Quote of the Day

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."
-Robert F. Kennedy

The top 11 Hints for Life

1. It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.
2. A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.
3. The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
4. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it' s also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
5. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone but – it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
6. Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
7. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
8. Always put yourself in the other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person too.
9. A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life; an untimely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless.
10. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
11. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear. When you were born, you were crying, and, everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one smiling and everyone around you is crying.
    

Random Fact

If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

Weekend

WOW! I survived!

The weekend started with a drive to Pleasanton Friday to pick up my cousin at BART, and ended with mini golfing this evening. In between all that... Well, 1 big party, 1 birthday party, and 1 dish network set-up.

More on all those events later...with pictures.

For now though. I'm freakin' out because Dennis is IN CALIFORNIA! In the bay area even. And where am I? In Hilmar. 1 more full day, then Tuesday late afternoon I'm off to meet this man that I've gotten to know so well.

Pray for my nerves. Although I'm still not all that nervous, and I'm definitely not worried. Pray for God's will and following it. Pray for a good time with a new friend...and maybe more than just a friend. Pray for safe travels.

Quote of the Day

"You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well."
— Lewis B. Smedes

Quote of the Day

"There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second."
-Logan Pearsall Smith

How To Make Women Happy...The Point System

(advice according to women)

In the world of romance, one single rule applies: Make the woman happy. Do something she likes and you get points. Do something she dislikes and points are subtracted. You don't get any points for doing something she expects. Sorry, that's the way the game is played.

Simple Duties:
You make the bed (+1)
You make the bed, but forget to add the decorative pillows (0)
You throw the bedspread over rumpled sheets (-1)

You leave the toilet seat up (-5)
You replace the toilet paper roll when it is empty (0)
When the toilet paper roll is barren, you resort to Kleenex (-1)
When the Kleenex runs out you use the next bathroom (-2)

You go out to buy her extra-light panty liners with wings (+5)
In the snow (+8)
But return with beer (-5)

You check out a suspicious noise at night (0)
You check out a suspicious noise and it is nothing (0)
You check out a suspicious noise and it is something (+5)
You pummel it with a six iron (+10)
It's her pet (-10)

Social Engagements At a Party:
You stay by her side the entire party (0)
You stay by her side for a while, then leave to chat with a college drinking buddy (-2)
Named Tiffany (-4)
Tiffany is a dancer (-6)
Tiffany has implants (-8)

Her Birthday:
You take her out to dinner (0)
You take her out to dinner and it's not a sports bar (+1)
Okay, it is a sports bar (-2)
And it's all-you-can-eat night (-3)
It's a sports bar, it's all-you-can-eat night, and your face is painted in all of the colors of your favorite sports team (-10)

A Night Out With the Boys:
Go with a pal (-5)
The pal is happily married (-4)
Or frighteningly single (-7)
And he drives a Mustang (-10)
With a personalized license plate that reads GR8 N BED (-15)

A Night Out:
You take her to a movie (+2)
You take her to a movie she likes (+4)
You take her to a movie you hate (+6)
You take her to a movie you like (-2)
It's called DeathCop 9 (-3)
Which features cyborgs that eat humans (-9)
You lied and said it was a foreign film about orphans (-15)

Your Physique:
You develop a noticeable potbelly (-15)
You develop a noticeable potbelly and exercise to get rid of it (+10)
You develop a noticeable potbelly and resort to loose jeans and baggy Hawaiian shirts (-30)
You say, "It doesn't matter, you have one too." (-800)

Communication: When she wants to talk about a problem:
You listen, displaying what looks like a concerned expression (0)
You listen, for over 30 minutes (+5)
You listen for more than 30 minutes without looking at the TV (+100)
She realizes this is because you have fallen asleep (-20)


The Big Question: She asks, "Do I look fat?"
You hesitate in responding (-10)
You reply, "Where?" (-35)
Any other response (-20)

Mr. Alaska, part 2

So I've gotten a couple "What's up with Mr. Alaska?" questions lately. So maybe it's time to share some more.

If you'd like to read part 1 to get caught up (like I'm going to real quick to know where I left off), then please do so before reading more.

Ok, so the latest. Guess what? We're still talking! Shocking I know! It's really quite cute, we act as one another's alarm clock. He's really good at "hitting the snooze button", groggily asking if I can call back in 10 minutes. We talk throughout the day. And when we're not talking we're texting.

What do we talk and text so much about you ask? Everything! The meaning of life, world peace, the weather (not kidding!), his kids, my family, his upcoming trip, life in our respective locations, God, what we're looking for in a future mate, etc. And I think we've almost solved world hunger. But we talk about the same stuff you would if you were on a date.

