This last weekend was almost as good as my own birthday weekend. There was some drama and unplanned for events but somehow those never seem to matter as much once the events are over and the overall feeling I have is just a resounding thought of, wow! that was awesome, I wouldn't of traded it for anything.
The basic overview stands as thus, Fright Night at Great America. They had great haunted houses and even though I don't generally scare easy I let myself be scared and ended up jumping a lot and screaming a couple of times. Werewolves, severed bodies, malfunctioning toys, and worst of all creepy clowns, I dislike clowns thanks to my high school friend. It was just a lot of fun and the costumes were so creative and the area mazes were well put together, even most of the lines were short so it was worth going earlier in the month than last year.
Then came the Renaissance Fair in Casa De Fruta. What a great day to go, the weather was fantastic, warm but not too hot, and people everywhere dressed as anything and everything that you can think of. I love looking around and seeing all the wonderful merchandise that people craft by hand. There is something wonderful about it, things that aren't manufactured by machines but by human hands. The food, the items and the drinking songs are just some of the highlights of the day. My favorite of course was the jousting competition, it made me want to watch the movie A Knight's Tale for the millionth time. Alas there wasn't enough time for sleep and a movie the rest of the weekend, sleeping clearly won out.
Finally, yesterday was a play it by ear day but sometimes those are the best kind of Sundays to have. I slept as much as my body needed, I made a cake that I have never tried to make before and it turned out pretty okay. The only thing that could have made the day better was a win from the San Francisco Giants and getting to watch the season premiere of The Walking Dead, but hey we can't have everything we want, and if we got everything we wanted how spoiled we would be. I do hope that everyone else had just as great of a weekend.
An opticians view of the world through slightly blurred vision, trouble shooting her mistakes and upgrading her life.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Losing My Mind
Losing something or someone is never a good way to have a great day. Somethings are easily found and the day seems to get better, but there are things that you may lose forever that take a toll on ones emotions. It maybe a relationship that needs a change and you feel like it is a lost cause so you move on. Or it maybe a life the was taken because you could no longer watch the suffering.
Whatever the loss maybe it can seem to weigh heavy on your heart and your mind. You may even think how is it possible to continue from this great loss? Well like many wise people before myself have said, time can heal all wounds. That is not to say the wound will never hurt again, or that in the beginning it can't be reopened. I think of it like when my previously broken foot aches when the weather changes, just like that a loss can ache at times too. Not a day goes by that I don't miss my grandparents and the time that I could of spent with them.
Moving on can seem impossible when everything is fresh and a change is new. Forgiving someone who may have caused that loss may seem like it will never happen, but to move on you will have to forgive. Everyday that we hurt but continue to live we become that much stronger, just like a muscle that you work out and train. There are few things in this world that last forever, loss of some kind is inevitable, it is a sad but true fact. What we must focus on sometimes is Plan B, because even though we may think that there is only one path to happiness that is not true. We are blessed with multiple good ways for life to work out.
Whatever the loss maybe it can seem to weigh heavy on your heart and your mind. You may even think how is it possible to continue from this great loss? Well like many wise people before myself have said, time can heal all wounds. That is not to say the wound will never hurt again, or that in the beginning it can't be reopened. I think of it like when my previously broken foot aches when the weather changes, just like that a loss can ache at times too. Not a day goes by that I don't miss my grandparents and the time that I could of spent with them.
Moving on can seem impossible when everything is fresh and a change is new. Forgiving someone who may have caused that loss may seem like it will never happen, but to move on you will have to forgive. Everyday that we hurt but continue to live we become that much stronger, just like a muscle that you work out and train. There are few things in this world that last forever, loss of some kind is inevitable, it is a sad but true fact. What we must focus on sometimes is Plan B, because even though we may think that there is only one path to happiness that is not true. We are blessed with multiple good ways for life to work out.
Labels:
blessings,
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Thursday, July 5, 2012
Willing To Help A Friend
How far would you go to help out a friend? Is there ever a time when you just have to walk away from the friendship? What are those circumstances?
I have almost never pushed a friend away, and in less than a handful of instances have I stopped being friends with someone. I am always a giving person or at least I try to be. I am willing to stand up for my friends in all kinds of situations and have at times been a middle person or peace keeper to help out the situation. In all my time of being, what i hope is good friend to those around me, I sometimes come to the idea that maybe I put up with more than crap than I really should.
Something that I am beginning to realize is that they might put up with more of my antics than I do of theirs. And I do worry sometimes that I use them irresponsibly. I am not really sure how you would use someone irresponsibly but I worry no matter what that I may have or be doing this. Friends have always been a bit of a mystery for me I guess. I know that doesn't give me a right to treat my friends badly, and for the most part I can't really think of a time that I have done that, though I am human and I am sure there are instances. But I come back to the ultimate question, when is it too far for them to carry me, cover for me, hold me up, or have my back? And vice versus? Is there ever a time when you should walk away from a friend or maybe just not be such good friends?
