kapachino

Category: me

  • I’m Like Job, Only Not

    I feel as if Someone out there is messing with me, trying to figure out exactly how many tiny annoyances I can take. Each one in itself is nothing to write home about, but the inconveniences just keep coming and it is driving me slowly out of my mind.

    1. Our lack of furniture, and how we ordered it over three months ago and in the end just canceled in frustration. We continue to eat every meal on our laps or using TV trays.

    2. A myraid of computer problems which, unfortunately, you already know too much about. And when I finally got my computer fixed up, our internet went out. I waited around the house all day long yesterday on my day off for the cable guy to come out and fix it, and of course he comes 5 minutes before his window is up. Then he tells me that our outside line is really bad and it will be a few days before someone ELSE can come out and fix THAT.

    3. I’ve had this sore in my mouth for two weeks now. It’s finally starting to heal, and lo and behold a new one is popping up.

    4. The lock to the driver’s side door of my truck is now broken. No big deal, right? I can just get in through the passenger side door. Nope. That lock has been broken for years. Since my truck is 10 years old and we’ll be getting rid of it when we have kids anyway (we both have trucks with tiny jumpseats in the back), it’s not worth putting money into to fix. So I just took everything valuable out of it and I’m leaving it permanently unlocked. If it gets stolen, oh well. I guess it’ll be time for a new car.

    5. For whatever reason, a muscle in my back is really aching today.

    Well this ends my venting session. I hope you’ve enjoyed your time here today!

  • 101 Goals In 1001 Days

    Because of the aforementioned employee evaluations coming up, I’ve been thinking about my professional goals a lot lately. That easily transitioned into thinking about my personal goals as well. I had already started to write some of them down when I came across this website.

    The Mission:
    Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

    The Criteria:
    Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

    Why 1001 Days?
    Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

    After giving it some thought, I’ve decided to undertake this project. I’m currently in the midst of creating my list of 101 goals. It’s kind of tough because I want to choose things that mean something to me, and I want them to be realistic.

    One thing that I have discovered through scouring the Internet for inspiration is that I have already done, or am currently in the habit of doing, a lot of good things. So that has boosted my confidence, and I think that in 2.75 years I can absolutely complete my list. I will post it, along with my starting date, as soon as it’s ready.

    Is there anyone out there who is already doing this, or would be interested in doing it with me? I’d love to hear from you!

  • We’re Quite Cultured

    Today my grandmother’s grand piano was moved into our front room:

    piano Don’t you just love the quality of my iPhone picture-taking skills?

    It’s not ours to keep; we’re holding it for my brother David because he claimed it. But right now he’s living with my other brother Barry and a roommate, and the spot for the piano in their house is being taken up by a ping-pong table. They have their priorities, you know?

    Having this piano here brings back memories. My family and I actually lived with my grandmother for a few years when I was in elementary school. The piano was in her front room, too, which I always considered the library. It was quite a bit more proper than ours though. That room was where I once read, out of boredom, a very old copy of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We had some Christmases there, and our first computer. It was also where I took piano lessons.

    I’m not sure whose idea it was to give me piano lessons, but probably not mine. My teacher was a large, white-haired man named Monsieur Lucien, and whenever I said his name I used the most outrageous French accent I could summon. (And in my head that entire last sentence is also in an outrageous French accent.) During our lessons he used one of those metal pointers that are like mini telescopes, and he would whip that thing around and put fear into my heart. I wasn’t particularly gifted at the piano, but it didn’t help that I hardly ever practiced.

    At my first (and only) recital, I was a nervous wreck. I just knew it would be horrible, but people would console me by saying, “It’s just nerves, everything will be fine!” and other such nonsense. Because it did NOT go fine. In fact, I screwed up so badly that the audience started clapping before I was finished with the song. I ran into the bathroom and cried.

    Fast forward to my freshman year of college. I had some crazy idea that I would major in music, which required taking piano. Once again, I just couldn’t get myself to walk the few hundred yards to the music building to practice. I somehow convinced my parents that it would be a good idea for them to buy me a very nice keyboard so that I could practice in my room. I did practice a little more, but it didn’t really help. During our final recital, the page turner was late turning the page, my fingers got off, and I went the rest of the song playing wrong notes. The worst part was that no one in the audience could tell that the page turner had done anything wrong. The next year I changed my major to Christian ministry and philosophy, and I’ve barely touched a piano since.

    Although I’ve had a rocky relationship with piano in my life, it still makes me immensely happy to have this one here. Because now we have a front music room/library just like my grandmother. Now I actually want to learn how to play (not that I’ll follow through with that, though). But mostly because it’s part of my family history, and that is important to me.

  • A Rare Change In Routine

    I’ve discovered that I like showering at night.

    One evening I was feeling particularly bad about myself. It was one of those times when I decided to skip exercising and eat an entire Milky Way Midnight instead. I looked in the mirror and just felt…ugh. Even though it was already getting late, instead of plopping into bed like that I decided to adhere to a saying I learned from a cancer organization: “Look good, feel better.” I started by taking a shower. Next I did an exfoliation of my face, shaved my legs and arms, and lathered myself up with body cream. I blow-dried my hair. I put on a cute nightgown instead of my usual PJ pants and tank top. I scrubbed and moisturized my hands, which get dried out from washing and sanitizing a hundred times a day. Finally, I put on some lip gloss.

