Opposition in all things, right? Fortunately for me, my glass is half full. Most of the time ;).
Lisa and Christian were able to move the bulk of their belongings out of the back last Saturday. Due to some plumbing fun, however, they still have bits and pieces lying around. Not a huge deal, but it does mean that I cannot yet move all of my belongings. Happy, or sad?
Both.
Sad: I would have liked to be able to move all of my stuff at once, have it officially be "my place" right off the bat.
Happy: I have good and valid excuse to take my time getting stuff moved in
Sad: It will be another week or two before I can host FHE
Happy: It will be another week or two before I can host FHE ;)
Sad: I'll have to go up to the front of the house for good reading material
Happy: I have time in which to move all of my books- they're rather heavy all told-the down side of owning so many
Sad: My shoulder, which had been much improved, is not particularly happy with what I've done so far today (moving the bed, and with Christian's help the dresser)
Happy: My heaviest piece of furniture (besides my couch) is now in place and will not have to be moved again.
Sad: ...Nah, that's enough sad for now.
Happy: I have time to shampoo the carpets before I move everything back. I've already done the bedroom, now I just have to do the living room and dining area. I'm also way excited to have my own bathroom, not to mention the most preferable bathroom in the house :).
All told, I'm pretty happy. I think, however, that if I had to move all of my belongings today I'd end up back in physical therapy for my shoulder, and that would most certainly not be a Happy. Fortunately, that's not the case. I'll be glad for now that I have time, and that I have a much better wireless internet connection now :)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Exciting Times Ahead
Well, it's almost time-Lisa and Christian are moving out this weekend. They've already begun to move their belongings over to their new house. The first time I saw the interior of their new place I confess I was not particularly impressed. After working for over 2 years in real estate and seeing numerous homes, ranging from around $100,000 all the way to $2,000,000 and more, I confess I was a bit snooty at first. I'm sorry, Lisa & Christian.
I have been back a couple of times since, and my opinion of their place has decidedly changed for the better. I began looking at it in a new light. I personally have a tendency to be more comfortable in rooms with character-one or two (sometimes more) quirks that set them apart from the rest of the house. I began to find myself somewhat jealous of their new home, knowing that if it were mine I would be quite comfortable there indeed. Their house certainly doesn't lack character :) I also love their yard, most particularly their back yard. It is good though that they are the ones moving there, as I would not have the motivation to put nearly as much time into improvements and maintenance as they have already done and will continue to do. Not to mention there's no way I would be able to make the payments...
I have been able though to set aside my jealousy in favor of excitement-I get to move into the back apartment next week :) I once made a diagram of the living room back there (as I was using it as a bedroom at the time) as well as all of the furniture I possessed at the time. I still have the diagram, and added to it the dining area once while I was babysitting Dalton. I wasn't able to diagram the bedroom (else I would have woken Dalton prematurely from his nap), but did measure out the new furniture I've acquired since the first diagram was made two years ago. I've been having fun arranging and re-arranging my furniture, and am excited to be able to do it for real. I've never had so much space to myself, though, and am not sure yet what to do with all of it. If anyone has a spare couch hanging around, or a small dining table or desk, let me know and I'd be happy to take it off your hands for you. I have a few pictures and other wall hangings, but I think I'll finally use my tapestry blankets as, well, tapestries. I'm rather curious at what the outcome will be. Definitely on the plus side, I'll finally be able to showcase all of my books :)
I'm not the only one excited for this move. Lisa and Christian get their own house, I get the apartment, Sarah gets my room, and mom gets her living room back. All told, despite the pressures and stress of moving, the physical exertion high on the list, we'll all be much happier when all is said and done. Another plus, it won't hurt the weight watchers efforts. I've gone back and forth the last couple of weeks between losing and gaining, and I'll be very happy to lose next week. Wish me luck!
I have been back a couple of times since, and my opinion of their place has decidedly changed for the better. I began looking at it in a new light. I personally have a tendency to be more comfortable in rooms with character-one or two (sometimes more) quirks that set them apart from the rest of the house. I began to find myself somewhat jealous of their new home, knowing that if it were mine I would be quite comfortable there indeed. Their house certainly doesn't lack character :) I also love their yard, most particularly their back yard. It is good though that they are the ones moving there, as I would not have the motivation to put nearly as much time into improvements and maintenance as they have already done and will continue to do. Not to mention there's no way I would be able to make the payments...
