Vacations are the awesome!

I am currently thousands of feet above the ground ... literally! At this exact moment I'm sitting in an airplane on my way to Orlando, Florida for a fun filled 11 day vacation where I will meet up with some of my best friends at Walt Disney World! It's becoming a tradition that every first weekend of December the DPN gang get together at WDW for World Holiday. It's always an amazing trip and I'm excited to get back into the parks.

And of course my faithful sidekick/traveling companion ABC is with me! I got a travel pillow and fastened it to my carry-on to provide him a chair. I even kept him on there while strolling through the airport. And yes, I did get some odd looks from people but who cares! He provides great snuggles for these long flights. The seat next to me is empty so at the moment he has his own seat on the plane! But after I'm done with this entry I'm going to turn the wi-fi (free currently on Alaska Airlines) off and try to take a nap.

I'll post more during my trip and try to update my flickr page with random pictures :D

all by myself ... don't wanna be

Today was one of those days where I felt lonely. Not without a friend alone but without a someone someone alone. I don't think it's cause it's the holiday season ... it's just something that happens every once in awhile. Nothing to be alarmed about. Nothing I want to discuss or asking for sympathy/pity about...just needing to throw that out there.

Goodnight moon.

Disney World Princess Half Marathon

... let the training begin!  After finishing the Disneyland Half Marathon I decided that I want to experience the route in Disney World.  And what better way to do that then to wear a tiara while crossing the finish line!

I've already registered and will be traveling to Florida February 25th through the 28th.  This also means that I'm back on my no sugar diet.  There will be moments that I'll enjoy a little sweet dessert, but for the most part it's no sweets for me!  So it's back to training for me!

Kittie Trouble

Just want to give you all an update on my kittie, Gilbert.  He's doing awesome!  He's back to his normal self, but getting more and more fluffy.  As some of you know from my numerous updates on FB, Plurk and Twitter, he gave me quite a scare when I had to rush him the animal ER. 

It was just a normal Friday, 9/24/10, morning.  The kitties and I woke up, got ready for the day and as I was putting on my makeup I heard Gilbert start screaming ... literally!  He's a talker and everything, but just like a mom knows her baby's cries, I know my cat's meows and this was no ordinary meow.  This was a cat in serious distress.  He calmed down after a few moments, but when he tried to use his box again the screaming started back up.  I immediately called the local ER vet and explained what was going on and they told me he needs to be ASAP because he probably has a urinary block which is fatal if left untreated.  So I packed up the little guy and headed across town.  He ended up having to spend the night at the facility with a catheter in place.  I went and visited him that night and he was very unhappy.  I was able to calm him down and he seemed excited to see me, but still expressed his hatred of the place.  I picked him up the next morning (Satruday, 9/25/10) and he was heavily drugged so he slept most of the day on the kitchen floor where it was nice and cool.  I had to give him some pain meds and antibiotics and thought he was on the mend.

 

A few days later, Wednesday 9/29/10, I came home for lunch to check on him cause he just didn't seem to be doing that great that morning, and realized he was struggling to go pee.  So I took him to the vet's office down the street from my apartment.  The immediately checked him in and found that his bladder was enlarged and on his way to having another urinary block.  They wanted to keep him for 48 hours with another catheter in place.  Of course I did what needed to be done, though it's tough not having him home and Anne really missed him.  I visited him that night and he seemed in much better spirits than he was at the ER office.  He even purred, but looked really sad.

He came on that Friday and was back to his normal happy self with just walking in the door.  He wasn't drugged up or out of it at all and I love this vet's office.  They seem to have really taken care of him.  He hadn't gone potty after they took out the catheter at the vet's office and when I got him home I took him near his box and he immediately went in and used it!  I was thrilled to see him pee and poop!  It was sort of like the Tom Hanks League of Their Own potty scene.  I even cried cause I was happy to see that he was better.

I had gotten a call from his doctor the day I took him in and they advised that after doing a blood test they wanted to do a blood smear to test him for feline aids and feline leukemia.  Of course just the thought of either of these made me cry and extremely worried.  About an hour later, the doctor called saying it wasn't either of these, but he did in fact have a blood born parasite most likely caused by a flea and the stress of the blockage disrupted it and making my poor little guy's red and white blood cells to drop rapidly making him anemic.  For the past several years, when I moved in with people and he was shut in a room he began losing most of his fur.  For several years his back and tail have not been as fluffy as the rest of him.  He is now on a steriod pill to kill the parasite and he is rapidly growing his fur back!  He's a little fluff ball now and is very happy to be home. 

Thank you to everyone that offered their support and messages of concern and love for Gilly.  He's my little lovebug ^_^

To all who come to this happy place ... welcome!

Some people might wonder why I go to the Disney parks as often as I do.  It's a great place for me and my friends to meet up and just enjoy each other's company and ride some of the best rides out there! 

My friend Chris .. aka Canada .. created this video of footage he got from Disneyland and I love how he captured the sights.  Me and two of my best friends, Trish and Nic, were with Canada pretty much the entire trip in May 2010 when he shot these scenes so this is basically my vacation video. 


2010 Preview from Chris Fisher on Vimeo.


Between this video and the podcast episode from Jeff  .. aka the Meandering Mouse .. during that same weekend, it was probably one of my most favorite vacations ever!  Check out episode 99.5 on his podcast at http://www.meanderingmouse.com/ or on iTunes.  It's hilarious!

Good times!

This video still makes me laugh!  I got into a little "discussion" with my friend Toast and it was all caught on tape ... with some added editing! Enjoy!


Toast vs Holly from Chris Fisher on Vimeo.


lol

untitled

I'd call but you probably wouldn't answer and I need to stop dreaming cause it'll never come true

Father Forgot

Note: this blog post is filled with true emotion and from some I may get a stern talking to or turned away from. But I have to share....I have to be real cause it's all I got.

Quite a few times I will read, watch or listen to something that at the moment I just take it in and don't really comment, but later think back on it and realize I was and still am struck with mixed emotions with what I stumbled across. It's like I need to step back, process, think before reacting, weigh my thoughts and then write it down or talk about it to really figure things out. This recently occurred to me after reading a blog post a friend of mine wrote. I do my best not to put down, or talk behind one of my family members back to a great multitude of people. I have close friends that I will vent to about something in particular, but I really try my best to hold my tongue. That's not to say it might not occur on occasion and for those times I'm sorry to those I may have hurt. With that said, I'm about to reveal some pretty pent up emotions....this is Holly: Uncut.

So I read said blog post in which they had been reminded of a passage entitled "Father Forgets". At first reading their introduction before getting to the lines of verse I was excited and glad to see that a new father wanted to do his best and be an amazing dad to his little boy. To that I applaud you! When he gets older he will definitely appreciate you taking the time wanting to be a part in his life.

I then began reading the passage and afterwards discovered I was both saddened and angered at what I had read. This was due to the fact that I felt slighted on having a positive father in my life. I'm sad that I don't have many father-daughter moments and upset at the things recently said to me by this man. How dare you make me feel not good enough! How dare you make me feel that I'm not worth anything! How dare you tell me to my face that since one of your other children wants nothing to do with you that there is no point in living! I feel like an idiot for allowing you to tell me that and not sticking up for myself at that moment! Yes it's terrible that we've all been pushed away, but sometimes in life people make choices that may be difficult to take but there are sone of us that wish you would see us just as valuable.