I have almost never pushed a friend away, and in less than a handful of instances have I stopped being friends with someone. I am always a giving person or at least I try to be. I am willing to stand up for my friends in all kinds of situations and have at times been a middle person or peace keeper to help out the situation. In all my time of being, what i hope is good friend to those around me, I sometimes come to the idea that maybe I put up with more than crap than I really should.
Something that I am beginning to realize is that they might put up with more of my antics than I do of theirs. And I do worry sometimes that I use them irresponsibly. I am not really sure how you would use someone irresponsibly but I worry no matter what that I may have or be doing this. Friends have always been a bit of a mystery for me I guess. I know that doesn't give me a right to treat my friends badly, and for the most part I can't really think of a time that I have done that, though I am human and I am sure there are instances. But I come back to the ultimate question, when is it too far for them to carry me, cover for me, hold me up, or have my back? And vice versus? Is there ever a time when you should walk away from a friend or maybe just not be such good friends?
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Sunday, July 1, 2012
Only The Lonely
Maybe this is something that I complain about too much, but as I sit here in my apartment on a beautiful Sunday afternoon I wonder how is it that I come to this lonely feeling as often as I do. Sometimes I like to blame it on biology and say that because I am female my desire to have a family is so strong as I approach my upcoming birthday. That could be true but it is also an excuse to try and explain my feelings I guess.
I definitely dislike this feeling though. I go to church and am filled with great feelings of the Spirit but then I come home to my almost empty house, where there always seems to be dishes, laundry, vacuuming and cleaning to get done, amongst tons of other things, and it is quiet. Quiet is nice sometimes but most of the time it just reminds me that I am lacking things in my life that I so badly want and feel that I am ready and just waiting for. I feel like I have less patience with each passing day, maybe each hour.
I definitely dislike this feeling though. I go to church and am filled with great feelings of the Spirit but then I come home to my almost empty house, where there always seems to be dishes, laundry, vacuuming and cleaning to get done, amongst tons of other things, and it is quiet. Quiet is nice sometimes but most of the time it just reminds me that I am lacking things in my life that I so badly want and feel that I am ready and just waiting for. I feel like I have less patience with each passing day, maybe each hour.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Old Ways
I am sure many people do this, try to imagine what life was like for some older generation. Sometimes I think back on actual how it was before some gadget became the everyday thing that never leaves our sides. Before flat screen TVs and cell phones. They become such a part of our everyday lives it is hard to remember they didn't always exist.
Last night I had such a moment when I was drying my hair after a shower. As I flipped my hair to dry the underside, I was thinking about changing the area of my room where the hair dryer was and how there weren't really any empty plug spaces over in that area. Then I thought about a power strip and how many things I can plug into each strip and I immediately thought, what did people do before power strips? Did they actually unplug things? Ludicrous
There are any number of things that I keep plugged in to make my life function. Just in the living room alone I have the Xbox and TV, a light and a couple other things. I came to the conclusion that maybe back in the day not only did they unplug things they also didn't have a DVD player, VCR, cable box, TV, game console and sound system that all connect together and need to be plugged in. Simple thought, probably true, kind of makes you think about what we might be able to get by without in our lives and creating simpler times.
Last night I had such a moment when I was drying my hair after a shower. As I flipped my hair to dry the underside, I was thinking about changing the area of my room where the hair dryer was and how there weren't really any empty plug spaces over in that area. Then I thought about a power strip and how many things I can plug into each strip and I immediately thought, what did people do before power strips? Did they actually unplug things? Ludicrous
There are any number of things that I keep plugged in to make my life function. Just in the living room alone I have the Xbox and TV, a light and a couple other things. I came to the conclusion that maybe back in the day not only did they unplug things they also didn't have a DVD player, VCR, cable box, TV, game console and sound system that all connect together and need to be plugged in. Simple thought, probably true, kind of makes you think about what we might be able to get by without in our lives and creating simpler times.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Plant Life
The plants are alive! Now I am not talking Little Shop of Horrors alive, we all know how that didn't turn out so well. But even though I can see with my own eyes that a plant is growing I forget that means it is a living thing and it can move and change to it's needs. I bring this up because as anyone who has read my blog lately knows I am growing tomatoes in my little garden. Two of my plants are actually growing upside down in a tomato planter. What I like most about this is that some how the plants know they are upside down and correct themselves. Yes they actually twist their stems to make it so the leaves are facing skyward. You may not believe me but I have taken some pictures of course as proof. A regular Tin Tin is what I am.