I have been able though to set aside my jealousy in favor of excitement-I get to move into the back apartment next week :) I once made a diagram of the living room back there (as I was using it as a bedroom at the time) as well as all of the furniture I possessed at the time. I still have the diagram, and added to it the dining area once while I was babysitting Dalton. I wasn't able to diagram the bedroom (else I would have woken Dalton prematurely from his nap), but did measure out the new furniture I've acquired since the first diagram was made two years ago. I've been having fun arranging and re-arranging my furniture, and am excited to be able to do it for real. I've never had so much space to myself, though, and am not sure yet what to do with all of it. If anyone has a spare couch hanging around, or a small dining table or desk, let me know and I'd be happy to take it off your hands for you. I have a few pictures and other wall hangings, but I think I'll finally use my tapestry blankets as, well, tapestries. I'm rather curious at what the outcome will be. Definitely on the plus side, I'll finally be able to showcase all of my books :)
I'm not the only one excited for this move. Lisa and Christian get their own house, I get the apartment, Sarah gets my room, and mom gets her living room back. All told, despite the pressures and stress of moving, the physical exertion high on the list, we'll all be much happier when all is said and done. Another plus, it won't hurt the weight watchers efforts. I've gone back and forth the last couple of weeks between losing and gaining, and I'll be very happy to lose next week. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A Journey of Rediscovery
Given the rather somber, philosophical nature of my recent posts, you're probably thinking, given the title, that this is another one of those. It's probably about how we need to rediscover our roots, or something like that. Fortunately, as I don't dye my hair, my roots were never lost ;)
Today's journey of rediscovery started after I'd finished all that could be done from home for our online store update. For those of you who don't know, our store at the Children's Museum has its own website at www.discoverytogo.org where you can buy a selection of our products. I am one of two people at the store that are charged with both maintaining and updating the online store, and so it's been a source of pressure for a few weeks now, but as we're updating tomorrow, there's not much left to do.
After typing up a few final things, I took myself off to the library. Ah, the library. For years I've preferred to purchase my books, building my own library and thereby having access to many of my favorite books whenever I want them (not to mention they just look cool when they're all neatly shelved). I've also managed to avoid late fees this way. Due to my own...less than frugal...habits, however, this is no longer feasible, except perhaps on a small, selective scale (for instance, perhaps one or two books every couple of months instead of seven or eight). In light of this, I got onto the Salt Lake County Library System website and put a couple of books on hold.
When I walked in to pick them up, I got sidetracked by the books on sale. While they're typically aren't any books I would usually buy, the fact that it's only fifty cents for a hardback sold me on a couple of them. I also checked out four other books and three dvd's. Yay! The main challenge now, of course, will be to make sure to get the books and dvd's back in time to prevent late fees :)
Today's journey of rediscovery started after I'd finished all that could be done from home for our online store update. For those of you who don't know, our store at the Children's Museum has its own website at www.discoverytogo.org where you can buy a selection of our products. I am one of two people at the store that are charged with both maintaining and updating the online store, and so it's been a source of pressure for a few weeks now, but as we're updating tomorrow, there's not much left to do.
After typing up a few final things, I took myself off to the library. Ah, the library. For years I've preferred to purchase my books, building my own library and thereby having access to many of my favorite books whenever I want them (not to mention they just look cool when they're all neatly shelved). I've also managed to avoid late fees this way. Due to my own...less than frugal...habits, however, this is no longer feasible, except perhaps on a small, selective scale (for instance, perhaps one or two books every couple of months instead of seven or eight). In light of this, I got onto the Salt Lake County Library System website and put a couple of books on hold.
When I walked in to pick them up, I got sidetracked by the books on sale. While they're typically aren't any books I would usually buy, the fact that it's only fifty cents for a hardback sold me on a couple of them. I also checked out four other books and three dvd's. Yay! The main challenge now, of course, will be to make sure to get the books and dvd's back in time to prevent late fees :)
Saturday, August 1, 2009
From Then to Now...You Choose
Think back to High School. To the teenage years. We go to school for almost a decade before we reach it-just another first day, just another lunch break, just another gym class or math assignment. Yet everything is in flux. Feelings are changing, the pressure is increasing, and everything is so much more dramatic than it ever could have been before, sometimes even earth shattering. We're young enough that we're not quite sure what to do, and old enough that we're too proud to let anyone else know it. But we deal with the hard times as best we can, and roll with the high times.