Father Forgets is a must read for any parent ... so, go! read it! learn from it!

I'm thankful for a select few men that have been present throughout my life that have filled some of the void and even more grateful for being blessed with a mom that made me feel and know unconditional love!

So to all you dads out there...take time for each of your kids. We all matter and all need to feel special and loved.

death to sugar!

... Well, not really, but I have made a decision to continue with my "no eating sugary snacks" plan. I will admit that I have a pint of vanilla ice cream in my freezer, but I'm not devouring it. In fact I allow myself about 3 spoonfuls a night with an added shot of limoncello. That is seriously good stuff! And this won't be an all the time snack.

Why have I decided to continue this? Well, I'll tell you. Since May 22, 2010 I have lost 26 pounds! I also feel my energy level has increased and my crabbiness has decreased! I allowed myself my 2 sugary treats at Disneyland AFTER the marathon and that was it. I'm going to begin my weekly walks again (been giving myself a short break to recoup from the race) and want to start training again for more races. I'm thinking I might try for the Disney World Princess Half Marathon in February 2011.

Oh and I will only on specially occasions eat sugary snacks, but will be careful not to overdo it. I'm feeling better and have goals to make!

get ready...get set...

GO!!! ok, maybe it's not go time yet, but soon! In 2 days I leave for So Cal, or Disneyland to be exact! Mom, brother and I are heading down there this week for the Disneyland Half Marathon. This is my first ever while they both are going for their Coast to Coast medals since they completed the Disney Princess Half Marathon in March of this year over in Disney World.

So you might be thinking, but Holly, what about your leg? You know, when you strained a muscle a few months ago? Well, I'll tell you. I made a decision...I'm going to see how I feel when I get there and decide then if I'll compete or not. To tell you the truth, my mind keeps saying "no! you can't!", but my heart and spirit are so wanted to push through and go for it! I know that if I don't at least try I'll always wonder and kick myself. I will just have to make a wise decision that if I feel that I can't continue or something happens then I have to stop. But I have to try....for me personally I need to do this.

I've been trying to take it easy, but as some of you know my company recently moved and I've been way over doing it. I'm feeling a little sore but doing the best I can with rest and keeping my leg up.

I'll keep you posted with everything. I've been pretty hush-hush with my decision as I wasn't sure how many scoldings I was gonna get.

I'm super excited about just the adventure part of it. And if I don't finish then it's not the end of the world. At least I tried and there's always next year. Yes, I will more than likely cry but not starting would feel worse to me.

Thanks to everyone for all your encouragement and prayers and thoughts over these past few months. I really appreciate it! More to come later!

RUN STRONG!!!! (that's what you say to someone that is about to start a race) :-)

I'm back in the saddle again ...

Well, actually I'm back in my running shoes again! After 4 weeks of taking it easy and not pushing myself after my leg injury, I went for a walk/light jog this morning and boy have I missed it!  Little confession to make though.  I was talking to Canada (my friend, not the country) the other night and realized that the reason I hadn't gotten back out there was because I was actually scared to.  Scared that I would reinjure myself and really feel like it was over.  But this morning at 4:45 I told myself to get out of bed, get my walking clothes and shoes on and get outside!  Glad I listened ... and even though its still warm out at that time of day, it felt so good to be moving around.  I only went 1.66 miles as I don't want to overdo it and kept an average pace of just above 15 minutes per mile.  The route I took is slightly different from the norm as the one I was doing before had a crazy hill at the beginning, so I went a different way out of my apartment complex to get to the main road.  It still has a hill, but not as steep.  And as I expected I teared up as I began running cause I had missed it so much!

Can't wait to do it again!

Songs I miss singing almost everyday...

cause they are from my childhood. But if you hear me hummin or beltin out one of these tunes in the near future, it's cause, well, these songs are pure awesomeness! hahaha...

• Who are the people in your neighborhood? - Sesame Street

• Care Bears Theme Song (serious! "care a lot! We care a lot! *clap clap*" ... song rawks!)

• Won't you be my neighbor? - Mr Rogers

• What's the name of that song - Sesame Street

• 3, 2, 1 Contact theme song

• This old man ... you know, he played one...he played knick knack..lalala

• Smile never frown ... yeah that's actually a song I made up and it's sort of a joke between my mom and I. It's sort of like Finding Nemo's "Just keep swimming" song

• I like to eat apples and bananas ... family favorite!

There's tons more, but this gives you an idea of just how weird I am :-)

Now tell me, what songs do you remember from your childhood?

rewind...erase...do over

You know that scene in GardenState when Natalie Portman's character says something stupid to Zach Braff's character and she's all "oh man! Why did I just say that?! I'm sorry that was dumb of me." and then she proceeds to tell him how she likes to make up for that dumb moment by doing something original...like make a weird noise or whatever? .... I so totally do that! And I find that I'll be thinking of a situation, conversation, reply, online post or whatever that happened recent or not and I'll just blurt out a random sigh or blarg or mur or something like that. It's true! hahaha...and now I must do something original that no one has ever done before because I've now posted a secret about me that no one ever knew about :D

oh and these original moments never happen in the presences of others ... and least not yet

Learning to walk is tough!

But I'm getting there!  Been taking really careful full steps lately and this morning when I woke up I was walking regular with just a small limp ... or maybe it's just my smooth swagger :o)  Whatever it is, this is a huge confidence boost for me.  I'm taking it slow still and have noticed that after walking for a few minutes my leg starts to feel sore, as if it's been walking for miles and miles nonstop.  I'm going to be taking it easy again this weekend but will get up and walk around the apartment to keep the blood pumpin.  In a few days I should be getting some compression socks (or something like them).  I believe it's a brace type band that goes around my calf to help when I start walking/running again.  Was told that even the uber runners where these during races.  So, mine will be on probably everyday from now through (hopefully) race day.  Don't care of any of youse guys say, I'm gonna look stylin and you're all just jealous you don't have a pair! lol

Thanks again to everyone for all the encouragement, thoughts and prayers, even to Mr. "callin me gimpy" ... yeah, you know who you are.  I actually found myself feeling discouraged this week and work has been crazy and tiring as I didn't realize how much I'm on my feet though I have a desk job.  But I'm sure it's helped with the progess.  That and the fact that I have to use my left leg to step on the clutch in my truck.  I am just continually seeing people around me walking normally and some running and it makes me sad that I can't join in yet. 

It's amazing the simple basic things we take for granted until they are taken away. 

Never thought I'd be bored relaxing...

Well, that's what happens when you are forced to sit in a recliner all day for 4 days straight and try not to walk as much as possible. I'm glad I took those 4 days to recuperate cause I'm starting to see improvements with my leg. Oh and I found out that it's the gastrocnemius muscle that I sprained in the back of my calf.

On Thursday, after waking up from an adventure at the ER that I discuss in my previous entry, I tried to move around and get to a place that was comfy. And that place turned out to be my recliner. I tilted it back as far as I could, stacked 3 pillows under my leg and alternated ice and heat under my calf (mostly ice cause the heat seemed to cause slight pain) and watched endless amounts of tv and movies.

