)
Saturday, January 31, 2009
The Thrill of Risk
I drove to work in what Jacksoville considered "traffic." But can you really call it traffic if you are moving the whole time at speeds of 70 mph with other people passing you like crazy? I think not.
Man, how prepared I was because of my time in LA to make my morning commute. Now I do have to travel a bit with this new job, but the scenery is gorgeous (crossed over 3 beautiful bridges this morning) and the drive is continuous the whole time. There were so many times I sat in LA traffic wanting to shoot myself or someone else...think I had a bit of road rage? But this morning I actually was thankful for all the training LA gave me in my patience level in the car. Who would have thought...patience and car in the same sentence.
I am slowly feeling settled in here in Jacksonville. I am still doing all those annoying moving in things....electricity, internet, cable, etc. But for the most part I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I thought as I drove home tonight, how living where we live at the beach (I promise I will put up pictures soon!) is like going on vacation every night after work and every weekend. I feel like we escape to this little vacation home, relax (well currently we unpack and then I have to drive Sam back to his place, but for the illustration it works) enjoy the feel of the ocean and then get up the next morning and face life all over again.
It has been such a crazy ride this last year an a half and I NEVER EVER would have guessed Florida, much less a beautiful place at the beach, but man is it fun after not having a room of my own to move into a super spacious place. There have been some treachourous moments this last few weeks, and I am an idealist and always want life to be perfect. The more and more I learn about life, though, the more and more I realize just how to enjoy the moment in front of you.
A lot can happen in 12 months, and this year shows that like none other for me. Life is risky and I don't do it well, or without mistakes that is for sure, but I am glad I took this risk. I think I realized this week I would rather make tons of mistakes and experience the thrill of learning to trust people and God than never have that experience. It is hard, I'm not gonna lie. And there were many times I wondered if I would make it, but the thrill of trusting and holding on to hope in God and humanity is like nothing I have ever experienced. Sam reminded me this last few weeks that faith isn't just hope and trust in God but hope and belief in the human spirit and the value of humanity. That has sat with me for the last few days and as I started a new job, in a place where profit is important but they choose to value humanity just as highly or higher it is an interesting thought. What will this new place and these new people teach me about faith and trust. I think I have a lot to learn. So in the learning curve of a new job, I have a feeling, is a hidden many many other learning curves...
Man, how prepared I was because of my time in LA to make my morning commute. Now I do have to travel a bit with this new job, but the scenery is gorgeous (crossed over 3 beautiful bridges this morning) and the drive is continuous the whole time. There were so many times I sat in LA traffic wanting to shoot myself or someone else...think I had a bit of road rage? But this morning I actually was thankful for all the training LA gave me in my patience level in the car. Who would have thought...patience and car in the same sentence.
I am slowly feeling settled in here in Jacksonville. I am still doing all those annoying moving in things....electricity, internet, cable, etc. But for the most part I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I thought as I drove home tonight, how living where we live at the beach (I promise I will put up pictures soon!) is like going on vacation every night after work and every weekend. I feel like we escape to this little vacation home, relax (well currently we unpack and then I have to drive Sam back to his place, but for the illustration it works) enjoy the feel of the ocean and then get up the next morning and face life all over again.
It has been such a crazy ride this last year an a half and I NEVER EVER would have guessed Florida, much less a beautiful place at the beach, but man is it fun after not having a room of my own to move into a super spacious place. There have been some treachourous moments this last few weeks, and I am an idealist and always want life to be perfect. The more and more I learn about life, though, the more and more I realize just how to enjoy the moment in front of you.
A lot can happen in 12 months, and this year shows that like none other for me. Life is risky and I don't do it well, or without mistakes that is for sure, but I am glad I took this risk. I think I realized this week I would rather make tons of mistakes and experience the thrill of learning to trust people and God than never have that experience. It is hard, I'm not gonna lie. And there were many times I wondered if I would make it, but the thrill of trusting and holding on to hope in God and humanity is like nothing I have ever experienced. Sam reminded me this last few weeks that faith isn't just hope and trust in God but hope and belief in the human spirit and the value of humanity. That has sat with me for the last few days and as I started a new job, in a place where profit is important but they choose to value humanity just as highly or higher it is an interesting thought. What will this new place and these new people teach me about faith and trust. I think I have a lot to learn. So in the learning curve of a new job, I have a feeling, is a hidden many many other learning curves...