Did I mention his upcoming trip? Oh, look at that I did. Did I mention before that he's coming to California? Coincidence? Fate? Part of God's plan...? Hummm....not sure, I'm leaning more towards the latter though.... This Sunday, Dennis flies into San Francisco for work. He'll be in meetings for 2 days. Tuesday I'm ditching work a little early, I'm taking 3 days off, and I'm driving to San Francisco to meet him, hang out with him, and see how we click. We'll be staying there for a night then coming back to Hilmar. He leaves the following Sunday.

Can I admit? I'm not one bit worried about this. Not at all. Nervous, yes! Excited, definitely! Anxious, yep! But not worried or concerned. We get along great on the phone. Now it's just to see if we get along great in person. Every now and again though, a little butterfly does flips in my tummy.

So you know what that means...? Any guesses?

None. No, come on you guys!

That means that next week I'll have pictures to share! I know that some of you are super excited about that.

Note to family... I'll leave every contact number, itinarery, driving route, etc. with numerous people to calm your concerns. Please understand that with meeting guys online, like was pushed on me for so long, that eventually you have to meet them. Just pray for God's will.

Women Can Multiply

'Whatever you give a woman, she's going to multiply. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

So - if you give her any crap, you will receive a ton of shit.'

Addiction

I have a little addiction. You see... I have a problem with chap stick, lip gloss, lip balm... not quite so much lipstick though.
I though to myself, "Self, how much of this stuff to you actually have?" So I cleaned out my purse, my night stand drawer, my bathroom drawer. And any other random miscellaneous place that a lip covering might be hiding.

And this is what I found...
So let's dissect and and see what this collection is compromised of. What kind of lip stuff makes me tick? What I have doubles of... oops...

Mac stuff. This is the only stuff from Mac that I own. Maybe I should wear it more often. I think it got buried in my purse, so it was out of sight out of mind.
I heart Burt's Bees. You'll notice that there are 2 of the same. Yes, that's right. I have doubles. I thought I lost one. And I can't live without it. So I bought a new on. Then found the old one. It's ok though, it'll get used. Or washed in the washer. Like one of the two did. It's ok though. It didn't melt and stain my clothes. I wonder if that's because it's "all natural"...?
Random miscellaneous independent consultant stuff. 4 from Beauticontrol. 2 from Mary Kay.
Really random miscellaneous stuff. Most of those were stocking stuffers from Christmas's. The "Chap Block" is from a New York CVS.
Gotta love Bath & Body Works. Think I have enough?This one though. This one tastes like a margarita! It's called Limeade. I highly recommend it.More random miscellaneous stuff. The pink polka dotted one is from Old Navy. It's new. It's flavor is "Watermelon Mint". It's actually not bad!

Yes, again with the doubles. So here's the thing. These are more from Bath & Body Works. They are "No Injection Lip Plumpers". I think they work. And what happened? Again, lost one. So I went to get another at $15 a pop. I joked with the gal that I lost one and that once I get home with this one I'll find the other. Guess what happened... Yep, found it within a day! Grrr...So let's put them all back in the thing, pot?, jar?, container! that I'm going to hold them in.
I think it's time to take a break from buying this junk!

And I need a support group.

Dating Ad Translations

Want to know what the person is REALLY like behind those "nice" 

descriptions in Singles Ads?  Here are some translations.  

 

DANDY LITTLE HOUSE KEEPER: 

She has been married three times and kept all the houses

 

FINE CHARACTER

She's an ex-hooker

 

KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE MONEY:

She's a spend thrift and great at spending yours

 

STRONG FAMILY TIES:

She's a Mafia Princess

 

LOVES CHILDREN:

She's pregnant and needs a husband

 

WONDERFUL PERSONALITY:

She's fat

 

GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR:

She's fat and will laugh at anything you say

 

THE OUTDOOR TYPE:

She hunts, fishes, chews tobacco, just like the guys

 

READY TO SETTLE DOWN:

She's thirty-five, in a state of panic, and dying to marry

 

LIKES TO HAVE A GOOD TIME:

She gets drunk every time she goes out

 

LOTS OF FUN AT PARTIES:

Often makes an ass of herself

 

MATURE WOMAN:

She's at least thirty, but looks at least forty-five

 

HAS THE APPEARANCE OF A YOUNG SCHOOL GIRL:

She's at least thirty-three, but dresses like a teenager

 

CASUAL:

She dresses like a slob

 

DECORATED HER OWN PLACE:

Her apartment resembles a pig sty

 

A GREAT DANCER:

She's a Stripper 

 