Oh and I followed that regime all the way through Sunday. Now you may be thinking, "you lucky dog, you!" but you, my friend, would be oh so wrong. When you are unable to walk without hobbling and the use of crutches, you suddenly become aware of how often you get up from a chair to go, let's say for instance, pee! Such an ordeal! No joke! It takes so much time and effort to get yourself standing, hobble to the bathroom and then make your way back to the chair and reconfigure yourself back into a comfy position. Even though I'm not able to run right now I'm sure I sweated the calories with just having to get in and out of my chair.

Thankfully I have some very wonderful and entertaining friends who attempted to keep my spirits up with mid-day calls and late night babbling (thanks Trish and Jeff...you 2 are aweshum!)

So the improvements I mentioned earlier...well, on Thursday and Friday I couldn't even have my left (the injured one) foot flat on the floor while standing. And don't get me started on the automatic tendency to stretch my legs! ouch! One night I woke up thinking I had a charlie horse in my muscle and freaking that I was unable to work it out, but I think I was stretching my leg in my sleep and pulled it too far. eep! So finally late Saturday and all day Sunday I attempted to put my foot flat on the floor while standing... and I could do it! Leg wasn't straight though and there was a slight twinge of pain but it's definitely better than before.

So I'm still working on getting it healed and see my PCP in 2 weeks for a follow up. Will know more then if I can participate in the half marathon. I'm still trying to remain calm with that and tell myself it's ok if I can't (thanks again Trish for your encouragement on that issue). Oh one other thing, sitting in ones apartment for 4 days straight and depressed with the fact that your goal might not happen makes one want sugar in a bad way! But I was very good and didn't have any! Even if I can't run the half I'm still planning on going to Disneyland to support my mom and brother and after the race my mom will get her pretzel with cheese and I will still have my victory (for staying off sugar) churro!

Ramble ramble ramble ... yep, rats me right now...sigh. It was good to be back at work though my desk is covered and it's hard to not stay at my desk as I print a lot and the printer is in the other room. *we-oh we-oh we-oh" <-- that's my pity party violin...it's needs some tuning. ahahahahaha

mur

Everything was fine and dandy yesterday, even though Mrs Boss and I worked till 11:30 last night. But at about 11 is when the sadness and pain hit. As you know I've been training for a half marathon, well last night may have cost me that race ... and the delish churro at the end of it. Long story short I ran 2 steps in our building hallway at work and heard and then really felt a "POP". I had been reading about calf muscle strains recently cause my left calf had been in slight pain/soreness for about a day or two. I kept looking for the signs if I had a Grade 4 tear which would mean blood would start filling my toes. So far no discoloration. My boss went with me to the Emergency Room....which I rarely, if never go....for myself that is.

At the ER we of course waited and waited, but we are very entertainable and she did her best to keep things light and funny. Finally I saw the doc and after some minor tests of strength and pressure he determined that I tore/strained my g-whatchamacallit-muscle and I'm to rest and not use that leg for at least 2 weeks. He gave me a pair of crutches and now I'm hobblin around my apartment. Thankfully I don't have a lot of furniture and it's a pretty big place.

So I can't train for 2 weeks minimum...could be more but I gotta remember to take it slow and not overdo. Boss even said that at work I'm to sit in my chair and that's it...make the rest of the office get stuff for me. To some this sounds wonderful, but for independent-I like to do things on my own-doesn't rely on anyone-me, this is gonna be rough.

So there ya have it. This is why at almost 2 a.m. this morning I wrote status of "is very sad". But honestly I'm more than sad...I'm "in the depths of despair" :-(

Oh and don't get me started on how I drive my stick-shift truck with an injured left leg .... ugh!

$5 for a churro?! You're outta your mind!

Okay....I've made a decision.  To help strengthen me for the half marathon I've decided to not eat any sweets (candy, cookies, cake, ice cream *gulp*, all things sugary and delicious) until the race is over.  I started this on Monday the 12th of July (yesterday) and so far it's been tough.  I have a huge sweet tooth with ice cream being my weakness, and our office has bowls of candy everywhere. 

BUT!!! I also have made a decision that right after I'm done with the race ... okay and proabably after I take a shower or two to get all the sweat and dirt off and maybe take a short nap I'm going straight into Disneyland and I"m getting myself a churro!  and maybe an ice cream treat from The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street ... but definitely a churro!  As my friend Jeff said, "It's fried dough!"  and then I reply with "covered in cinnamon and sugar!" YUM!

Oh and just to prepare you, I may be a little irritable for a few days or weeks with going through sugar detox.   This decision will not only help me nutritionally and physically, but I do believe it will also help me mentally during the race.  After every mile I pass I'll think "yay! only so many more miles till a churro!!!"  It's  the little things that get me going and I'm probably being very silly about this whole thing, but oh well!

Let's all go to the lobby...

... cause lately these movies have stunk!  Is it just me or have romatic comedies always been so predictable and not very good?  Perhaps I've just reached a point in my life where they don't get me teary-eyed and saying "OMG that was the best ever!".  I find that these style of movies do not hold my attention very long and start rolling my eyes in the middle of them.  And don't get me started on Nikolas "yes a main character is going to die in my movie" Sparks.  GAH! Why are his movies all Romeo and Juliet based?  2 people find each other, drama drama drama, they fall in love, everything seems to be going super great and then ... PLOP...dead.  geesh!

(500) Days of Summer, Away We Go, any movie based on a Jane Austen book ... these are the types (to name a few) of movies I wanna watch in the romatical department.  Or just give me the action/adventure, shoot em up, running around the world trying to save it type! yeah! Iron Man, Star Trek, Hellboy, Gladiator, Bourne trilogy...you get the idea.

So, yeah, that's my view on these very important matters.  Of course there are plenty of other genres that I love watching, but this particular one is fresh in my mind as I watched a romantic comedy last night and was bored.

Spark Your Heart 5k

On July 4, 2010 I finished my first 5k! Well, techinically that's not true.  I once walked a 5k with friends back in 1999 or was it 2000? .. anyways, it wasn't timed and I was just having fun walking the route with my friends Jody and Rebecca.  So for me, this was the completion of my first timed and official (for me) 5k! YAY ME! hahaha

Here's the scoop:  I went to visit my mom in Bend, Oregon for the 4th of July weekend and had a blast! Mother-daughter time is always fun!  We went and saw Toy Story 3 on Saturday the 3rd (if you haven't seen it yet, GO!) and walked the route for the 5k that was happening the next day.  It's a very beautiful trail as it takes you around a river that quite a few people were drifting down on tubes, rafts, canoes, just about anything and everything!  Afterwards we had a light supper of salads at Red Robin and went back home to get some rest and be prepared to wake up at 6 a.m. for the race.

On the 4th, just after 7 a.m. we arrived at the scene and there were quite a few people already present.  For the timed people there were 394 that competed that day, but there were some that didn't want to be timed so the number overall is greater.  It was slightly chilly that morning as there was a breeze, but I figured once I got running it was gonna get pretty warm.  Finally at about 5 till 8 they had us line up at the starting line.  And then **BBBBRRRRRAAAAAAMMMMMMM** (that's the sound of the air horn they used to tell us to go).  I was not ready for what was gonna happen next. 

