Half Full Friday!

Half Full Friday is a series of weekly posts that Eyegirl originally started in June 2009.  We believe that a lot of our happiness is determined by our attitude about the things that happen to us.  So by participating, I'm deciding to see the glass as half full instead of half empty.  I'm choosing to concentrate on the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives.  The Half Full Friday posts are a way to do just that.  They're a list of the things in my life that have brought me happiness over the past week.  I'm determined to find something good in each day.  Are you?

For the next week, I'd like to challenge each of you to keep a list of at least one thing that brought you happiness each day.  And then come back here and tell me what made you happy!

 

~I'm happy because...

Due to a miscommunication, I had the week off work!  I initially wasn't happy about it, but I did enjoy finally having several days in a row of free time.

Fortunately, I'll have the option of making up some of those lost hours!

I had a 6 hour conversation on facebook and on the phone on Monday with a good friend!  

I had an excellent meal at my mom's house on Thursday!

The unexpected windstorm blew over just in time for the fireworks show!

The weather has cooled slightly!  We were in triple digits for a bit there, now we're in the high 90s.  

Next week we'll be accepting applications for Christmas in July, fka Doggone Dog Swap!  There are several changes this year, so be sure to get the details on Tuesday.

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Speaking of Christmas in July, you won't want to miss out!  Anyone can participate this year - dogs, cats and exotics.  It's going to be a lot of fun and I'm very excited about it!

Happy Fourth of July!

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Wordy Wednesday

Today is the second anniversary of my father's death.  The first year, I just mainly felt relief; not just for me, but for him.  He was a shell of his former self and it was hard to watch him go downhill so quickly, knowing there really was nothing we could do to help him.  

The second year, the sadness set in.  It wasn't a daily thing, but every now and again, things popped up that reminded me of him.  Someone told me everyone says the pain goes away the longer a loved one is gone, but that's not always true.  Sometimes it gets worse.  I agree!  

To honor him today, I'm going to light a candle for him.  I'm also going to put a message inside of a balloon for him, blow up that balloon, and then release it so that the message can reach him in Heaven.

*****

Run free, Thunder.  Run Free.

April 28, 2006 - July 1, 2013

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On the second floor of the SUB (Student Union Building), there's always a lot of art.  Some of it never changes, but one section is updated regularly.  I found these watercolor paintings for sale there.  They were all well out of my price range (most were several hundred dollars!), so I took pictures with my iPod.  Even if I can't buy them, I can still have them!  There were probably 50 or more paintings, these are just a few of my favorites.   

What Would Yours Say, Part II

I recently wrote a post about what I thought Shiver would say in an email to me, so I wanted to follow up and do Chico too.  I meant to post this last Friday, but spent the majority of the day watching bad TV instead, so didn't get around to it. 

Anyway, this is what I think Chico would say to me:

Hi, Mama!

Thank you so much for taking me away from two bad situations and putting me into a much better one!  As you know, I initially spent my first year of life stuck in a cage, only being let out to do my business and to make babies.  When the state intervened, I was then sent to live with a family who mostly kept me in the garage or out in the yard.  Those people decided to get rid of me when they had another baby, and that's when you came into my life.  I'm much happier now, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

Sorry I haven't been much of a cuddle bug lately.  Normally I can cuddle with the best of them, but it's just been too hot these last several days. Temperatures have been in the 100s here, so I'm sure you understand.  I'll be back to cuddling when the weather cools down.  I know how much you love when I curl up on your chest, put my head on your shoulder and snore very loudly as I have many sweet dreams.

Thank you for making Shiver share with me.  He seems to think all the toys, food, treats, cuddles, kisses, lovin's, and everything else all belong to him.  As you know, he and I have had many loud discussions regarding this, but he just won't listen to me!  He can be very unreasonable sometimes.  But what can ya do?  Shiver just expects everything to be handed to him and isn't nearly as appreciative as I am.  

I know you don't like it when I pee on stuff in the house.  I do it to mark my territory though.  You have to admit that I've gotten much better over the years!  I know you often wonder how such a tiny dog can possibly have so much pee in him, but the truth is, I just wee a little on each thing so it just seems like a lot.  

