Observations 101

Rather than keep things that I've learned (ever so slowly) to myself... I will record them on my blog to refer to. Perhaps others will learn from these as well [or just shake their head with incredulous wonder that I am just now finding these things out :-)].

These observations are generalizations - like everything else in life, there are always exceptions :-)

Observation 1:
Months can go by without contacting a guy... when contact is finally made it is like no big deal... they can pick up right where things left off. With some women, it takes time to get back to the same place you were at in the relationship, before contact was broken.

Observation 2:
Bad days are required. If every day was a good day, then we wouldn't appreciate them as much.

Modest Immodesty

- neither bold nor self-assertive: tending toward diffidence (hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence)
- not modest; specifically: not conforming to the sexual mores of a particular time

Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.

Maria Full of Grace
Took advantage of my student discount last night at the Flicks. Went and saw Maria Full of Grace. It was a Spanish movie about a girl and her decision to become a drug mule. I won't delve further, but it was a great flick. I think this is the first movie I've ever gone to alone. It was a good feeling...

My Life Without Me
Saw this Netflix movie Monday night. It was well-written and really made me think about things. Some situations in life seem so meaningless in the grand scheme of things. We're all going to die, no matter what. Call it a morbid common bond between all human beings... but the important thing to note is what do you plan to do with your life? If you were told you had 2 months to live, would you be satisfied with where you are at? Sure, there are things I would love to do in my lifetime and things I would love to experience... but unless I take action... well, ya know. Here are some things I would like to do before I die:
1. Run a marathon
2. Experience true love
3. Record my family history, visit my ancestor's homeland
4. Visit each of the major continents
5. Have a child / adopt a child
6. Tell my dad that I love him
7. Say what is on my mind
8. Realize my true worth lies with me and not in someone else
9. Don't wait on others to do what I want
10. Don't allow others to make decisions for me

Best Online Quiz

French Impressionism : Technology Impression

This past Thursday night, I was privileged to attend a lecture on the Degas sculptures. For those not privy to everything that is true art... Degas was part of the French Impressionist movement which also included: Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Gaugin. The lecture was very intriguing and the woman was very knowledgeable and witty. Afterwards, Elle and I attended the reception and I got to check out the display. I don't think I would have appreciated the artwork as much as I did, if I hadn't attended the lecture. However, here's where I've got to complain...

Technology is good, but...
Technology serves a purpose in many environments, but one arena technology should NOT poke its little head is the museum. When I entered the museum, I was asked if I would like to have one of those handheld tour guides so that when I walked up to a display, I could hear the details concerning the piece. I believe this takes the whole experience out of attending a museum. I love the idea of looking at the artwork, reading the placard next to the display, and digesting what is before me. Sometimes it is even nice to discuss a certain piece with someone who seems open for a talky talk. I do not enjoy immersing myself in a piece only to be brought back to reality by the noise of a muffled electronic tour guide. Those tour guides just isolate people from the whole experience of what I call the MUSEUM! That's my story and I'm sticking to it :-)

And Then...
Tonight will be the Hyde Park Street Fair where I plan to enjoy the company of my esteemed girlies and soak in the tunes of Built to Spill. Afterward will be a party thrown by a most wonderful girly indeed and the enjoyment of barley pops to be dispensed by the most ingenious of all inventions: a kegarator :-) Yum Yum, Drool Drool

TableRock Challenge

Got up this morning to run a race and that mission was successfully accomplished. I had never done the TableRock Challenge before and figured WTF, might as well give it a try. The course is basically 4.5 mi uphill and then 4.5 mi downhill. When I got to the top, I got to have my lovely picture taken with Smokey the Bear - the dude is 60 this year. And the results... I finished 4th overall for women and 1st in my age group with a time of 1:14:07.3 (8:14.1/mi.). I was pretty happy considering this was my first time running this race and I didn't know what to expect. Also, I haven't been feeling hot lately, so I wasn't sure how well I would run and then there was the fact that the pre-race mini-energy meal I ate - consisted of banana, bagel w/peanut butter, and water - ended up down the sink when I was brushing my teeth. I must've been pretty nervous or something.

Tonight is my last night with the girls, so I just plan to take it easy and relax with them. My little Malishka (a.k.a. Malice) is resting her precious little body on my lap as I am writing this post. The past week and a half with my girls (and little boy Blue) have left me exhausted and filled with a happy/sad love. Happy because it feels sooo good to have them around me again and sad because I know it is temporary.

. . . for me there lies,
Within the lights and shadows of your eyes,
The only beauty that is never old.
- James Weldon Johnson

If things on earth may be to heaven resembled,
It must be love, pure, constant, undissembled.
- Aphra Behn

Fancy Fickle Free

Am I too fickle?
For some reason, I totally adore little online quizzes to see what they have to say about me based on the combination of "a,b,c,d,e" choices I make. Besides being short, this quiz was kind of fun to take because I don't think I'm a fickle person, but what if this scientifically proven quiz happens to find that I'm fickle, that would mean I would need to change my life and way of thinking from here on out. That's right, I totally base my life and decisions on the scores I receive from online quizzes... WTF?!?! Whatever, that was a total tongue-in-cheek moment... too bad it was only my tongue... couldn't resist ;)

And the results were... I'm a Steady Betty!
[I especially like this result because I love my Betty...]
And what does being a "Steady Betty" mean?

Pray tell -
Once you find something you like, you stick with it. But that doesn’t mean you’re complacent — you’re always looking to improve and enhance your life. This includes your relationships. Your desire to grow is attractive to men who want to be with a woman who’s engaged in life and challenging.

Well, tickle me pink and call me Betty :-)

Happy Uncertainty

I'm in a very strange state right now. Perhaps it's due to my shortage of sleep or it's other things going on in my life. One night I feel content and happy with how things are, despite utter exhaustion. Then the next night I'm on the verge of tears for some unknown reason. Am I finally hitting puberty? Hahahaha...

Oregon - yeah, I'm done
The run in Oregon was absolutely fabFUCKINulous! I ran my little heart out, dealt with some sore muscles and had a wonderful time with my teammates. I had to wait out two legs before I was able to quaff my 20 oz of Hefeweizen with Pringles combo, but it was well worth the wait. After I finished off my last leg, I received a comment from a male runner who passed me by - when I mentioned it was beer time, he said he thought I was a high school runner. Compliment... yes, I will take it as so :-) During the seafood fest dinner, one of my male teammates mentioned that I was almost perfect, just give me 25 years and I will be absolutely perfect. That's what gets me... people see me as this wonderful person and yet... whatever, not even gonna go down that road of self-pity.


There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course.
Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.
-Carl Jung