Okay, let me back up a bit.  When I go out for my scheduled runs/walks at home I start out at a nice pace.  Not too slow, but at a good brisk walk to get me going and then I start running.  On this particular morning for this race there was no easing into it.  Everyone just darted off and I was swept away with the crowd trying to figure out what exactly was going on!  I was seriously surprised, but I guess it helped get me going.  At one point I got discouraged because we had stupidly placed ourselves near the very front of the start line which meant that TONS of people passed us.  I ran for about a mile or so without slowing but realized that I needed to slow down.  So I did.  Told mom to just keep going and not to wait up for me.  We all have our own personal best we want to beat and I knew she had hers.

I continued at a steady pace and made my way around the river.  At one point I could see the finish line and people were already crossing it.  Another moment of feeling discouraged.  I had to give myself a pep talk that I need to concentrate on myself and the people that were finishing have obviously been in races many times before and I had only been training for about 3 weeks.  As I kept going there were people monitoring the trail and on occasion one would say "you're doing great!" or "you can do it!".  Seriously, those help soooo much!  The encouragement on the route and everything really keeps me positive. 

OH! I have to stop and just say that running makes me way too emotional.  Even know recapping what happened I'm starting to get teary eyed.  sigh.  So throughout the race I would find myself taking gulps meaning I was about to cry and had to tell myself to stop.  That's all I need, to burst into tears as I'm running down the road.  Silly Holly.  And just to let you in on a little secret, the same thing happens even during my daily routes. 

So finally I was getting closer and closer to the finish.  They made us run right past the finish line and go around the stage/park area which sucked cause I kept thinking "it's right there! let me pass!".  But I kept going and decided I was going to run the rest of the way and run across that finish line.  Mom had already crossed and thankfully met me at one point to give me some water.  They didn't have any water stops throughout the whole thing....not very nice of them.  And then, all of a sudden, I DID IT!!! I FINISHED!!! (and here come the tears! seriously, right now I'm tearing up...GAH! lol)

I came in at 42:48, 343 out of 394 and 20 out of 24 in my age catagory.  Not bad for my first time!  Mom finished at 40:27 so I wasn't too far behind.  This is me and Mom after the race was over...I would've removed my visor, but I had "visor hair" and it's not pretty!  And yes, we matched! lol

After everything was over, the two of us went to breakfast with a few of my mom's friends who were also in the 5k.  Fran (who won 1st place in her age catagory!) and Susanne and their husbands.  The guys met us at the Original Pancake House (super yummy-ness!) since they didn't run the race...I guess in our little group it was Ladies Day at the races! hahaha

Now onto the next and greatest challenge for me...the Half Marathon.  YIKES!

the moment

I have to remember the moment. I want to remember everything that led up to that moment. The way I felt, the words that were said and not said, the emotions of feeling connected to someone. Just being there and using words and feeling the emotion of the tones and touches. We got closer and closer, not know what to expect, but at the same time feeling very safe and wanted. I never dreamed nor thought this would be a moment or memory I would have. I wanted time to stop so I could savor what was happening. I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to wake up if it was all a dream, but it wasn't a dream. It was real and no one can take that moment away from me. The future is unknown, but that memory is mine to remember and keep forever.

Are you there God? It's me, Holly

I was asked yesterday about my blog and if/when I was going to update it again.  Life has decided to throw some curve balls my way and if you pay attention to my Facebook/Plurk/Twitter statuses then you would've seen my brief update (I erased it already) referring to how it feels that I'm getting beat up by this thing called life.  At the end of May and most recently here in June I've received some really difficult news about a family member and I"m trying to get my emotional and mental sides ready for what looks like to be a long haul.  I'm not going go into the details here.  Don't worry, I have a select few that I've entrusted this information to and they are the ones I vent, cry and laugh with about everything.  If you could just toss up a prayer, chant, happy thought, or whatever it is you believe in that would be awesome. 

My friend Jeff has introduced me to a movie called "Mary and Max".  This is an amazing movie about family and friends and just the toughness of life and at the end is the phrase that says something like God chooses our family members.  Thank God he lets us choose our friends.  You get the idea.  Oh, I love my family, but at times ... well, some of you know what I'm talking about...or at least implying. 

I'm also in the midst of training for the half marathon that is happening in September.  My mom has put together a schedule for me to follow and I'm very VERY thankful for her doing that.  Pretty much I get 2 days off per week to rest.  Otherwise I'm outside after work running around my neighborhood for about an hour so.  This past weekend she was able to come to town and we ran/walked our scheduled 4 miles and it was good.  I've been wanting to run along side her to get a sense of how her running habits are and the pace she keeps.  Tonight after work I'm going to circling my route about 3 times to get about 4 miles in.  I've realized that the first 1 1/2 to 2 miles is the toughest cause my body/legs are getting used to not sitting in a chair all day at the office, but then it seems that I fall into a stride and want to keep going.  Rain or shine I'm out on the days I'm scheduled.  And right now, it's been pretty chilly.  I don't think the Pacific Northwest got the memo that it is summer.  Oh well, it helps actually with the running as its not too hot. 

So, yeah.  That's where I'm at right now.  Work is keeping me really busy but it's steady and consistent which is really nice. 

Take care everyone and I'll get this blog thing updated as much as I can ... even with cryptic updates if need be.

Got to know when to hold em and know when to fold em

People come and go throughout my life. Some by circumstance, some I hope never leave, and some that I've realized it's time to move away from. The last part is at times difficult to do and face, but these people need to be told a final goodbye. A part of me wishes I would've never said hello, but then again that's life ... no regrets. You live and learn ... learning what to do next time and not ignore the warning signs.

I've recently had to say goodbye to a person that has been in and out of my life for quite some time. Wasn't an easy choice, but in the end it's going to save me from that little devil on my shoulder. It was time to fold.

Growing up is tough and I'm thankful for the people I've chosen to surround myself with, even if I have to take a plane trip to see them. I consider them my best friends and my family. Those are the ones I will hold onto.

2010 Half Marathon Update

Just an update on the marathon ... I'm now officially registered so it's do or die! Hopefully not die, but perhaps pass out after the race is done!   It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm signed up to walk/run 13.1 miles this September, but that's what I'm going to do!  Getting out there to train has been difficult for me, but I'm slowly getting it together.  I walked/ran a mile the other day around a track in about 17 or so minutes and I'm planning on signing up for some local 5Ks in the next few weeks.  The Pacific NW has been under attack by rain storms which make me want to stay inside and snuggle under the blankets.  Someone give me a push out the door!  I have about 3 months to get my act together ... sigh

all fall down

Ah life ... how you love to torture me so.  Seems that when something good happens to me and I'm feeling all happy go lucky for a few a few days, you creep up from behind and either whap me upside the head or pull the rug out from under me.  I should invest in some of those spy glasses that allows me to see what's going on behind me.  Though then you'd prolly drop something from up above.  sigh.