So there you have it, how amazing it is that plants can do this. Not just grow upward and outward but that they know something is unusual and they correct it themselves. I am sure there is a life lesson in there somewhere.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Gardener for Life
I have always loved gardening! Even before I could really walk I was doing it, and best of all it was something that I got to do with my Grandfather when he was still alive. I remember the fruits and vegetables that we used to grow and eat were so delicious and though it was hard work, there was more than enough food for our grandparents, my family, my aunt and uncle's family and then some. We shared with whomever would want to eat, literally, the fruits of our labor.
These days things are a little different, Grandpa has been gone almost two years and I live farther away from my immediate family in an apartment with no lawn or really any ground to plow and sow my fields. But with the help of the internet, Pinterest, my friends and my knowledge from my Grandfather, I am working yet again on a little garden of my own. I have become very obsessed with the idea of being able to at least provide myself and my friends with a minimum of fresh fruits and vegetables this year.
Growing everything out of containers and raised planters, if I get that ambitious. But for know I am starting with some aloe vera, tomato and zucchini that I picked up at the store this last weekend. If all goes well I am hoping soon to add some strawberries and blackberries which I will be growing out of a wooden pallet of all things. It will be amazing if I manage to get it all together and working. But even if I don't quite get it right this time I can try again next year and learn from my mistakes this time. And if I do get it right, then more berry scones to go around.
Me, Grandpa and Grandma |
Growing everything out of containers and raised planters, if I get that ambitious. But for know I am starting with some aloe vera, tomato and zucchini that I picked up at the store this last weekend. If all goes well I am hoping soon to add some strawberries and blackberries which I will be growing out of a wooden pallet of all things. It will be amazing if I manage to get it all together and working. But even if I don't quite get it right this time I can try again next year and learn from my mistakes this time. And if I do get it right, then more berry scones to go around.
My little garden beginnings - Day 1 |
Friday, January 13, 2012
You Can't Run Away
In the recent past I have taken up running. It has never been my favorite thing, I have only found the want to run if there was a purpose, like playing a sport or running away from zombies or other dangerous situations. No need to worry thought the latter has only happened a couple of times.
Running is definitely something that I am doing because well it is free and I can't afford a gym right now. It does have it's set backs such as my knee tweaking for a couple of days after each run/jog/walk. And the air is still cold from winter and makes my asthma kick in to high gear causing coughing fits even when I have taken my inhaler as prescribed. But I know there are benefits too.
I now that my body is reacting to the exercise even if it is not much. My clothes are fitting a little better and I can definitely tell that my body is getting stronger. Though I realized the other day that these are not the only reasons that I have been running. I have been running because it gives me the feeling of being able to run away from life's problems.
Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing but it is what it is. When there are problems or feelings that have been troubling me throughout the day I can just run away from them. It is a time when no one can get to me. A place and time when it is just me, I don't answer any text messages or anything of that sort, and I just run away from everything that might be plaguing me. The only thing that is hard sometimes is coming back from the run and remembering the reality that I running from my problems doesn't actually solve anything.
Running is definitely something that I am doing because well it is free and I can't afford a gym right now. It does have it's set backs such as my knee tweaking for a couple of days after each run/jog/walk. And the air is still cold from winter and makes my asthma kick in to high gear causing coughing fits even when I have taken my inhaler as prescribed. But I know there are benefits too.
I now that my body is reacting to the exercise even if it is not much. My clothes are fitting a little better and I can definitely tell that my body is getting stronger. Though I realized the other day that these are not the only reasons that I have been running. I have been running because it gives me the feeling of being able to run away from life's problems.
Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing but it is what it is. When there are problems or feelings that have been troubling me throughout the day I can just run away from them. It is a time when no one can get to me. A place and time when it is just me, I don't answer any text messages or anything of that sort, and I just run away from everything that might be plaguing me. The only thing that is hard sometimes is coming back from the run and remembering the reality that I running from my problems doesn't actually solve anything.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Surprise Blessing
Had a great experience tonight, got a phone call around 6:30 pm from the branch president asking if he could come visit me. Well he actually used the word "we", I did not know who that implied but I said yes anyways. especially since he said they were just coming over to check in on me.
This might seem odd but I need quite a bit of checking up on. Though I can take care of myself and another living creature, as shown by my dishes drying on the counter and my sleeping dog in the corner, it is nice to have someone of high authority come by and bring a priesthood presence to the house.
And that is what happened, though I was a little shocked that I was being visited/ home taught by the branch president and the stake president. When you open the door to that image you tend to wonder what exactly you did to warrant this visit. They truly did just come by to visit and talk though, and once they got past the vicious dog they were able to sit in peace. We talked about how I am doing in work and at home, with my finances and my interest in theater and what I am doing with that recently.