I wish we went on more walks.  I know part of it is that you have a bad hip.  But walking is good exercise and it might even help!  I know you say that walking long distances aggravates it, but we don't have to go far!  I know another reason is because Shiver doesn't really care for walks.  He also HATES to be left alone, which means we only go occasionally.  Personally, I think he's jealous of all the attention I get for being an itty bitty doggy.  You should really figure out something else for him to do, so that we can enjoy the fresh air and all those delightful smells everywhere.  It doesn't get much better than that!

Love always,

Chico

*****

Be on the lookout for details on my annual Doggone Dog Walk next Tuesday.  There have been several changes this year: a cohost, a new name, and pretty much anyone will be able to pawticipate; it won't be limited to just dogs this time around.  You won't want to miss out on the fun!

Wordless Wednesday

So Random

I went on a Garden Tour over the weekend.  We went to lunch afterwards and enjoyed a very unhealthy meal.  It was a comedy of errors getting started, but we had a great time once we did.

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The noisy neighbors are back again, unfortunately!  I'm thinking I must not be the only one who has complained, because they've only been REALLY loud for just a minute or two at a time and not every day now.  Hopefully they'll continue to be quiet.  *knocking on wood*  Another neighbor told me the noisy neighbors complained to her about my boys' barking.  Most of the reason they bark is because those neighbors are so friggin' loud!!!

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Normally I don't like feet under the best of circumstances, but for some odd reason I decided to participate in Betsy's Pedicure Party.  So I painted my nails pink and added a decal.  I know you want to see how well it turned out, so here you go!  I ripped one of the decals, but hopefully you can't tell.

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Working on campus this summer really makes me miss school.  What is wrong with me?  I should be enjoying the summer and appreciating the break.  The summer is going by so fast already, and I'll be sad once it's over.

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Melissa sent me the prettiest cowl scarf ever the other day!  I love it and am excited to wear it this winter.  I'll have to take a picture of it and show it off.  She had this pay it forward thing she was doing on facebook that I participated in.  If you commented on that particular post, she'd send you something.  You'd have to post the same thing on your Facebook page too.  I have my stuff all ready to go for the people who commented on my page, I just need to get to the post office and send it all out.

What would yours say?

I've decided to do something a little different today.  It's not that I didn't have a good week or anything, it's just fun to do something different once in awhile.  

Have you seen that new commercial for that one car recently (can't remember which kind), the one where it says your car can email you a monthly report?  I found an article on the subject too, although their product sounds like it can pretty much be used with any vehicle.

Well, this got me to thinking -- if my boys could email me, what would they say?  What would yours say?  After thinking about it for awhile, this is what I came up with for Shiver!  

...My favorite picture of Shiver...

Hi Mama,

I know you like to think that the world revolves around you 24/7, but you need to know that it does NOT!  No, it revolves around *ME* instead!!!  And if there is any moment in time when it doesn't, even for just one brief second, it needs to come back to me as soon as possible!  

Also, I don't know why you and Chico just don't seem to understand that ALL the toys, ALL the food, ALL the treats, ALL the cuddles, ALL the lovin's you give are MINE, MINE, MINE!!!  I don't want to share with Chico. I was here first, so therefore, it all belongs to me!  If there are any leftovers, I might be willing to share once in awhile.  But don't just assume that I will.

You know how I go outside and 5 seconds later I scratch at the door?  And then once you open it, I run back out into the yard again?  And then I continue to repeat this over and over again until I'm finally ready to come in?  Yes, I know you find it super annoying.  Do you want to know why I do it?  Because I'm a real Mama's Boy and don't like to be without you.  Why do you think I insist on being on your lap the second you sit down anywhere?  I don't like it when you have to leave me, not one bit!  And when you left me overnight last weekend?  Don't ever do that again, k?  When you leave,  it's just excruciating!  That's why I never walk you to the door to say goodbye like Chico does, and why I greet you loudly at the door when you come home.  

Love always,

Shiver

I'll post Chico's email next week.

Wordless Wednesday

Funday Monday

I haven't been around much because of the big fundraiser I volunteered for on Friday.  It was an overnight event, so I was gone most of the day and all night, came home on Saturday and slept most of that day and night.  Sunday, I just zombied out and relaxed.

I'm pretty sure that I will not be participating in this event next year.  This season was very aggravating, then something happened a few days before that really angered me.  I'm not going to go into the situation here, because I do think the fundraiser was for a great cause.  The good thing is that it's over for the season and my time will be my own now.  