Crazy weather and the Navy Pier

Wow...have definitely experienced the windy part of this city today.  Good thing I put my hair up for the day or it would've been one tangled mess! The fog had set in a little ways up to where you couldn't see the tops of lot of the buildings. Good thing I went to the Willis Tower yesterday or today would've just been pics of fog!  I got some lunch/dinner at Tavern at the Park where I got a BBQ pulled rib sandwich and the sauce has Cherry Coke in it! It was sooo good!  I then ventured to the Navy Pier and as I was there the fog got lower
and lower! It's pretty much in the city streets now. It was also really cold and windy at the end of the pier, but I didn't care. It was quiet and in this pic you can just barely make out the lighthouse out on the water. It kept sounding the fog horn every few seconds which also helped with the calmness.

It's been a great 2 days of sightseeing and I'm back in the room for the night. The conference starts at 9 tomorrow morning and so does the 3 days of meeting after meeting.

Take care everyone! And remember, have a brazzle dazzle day!

Art Institute of Chicago

What a great place! Next time I want to go when it first opens and
take even more time looking around. It was packed in certain parts,
but in others it was nice and quiet. They have a complimentary
backage/coat check so I dropped my stuff off and it was nice to walk
around and not be hauling that stuff around. Even without my jacket
it was really warm which didn't help. Stairs everywhere and to get to
some of the section you have to keep going back to the first floor.

Anyways, I found some of the artwork featured in Ferris Bueller's Day
Off and the small collection of Monet paintings. Monet is my favorite
artist and this pic is one of his. I love it. It just looks so
peaceful and serene...like you can actually see the wind blowing
through the grass and water.

Go Cubs!

Made it to Wrigley Field after hopping on a bus and transfering onto
the El. I contemplated taking the $25 tour, but realized that if I
wanted to go to the art museum (and I did want to) I'd have to forfeit
the tour. Instead I walked around the entire stadium, took some pics
and then ventured into the store across the street and bought a
jacket, t-shirt and hat! Now I'll be ready for the Cubs vs Mariners
game in June!

A new day with new discoveries!

Day 2 of sightseeing began with me missing the Metra to the Museum of
Science and Industry. Guess I didn't do enough research as to train
times. Oh well...I hopped in a cap and got there about 20 minutes
before it opened. I figured quite a few of the people would check out
things on the main floor so I made my way to the top. Man, this place
is awesome! So much to see and very interactive! If I hadn't planned
on doing other things today this place could easily have been an all
day event! I went to one of the Omnimax shows: Ultimate Wave Tahiti.
It goes with surfer Kelly Slater as he surfs and how waves are
created. It was pretty awesome, but I of course got motion sick.
Everything was too close up and the camera was very unsteady which
made it worse. So I shut my eyes and just listened to the sounds for
part of it.

I had spent about an hour and a half at MSI and decided to leave. Of
course I hadn't seen about half the attractions, but I'm ok with
that. Oh, cute factor: I was trying to find my way out and somehow
ended up in farmville (exhibit, not FB application) and I overheard a
dad say to his little boy "look there's the tractor!" The little boy,
prolly about 2 or younger, immediately started running towards it with
a happy face yelling "YAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!" He was so adorable!

My next stop is Wrigley Field which is nowhere near MSI. So I hopped
on a bus and now on the El heading that direction. More later!

Another of my life's must do's is done!

I did it! I finally made it to the Sears Tower! Well, now it's called
Willis Tower, but I still made it! It's been a goal of mine to get to
the tallest buildings and now I can check this one off! It's super
crazy! 103 floors! And they have the glass boxes that you can step
out of the building onto...itwas awesome! I have more pics on my
camera that I'll post later. It's an overcast day in Chicago today,
but te view was great! I about cried cause I honestly didn't know if
I'd ever make it here.

One funny fact, when you enter the building te put you in an elevator
that takes you down! Then you go through security, purchase (or show
your ticket, as was my case) and then you can watch a short film about
the history of the tower ( it was very interesting) and then you get
in another elevator that takes you up, up, up and away! While you
ride the elevator a clip plays that shows the different buildings
around the world and how tall they are with what floor you are passing
as you continue up. Telescopes everywhere around the windows and it's
all so fascinating!

I'm so excited I got to experience this today. And now it's starting
to rain so I'm gonna go back to the hotel and relax!

And then...Adler Planetarium

Just a quick trip to the planetarium. Really cool how they have the
instruments and tools from the past that explorers used to see the
vastness surrounding Earth. This telescope was huge!

Having a great time exploring, but I am definitely getting tired!
Willis/Sears Tower is next!

Next stop ... Field Museum

Okay, so this place is just a huge 3 story maze of hundreds of stuffed
beasts, birds, and more. I am not going to reveal a tidbit about
me ... don't laugh! Ok, I know some of you will, but I am terrified of
these sorts of exhibits. Seriously! I was born in Anchorage, Alaska
and in most of the malls and some store they have these real, but
stuffed, animals and they have always scared me. Never quite sure why
cause I know they're dead ... I KNOW THIS! But if someone had been
paying attention to me in this place they would have thought I was the
weirdest person ever! I was literally "bobbing and weaving" through
the various areas...specially the ones where the walkway was very
narrow. And now let the teasing begin .. lol

This pic is of Sue. Named after the lady thy discovered her. The
Field Museum is a pretty big place, but I only spent about an hour
there andim okay with that!

First stop ... PENGUINS!!

If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely adore penguins! My
first museum/attraction today was the Shedd Aquarium. I made it just
a few minutes before the doors opened at 9 am and proceeded directly
to the penguin exhibit. I was the first one to that area and the only
one there for quite some time. I even got my own personal viewing of
one of the workers feeding te penguins. They were so adorable!

I later learned that the aquarium is expecting about 4000 students!
Field trip day...not fun for me. It got super crowded, but I was able
to have alone time with the penguins for about 20 minutes before
anyone showed up an to me that has been the best!

I then watched the 4-D Experience of Planet Earth. A 20 minute video
that provides 3-D movie and on occasion the feel of where the screen
is. I do not like 4-D experience. Specially when they show a shark
attack a seal and something pops out of the seat against your back.
The lady next to me screamed which caused me to jump. Oh and they
take the opportunity to spray you a few times with water. Nice.

Anyways, it's only 11 am and I'm off to the next stop!

Have a brazzle dazzle day!

Made it to Chicago!

Greetings from the Windy City!!! I left home late this morning and got to Chicago at about 5 pm Central time.  The flight was pretty good.  Some minor turbulance and one thing I discovered when we were close to landing, Chicago has a gazillion baseball fields!  lol ... they seemed to be everywhere! After landing I got my luggage and caught the shuttle and finally made it to the hotel at 7 pm.

After I got my stuff in my room and made a few calls, I ventured out to Millennium Park.  Very interesting sculptures in and around this city.  After somewhat getting lost and feeling the affects of traveling and not eating since 9 this morning, I made it back to the hotel, ordered some room service and am currently relaxing in bed and watching tv.

Prolly go to bed soon as I want to get up early and get to the Shedd Aquarium and see their penguin exhibit!! I'll also try and get to Willis/Sears Tower and Field Museum.

Have a Brazzle Dazzle day!!!!!