When does that cycle end? Well, for some of us it never does. We start settling into habits, behavioral patterns, and never see outside ourselves enough to know that frequently the change needs to come from us, not from those by whom we feel 'wronged'. How could we possibly be at fault? We did everything the way we should have, could have. They are the ones that need to change, they are the ones that need to see what they're doing to us.
Bull. Pull away from that reflection, Narcissus, or you'll drown. You are an intregal part of every situation, every challenge in your life, and therefore have the power to affect change in each situation and challenge, both for the better, and for the worse. In those times when we truly are the root of the problem, we need to be humble enough to take responsibility for our actions, and then work to improve. In those times when we are truly not to blame (and be honest with yourself on whether or not you are or might be), think about what's going on, what could be going on, that would affect the person/situation and don't judge prematurely.
Many times, more than we'd care to admit, the problem comes from both ends, from them and from us. Those are the difficult times to determine that we may be at fault to some degree, to decide where we need to change and where perhaps the other person could stand to improve. Once acknowledged, however, the hardest part comes in the realization that we can't expect them to change, no matter how much we try or want it. We must first change ourselves, most importantly in our perspectives and attitude. How much is your pride truly affecting your views? In my experience pride is at the root of the vast majority of relationships, both personal and professional. Are you mad because of a true wrong or injustice, or because someone stepped on your proverbial toes? On the opposite side, are you happy because of a job well done, or because someone stroked your ego afterwards?
So what does this all have to do with High School? As teenagers, we are starting to work through some of the same levels of pressures experienced as working adults, but without the perspective we can gain over time. As adults, if we choose to develop and progress, we build a reference of knowledge and experience to pull from as we face new and increasingly complex issues, giving us the groundwork from which to pull both strength and solutions. We also have the choice, to let life knock us down and roll over us. Guess what, though-it's totally up to you. Is the challenge facing you out to break you, or are you there to progress, to learn what can be learned and rise to the future, knowing that you've worked through hard times throughout your past and will triumph in the future? The choice is yours, and yours alone.
When does that cycle end? Well, for some of us it never does. We start settling into habits, behavioral patterns, and never see outside ourselves enough to know that frequently the change needs to come from us, not from those by whom we feel 'wronged'. How could we possibly be at fault? We did everything the way we should have, could have. They are the ones that need to change, they are the ones that need to see what they're doing to us.
Bull. Pull away from that reflection, Narcissus, or you'll drown. You are an intregal part of every situation, every challenge in your life, and therefore have the power to affect change in each situation and challenge, both for the better, and for the worse. In those times when we truly are the root of the problem, we need to be humble enough to take responsibility for our actions, and then work to improve. In those times when we are truly not to blame (and be honest with yourself on whether or not you are or might be), think about what's going on, what could be going on, that would affect the person/situation and don't judge prematurely.
Many times, more than we'd care to admit, the problem comes from both ends, from them and from us. Those are the difficult times to determine that we may be at fault to some degree, to decide where we need to change and where perhaps the other person could stand to improve. Once acknowledged, however, the hardest part comes in the realization that we can't expect them to change, no matter how much we try or want it. We must first change ourselves, most importantly in our perspectives and attitude. How much is your pride truly affecting your views? In my experience pride is at the root of the vast majority of relationships, both personal and professional. Are you mad because of a true wrong or injustice, or because someone stepped on your proverbial toes? On the opposite side, are you happy because of a job well done, or because someone stroked your ego afterwards?
So what does this all have to do with High School? As teenagers, we are starting to work through some of the same levels of pressures experienced as working adults, but without the perspective we can gain over time. As adults, if we choose to develop and progress, we build a reference of knowledge and experience to pull from as we face new and increasingly complex issues, giving us the groundwork from which to pull both strength and solutions. We also have the choice, to let life knock us down and roll over us. Guess what, though-it's totally up to you. Is the challenge facing you out to break you, or are you there to progress, to learn what can be learned and rise to the future, knowing that you've worked through hard times throughout your past and will triumph in the future? The choice is yours, and yours alone.
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