Nothing else too terribly exciting happened during the week other than seeing a double rainbow on the way to work one day which made me smile.  I wanted to pull over and get a picture, but the traffic was too heavy.  So here's one I found from Google Images instead.

Took this from here.

1.  Would you rather be rich or famous?  Why?

I used to think I'd like to be rich AND famous.  I automatically just presumed that if you were famous, you were also rich.  I know better now.  I really don't think I'd like being famous.  It would suck to make mistakes in the public eye and have everyone know about them.  I don't need anyone judging me any more than they already do, either.  

Money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure would make things a whole lot easier sometimes!  I'd love to pay off my house, buy a new car, not have to worry about paying off student loans or my credit card debt, go shopping to my heart's content, etc., etc., etc.  However, I do think a few of my friends would be calling me on the regular, asking for loans.  Actually, one would probably try to guilt me into just outright giving her $, saying I have more than I need.  And I bet a lot of long lost "family members" would come out of the woodwork suddenly.  lol

Difficult decision, but I think I'd prefer being rich.

2.  Of all your relatives, which one have you not seen for the longest time?  How long has it been?  

I have a ton of cousins I've never met and likely never will.  I also have nieces and nephews I've never met and probably never will.  As for immediate family members, it would be my middle brother.  I can't even remember the last time I saw him.  We used to chat on facebook once in a great while, but he's ignored my last two messages.  I have a feeling I'll never see him again.  Sad, but it's his choice.  I've made the effort, he hasn't.  There's nothing more I can do.

3.  If you had a "theme song" that played whenever you walk into a room full of people, what would it be?  

This is a really hard one.  I've decided on this one, Life is Beautiful by Sixx AM.  (Sorry, I don't know how to upload videos.)  I'd choose this one because sometimes I just need a reminder.  Either that or this one, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper.  What would yours be?  

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.  

The picture is labeled "Russia."  It really doesn't remind me of anything.  It just looks like an old farmhouse out in the country.  Or maybe a barn.  I kind of think it's an older picture, not a recent one.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Meme

I wasn't home very much yesterday, so there wasn't much chance to come around and visit.  I have some errands to run this afternoon, so I plan to read blogs this evening.  We have our annual fundraising event coming up this Friday for the committee I volunteer for.  It's an overnight event, so I won't be able to be around much then either.  Once that's done though, we're done for the season!  I think we're all beginning to feel the burnout from it, so it'll be nice to not have to deal with that for awhile.

Since I'm sure you have no interest in hearing about my shopping spree for this big event over the weekend, I'll spare you the details.  It was strictly for the our fundraising event, not for fun.  With being focused on that right now, I really don't have much else going on.  Which means I have nothing to talk about...  Which means you get a Monday Meme.  Aren't you lucky?

1.  Describe your everyday dishes.

I've described my dishes here before, somewhere.  Too lazy to search for it.  I remember buying some china dishes which were on sale.  At the time, I still lived with my parents.  I'd go buy household stuff, then put it in storage, so that when I moved out on my own, I could set up house.

So as I was saying, I'd bought these dishes.  My mom said that I just raved and raved about them for days, and even kept them at her house for awhile so that I could continue to admire them.  I honestly don't remember going on and on about how pretty they are.  They're really kind of ugly.  They kind of remind me of something you'd find at a garage sale, which makes me wonder why I didn't try to find a prettier pattern.  But they work well, so that's all that really matters, I guess.

2.  What is a song for which you thought you knew the words and later found out that you had them wrong?  

OMG, where do I even start?  LOL  Here's one of the more embarrassing ones.

My parents were big lovers of country music.  I,on the other hand, can.not.stand.it!!!

One artist in particular that my mom really liked is Juice Newton.  She had a hit many years ago called Angel of the Morning, which my mom adored and listened to regularly, even for years after.  There's a lyric that goes, "Just touch my cheek before you leave me."  I thought it was, "Just brush my teeth before you leave me."  Even now when I hear it, I still think of that!

If you want to hear the song, click here.  I refuse to post the video, since I will not put anything country music related on my blog.

3. If you had to wear someone else's wardrobe for a week (assuming you fit their clothes perfectly), whose would you want to wear?