-Holly

Trying this again

After note: YAY! It worked! That's the Bubbs, saying "sup?".  So now I'll be able to keep this thing up to date with all my Chicago and Disneyland adventures!!!

Takin' this blog on the road!

wow!!! It's finally time for my vacation/work conference! In just over 48 hours I will be driving to the airport to get on a plane and fly to Chicago! I'm so excited as I haven't been to this city since I was little and remember nothing about it.  I have a work conference to attend, but the boss is letting me go a couple days early to get some sightseeing in.  I am going to be such a tourist and I don't care!  I bought a City Pass and hope to make it all the museums and such, but only have 2 days to do it in.  I'll be there for a total of 5 days, but 3 of those days I'll be sitting in conference meetings.  Ever since I was little I have wanted to visit the Sears Tower (now called the Willis Building).  There are certain tall buildings/structures that I want to visit in my lifetime.  I've been to the Eiffel Tower, Seattle Space Needle and now I'll see Sears Tower and next I wanna go on the Empire State Building.  I bought a guide book about 6 months ago to prepare myself for what I want to see and have mapped out routes and such to be able to see as much as I can.  One attraction I'm thinking that will have me not wanting to leave ... the Penguin habitat at the Shedd Aquarium.  No joke! I've seen pictures and such online and it looks amazing!

After Chicago I hop on a plane and fly to Southern California to spend a week in Disneyland!!! I'm meeting up with a group of friends for the Disney Podcast Network's annual WestFest.  It's gonna be so awesome to see everyone again .. specially my Party Girls!  I have missed those girls so much since last December when we all went to Walt Disney World for the DPN World Holiday. 

I'm going to try and keep my blog updated with what's happening, but it might just be small entries as I believe there's a way to send posts by text, but I'm not sure how that works as texts usually can't be too long.  Oh well, if it works, it works.  If it doesn't, I'll have tons to say when I get back!!! 

Happy Birthday Gilbert!!!

My bubbs is 7 years old today! Yes, that is an estimated guess on his birthday.  When I adopted him (almost 7 years ago!) I just went back about a few months and decided to have it fall on April 15th...tax day! lol  I can't believe my little lovebug is 7!  He definitely does not act 7 ... he still acts like a little kitten just in larger form.  I'm glad though that he has such a unique personality.  I'm thinking of writing a kids book about the many adventures of Gilbert.  He gets into such mischief and hilarious situations that for me at least it would be fun. 

Here's his baby picture! 

I took this after his first bath and this is literally the first pic I ever took of him.  I remembered that I have the printout from the Humane Society when I found him online and it has his pic on it.  I'm gonna have to find it and frame it or something.  Even when he was that small he had such personality! 

I'll probably give him a little special treat tonight cause of his special day ... wow! my special little guy is 7! Amazing!

tradition!...tradition!

so I have this ritual or tradition that I've had ever since 1998.  Every year on my birthday (which happens to be today..yay me!) I get out of bed, look in the mirror and sing "happy birthday" to myself.  Crazy, I know, but it puts a smile on my face and it's just something that I've really enjoyed doing every year for myself.  BUT! I don't sing the traditional birthday song.  I sing it sort of like Anthony Michael Hall does on Sixteen Candles ... "they say its your birthday..dah nah nah nah nah...well happy birthday to you" ^__^  Occasionally I'll put a little dance step in, but nothing major, seeing as how I've just woken up and still trying to focus. 

But there you have it.  A little peek into the crazy workings of your's truly

dreamin'

Some people say they never remember their dreams or don't even think they dream when they sleep, but I on the other hand know that I do.  I have ever since I was little.  There were a few dreams that would repeat over time.  One in particular dealt with my cat Cookie killing people.  Strange, I know, but hey, I have a very wild and crazy imagination.  Always have, always will.  I find myself daydreaming all the time and can even scare myself if I think about it long enough, but that's a different story.  Back on topic...dreams! 

There are a few times when I will have a nightmare and will even wake myself up because it's so vivid that for a moment I feel that it's actually happening.  And then there are the dreams that involve *shudder* bugs.  I'm okay with bugs and not one of those girlies that scream and run away, but will stand and smash...though there are times when I will let it live and make sure it goes back outside...it's rightful place.  Anyways, these bug dreams usually have me waking up thinking I actually see the bug in my room.  Another nightmare that I seem to keep having is about a haunted house.  It doesn't look haunted, and once it was even where I worked.

And there's always the dreams where random people appear.  People that I may have not seen in forever or see daily.  And it's usually a mix of both. 

Tonight I actually had a dream style that I've never had before.  I say "tonight" cause I took a nap.  Before I had curled under the covers and shut my eyes I had finished watching "The Tudors: Season 3, Disk 1".  (This is a good show, but not suitable for children...you should check it out)  So in this dream I was reading outloud from a book which seemed to be for the show and it was being performed as I read.  To me, it was really odd. 

Anyways, some dreams I remember quite a bit of, but others I know I had a dream, just don't really remember specifics.  I've even written a few down before cause I remembered every detail.  So happy dreams to you all!!!

*Side note...I'm writing this after midnight cause of my earlier nap and therefore this entry seems to be making no sense...or at least to me its just rambling.

For me it's a major accomplishment!!!!

There are some things in life that when you finish them you breathe a sigh of relief and can't believe it's actually over.  Well, today is that day for me.  Today I made my last payment on my truck!!! I finally own the beast and am sooooo happy!  I about cried today when I realized that among the bills to be paid this was going to be the final one for this item.  YAY ME!!!!

Once I receive the title from the bank I will have my very own, all paid for 2005 Toyota Tacoma.  Not very many people know, but his name is Moody ... Moody Blue.  He's a great pick up truck that I am so glad I got him.  Several moving adventures and helping others with their moving needs.  Oh and not to mention the countless trips to IKEA for work for all new office furniture.  He has definitely come in handy for that ordeal. 

So, yay for life's accomplishments!!!! one done and who know how many more to go!

Was that really necessary?

So, as I stated this morning my motivation at work has disappeared and I was going to do my best to stay offline and on task while at work.  Sigh. I must confess that a few times while I was the phone I did look through certain sites, but didn't linger, so I am proud of myself for keeping on task.  BUT! I didn't get any more done than I normally do AND! I forgot to eat lunch.  So not only was I starving when I got home, but I still feel like I got nothing accomplished ... though I did get some things taken care of.  Oh, and I took care of 2 major projects the boss was gonna hurt me if I didn't solve.  So yay!

I'm still going to do my best and not be online while at work .. cept for work issues of course.  I missed talking to everyone and by the looks of things, missed some stuff that was going on, but maybe this plan will mean that I won't have to work as many hours or on weekends.  Though I'm sure I still will since vacation is coming up and I have tons to do before then.

Take care friends!