The High Pass Difference
Funny how sometimes such a slight thing can make such a HUGE difference. Sam has been working on this new technique for his photos this past week and as he was showing me the results of a few slight moves on his computer I was amazed at what a difference it made. He took a picture that I thought was already very good and transformed it and it seemed the people jumped out of the picture. I didn't quite understand all the different things he did to get the outcome but it was slight and minute yet his eye was able to see the difference it would make. He sees things that the normal eye just doesn't seem to catch.
Contrary to popular belief Sam is not the reason that my blogs have been lack of late :) I was teased this week by quite a few people about why my blogging has seem to come to a sudden halt. It might seem with pictures like this that Sam is the reason behind this...
Visiting some of Sam's friends in San Clemente
(I put this picture in purely for the fact that these boys teased me relentlessly about blogging...now they are on my blog!)
(One fun weekend at the beach...of course!)
Unfortunately the reason I was able to be teased by some of my favorite people like Rayetta and Aunt Delores and my Grandma was a bittersweet occasion. My grandad passed away this week and Sam and I traveled home late Wednesday night for the funeral on Thursday. It really was a mix of emotion. While saying good bye is never easy there is something about seeing family and friends you haven't seen in years. There is a sweetness in the reminiscing and catching up. Sam was IMMERSED in my family and close friends for sure! I think I heard 5 people say to him..."keep talking I LOVE your accent." My reserved boyfriend that isn't a fan of huge groups and meeting tons of new people at once probably met over 80 people in a matter of 2 hours. And my most favorite part was those that said, "I know you from the blog." hehehehe It just made my heart dance with delight.
Spending time with my family and especially my brother who flew home from Holland was such a wonderful experience. Unfortunately my sister in law and nephew couldn't come and were SO missed by us all. I forgot how much fun my brother is since we don't get him at many holidays. He is in the Air Force and it had been three years since I had last seen him. I was so glad that Sam would get to meet him and laughed at how well they got along. My dad and brother are pretty quiet and they had quite a good time going outside and smoking cigars and drinking a beer. It was such a great time with my family and the day after the funeral my mom had all the immediate family over for a fish fry and even had some antelope thrown in there! My dad and brother did the cooking and we got to enjoy a fun night of yummy food, laughing and telling stories--some of which I wish we would have left out, and just being together with my Nana.
The best part of the trip was the surprise that it was that I got to stay home. Amy, my friend who I am working for at the job that is keeping me from blog world these days. I LOVE it still but man I just haven't had time to sit down and write what is going on, in two weeks is the Show and I will be back in blog world once again. I saw how one small gesture made a bigger impact than I could have imagined. We were SO busy at work and the project I have worked on since I started all was due the day of the funeral. I was planning to come home right after the funeral on Thursday. Instead I got a call after the funeral and Amy told me to just stay with my family and she would get my work done. My family was absolutely fine with me having to leave but the pure joy I saw in their faces was breathtaking when I told them that Amy had worked it so I can stay. She didn't have to do that and we had SO much to do, but one small gesture and a minute phone call gave my family quite a few special memories that we wouldn't have had.
Funny that earlier in the week when Sam was showing me the High Pass technique that I would experience the High Pass technique in my life...a sacrificial gesture and a simple phone call was the High Pass Difference in my life and my families.
(my whole family in one place!)
Me and my bro...I am SO proud of him. He is a major in the Air Force!)
(Sam even had to get in the family pictures...here is my spunky 94 year old Auntie Velma)
(Here is my sweet sweet Grandma and us)
(Me and Mike had to get a pic with my wonderful grandma and our lovely auntie!)