NOT OVERLY EMOTIONAL:

She only cries twenty-seven times a day

 

DOESN'T CHASE MEN:

She's more of a mousetrap or a black widow spider type

 

SELDOM DATES:

She's a lesbian who needs a male escort for something

 

UNDERSTANDS MEN:

She's been married and divorced four times

 

A GOOD SPORT:

She knows two hundred jokes & can drink you under the table

 

LOOKS AND DRESSES LIKE A MODEL:

She's five eleven and weighs seventy-three pounds

 

BEEN IN SHOW BUSINESS:

She's a former porn movie star

 

KNOWS A LOT OF INTERESTING PEOPLE:

None of whom would marry her

 

So what are you? What would you claim in your ad?

Quote of the Day

"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play."
-Heraclitus

Red Shoe Stoppers

Last week I wore a pair of red heels to work. Shoes that I've had for awhile in the closet. I wear them occasionally. Apparently not enough though.

You see, I wore them to work and a lot of people noticed them. People that I didn't even realized look at shoes commented on them.

So, my $25 patent pleather red shoes from Target were quite the bargin! And the eye catcher.

Please pay no attention to the chipped pink polish on my toes. I'll be getting those fixed within the next couple days.

Quote of the Day

"In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities."
-Janos Arany

I Graduated!

That's right! You heard correctly!
Two weeks I was chosen to participate in a Quality Chk'd Supervisor Boot Camp. It's actually quite an honor to be chosen. Especially since I'm not a supervisor.

This would be the same Boot Camp where I learned about Social Styles. And the same Boot Camp that dinners were mandatory at Bistro 234 and Mundo's...where drinks were included... The same Boot Camp that pulled me away from my desk for 2 1/2 days, and kept me from doing the butt load of work that needed to be done. Did I mention that adult beverages were included with dinner?

But yeah me! I passed! I even had a randomly selected partner and we had to give a presentation in front of the Managers of the participants and the Steering Team (CEO and VPs of HCC)

Gender Items

ZIPLOC BAGS - male, because they hold everything in, but you can always see right through them.

SWISS ARMY KNIFE - male, because even though it appears useful for a
wide variety of work, it spends most of its time just opening bottles.

KIDNEYS - female, because they always go to the bathroom in pairs.

SHOE - male, because it is usually unpolished, with its tongue hanging out.

COPIER - female, because once turned off, it takes a while to warm up. Because it is an effective reproductive device when the right buttons are pushed. Because it can wreak havoc when the wrong buttons are pushed.

TIRE - male, because it goes bald and often is over inflated.

HOT AIR BALLOON - male, because to get it to go anywhere you have to light a fire under it... and, of course, there's the hot air part.

SPONGES - female, because they are soft and squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGE - female, because it is always getting hit on.

SUBWAY - male, because it uses the same old lines to pick people up.

HOURGLASS - female, because over time, the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMER - male, because it hasn't evolved much over the last 5,000 years, but it's handy to have around.

REMOTE CONTROL - female... Ha! You thought I'd say male. But consider it gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know the right buttons to push, he keeps trying.

Oktoberfest

It's that time of the year again...




It's OKTOBERFEST time!

This year will mark the year of the 6th annual Montague, etc. Oktoberfest. And it's this coming Saturday! I know, it's not October yet! Tell that to the Germans, they have their celebration in September too.

I'm very excited for the party. I'm not so excited for the week leading up the the party. Never fails, when it rains it pours busyness. That's ok though. Because the following week I'm take a few days off from work. I'll be resting and visiting a "new friend" that will be in San Francisco for meetings. He's coming from another state. Any guesses...?

Anyway, my point is, is that I'll get rest the week after. And it'll all be worth it.

So if you're in the area and would like to come to the festivity just let me know and I'll put you on the list. All are welcome.

Random Fact

Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

Puppy Sitting

Last Sunday I got the privilege of puppy sitting. Not only were my 2 dogs present, but so were my parent's 2 dogs. You see, my parents volunteered their backyard for a Koi Pond Tour that the church was doing as a fundraiser. With people coming and going through the back gate, there was no way their 2 dogs would stay confined.

And let me tell you, when a Jack Russell gets loose, good luck catching it!

So for the longest time I left them all locked in the backyard. I was too afraid that the boys, Skippy and Monty, would want to mark my furniture. And it wouldn't be fair for the girls to be allowed inside and not the boys. So they were all out.

But it was a warm day. And they all looked miserable. So, slowly, one by one I let them in the house. And they all pooped out when they came in.