Hmm...  This is a hard one.  I have a friend who used to wear a lot of cute clothes.  Then she gained a bunch of weight, so she dresses kind of sloppy now.  I wouldn't mind her old wardrobe!

My old art professor had some really nice outfits too, stuff you'd never find around here!  She used to live in New York City, so I'm guessing that's where she got a lot of her stuff.  Most of her stuff looked like it was from a high end clothing store.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind when you first see this picture?  Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

It's a tree, obviously! It kind of reminds me of one you'd see in a scary movie, one that would rub up against a window on a windy night in order to make the scene even more scary.

Half Full Friday - On A Saturday

Half Full Friday is a series of weekly posts that Eyegirl originally started in June 2009.  We believe that a lot of our happiness is determined by our attitude about the things that happen to us.  So by participating, I'm deciding to see the glass as half full instead of half empty; I'm choosing to concentrate on the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives.  The Half Full Friday posts are a way to do just that.  They're a list of the things in my life that have brought me happiness over the past week.  I'm determined to find something good in each day.  Are you?

For the next week, I'd like to challenge each of you to keep a list of at least one thing that brought you happiness each day.  And then come back her and tell me what made you happy!

 

~I'm happy because...

I had lunch with a friend earlier this week!

My noisy neighbors have either moved, or are on an extended vacay!  And I haven't missed them in the slightest!

My big volunteer event is only a week away!  I'm mostly happy that it's almost over; I'm so ready for it to be done!

I've gotten to wear several pairs of my fun summer shoes this week!

I've gotten lots of quality time in with the chi's since school ended!

My hip is feeling much, much better!  It's bothered me quite a lot all week!

Some lady gave me a free plant!

My roses are blooming!

Yesterday was payday, which included a very small raise!  It's small, but at least it's something!

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I'm supposed to be enjoying the summer, but it doesn't seem like I've had much time off.  There's always something going on.  Most of it's been fun stuff, like Crazee Days, and Arts and Roses.  

Some of it's been filled with my big volunteer project too.  I took on a different role this year, which I'm absolutely hating.  I only have a general idea of what I'm supposed to be doing, and I'm not even sure if that's correct.  I'm thinking about not coming back next year.  The coming week will be a lot of work, getting ready for the big day.  And then once it's done, it's done.  YAY!!!  

Work hasn't been bad at all in the lab.  The scantrons have been a nightmare though!  We're using a new system in conjunction with the old system, so everything takes twice as long to do.  We're discovering all the kinks with the new system, which is always fun!  {*sarcasm*}  Thank goodness we haven't been busy with scantrons yet, because we've had to redo a lot of them on the new system.  Usually I prefer doing scantrons, but lately I've been preferring the lab.

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Almost Wordless Wednesday

Sorry I haven't been around much the last few days.  It's been very busy here lately.  It's been a fun busy though.  I work today and tomorrow, so I'll have plenty of time to come say hi to everyone.  

Struggling to understand...

Several years ago, a woman was raped and murdered here.  I didn't know her, but her story was all over the news for weeks.  It went unsolved up until about a month or so ago.

If you were following my blog waaaaaay back in 2011, you may have read this post about Bob.  Why am I bringing this up now, I'm sure you're wondering.  The rapist and murderer?  The teenage son mentioned in that particular post!  The son's name is Pat.  He was already in jail for life for a different heinous crime when police matched his DNA with some found on the murder victim.

I knew this kid when he was a teenager.  I hung out with him regularly, sometimes alone.  He never once made any attempt to hurt me, or made me feel unsafe or uncomfortable in any way.  I liked him and never got any sense of danger from him.  He moved about a month or so after I first met him, and I didn't see him again for a long while.  I just thought he was basically a good kid with a few problems.  He even went to church regularly.

I thought I knew him.  I thought I knew a lot of his history.  Turns out I only knew a very small part of it, and that I never really knew him at all!  I'm still in shock and not sure how to process it all.

After all this went down, I called Bob's ex-wife because I'm nosy.  I figured maybe she would share a bit of gossip, or maybe even shed some light on why he would commit such a horrific crime.  It was an awkward conversation, and the only thing she really shared is that she and Bob tried to turn Pat in back then.  They didn't know for a fact that Pat had done it, but thought the witness sketch looked a bit like Pat.  She also said Pat had been acting "squirrelly" that particular weekend, although she didn't elaborate on that point.  She and Bob went to the police with their suspicions, but the police didn't seem all that interested in talking with them.  She figured she'd done her part and left it at that.

