Category Archives: fun

It’s been a while…

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Hello, there. I realized the other day that it has been quite a while since I last visited my blog. The reason? I recently got a new job, and have super busy trying to get adjusted to all of the newness surrounding that situation. I’m working part time at our church doing admin work, and it has been a challenge for me learning/ remembering all of the steps and tasks that I’m supposed to do. I know I felt this way at my old job, but, whew! Being the new girl is exhausting! It’s hard to remember that it will get better, especially when there are times that I feel extremely overwhelmed. Despite these struggles, I enjoy my job and I am beyond thankful for this opportunity.

Let’s see…what else has been going on around here? It seems like practically every night is a different activity for us. We’ve never been so involved in things besides school and work, so it is fun to hang out with friends and engage in things that interest us. The holiday season doesn’t help in the busy-ness area, but it is definitely one of my most favorite times of year. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are part of such a fun season filled with friends and family. We’ll be headed up to the Frozen Tundra (Illinois) for Christmas this year, and we’re driving, which should be…interesting. I’m hoping we don’t get caught in any blizzards, but you’d better believe that I’ll have an emergency pack ready!

We have made a number of new friends from our new church, which has definitely helped in the transition into our new area (I know we’ve been here since March, but it still seems pretty short), but lately, I’ve found myself missing all of our other friends from Denton, Taylorville, DBU, Granbury, and Glen Rose. I wish I could have a giant reunion with everyone! Not plausible, but it would definitely be fun.

I guess that’s all I really have for now…my train of thought just jumped to the latest GOP debate, and I don’t really want to get into that right now! :) Thanks for sticking around through my blogging drought! Hopefully I’ll get back in the swing of things soon!

My Kind of Place

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It rained this morning, which is a big deal. Not only because we so desperately need the rain, but also because a nice rainy morning just feels so right. When it rains in the morning, I feel relaxed and cozy…like I can stay in all morning, reading and drinking hot tea. Perfect.

However, I’m not a fan of entirely rainy days. I like my afternoons cool, crisp, and sunny. Just warm enough to where you don’t really need a jacket, but you bring one just in case. Okay, I’m definitely imagining a nice autumn afternoon here, walking under a bright sky, surrounded by changing leaves. Maybe you can sit outside and have coffee with friends, enjoying the breeze.

Now at night, I want it to be nice and chilly…start a fire, eat some soup, toast some marshmallows. I want to need a blanket, maybe two. And to have a nice view of the clear night sky where I can see the stars.

I’m not sure where I need to live to make my perfect environment a reality, but when I find out, I’m so there.

Paws and Effect

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Our little family got bigger this week…but not too much bigger. Just about eight pounds’ worth. On Saturday, we adopted a new cat from an organization called Feral Friends. Our new cat, Cori, is as sweet as she could be. Quite different than Lucy’s mischievous personality. She is a tortoiseshell cat, mostly black, with orange mixed in and a few patches of white.

We haven’t really introduced the girls to each other, due to the fact that the time we put them together resulted in a 15 minute prelude to a battle. However, the time is coming where they will meet again. Hopefully, no battle will ensue. We are crossing our fingers, hoping that they will become fast friends.

My Life’s Little Adventures

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For the past several months, I have been volunteering at the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance (DHM). I have mostly done administrative tasks (read, boring office work), which have actually not been terribly boring, thanks in large part to the knowledge that what I’m doing is making a difference, no matter how small. It is satisfying to know that I am helping an organization do things that are furthering the cause of holocaust education.