Skippy, he's the patriarch of the family. He was enjoying a nice little bone.
Monty, the little love. I laid down on the floor and took a nap. He took one with me.
Riley, sleeping on her perch. She loves that spot on my couch.
Monty again. He climbed the lean-to. Then he wanted in. Silly dog.

Notice there are any pictures of Izzie. That's because she didn't come into the house once! Everyone else came in, got a drink of water and a bone. But not Izzie.

Distractions

The last few weeks of golfing my game has gone down hill. I blame the heat. I blame the fact that we golfed the bottom 9 holes on the 11th. The others blame a certain "distraction".

'nuf said. I received this via text (duh!), but I golf with Devon. So she knows about this "distraction". Anyone wanna guess who or what my distraction is?

I keep threating my "distractor" that this "distractee" is going to leave her phone in the car. But it never happens.

What can I say? I like being distracted.

Fun Answering Machine Messages

"Hello, this is Courtney. I'm not home right now, but I can take a message. Hang on a second while I get a pencil." (background noise - open a drawer and shuffle stuff around.) "OK, what would you like me to tell me?”

Social Styles

Last week I participants in a leadership boot camp. It was an intense 2 1/2 days. Mentally draining. Challenging. Well worth it!

One of my favorite exercises that we did was figure out what social style each of the 14 participants fell into. There are 4 quadrants: Analytical, Driver, Expressive, and Amiable. And within each of the 4 quadrants it breaks down further into sub quadrants with the same categories analytical, driver, expressive, and amiable. What you are depends if you ask/tell and how you control/display emotions.

So who would like to guess what I am? Come on, I know you want to. Fine! I'll tell you. I am a Driver Amiable. Which means that the main quadrant that I fall into is amiable, and sub quadrant is a driver.

So what does that mean you ask? I know it's all confusing and Greek I'm sure. Below is a list of my working style strengths...

• People-oriented; sensitive to others
  
• Concerned about others
  
• Encourages cooperation
  -serve as harmonizers
  
• Consensus-seekers
  
• Involve others; attend to group process
  
• Patient
  
• Good listener
  
• Team builders
  
• Good coaches/counselor
  

and potential blindspots...

• Too indirect, too nice - beat around the bush
  
• Passive-agressive (may not speak up to someone directly, but whine to others)
  
• Seem wishy-washy (too easily influenced) try to agree with everyone to avoid conflict
  
• Don't say no when they want to/should
  
• Overly seek consensus and others' approval
  
• Overly sensitive
  

Ding ding ding! We have a winner! The only thing I don't agree with...patient. If you know me, then you know that all of that is true. Can I get an AMEN?

So that is what I am, amiable. But I also tend to be a bit of a driver when I need to be. So what are the driver working style strengths you ask...

• Barrier buster - get results
  
• Have a sense of urgency
  
• Efficient in their work
  
• Appear confident...sure of themselves
  
• Clearly communicate expectations
  
• Willing to express their opinions
  
• Concise - direct and to the point
  
• Like challenges
  
• Willing to take charge/impose control
  
• Able to make decisions/take calculated risks
  
• Have high expectations of themselves
  

and potential blindspots...

• Push too hard with their own ideas
  
• Don't ask for or appear to listen to ideas from others
  
• Expect too much too fast from others
  
• Insensitive to concerns of others
  
• Intimidating...impatient
  

Yeah, I can get that way sometimes when needed.

Ok, so what does this all mean you ask. It means that I'm a people pleaser that can get a little bossy at times.

I also learned that we tend to be attracted to what is opposite of ourselves. Hummm...this made me curious. So I decided that I needed to ask Dennis (Mr. Alaska) the questions to find out what he falls into. I think it took him all off a minute to answer the questions as I read them off to him. Everything was one side or the other, no middle ground answers. See, now I've got your attention. Now you're curious. I'll report back another day with what Dennis falls into.

Just kidding! That means I'd actually have to remember to post a continuation to this blog. Too hard! So here you go...

Dennis is an Expressive Driver. So his main quadrant is Driver and the sub quadrant is Expressive. You already know what the driver strengthes and blindspots are, so I'll quickly tell you what they are for expressive, working style strengths...

• Energizing
  
• Motivating
  
• Upbeat - enthusiastic - positive
  
• Offer reinforcement
  
• Generate enthusiasm
  
• Visionary...often initiators of change
  
• Create excitement and involvement
  
• Share ideas and dreams
  
• Good brainstormers
  
• Fun
  

and potential blindspots...

• Too much, too high energy; can be draining
  
• Too big picture - don't provide enough details
  
• Too open to change (scope busters on projects)
  
• Move too quickly for others and/or without checking out assumptions or attending to details
  
• Like to work more on fun stuff vs. routine work
  
• Easily bored by slower paced communicators
  

From what I can tell, yes, that is Dennis! He's spontaneous, while I'm more thought out and planned.