Oh, weather update...yesterday it poured rain, then snowed when I got home.  Today it rained a little and then there was a complete downfall of hail! and now its bright with blue skies.  The Pacific Northwest weather is way to crazy right now. 

motivation ... or lack thereof

Not sure if it's from working long hours at work 6 to 7 days a week and not having a vacation since the beginning of December 2009, but right now, my motivation is zero.  In fact, I think its probably in the negative digits area.  I still get some work done, but it's definitely not at the "giving it all I got, Capt'n" spectrum.  I'm thankful I have a boss who sees all the work I have done and goes easy on me, with moments of "don't make me beat you" emails.  She also confessed to me last night that she feels the same.  Motivation? what's that again?  Everyday I wake up and say, "this is it.  this is the day that I'm gonna get my stuff together and plow through all these files and papers sitting on my desk". 

One major factor in my lack of moto is social networking ... Plurk, Twitter, Facebook, etc.  All of these distract me and I find myself just staring at my computer screen and not getting much done.  It's gotta stop.  I've said a few times that I'm going to go on hiatis from these sites, but continue to take maybe a break for a few hours, but then I'm back in full force.  Sigh. 

So, as my friend Ryan has said, today is the day...not tomorrow, not the start of the week, but today.  It has to be.  I need it to be.  I don't care if my crops wither or I don't get tons of eggs or cards or presents on a virtual game.  And if I have to MAAR then I have to MAAR ... not to be confused with MAR, cause that is different.  I am terrible at self-discipline.  Just look at me ... yes, I know you can't, but if you could and knew the thoughts in my head, you'd know. 

I'll keep up with my blog and all, but in 20 minutes (only cause I gotta finish typing this and post it), I'm going to try to ... no, that's not right .. I'm going to DO my best and not be online except for after work and on the weekends.  Cause you know wise Yoda did say, "Try not.  Do.  Or do not.  There is no try" 

Take care everyone! and keep me posted on all your happenings ^__^

Half Marathon Training

I'm going to be doing my first ever half marathon this year!  I'm really excited, but at the same time extremely terrified!  This half marathon is going to take place at Disneyland during Labor Day weekend which will be tons of fun!  Last year my mom and brother were in the actual race, whilst (did you catch that Ryan?!) I was volunteering with the race committee.  I had a blast helping out and lucked out by having my post be at the finish line!  I was albe to see my mom and brother finish and get some good shots of them nearing the end.  This year I've decided to go for it and compete. 

Recently I've gotten outside and started walking/running, but have discovered that the new little town I moved to is all primarily hills.  Ugh, that's giving quite a workout on my legs and butt, and I'm told that training on these sorts of routes is good because then when I get to the actual race which is mostly flat, it'll be easier for me.  I even got a new pair of running shoes and love them!  I live in the Pacific Northwest and of course its spring where it rains quite a bit.  So now I gotta get myself in gear and train, even in the rain.  (yes, I rhymed)

Before I mentioned that I'm terrified.  This is because I'm afraid to fail.  I'm afraid that I'm going to be one of the people that they have to pick up in a golf cart cause I'm too slow.   I keep telling myself to stay focused, keep training, and I'm gonna do great ... now if I would just listen!  One of the things that I'm really looking forward to is being in this race with my mom.  I haven't run with her before so I'm not sure if I'll slow her down or be able to keep up, but it would be awesome if the two of us could cross that finish line together...hand in hand ^__^ Just thinking about that possibility brings tears of joy to my eyes.  She's been so encouraging with this whole thing and wanted me to do the half marathon last year, but I wasn't ready mentally, emotionally or physically so I decided to help out instead.  This year, I'm ready! or as ready as I'll ever be. 

I have some books mom gave me and in one of them the author talks about how any sort of marathon, or half, or 5K, 10K, 8K, whatever is not about competing against other people, but competing against yourself.  Which means, I need to focus on my progress and not worry about anyone else.  I'm a beginner and it'll show, but I'm excited about the adventure!

So, stay tuned and I'll keep you all updated on my progress.  There's a guide in one of the books for a 26 week schedule, which means I gotta start it in April...that's only 2 days away! YIKES! lol ... but this is important to me and I'm gonna get myself focused.  RUN STRONG!

Baby ... aka Anne

Baby mine, don't you cry. Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart. Never to part, baby of mine
Little one when you play, Don't you mind what you say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine, Never a tear, baby of mine

If they knew sweet little you, They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you, What they'd give just for
The right to hold you, From your head to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows, But you're so precious to me
Cute as can be, baby of mine

Name: Anne
Color: Grey and White
Theme Song: see above
Likes: fur to be rubbed the wrong way including her belly
Siblings: Gilbert
Birthday: July 15, 2003

My sweet "little" Anne-girl.  It's funny that some people think she's just a myth, a figment, non-existent.  This is due to the fact that when someone other than me opens the front door she runs and hides cause she's a bit of a fraidy cat.  She knows her person (me) and as far as she's concerned that's all that matters.  Though if you were to spend time with us, you would soon find out that she is not a ghost or invisible because she is actually a loud mouth!  I've never heard a more noisier cat...loud, long meows, mostly when she wants to be fed which is all the time.  And that would explain the fact that she weighs about 30 pounds.  Most often at night she'll jump off the bed, wander into the living room and then start howling cause she is alone.  So, I pat the bed, call her name and she comes waddling back, jumps on the bed and purrrs as she realizes "oh there you are!"

Anne isn't quite as lively as Gilbert, but I adore her and in fact right now, she's curled up on the couch snoring. 

Bubbs ... aka Gilbert

Gilbert, Gilbert, what a little kitty
Gilbert, Gilbert, what a little kitty

Some call him Gil
Some call him Gilly
Some call him Bert, Bert, Bert, Bert, Bert

Some call him Gil
Some call him Gilly
Some call him Bert, Bert, Bert, Bert, Bert

 
Name: Gilbert
Color: Orange and White
Theme Song: See above
Favorite Toy: Any he can get his mouth and throw around the place
Siblings: Anne
Birthday: April 15, 2003
 
I was told that when Gil was "fixed" he'd probably mellow out.  Uh, no.  In fact, I think it wound him up even more!  He's happy to run around the apartment, jumping up the door frames and spinning circles inside his tent.  He also reminds me of the fish on "Finding Nemo" that is obsessed with bubbles.  My cats' water dish is the type with the container full of water on top and it trickles into a bowl.  When new water is being "let go" it makes bubbles go up into the resevoir and Gilbert LOVES to try and catch them.  He'll bat at the container and stick his paws inside the bowl to try and grab them.  He's even discovered that if he moves the top part/bottle, it'll create these bubbles.  On occasion he will get a little carried away and knock the entire thing over and spill usually an entire bottle of water all over the place ... cats, gotta love them.
 
Gil is a very loving and affectionate cat.  Though at times he gets way too excited and will use his teeth to show just how much he loves and adores you.  But his favorite place to sleep is on the pillow beside my face.  If he can't see my face (as I have turned over and have my back to him) he will actually get up and move to the other side of the bed just so he can see me.  This is the typical Saturday morning game as he is trying to wake me up to feed him and his sister.  Oh! and he hates to be alone.  If I'm not in the room or am leaving a room he is in, he will stop what he's doing or even wake up from his cat nap and follow me to wherever I'm going.  True story!
 