    After all that, I was tired. But I looked in the mirror, and I felt better. I slipped into bed and drifted off into a happy dream. When David came to join me a little while later, he nestled up to me and whispered in my half-sleep, “I love it when you shower at night. You smell good all over!”

    I’ve been following the same routine ever since.

  • A-Z

    I got this meme quite awhile ago from Spring, and I’m using it not because I necessarily need some blog fodder, but because I so enjoyed reading her entry that I thought it would be fun. It’s taken me awhile to complete. Don’t get your expectations up, though, that doesn’t mean this is going to be good or anything.

    A: Attached or Single? I am very happily engaged. See that picture in my header? That’s David, my fiance.

    B: Best Friend? Becca Hoelscher. That’s her married name. I met her my freshman year of high school and followed her to Tabor College. We went to church together and also played soccer together both places. She lives in Wichita now, and I miss her all the time. Here we are together at the beginning of August, pre-baby:

    And now she has new little boy, Elijah James, born September 6. No pictures yet.

    C: Cake or pie? Cake, especially of the chocolate variety. I don’t really like pie, but I can tolerate a few bites. I don’t like the crust.

    D: Day of choice? By all accounts it should be Saturday, which has for a long time been my only day to sleep in. On Saturday there is still one more day off to look forward to. But oddly, I think I enjoy Sundays more. I love my church, and it just seems like more of a day to relax and be with family than to get errands done.

    E: Essential item? My FranklinCovey planning system. I think I would have a panic attack if I lost it.

    F: Favorite color? I love blues: Carolina blue, steel blue, Air Force blue, cobalt. I’m also really into sage green these days. At the hospital on Fridays we are allowed to wear any color of scrubs that we want, so I bought a pair that are light pink. I have had many people (all female!) tell me that it’s my color.

    G: Gummy bears or worms? I’m not a fruity candy eater, but given the choice I’d take the bears, because they’re cute.

    H: Hometown? Houston, and I will remain here indefinitely. (Side note: Please don’t talk bad about my city in my presence. I will take it personally, no matter how irrational that is.)

    I: Favorite Indulgence? Pedicures, or Dutch Chocolate Blue Bell ice cream, or maybe just letting Cleo lick my feet.

    J: January or July? July, because I hate being cold.

    K: Kids? Definitely, in ten months we’ll be expecting our first one. Just kidding, David!

    L: Life isn’t complete without? Jesus, love, family, and all that good stuff.

    M: Marriage date? October 3, 2008. Wow, that’s close. Deep breaths.

    N: Number of brothers and sisters? Two younger (and cooler) brothers.

    O: Oranges or apples? A good orange, I think. Or sliced red apples with caramel. But bananas top them all.

    P: Phobias? Live shrimp and roaches.

    Q: Quotes? Here are a few that I like.

    “We are prisoners of hope.” -Archbishop Desmond Tutu

    “At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it will not always be so. Some day, God willing, we shall get in.” -C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory”

    “The Mississippi’s mighty; it starts in Minnesota at a place that you can walk across with five steps down. I guess that’s how you started; like a pinprick to my heart. But at this point you rush right through me and I start to drown.” -Indigo Girls, “Ghost”

    R: Reasons to smile? I have the day off tomorrow. I’m getting married in a couple weeks to the man I love. My entire, wonderful family will be there. And also: “He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

    S: Season of choice? Summer! I love the warmth and the laid-back atmosphere. But I like all the seasons, really, in their own way. Even winter, because of the cute clothes and my birthday.

    T: Tag 5 people? Anyone, but I’ll call out a few people for fun:
    MagsMac – I want to see more personal posts from you!
    David – Because that would just be awesome.
    Tabaitha – I think you’d have fun with this.
    Sarahthe – You always have something interesting to say.
    Megan Kline – Something has to tone down all that seriousness going down on your blog!

    U: Unknown fact? This is a tough one. Between my parents, my brothers, and my fiance, most things about me are known. But here is one: I like to sleep with my fingers stuck in my eyes. Kind of in the corners. I have no idea why, but it is comforting.

    V: Vegetable? I dislike them. Do potatos count? Alright fine, broccoli. With lots of cheese.

    W: Worst habit? It’s STILL texting and reading while I drive. That New Year’s resolution didn’t last, so I’ll probably re-resolve it next year.

    X: X-ray or ultrasound? Never had an ultrasound, so I guess I can’t answer this question. Clinically, they view very different things.

    Y: Your favorite food? That’s so hard because I love food. I’ll go ahead and say cereal, or quesadillas, or fried rice, or chicken cordon bleu. Is it cheating to pick more than one?

    Z: Zodiac sign? Aquarius. I didn’t know anything about it so I looked it up on astrology.com. Apparently I’m a humanitarian, self-directed, organized, mentally active, loyal, and appear “aloof and detached [but] inwardly sensitive and caring.” I’m with them on those…but I’m also supposed to have a “cheeky attitude,” be a vigorous, zesty individual, thriving on the unexpected, harmlessly “mad,” and I also have “rigid opinions.” Well, so much for astrology.