Sorry this is long. It's good stuff. Really!

That means read it! I know, lots of words. Just do it!

For more information on social styles go here, or google it.

Quote of the Day

"An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while the pessimist sees only the red stoplight... The truly wise person is color-blind."
-Albert Schweitzer

A SURVIVAL KIT FOR EVERYDAY LIVING

Items Needed:
Toothpick
Rubber Band
Band Aid
Pencil
Eraser
Chewing Gum
Mint
Candy Kiss
Tea Bag
WHY???

1. TOOTHPICK - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.
   Matt. 7:1
   
2. RUBBER BAND - to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out.
   Romans 8:28
   
3. BAND-AID - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's.
   Col. 3:12-14
   
4. PENCIL - to remind you to list your blessings everyday.
   Eph.1:3
   
5. ERASER - To remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's OK.
   Gen. 50:15-21
   
6. CHEWING GUM - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything
   Phil 4:13
   
7. MINT - to remind you that you are worth a mint!
   John 3:16-17
   
8. CANDY KISS - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday.
   1 John 4:7
   
9. TEA BAG - to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of blessings
   1 Thess 5:18
   

I heart comments!

I love comments. I'm a comment whore. So please leave me comments.

Even if just to say hi.

Thank you.

Watch Out Tiger!

Quite a few weeks ago, while my parents were away at the lake, my brother and I ditched church and went golfing. Ok, let me rephrase that. In order to "ditch church" I'm implying that we have both been going regularly, which we weren't. Bad! I know. I'm back on track. I don't know why I ever stopped going. Oh, I know, laziness. But I digress...

So we went golfing! We went to St. Stanislaus way out in the middle of nowhere. I had just recently started golfing again. And I was doing good. At least at River Oaks I was doing good. Chris and I choose not to keep score. Thank goodness!

So here I am. Posing by my borrowed clubs. It's a really nice set.
And I'm up to bat, scratch that, I'm up to "tee off". And she swings...
Ladies and gentlemen we have contact! And I think I remember getting air under that ball! I know. I'm awesome. I'm good at getting air. "Getting the ball up" as my Wed/Thur group says. Yeah, we play dirty...
What did I learned during this golf outing with Chris.

1. Wear a hat! I ended up with a sunburn stripe where my hair parted while pulled up.
2. Learn how to use the clubs. I stuck with the same wood, club, driver! that's what it's called. And I always came up short of the green. Well, if you use a different driver it will adjust the distance the ball goes based on the angle or weight, or something a rather.
3. Those pants aren't as flattering as I thought.
4. Neither is that gut. I really need to work on that! Accountability people. Ask me everyday if I've done my 1,389 crunches for the day.
   

But I'm a golfer now. So, ah, Tiger. It's on! You, me, and the green. I'll pick the place, you just better show up!

Mr. Right Rejection Form Letter

Dear (____rejectee's name here____ ),

I regret to inform you that you have been eliminated from further contention as my Mr. Right.

As you are probably aware, the competition was exceedingly tough and dozens of well-qualified candidates such as yourself also failed to make the final cut. I will, however, keep your name on file should an opening become available. So that you may find better success in your future romantic endeavors, please allow me to offer the following reason(s) you were disqualified from the competition:

[Check all those that apply]

___ Your breasts are bigger than mine.

___ Your last name is objectionable. I can't imagine taking it, hyphenating it, or subjecting my children to it.

___ The fact that our finest dining experience to date has been at McDonald's reveals a thriftiness that I find unappealing.

___ Your inadvertent admission that you "buy condoms by the truckload" indicates that you may be interested in me for something other than my personality.

___ You failed the 20 Question Rule, i.e., I asked you 20 questions about yourself before you asked me one.

___ Your legs are skinnier than mine. If you can FIT into my pants, then you can't GET into my pants.

___ Your "Putting on a few, aren't you babe?" comment, given the 9-months pregnant size of Your Own beer gut, was inappropriate.

___ You failed the credit check.

___ I find your inability to fix my car extraordinarily unappealing.

___ The fact that your apartment has been condemned reveals an inherent slovenliness that I fear is unbreakable.

___ The phrase "My Mother" has popped up far too often in conversation.

___ You still live with your parents, and attending night classes to get your High School diploma, are slight negatives.

___ You mention your ex-wife's name more than you mention mine.

Now used for back up

Remember my post about the Kiss Me Mint toothpaste? Well, I can't stand it anymore. It's horrible to brush your teeth. I've replaced it. Gone back to my started Arm & Hammer Brilliant Sparkle.