(We LOVE our grandma!)
Contrary to popular belief Sam is not the reason that my blogs have been lack of late :) I was teased this week by quite a few people about why my blogging has seem to come to a sudden halt. It might seem with pictures like this that Sam is the reason behind this...
Visiting some of Sam's friends in San Clemente
(I put this picture in purely for the fact that these boys teased me relentlessly about blogging...now they are on my blog!)
(One fun weekend at the beach...of course!)
Unfortunately the reason I was able to be teased by some of my favorite people like Rayetta and Aunt Delores and my Grandma was a bittersweet occasion. My grandad passed away this week and Sam and I traveled home late Wednesday night for the funeral on Thursday. It really was a mix of emotion. While saying good bye is never easy there is something about seeing family and friends you haven't seen in years. There is a sweetness in the reminiscing and catching up. Sam was IMMERSED in my family and close friends for sure! I think I heard 5 people say to him..."keep talking I LOVE your accent." My reserved boyfriend that isn't a fan of huge groups and meeting tons of new people at once probably met over 80 people in a matter of 2 hours. And my most favorite part was those that said, "I know you from the blog." hehehehe It just made my heart dance with delight.
Spending time with my family and especially my brother who flew home from Holland was such a wonderful experience. Unfortunately my sister in law and nephew couldn't come and were SO missed by us all. I forgot how much fun my brother is since we don't get him at many holidays. He is in the Air Force and it had been three years since I had last seen him. I was so glad that Sam would get to meet him and laughed at how well they got along. My dad and brother are pretty quiet and they had quite a good time going outside and smoking cigars and drinking a beer. It was such a great time with my family and the day after the funeral my mom had all the immediate family over for a fish fry and even had some antelope thrown in there! My dad and brother did the cooking and we got to enjoy a fun night of yummy food, laughing and telling stories--some of which I wish we would have left out, and just being together with my Nana.
The best part of the trip was the surprise that it was that I got to stay home. Amy, my friend who I am working for at the job that is keeping me from blog world these days. I LOVE it still but man I just haven't had time to sit down and write what is going on, in two weeks is the Show and I will be back in blog world once again. I saw how one small gesture made a bigger impact than I could have imagined. We were SO busy at work and the project I have worked on since I started all was due the day of the funeral. I was planning to come home right after the funeral on Thursday. Instead I got a call after the funeral and Amy told me to just stay with my family and she would get my work done. My family was absolutely fine with me having to leave but the pure joy I saw in their faces was breathtaking when I told them that Amy had worked it so I can stay. She didn't have to do that and we had SO much to do, but one small gesture and a minute phone call gave my family quite a few special memories that we wouldn't have had.
Funny that earlier in the week when Sam was showing me the High Pass technique that I would experience the High Pass technique in my life...a sacrificial gesture and a simple phone call was the High Pass Difference in my life and my families.
(my whole family in one place!)
Me and my bro...I am SO proud of him. He is a major in the Air Force!)
(Sam even had to get in the family pictures...here is my spunky 94 year old Auntie Velma)
(Here is my sweet sweet Grandma and us)
(Me and Mike had to get a pic with my wonderful grandma and our lovely auntie!)
(We LOVE our grandma!)
Friday, January 16, 2009
One of the many reasons I am LOVING LA....
80's in January...gotta LOVE that! Especially when I had friends send me a facebook message telling me it was below zero where they were this week.
Work is still fun...busy and a new world that I have no clue what I am doing some days, but a fun challenge. There is so much to learn and so many fun people I work with. I am excited to be a part of what I am doing and am not even minding traffic that much...guess life is just pretty happy these days.
I still am in transition and realized this week that I left for NZ one year ago this week. What a YEAR! If anyone ever would have told me what I would be doing this January I would NOT have believe them. I love a plan, I get excited about calendars and schedules and love to think ahead. But funny how when I didn't plan out my life and tried to enjoy the moment what great things I have got to experience. I still don't think I will ever "live in the moment" by nature. I love to think ahead and plan but I have learned some pretty good lessons in REALLY fun ways about living in the moment and enjoying what and who is in front of you.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Fun in the Industry
I have NEVER worked in an office job and said the things I said today...
