New Year's Resolutions 2014

In keeping with tradition, here are my resolutions for the coming year:

1. Dress with more style
2. Keep house better (such as by cleaning)
3. Pray the Rosary . . . more
4. Go on one retreat
5. Become a better dancer

I should probably go back and see how I did on my resolutions for 2013 as well, but I'm sure it was fine.  :)

Here is a post

Here is a post about a Saturday night, spent at home with my roommie, hanging out watching tv, crocheting, listening to her play the saxophone, random friends coming over, now they are gone to get pizza and a hard drive full of movies . . . and supposedly doing homework?  :)

Getting Told by a Four-Year-Old

We were at the pool and I was French braiding my hair when I noticed McKenzie looking intently at my armpits.  Finally she asked, "What are those things?"  Correctly divining that she meant the 2 mm stubble that I had been too lazy to shave, I replied, "What, you mean hairs?  Those are hairs." "Why?"  "Well, because I didn't shave them."  "Why?"  "Um, because . . . I just didn't get to it today."  Silence.  Then, "Can you put your arms down? I don't like to see those . . . hairs."

Group Email Hilarity

I am planning a trip out to some mountains to do 14ers this weekend.  Naturally, I start up a big group email about the subject--and it gets crazy.  WHY does it get crazy?  Is it me?  I am reminded of other group email threads I have started that have quickly gotten out of hand; maybe it's my fault somehow.  I still find it amusing, though.  One person just replied with a preference to hike something other than a 14er on Saturday!  Um . . . :)  Yesterday someone else replied wanting to go to a beer festival at Keystone--I am all for beer, but really.  People.  Let's just bag some peaks.

Vain Post about Sun Exposure

I wish I could just tan my legs ONLY...my arms are already pretty brown, but my legs pale in comparison.  Literally!

Dancing

Let me tell you about dancing.  Some people think dancing is a socially intimidating activity, something arduous, the result of lots of hard work, and even then something for only now and then.  For weddings.  Or flash mobs.  But here's what dancing really is: it is a drug, and the more you dance, the more you want to dance . . . more.  You've got those happy feet.  The head teacher in the classroom I'm an assistant in said in her end-of-year note to me that I brightened everyone's days with my jigs on the playground--yes, it got to that level!  It intermittantly stays there, the more I dance, like sugar, or coffee, but sooooo much better.  So right now, I want to dance.  Yeah.

Go Figure

So the woman I'm going to babysit for over the summer has everything I want: a labrador retriever, an adorable 4-year-old, an attractive husband, a place in Denver . . . and yet, oddly, she wants to pursue a career, complete an advanced degree, and leave her kid with someone else as many hours as possible!  Weird but true.

Other People's Lives

Have you ever noticed how in other people's lives things seem to happen so much more quickly, like a blink of an eye?  Take your eye off a long-distance friend, and before you know it, she's engaged, married, or expecting a baby!  Speaking of babies, other people's children grow up so quickly: you see them a few months later, and it's like they're totally different little people (and they don't remember you at all).  Why is that?

Ice Cream Leads to . . .

junk in the trunk!  It's not even Blue Bell ice cream, either, so I don't know what I'm thinking to keep eating it.  Well, it's ice cream.  I just don't like its results!

It's Been a While

It's been a while since this happened, but I just picked a scab.  It was on my right shoulder.

My Wise Words

So I noticed in my statistics that people have been reading my post How to Combat Over-Emotionalism, which, to be frank, I had entirely forgotten that I had written.  It still holds true, I think, though I'm ashamed to see how little I practice what I preach(ed).  In fact, I find myself all too often living at the level of my emotions.  As a four years' older person from the person who wrote that blog post, I might expect to be four years' wiser.  I might be, who knows?  I might have a smidgen more self-control and practical know-how for situations.  Still, I feel like I look back at my younger, more philosophical self and see a person who was a bit closer to the source, if that makes any sense.  Life is tricksy, though, so you never know which side of the looking glass you're sitting on, even when you're looking at things in hindsight.

So Funny

Even with the snow, you can tell spring fever has hit at this university . . . oh, to be an undergrad again! :P

Sometimes I Notice Things

Sometimes I notice things like when I hold my hand under my opposite leg above but near the knee and squeeze it, the bones feel soft and squishy.

It's not that I'm conceited

It's just that every now and then, I think to myself, "Why am I so beautiful and intelligent??" And I honestly don't know.

I Can Still Sing It!

For Holy Week, I decided to give up listening to modern music on the radio or computer.  That way, the Josh Ritter concert I went to last night didn't count.  I was really hoping he would play one of my current favorites of his, "Empty Hearts," but though the set was awesome, that one wasn't part of it.  Still, I can sing it myself!

Singing don't let me into this year with an empty heart, 
With an empty heart
Don't let me into this year with an empty heart . . . 

Calling It Like It Is

The prayer goes, "I believe, Lord, help my unbelief."  I think that's a very nice, positive way to look at it.  The truth, however, is: "I don't believe, Lord . . . help me."