Another Bubbs quirk ... he loves to talk.  He's a chatterbox and this morning in fact he found himself trapped in the tub behind the shower curtain as he was wanting to drink the water since his bowl was empty. *side note: I did fill their water bowl before leaving for work, so they are well taken care of*  When he realized he would have to touch the water covered curtain he just sat in the tub and meowed and meowed.  I told him I was about to go fill his bowl so he better figure a way out.  Of course he found his motivation when I left the bathroom. 
 
I love Gilbert.  At times he drives me bonkers, but he's the most quirkie, affectionate, hilarious and adorable cat I've ever had.  Never knew a cat could have that much personalility!  If you were to come visit, and you should, he would be all over you in an instant; wanting to meet you and smell your breath.  You heard me, smell your breath.  If you were to blow in his face (LIGHTLY! like you were trying to cool down soup) he would put his little pink nose right up to your mouth so he can know you better. 
 
Just beware, when you are walking around the apartment, he will jump out and grab your legs and then run away like you're supposed to chase him.  Oh and as I mentioned before, he's a biter, but its all in the name of love according to him. 
 
So, Bubbs, my little lovebug, you are one crazy little kitty, but I love and adore you! Never change!

Windows

Now before you think I'm getting all nerdie and techie on you, I must clarify that I'm talking about actual windows...the ones you look through to see the outside, not computers.  For those that are still reading, enjoy!

Okay, so my office has two tall windows and quite often I hear little *peck peck peck*, turn around and there's a little baby bird saying hi.  I also realized that during the summer I'll be sitting at my desk and hear a *bonk bonk bonk*, turn around and there's a bee continually flying into the glass.  Not quite sure why the continue to do this, except my office is painted yellow and there is a bright red shelf right in front of one of the windows.  It could also be God's way of saying, "hey, here's a little friend saying hello".  OH! did I mention I've also had a butterfly bonk into the glass? well, I did. 

I like the view from my office.  There's two huge trees right outside and when I'm on the phone I'll turn around from desk and watch the squirrels and the birds playing in the trees.  I even had the ...umm...uh... opportunity, I guess you could call it ... to see a couple squirrels showing that they were twitterpaited for one another.  It's like my own Discovery Channel!

Currently as I type this, all the little critters have scampered or flown off, but they'll be back...they usually are. 

Here's a pic I took one day from my office ...

You can sort of make out that there is another rainbow above the bright one!

Where we're going we don't need ... roads.

OMG! Back to the Future is and always will be awesome!  Seeing it on the big screen was amazing and we had the best crowd!  Usually you go to a theater and everyone is silent and if someone makes a peep others tell them to be quiet.  Not for this awesome movie.  The entire crowd, including me, was hootin and hollarin the whole time.  Especially when Einstein zoomed off in the time machine and the flame stripes appeared...applause!  and then again Marty ... applause!  It was great!  People would even shout things out and we'd all just laugh.  Clapping, cheering, lol'ing ... not something that happens with newer movies or ones that have just moved to the smaller theaters.  It was sort of like going to one of those Sound of Music or Rocky Horror Picture Show sing-a-longs.  People were quoting things and of course the line at the end, the title of this blog, EVERYONE said it and then began applauding. 

Alright, I'm exhausted and it probably shows with my lack of creativity/wording.  It was worth staying up way past my bedtime for, but I'm thinking its going to be a struggle during work today. *yawn*

1.21 gigawatts? Great Scott!

Ah, 80's movies...gotta love them.  Tonight in fact, me and my friend Lisa (HeyLisa for those on Plurk) are gonna go see "Back to the Future" at one of Portland's local movie theaters!  We are super excited!  The Laurelhurst Theater is awesome and they typically show a movie that's been out of the theater for quite awhile. 

At the Laurelhurst Theater this year they are showcasing a different movie style/genre/whatever they choose each month ... for the month of March it has been Sci-fi and this week its BttF.  One other awesome perk about this theater...you can eat pizza AND drink beer and/or wine while watching the movie!

I am so ready for some Michael J Fox cuteness, listen to Huey Lewis and the News in the background, and to hear Doc Brown say, "Damn! Where is that kid?!"

P.S. for the same amount of money to pay for just a movie ticket (no snacks or drinks) at a bigger theater, I can pretty much get admission to the movie, a pint of beer and a slice of pizza ... how is that not a great deal?!

"Hands in pockets" store

It's funny the rules you grew up with as kids follows you into adulthood ... well, it's true for me.  When I was little and mom would take us shopping she had a rule about stores containing breakables.  These stores were called "Hands in Pockets".   Everytime we'd enter a store that looked like it had even just a small amount of breakable items, she'd tell us before entering "okay, hands in pockets".  This meant you put your hands in your pockets and keep them there until we stepped back out of the store.  No touching, not even any pointing at things.  On occasion my brothers or I would get excited about seeing something and pull our hands from our pockets and point or touch the breakables ... and a few times the item would break.  Sigh. 

I've come to discover that even though I'm an adult and know that if I break it, I buy it and should be responsible enough to not let this happen, I find that when I go into a store with fragile things, my hands magically find themselves being slipped into my pockets for safe keeping.  It's like I hear my mom's voice in my head telling me to put them there and keep them there.  I even find myself telling my nieces the same thing when we enter a store, "yep, that's pretty, but please put your hands in your pockets cause that's the type of store we're in.  We look with our eyes, not our hands." 

Moms are very wise.

And now presenting ... the kitties

Ah, cats, how they keep me on my toes ... literally!  Gilbert likes to attack my legs when I'm walking around.    Anne just likes to talk your ear off with her loud, long meows.  But I love them.  They keep me very entertained.  I laugh everday because they do hilarious stuff.  Take for instance Gilbert.  He will run around like a crazy maniac and then jump as far as he can up the door frames.  When he was younger he used to get well over halfway up! 

Look at them ... aren't they adorable and sweet looking?! Wait till they wake up. lol

P.S. Gilbert is in orange and Anne is in gray
P.P.S. They are both very talkative cats

This is only the beginning ...

Howdy howdy howdy!!!!

I decided that I needed a place to put my off the wall thoughts and express whatever I'm feeling during the day.  Previously I went to a counselor every week for over a full year and talking through things and being able to express to someone my thoughts was very helpful.  I hope to have this place be that helpful.  I also have several friends that put together podcasts or vidcasts and while that would be fun to do as well, I don't have the proper equipment (tee hee, Dougie) nor do I think I have a good voice for something like that, so a blog is the next best thing!

And for some this could be a warning, but I do have 2 cats and they will more than likely frequent this sanctuary I'm creating.  I have plenty of stories about both of them ... Gilbert and Anne ... because in all honesty, they are crazy!

Things to expect to read in my posts will range from the following:

• day-to-day happenings (I will have tons of work stories)
• my cats (see above warning if that's how you take it)
• all things Disney (parks, movies, music)
• movies, videos or music I've seen or heard
• trip reports (I don't take too many of these lately, but when I do, they are awesome!)
• exciting and at times frustrating news (cause hey, it's life!)
• and everything in between

So, pull up a chair, get yourself a beverage (coffee, tea, water, soda, beer, margarita, etc) and let's see just how crazy and kookie I can get! lol

If there is any topic that you want me to give my thoughts on, just send me a message and I'll see what I can do. 

Take care, and as always, have a brazzle dazzle day ^__^