Kiss Me Mint has been thrown to the back of the drawer. It is now purely backup. Or maybe I'll pull it out when company is staying over. Yea... I'll make them use it.

Stacey can testify though. The stuff was not the pleasant experience you'd expect when brushing your teeth. Right, Stacey?

All I can say is this, who ever thought that strawberry mint flavor for toothpaste would be a big hit is DUMB. They need to be fired. Back to the drawing board.

Belch. I get the shivers just thinking about it. Blah.

Quote of the Day

When we are no longer able to change a situation — we are challenged to change ourselves.

— Victor E. Frankl

You are Worth It

Do not undermine your worth

By comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different
That each of us is special.

Do not set your goals
By what other people deem important.
Only you know
What is best for you.

Do not take for granted
The things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life,
For without them,
Life is meaningless.

Do not let your life
Slip through your fingers
By living in the past
Nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time,
You live all the days of your life.

Do not give up
When you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over
Until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread
That binds us to each other.

Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances
That we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life
By saying it is impossible to find.

The quickest way to receive love
Is to give love;
The fastest way to lose love
Is to hold it too tightly.

Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams
Is to be without hope;
To be without hope
Is to be without purpose.

Do not run through life
So fast that you forget
Not only where you have been,
But also where you are going.

Life is not a race,
But a journey
To be savored
Each step of the way.

Random Fact

A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

Golf Partners

Once a week, for the past 2 or so months, a group of us leave work early. We leave work, clubs loaded and ready to whack a little white ball around a big mowed lawn. It's fun! We make rules up as we go, we try to teach one another, we share our frustrations, and we are always happy if we make par on at least one hole.

Let me introduce you to my work buddies. Not only do I eat lunch with them just about every day, but I also golf with them.

Angie...
Angie position is Admin Assistant for Operations, all operation departments for Hilmar Cheese. She's got a big position. And she does it well. I found out a month or so ago that Angie and I grew up around the corner from each other in Winton. Small world!Tamara...
Tamara is the Food Safety and Sanitation Supervisor for Cheese. That means that she goes around the 3 cheese plants on a uber regular basis and audits them. When Tamara moved desks and became 'trailer trash', I moved to her desk...right next to where my old desk was. Tamara is the mother of 2 teenage boys. She's a fun gal!
Devon...
Devon is the baby of the group at a young 26. She is the Cheese Lab Supervisor, and she plays with FT machines all day. I think. Devon is a kick in the pants! Working at Hilmar Cheese is a family goal of theirs. Actually, Angie is Devon's assistant...and her brother. Devon is my Friday going out buddy. Or my shopping buddy. Or my talk about internet dating companion.
Eek! Who's that?
So Wednesday or Thursday afternoons, you'll find me at River Oaks in Ceres. Normally we golf the top 9. This past week we golfed the bottom 9. The bottom 9 kicked my butt!

Quote of the Day

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.

— Franklin P. Jones

Fitting... as I have none!

What Women Need to Know: 20 Things Men Find Irresistible

Listen up, ladies! Men love it when you:

1. Have the ability to tease, be playful and take a joke
2. Know that men are not, in fact, from Mars, and women are not from Venus
3. Wear our T-shirts and boxers
4. Call us out of the blue (if we're dating; not if we're practically strangers)
5. Kiss creatively
6. Have a social conscience and enjoy a good debate
7. Have an easy-going attitude about watching or participating in athletic events occasionally
8. Are comfortable leading the whole way in bed
9. Ask for advice about non-stereotypically male stuff (yes, guys usually know what CD player to buy, but we like to be taken seriously about other things too)
10. Are charming and thoughtful to his mother
11. Can hold up your hair using only a pencil
12. Are sexy and smart at the same time -- for example, you do the Sunday crossword wearing a pair of flirty pajamas
13. Have the ability to remind us what gifts you like, without implying an obligation
14. Have a spirit of independence, but one that doesn't make the man in your life feel unnecessary
15. Know the difference between flirting and just "being friendly"
16. Eat a big meal and fearlessly order dessert
17. Take naps next to us
18. Send us flowers (believe it or not, men like getting flowers, too!)
19. Know what you want
20. Know what you want to do

THE BIBLE IN 50 WORDS

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.

Driving Ms. Daisy

Who remembers about a month ago when I had to drive my Great Aunt Dee down to my aunt's house in Riverdale? Did I tell you guys about it? I don't remember quite honestly.