"I feel SO energized!"
"That was SO MUCH Fun!" (said after leaving work at midnight last night and said once again after coming in at 7AM the next morning because of a HUGE fiasco with the Awards Show I am helping with for the Art Directors Guild)
"I feel like I was created to do this"
"What they stock the fridge!?!"
"YES FOR SURE!" (Said after my friend told me there was a guy here to wash our cars, and would I like mine washed?"
"It was so fun calculating number and diffusing angry men." (said once the Fiasco that was full blown was completely resolved)
"I had a GREAT first week!!" (with no more than 5 hours of sleep a night...less than 4 last night. I do have to say that wasn't all the Guild...some of the 5 hours are due to having my incredibly cute boyfriend to hang out with each night....:)
What a great first week in the Industry and at the Art Directors Guild. Amy (my friend who I work for) always told me that a lot of my strengths in work and people settings would lend themselves to really enjoy Production. And today when I told her how much fun I had she reminded me that this was "Production Like Energy" and she knew I would love it.
Plus I can rember loving playing "office" when I was little, yet I always seemed to die in office settings. Maybe, just maybe I was in an office just not doing the right jobs. Funny how sometimes you can be so close as to what you are gifted at and doing something that gives you life, yet a small adjustment can make the HUGEST difference. I haven't been drained leaving work and have even left with energy and a feeling of satisfaction. What we did when we were kids is often times so much more accurate than any personality or career test...you just have to be willing to test the theory, take jobs that you don't think are you, and experiment. But once you taste feeling like you were "created to do something" you will stop at nothing to get that feeling back.
Who knew the Entertainment Industry would be a place I would fine some energizing work and fullfilment. I mean, I know my life could be a TV show how crazy it is sometimes. And ironically a guy last night at our Awards Show meeting said, you could be your own TV show because I was introduced as "Dana the new Rachel (the girl who did this job last year. I smiled to myself and thought...if you only knew...
"I feel SO energized!"
"That was SO MUCH Fun!" (said after leaving work at midnight last night and said once again after coming in at 7AM the next morning because of a HUGE fiasco with the Awards Show I am helping with for the Art Directors Guild)
"I feel like I was created to do this"
"What they stock the fridge!?!"
"YES FOR SURE!" (Said after my friend told me there was a guy here to wash our cars, and would I like mine washed?"
"It was so fun calculating number and diffusing angry men." (said once the Fiasco that was full blown was completely resolved)
"I had a GREAT first week!!" (with no more than 5 hours of sleep a night...less than 4 last night. I do have to say that wasn't all the Guild...some of the 5 hours are due to having my incredibly cute boyfriend to hang out with each night....:)
What a great first week in the Industry and at the Art Directors Guild. Amy (my friend who I work for) always told me that a lot of my strengths in work and people settings would lend themselves to really enjoy Production. And today when I told her how much fun I had she reminded me that this was "Production Like Energy" and she knew I would love it.
Plus I can rember loving playing "office" when I was little, yet I always seemed to die in office settings. Maybe, just maybe I was in an office just not doing the right jobs. Funny how sometimes you can be so close as to what you are gifted at and doing something that gives you life, yet a small adjustment can make the HUGEST difference. I haven't been drained leaving work and have even left with energy and a feeling of satisfaction. What we did when we were kids is often times so much more accurate than any personality or career test...you just have to be willing to test the theory, take jobs that you don't think are you, and experiment. But once you taste feeling like you were "created to do something" you will stop at nothing to get that feeling back.
Who knew the Entertainment Industry would be a place I would fine some energizing work and fullfilment. I mean, I know my life could be a TV show how crazy it is sometimes. And ironically a guy last night at our Awards Show meeting said, you could be your own TV show because I was introduced as "Dana the new Rachel (the girl who did this job last year. I smiled to myself and thought...if you only knew...
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