Men and Women and Confusion and Um

I don't know what to say about the state of men and women today.  It makes me a little weirded out, demoralized, uncertain, and, most of all, upset.  I guess I can't really get emotional distance on the topics of masculinity, femininity, and all that's cropped up in between.  It's too pertinent.  We don't know each other, and if we don't know each other, how can we love each other?  But also, we don't know ourselves, and how can we know another if we don't know ourselves?  Can I be any more vague?  Here is where I am: I love men.  I love women too.  And that is why I feel sad when I hear women say, "All men are like this," or I see men write, "All women are like this."  Do you know me?  Do I know you?  Have you shared your heart with a single person, and how do you know about the generalities?  The question mark has predominated today, but I guess it's just one of those days.

Not to Put Too Fine a Point on It . . .

but if you don't like this song, what is wrong with you?

Eyebrows

I am convinced that my quality of life would improve dramatically if I could just get my eyebrows exactly how I want them.  And no, going to a salon and having them professionally done won't solve it.  I need a sustainable option.  I need somehow to pluck them into submission--they should be THIN--but not over-pluck.  I fear over-plucking.  I have been trying and trying so hard on them, so maybe they are better than they sometimes are, but still: too thick, too weird-shaped.  Help!

Irritation

Sometimes you are irritated.  But you don't know why.  But you know that you are.  That's ok.  It may or may not be enough to say, "It's ok that I am irritated."  However, if it's all you've got, then roll with it.  And get chocolate.

A Chipotle Burrito

Getting a Chipotle burrito just when you really need one is about the best thing ever.  Second best is knowing that you saved part of it for a snack later!  :-)

Hair and Makeup

The more experienced I have become, the more I have asserted my absolute will in the matter of my haircut and face makeup.  Formerly, I'd just tell whoever was cutting my hair, "Well, I kinda want it like this..." and would capitulate with their suggestions and/or mistakes.  Not so!  Now I make sure I know exactly what I want done to my tresses before entering the salon, as well as have confidence that whoever's about to cut my hair can perform the necessary alterations. 

I am also not about to put whatever junk someone is selling through their latest pyramid scheme on my face!  I came close.  A sister of a friend almost got me to buy foundation through her company.  However, the free samples she gave me unwittingly steered me away: the consistency of the makeup was all wrong, more pasty than anything.  I don't know.  I am spoiled by my last (splurge) purchase of foundation, which was Chanel, perfectly matched to my face at a beauty counter.  It's probably all downhill from there.

The lesson of this post might be: expensive haircuts and face makeup may well be worth it.

Valentine's Day

One way to make Valentine's Day awesome is to treat yourself to a sit-down lunch of Indian food . . . yum!

Just dug through to the bottom of my backpack

to find my list of Lenten Resolutions for 2013:

• Vegan
• Gluten-free (second half of Lent)
• No hot beverages, except green tea and mate (my least favorites)
• One chapter of spiritual reading each day
• Read an edifying audiobook
• Recommit to New Year's resolutions

Facebook

The reason Facebook is profoundly unsatisfying is that no one really wants an endless array of faces.  Rather, we want to be in someone's presence.  There's no "Presencebook," so getting together in the real is going to be our best option!

Lent

It is coming up.  Time to think seriously.

Interpretation

Tonight I feel I have been given the gift of interpretation and have looked at things I looked at already, but with new eyes and new insight.  I have learned a few things, have been confirmed in certain ways, but now I need to take action!  May that be for the morning.  Thank you, Lord.

I Come from a Generation

in which people were earnest on the Internet and meant what they said.  Whatever happened to those days?

Pro Tip: Try Not to Go Crazy

before Valentine's Day.  Because that's just too cliche.

It's the Little Things

Like plucking your eyebrows and getting them exactly how you want them.

Swing Dancing

is totally happening.  Now, for reading the Catechism, eliminating sugar, etc.  Let's see what I can do by the end of the month!

Pro-Life

Today I went to the March for Life in my city and one of the speakers said it was not enough to go to rallies and have pro-life blogs.  Do I have a pro-life blog?  I don't know.  I am pro-life, though.  Also, I would like a quesadilla.

White Sugar Is Like Crack

I don't know.  I just keep eating it!

Next to Looking Like Me

I'm a person who is almost continually happy with her own appearance, but I have to admit that I sometimes think the next best thing would be to have a thin, boxy figure and a long blonde ponytail.

The Blog Post with the New Year's Resolutions

I am seeing a lot of my friends posting about their new year's resolutions, so I may as well present mine.  

The Official List
1. Spend 15 minutes every day adoring Jesus
2. Pray the Rosary every day
3. Swim, Zumba/dance, and climb every week--or else I have to do yoga
4. Read the entire catechism
5. Do not eat refined sugar (unless it is something my roommate made)
6. Go swing dancing twice a month

Unofficial Goals
Do reading ahead of time
Read and return all my library books--don't check out any more
Read my own books
Crochet a lot
Find a boyfriend
Confession at least every other week