Because I have the attention span of a 5 year old

And Bones is coming on in 30 minutes and I can't study anything else right now...let's have a Halloween re-cap!

Halloween 2007:
It was a good Halloween. The first time the dynamic duo (that would be myself and my roommate) introduced ourselves to the world. We were:


A wee leprechaun and a pot of gold!

Halloween 2008:
Another good year. We started coming up with costume ideas back in March. After going through several possibilities, we decided on synchronized swimmers. Let me just tell you, we stopped at Sonic on the way to a Halloween party because they had .50 corndogs. Our waitress could not control herself she was laughing so hard. All of the other patrons were dying as well. I could hardly keep it together myself. Actually I lost it entirely when we went to the grocery store to get pita chips and dip. People were doubled over laughing, mostly because we were doing everything together: walking in step, pointing to things on shelves together. I remember nearly being sick in the parking lot afterwards because I could not stop laughing. Also I think there may have been applause when we showed up at the Halloween party. Plus, some random family stopped us in the street on the way to the party house and took our picture...I hope I never run for office.








And this year...well. You'll have to wait and see. It's going to be pretty good, I think. If people get it. Probably not as crazy as last year, but still good.

I feel silly writing this, but in the hope that I will overcome it by putting it out there and feeling silly, here goes:

I have a massive crush on Nathan Fillion. And I blame Ryan. Since the first time I ever watched Firefly, I have had a small crush on Nathan Fillion. Nothing serious you understand. But then last night he goes and revives Mal on Castle, and the little patter in my heart turned into a gallop. So thank you, Ryan. For introducing me to Nathan Fillion.

A little Sunday Afternoon Project

Last Friday as I was walking home from the bus stop (it was the most beautifully perfect day ever and I could not have imagined driving to the bus stop on a day such as Friday was!) I saw a sign for an estate sale and a garage sale. I, of course, knowing my roommate called her right away and told her about it. After I dropped my stuff off at the house we walked back up the street to the estate sale. I have to tell you, I think I have a new hobby. I love estate sales! They are so much cooler than garage sales. And while I know that they happen because someone passes away, I try not to think about that aspect of it and consider it more direct second-hand shopping. I found this table in one of the many treasure filled-rooms:



This afternoon instead of working out I decided to go to Lowe's and buy some paint and supplies. I found this really great color called Woodlawn Valley Haze by Valspar. I was torn between two colors, but this one is one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation colors, and since I'm a sucker for history and this table is super old...well, you can imagine how I ended up with Woodlawn. It took me about two hours to sand it and get two coats of paint plus touch-ups done, but now it looks like this:



I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out!

Double no-no's

Hm.

Just "hm." That's how I feel right now; just waiting to see how things turn out.

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Friends, I do not do drama. Ever. And I shy away from confrontation like it's the horrible, more dastardly wickedish step-sister of the black plague. You dig? We do not go well together.

But today there have been both things: two no-no's in my world, if you will. I'm still feeling the adrenaline and stress that are collecting in my shoulders and neck. I love that God loves the wayward ones. He not only loves them, he would leave the ninety-nine to go after the one. I should know, I've been that "one" before.

The highlight in this situation is that God answers prayers. And He answers them quickly. You ask for a way, and he will show you. Like a divine "aha! That's what I need to do" lightbulb moment. It won't be easier than doing nothing. BUT our weakness allows God's strength to be exercised in a way that is downright near impossible when we're standing in the way. That's what I'm counting on, because I plan on getting out of the way.

Maybe like a Square with rounded edges, or, On a bicycle built for two

Most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I walk by one of the coolest guys I've ever seen. Not really. But sort of.

See, he tends to wear short shorts and shirts that are a little on the tight side, which are not at all on my list of must haves for a mate. He also wears those 80s glasses that people wear even though they're not prescription (the ones my roommate lovingly refers to a pedo glasses). But he rides a tandem bicycle around campus with a harmonica and sometimes a boombox and offers free rides to class.

Amazing? I think so.