But anyway, about a month ago my Great Aunt Dee was visiting all of her nieces and and great nieces and nephew in California. It was my family's turn to host Aunt Dee, but Mom was catering in the Fresno area. Since Dad and I both work during the day and couldn't entertain Aunt Dee, I had the pleasure of driving her to my Aunt Boo's house where Mom was staying the night.

What was waiting for me after my 1 1/2 hour drive that felt like 4 hours...? Family. Family that I love.

Like this guy. Coleman. Paige's boyfriend of ... about 2 years.
And all these people... Aunt Dee, Mom, Breanne, Aunt Boo, Tricia, and Paige (started in one corner and worked my way around). Notice the bottles of wine...? Yea, I had a glass once I got there. I needed it!
That there, that's Aunt Dee. She's my maternal grandma's sister. She lives in Minnesota and has one grandchild. So we're kinda like her grandchildren too...without receiving lots of presents at Christmas.
So Paige, the enology major, tried all the wine that was corked... I think she tried all of them twice. Can't say I've ever seen my sister tipsy, ok, drunk until that night.

And what did we do after dinner? Well, watched Michael Phelps swim of course.

And then I drove home to be at work the next morning. I was dragging.

But I love my family.

Quote of the Day

First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others.

— Thomas A Kempis

TWO ADDITIONS TO THE PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS

Element Name: WOMANIUM
Symbol: WO
Atomic Weight: (Don't even go there) Physical Properties: Generally soft and round in form. Boils at nothing, and may freeze at any time. Melts when treated properly. Very bitter if not used well.
Chemical Properties: Very active. Highly unstable. Possesses strong affinity with gold, silver, platinum and precious stones. Violent when left alone. Able to absorb great amounts of exotic food. Turns slightly green when placed next to a better specimen.
Usage: Highly ornamental. An extremely good catalyst for dispersion of wealth. Probably the most powerful income reducing agent known.
Caution: Highly explosive in inexperienced hands.

Element Name: MANIUM
>Symbol XY
Atomic Weight: (180 50)
Physical Properties: Solid at room temperature, but gets bent out of shape easily. Fairly dense and sometimes flaky. Difficult to find a pure sample due to rust, aging samples are unable to create electricity.
Chemical Properties: Attempts to bond with any WO any chance it can get. Also tends to form strong bonds with itself. Becomes explosive when mixed with KD (Element: CHILDIUM) for prolonged periods of time. Neutralize by saturating with alcohol.
Usage: None known. Possibly good methane source. Good samples are able to produce large quantities on command.
Caution: In the absence of WO, this element rapidly decomposes and begins to smell.

Fun Answering Machine Messages

Ring, Ring: The number you have xxx-xxxx (your number) has been changed, the new number is xxx-xxxx (again, your number).

Listen and Follow

Have you ever just known something? Something that you feel is completely God giving direction? How do you respond? What do you do? Of course you're supposed to listen and follow. But what if you're afraid?

I'll tell you what, I am totally feeling led by God. He's giving me direction. And hope. And a future. And I want to follow. I want to go where God is leading me, and do what he wants me to do. But I know that by following, I'll have to make sacrifices in my life. Big sacrifices. Lots of sacrifices. But in the end, it'll all be worth it. Because in the end, I'll be following God's will.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declared the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

With feeling God's leading, I have to have faith and trust. Faith that He will be with me and never give me more than I can handle. Trust that everything will be ok. I have to trust that He won't give me more than I can chew. And I have to have faith that what He is doing, where he is sending me, will be pleasing to Him. Something that I have a strong desire to do and be, a desire that is God given.

Please pray for me during this time. Pray for God's direction in my life. Pray that it'll be a easy transition. And pray that in all that I do I will be holy and pleasing to God.

With time, I'll reveal more about what God is doing in my life. It's scary. And it's exciting. It's a lot of emotions. But in the mean time, please pray.

I like prayer warriors!

Back in the Saddle

It's been awhile since I've helped my parents cater. But when duty calls, I must answer. And duty called a couple weeks ago.

And since I'm a goon that loves her new camera, even though I totally don't know how to use all the features yet, I brought my camera with me so I could play.

Here is a sampling of photos.

Great depth of field. I really like this picture for some reason.

Mr. BBQer for the night. He was roasting some weenies, sausages, whatever you want to call them. It was a hot day. Can you tell by the redness on Chris' face? I'll tell you. I think I drank like 6 bottles of water and never once went to the bathroom.

Some lovely models. We have Abby, DeEtte, and Mom. Abby is Kaitlin's best friend. She goes to Purdue in Indiana. She was gone all summer in England. This job was the first time I saw her. And she flew out the next morning to return to school. DeEtte is our star caterer helper bee. She's great. She tells great stories. And she's funny to boot! And Mom. I love Mom.