The best part of the night came when they were about to leave and unexpectedly the stake president asked if I wanted a priesthood blessing. I was taken aback by the question at first, I guess my first thought was why would I need one everything seems to be going fine right now, but when the stake president offers a blessing how can anyone refuse. So I accepted and branch president blessed me with all of the things that I need right now and somethings that I have been thinking about and some that I have not. What a wonderful experience to have tonight, when I was feeling a little low before.
This might seem odd but I need quite a bit of checking up on. Though I can take care of myself and another living creature, as shown by my dishes drying on the counter and my sleeping dog in the corner, it is nice to have someone of high authority come by and bring a priesthood presence to the house.
And that is what happened, though I was a little shocked that I was being visited/ home taught by the branch president and the stake president. When you open the door to that image you tend to wonder what exactly you did to warrant this visit. They truly did just come by to visit and talk though, and once they got past the vicious dog they were able to sit in peace. We talked about how I am doing in work and at home, with my finances and my interest in theater and what I am doing with that recently.
The best part of the night came when they were about to leave and unexpectedly the stake president asked if I wanted a priesthood blessing. I was taken aback by the question at first, I guess my first thought was why would I need one everything seems to be going fine right now, but when the stake president offers a blessing how can anyone refuse. So I accepted and branch president blessed me with all of the things that I need right now and somethings that I have been thinking about and some that I have not. What a wonderful experience to have tonight, when I was feeling a little low before.
Labels:
blessings,
church,
difficult days,
gospel,
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inspiration,
life,
priesthood
Thursday, July 14, 2011
HP Challenge - Day 30 Harry Potter Changes Lives
I am trying to sit here and really think about how to word my thoughts on the affect that Harry Potter has had on my life over the last decade or so. I never really think of myself as an overly obsessed fan it is really just something that I enjoy. I don't camp outside of theaters days before the movie opening, I don't fly across the country to premieres of the movie and I haven't yet been to Florida to Harry Potter world. Although take note that I will one day very soon be doing that.
I think there are a couple of main things that have made an affect on my life in regards to this series. For one, just like many other people in the world it got me to read again. I for many years before the books came out always wanted to spend more time reading in general, but I was never really interested in any other books. Then the Sorcerer's Stone came along and I remembered the pure joy of my imagination. Of being transported to another place and having a connection to fictional characters like they are real, like you could actually know them in real life. Amazing how the brain can do that.
I love how it not only helped me realize the potential of books but it helped the rest of the world do the same. Learn to love their imaginations and reading again. To remember that a good story is really enjoyable and worth reading.
Secondly I really love the camaraderie that is brought on by the mere fact that a bunch of people like the same book. I have watched families come together over this book. Families that sat down together and read out loud to each other so they would all finish at the same time. I have seen friends that have conversed over the subjects found in the books. There are whole college courses that relate the world of Harry Potter to real life. We have even adapted Quidditch to be played and teams in schools to be formed. And most of all there is that feeling you get when you go to the release of the book or the movie and you stand in the cold, dressed up in Hogwarts gear talking to other people in the area that are there to share this experience with you.
I can honestly say that this series will live on for generations. The movies and the books, I already plan on reading them to my children from a young age. My hope is that they will learn the many lessons that I have from the books about good and evil, about friendship and love, about perseverance and triumph, about greatness and how to live up to your destiny even when you aren't really sure that you can. So yeah Harry Potter has influenced my life as I am sure it has for many others and I could never imagine not having it around.
I think there are a couple of main things that have made an affect on my life in regards to this series. For one, just like many other people in the world it got me to read again. I for many years before the books came out always wanted to spend more time reading in general, but I was never really interested in any other books. Then the Sorcerer's Stone came along and I remembered the pure joy of my imagination. Of being transported to another place and having a connection to fictional characters like they are real, like you could actually know them in real life. Amazing how the brain can do that.
I love how it not only helped me realize the potential of books but it helped the rest of the world do the same. Learn to love their imaginations and reading again. To remember that a good story is really enjoyable and worth reading.
Secondly I really love the camaraderie that is brought on by the mere fact that a bunch of people like the same book. I have watched families come together over this book. Families that sat down together and read out loud to each other so they would all finish at the same time. I have seen friends that have conversed over the subjects found in the books. There are whole college courses that relate the world of Harry Potter to real life. We have even adapted Quidditch to be played and teams in schools to be formed. And most of all there is that feeling you get when you go to the release of the book or the movie and you stand in the cold, dressed up in Hogwarts gear talking to other people in the area that are there to share this experience with you.
I can honestly say that this series will live on for generations. The movies and the books, I already plan on reading them to my children from a young age. My hope is that they will learn the many lessons that I have from the books about good and evil, about friendship and love, about perseverance and triumph, about greatness and how to live up to your destiny even when you aren't really sure that you can. So yeah Harry Potter has influenced my life as I am sure it has for many others and I could never imagine not having it around.
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