And what's even cooler is that people take him up on the offer. Like Monday, for example. He crossed right in front of my path. And as I was walking away smiling at his tie-dye headband, some kid goes "hey, man! Can I get a ride to the Co-op?" And tandem bicycle guy was like "Sure! On the Drag or one of the others?" And he sounded so much like a game-show host that I smiled a little wider and chuckled. It was then and there that I half-heartedly vowed in mock seriousness to myself that I would get a ride to my class at some point this semester. I'm ridiculously scared of riding a tandem bicycle because I am so prone to accidental happenings that I would not for the life of me want to risk someone else's safety...But tell me a ride to class on a tandem bicycle is not awesome!

Okay, so I may never actually get a ride to class, mostly because my building is really not all that far away from where we cross paths everyday and I like the walk. Also, he's one of those hipster people who automatically intimidate me because I'm sure they are judging my squareness.

Although I don't think I'm full-on square, but I'm more square than hip - that's for certain.

This. Is. WAR.

As someone who has dealt with mostly acute acne since the age of eleven, may I just say "I've had enough!"

And that's what I said last night after washing my face and once again being confronted with the never ending battle in the mirror.

And when my roommate got home, that's what I said to her. "This is WAR! No more!" and she was all "um, what?"

So I did over an hour's worth of research on the internet last night, came up with a few new options I haven't tried, and then went to Whole Foods this morning.

Here's the new regimen:

Kiss My Face Start Up Exfoliating Wash


and Kiss My Face Olive & Aloe Moisturizing Lotion


Also I read somewhere that for adult acne you should stay away from salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide treatments. Which I already knew because they are both bad news for my skin. However, you can try using products containing sulfur. Resorcinol and sulfur are usually paired together and I found favorable reviews for Clearasil Adult Acne treatment, which is sulfur based. So, today was day one. Hopefully this will work. I plan to still use my St. Ives Apricot exfoliating face wash, because I love it, but also because my face seems to like to be exfoliated to within an inch of its life occasionally. Anyways, I'll be letting you know if this new regimen works or bombs. I know I'm not the only person in the world who struggles with it and I also know that it helps to know what works for other people.

I'll get around to posting Colorado pictures soon. If we're facebook friends you should have seen them posted already. I do have some favorites though which I'll share here.

OH! And we got a third roommate recently. Kara (new roommate) and I re-arranged the house on Tuesday while Marianne was out of town on business. I think I like it. It's hard to say because it's all of the same old furniture just moved about. However, I do like the new spatial layout, feels more open or something. Eh, you'll just have to see it. =)

That was a quick turn around!

This is from the God Calling book, for today, 3 September:

"I am your Savior. Not only from the weight of sin, but from the weight of care, from misery, and depression, from want and woe, from faintness and heartache. Your Savior.

Remember that you are living really in the Unseen - that is the Real Life.

Lift up your heads from earth's troubles, and view the glories of the Kingdom. Higher and higher each day see more of Heaven. Speak to Me. Long for Me. Rest in Me. Abide in Me. No restless bringing Me your burdens, and then feverishly lifting them again and bearing them away.

No! Abide in Me. Not for one moment losing the consciousness of My Strength and Protection.

As a child in its mother's arms, stay sheltered and at rest."


Did I not just write this: "...I try to lay things at the feet of Jesus because I know that he can take care of them and myself in a way that I never will be able to. But sometimes I turn around and run back picking things up like it's my load to carry. It's not. If I surrendered it, then I need to let it lie there and resist the urge to pick it up and worry over it," YESTERDAY?!

It is amazing to me the number of times that book has applied to exactly what I am dealing with. Last week I was being hugely selfish with my time and not wanting to drive someone somewhere because sometimes they just discourage me too much. I don't read the book everyday, maybe every third day and catch up on the ones I missed. I caught up on the days a few days after my day of selfishness, and the entry that would have been for that day or the day after was "Give, give, give. Unconditionally. Give of all you have" (paraphrased). Do you ever just get a response from God that quickly? Clearly I was out of line in my behavior, and he was not slow to make me aware.