Mom, I love you!
Yum... dessert... These are the peaches that caused the Peach Sorbet that I made.

And the star of the whole show... the tri-tip. Need I say more?

Everybody, please welcome the newbie, Katy. Katy comes to us via Colleen, Chris' girlfriend. Katy is Colleen's sister. Welcome Katy. Your spunkiness will be a great addition to the team!
Now you've seen a bit of the catering world.

Now, next time, maybe I'll actually do some work and not take so many blasted pictures!

September Quiz Answers

1. Yes - they also have a 3rd of July, a 2nd of July, etc...
2. One a year.
3. All months have (at least) 28 days.
4. The beggar is the woman's sister.
5. Because he is living.
6. 6 - 3 per side.
7. No - the man would be dead.
8. They are not playing each other.
9. 70 - 30 divided by .5 is 60.
10. White - the bear would be a polar bear, because the house must be at the North Pole.
11. 2 - you just took 2 apples.
12. A fifty cent piece, and a nickel - one is not a nickel, but the other one is.
13. Light the match first.
14. Half way - then he would be running out.
15. One hour - the first one, a half hour later, and another one a half hour after that.
16. 9 - all but 9 die.
17. None - Moses was not on the ark.
18. He weighs meat.
19. 12.
20. Same as it is now.
    
21. None - it's a hole.
    

Quote of the Day

Whenever you see darkness, there is extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter.

— Bono

September Quiz

1. Do they have a 4th of July in England?
2. How many birthdays does the average man have?
3. Some months have 31 days; how many have 28?
4. A woman gives a beggar 50 cents; the woman is the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the woman's brother. How come?
5. Why can't a man living in the USA be buried in Canada?
6. How many outs are there in an inning?
7. Is it legal for a man in California to marry his widow's sister? Why?
8. Two men play five games of checkers. Each man wins the same number of games. There are not ties. Explain this.
9. Divide 30 by 1/2 and add 10. What is the answer?
10. A man builds a house rectangular in shape. All sides have southern exposure. A big bear walks by, what color is the bear and why?
11. If there are 3 apples and you take away 2, how many do you have?
12. I have two U.S. coins totaling 55 cents. One is not a nickel. What are the coins?
13. If you have only one match and you walked into a room where there was an oilburner, a kerosene lamp, and a wood burning stove, which one would you light first?
14. How far can a dog run into the woods?
15. A doctor gives you three pills telling you to take one every half-hour. How long would the pills last?
16. A farmer as 17 sheep, and all but 9 die. How many are left?
17. How many animals of each sex did Moses take on the ark?
18. A clerk in the butcher shop is 5'10" tall. What does he weigh?
19. How many two-cent stamps are there in a dozen?
20. What was the President's name in 1950?
21. How much dirt is in a hole 3 feet wide by 5 feet long by 4 feet deep?
    

Yosemite Hike

Ok, I'm behind! I know this! I'm a slacker!

I apologize. I've been a little preoccupied with a guy in Alaska. So shoot me!

A few weeks ago I went to Yosemite. It's been a few years since I've been. And although it was mid-August and the falls were all dried up, it was still beautiful.

And of course, I had my new baby with me to capture what I saw. And now I'm going to share a sampling of that with you!

2 of my hiking buddies, Devon and Adlena. Notice how wide eyed and bushy tailed they were? Fast forward 6 hours... not so wide eyed and bushy tailed.

Tamara and Devon examining the map of the trail we were trying to hike. I don't know how closely we really did follow that trail. I'm a bit skeptical.Umm, cool tree. Not sure what the point of this picture was.
Who knew that on our 15 mile hike, that was really closer to 10 miles, we'd run into a bamboo type plant.
Who can name this famous landmark? You win brownie points if you can! Who wants to climb it? Yea, ok, have fun. I'll be in the Awanhee sipping tea and reading the paper.
We stopped to rest about, um, 2/3s of the way through the hike. There was a nice little stream. The water was freezing. Of course, the shoes came off and I put my feet in the water. I'm going to guess it was about 23 degrees, but it was probably closer to 50 degrees.
Cool refreshing water. It was a toasty day. I was sweaty. I really wanted a shower. But alas, it would be hours before that would happen.
Look how clear that water is. We would have loved to sit on the beach side, but there was a couple already there. We probably disrupted their quiet time together. Oh well! Suckers!
So, by the time we ate lunch, it was almost 4pm. Some lunch that was, more like linner. Or would it be dunch.

Maybe luper. Or sunch.

All in all, it was a good day.

And the shuttle was my friend at the end of the day.