I found out from Bob's ex and from the news that apparently Pat has quite an extensive criminal background.  How does someone who is seemingly so normal commit such an awful, awful crime?  I know he knows right from wrong.  How did he turn out to be such a monster?  How does he live with himself, knowing each day that he took an innocent life?  Does he have no conscience?

This has all been really shocking, and I almost feel obsessed with the case.  I keep trying to find more information about it, which really isn't all that smart of me.  I think I'm just looking for answers to questions that never will be answered.  He's already in prison for life, now prosecutors are considering whether to try for the death penalty on this case.

The biggest lesson I've learned out of all of this?  You can never *truly* know a person or what they're capable of.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Happy Memorial Day!

One more semester down, four more to go!  I'm proud to say that I got 3 A's, a B and a C - and I made the Dean's List again!  This wasn't a particularly difficult semester like the last one, but it was was *VERY* homework intensive.  One professor in particular was insistent on giving us staggering amounts of homework to do before each class.

But now that's over and I can breathe again for the summer!  I'll be working part time, but I suspect that there will be lots of free time which means I'll be able to post regularly again.  And even better, I'll be able to visit everyone more frequently again!  That's the part I'm really looking forward to - catching up with everyone.  What did I miss?  There's always something going on in Blogville!

I have a lot of stuff to take care of today.  Hopefully I'll get it all done and then I'll be able to come around and say hi to everyone.  I've really missed everybody!

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Guess Who Came To Visit?

Someone said to me yesterday, "You seem like you always have so much going on that you don't know whether you're coming or going!  That statement is soooooooo right on!  Life has been a struggle lately, but I'm not gonna let it hold me back.

To lighten the stress, I wanted to do a fun post for today!  

You may remember that Flat George came to visit me a few times.  Too lazy to link up the posts, but you can find them if you're really that interested in digging back a bit.  I'm sure you have better things to do, but maybe not!  lol

Flat George apparently needed a long break from his whirlwind travels, but he's back stronger than ever.  He spent another day at school with me this week, and here's part of how we spent the day.

 First we went to Starbucks for a drink!

At the library, we headed upstairs...

 ...to check out some books.

 After such a big cup of coffee, we had to use the bathroom.  Yes, Flat George is fully house/potty trained!  

Afterwards, he washed his paws.

And finally...here we are, hard at work studying for upcoming finals!

We had so much fun, he's promised to come back and spend even yet another day together!  We're already making plans of what to check out next!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy April Fool's Day!

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It's also my mom's birthday today!  And my last day of freedom before I return to school.  Spring break sure went quick!  After some major last minute hustling, I got all of my homework done -- well, all that NEEDED to be done.  I didn't get as much finished as I wanted, but I did get some much needed research done for two upcoming papers.  I'm really gonna miss sleeping in daily and getting to spend so much time with the chi's.

I found this here.

1.  Would you rather be 4'5" or 7'7"?

I've been short all my life (though not 4'5"), so I'd like to see what it's be like to be tall.  Being short does have it's advantages (being able to get through crowds quickly without anyone noticing), but it also has it's disadvantages (having to always sit in front to see).  I'm sure being tall also has it's good and bad points too, so it would be interesting to compare.

2.  Name a movie that took multiple viewings to appreciate.

That would be St. Elmo's Fire.  I first saw it in high school, and didn't quite get the meaning behind it.  I hadn't been out on my own yet, or experienced adulthood.  Watching it again a few years later, it really hit home for me.  Now it's one of my favorite movies!  What would be your answer?

3.  Would you rather have 10 brothers (only) or 10 sisters (only)?

I have 2 brothers, and we're virtual strangers.  One is by my choice, the other one is by his choice.  We aren't close and only rarely communicate, basically only when necessary.  I'm the only girl and always wished I had a sister, so I'm gonna go with sisters.

4.  Show and tell.  What comes to mind first when you see this picture?  Or tell a story if it reminds you of one.  

 The name of the picture is called "Constructions."  It doesn't really bring anything to mind.  How about you?