I really love getting to see the way that a nonprofit organization works from the inside. There is quite a lot that goes on in the office that the museum patrons have no idea about. Since I want to have a nonprofit some day, this experience has been very enlightening, and more valuable than I can imagine. Seeing the different roles each administrator and employee must assume, as well as the importance of volunteers and members makes me feel as though I am getting a better education in the nonprofit arena than I could in any classroom. Another great benefit of volunteering at the DHM is seeing the passion people have for teaching the current generation about the horrors of the holocaust, an important step in preventing such atrocities in our time. I know that many people consider the holocaust a grim subject that should be swept aside, only mentioned in history texts. However, I feel as though we should talk about it and think about it, and consider why and how something so terrible could be allowed to happen. The holocaust isn’t the only cause I feel this way about, though. I am a proponent of preventing all terrible, preventable tragedies from happening. Anyway…

I love working in the West End of Dallas, amongst brick buildings so old that many have faded painted advertisements barely visible on their sides. The view of the city is great from our building, and the sense of history is palpable. We are just across a street from the Sixth Floor Museum, the place from which Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President Kennedy (or not, depending on your belief). In fact, whenever I drive to the DHM, my return journey takes me right past the fateful stretch of road.

I haven’t been driving down regularly, though; I have become a patron of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system. For three days a week, I spend about 80 minutes of each day riding the train downtown. It has been an interesting experience, to say the very least! ALL kinds of people ride the train, from young families headed down to the zoo to groups of senior adults, headed down to see the sights. There are usually several medical professionals, sometimes a homeless person, and occasionally someone who feels that the entire car should know all about their business. Once, a group of exuberant teens, all dressed in costume, chattered about Pokemon and video games for about 30 minutes, leaving the rest of us to sigh with relief when their stop finally came. The great thing about the DART train, though, is that I do not have to drive down and back, saving plenty of money that would otherwise be spent on tolls and gas. Also, I can read while onboard, which is always nicer than fighting traffic.

Well, I guess that is about the sum of my activities as of late. I am actually taking a small break from the museum to go to New England with my parents and brother for our family reunion this week. Unfortunately, Mark won’t be able to join us. I guess that’s what happens when you have a full time job and are going to grad school. It’s nice to know that he will be here when I get back, though!

Election Day Musings

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As I type this, the votes are being counted in elections all across North Texas. Today, Mark and I voted in the Dallas mayoral and city council elections, and I am enjoying watching the results and updates roll in via Twitter. I always forget how much I love politics and the voting system until the season is upon me. I’m now getting excited to see what 2012 will bring (minus the campaign ads :p ), and I feel like this could be the best election season yet in terms of my interest and involvement.

The Internet is particularly useful in times like these. You can be as updated or as uninformed as you wish, and by utilizing tools like Twitter and Facebook pages, you can be involved without stepping out of your home. Of course, there are always the traditional ways to get involved, including supporting a particular candidate (like one woman we saw getting paid today to hold a prospective city councilman’s sign), as well as volunteering to man an election site. I may attempt to do so this year if I have a chance–it could be fun, and will definitely be informative!

The most important thing to remember about election times is the importance of voting and duty you have towards making an informed vote. I am always dismayed at the numbers of citizens who stay away from the polls. So many soldiers have given their lives to make sure that America remains a country where people can vote on their leaders and the issues put to the ballot. So many regular people, civil rights leaders and others in the past have fought to give a voice to every type of citizen. Not voting dishonors these brave people and the struggles they went through. We as Americans are truly blessed to live in a country with such freedoms.

In Washington DC earlier this year, I had an Ethiopian cab driver who said many inspirational things during the 20 minute ride; one that really stood out was his observation of the many Americans who do not seem to understand the amazingness of the freedoms and rights they enjoy. He was proud to be living here, and sad that so many born here don’t seem to understand what the rest of the world is like. I was forced to agree with him, although this is something I would love to see change in my lifetime (maybe 2008 was the beginning?).

The point I’m trying to make in all this rambling is that voting is exciting, interesting, and vital. Things really can change based on the votes (and voice) of the people. Please don’t sit around and take voting for granted. It is too important to be ignored. However, when you do vote (and I know you will), be sure to make an informed choice. You wouldn’t want to accidentally vote for someone you don’t agree with! :)

March and April Update

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Well, we have been in our new apartment for about a month now (more like three weeks, but who’s counting?), and we both really love it! We are about 45 minutes closer to Mark’s office, and are now about five minutes away from the University of Texas at Dallas, where Mark plans on attending grad school.

Besides the great location, we are blessed to have more space than in our old place. We have two bedrooms now, one of which is our office/library/cat playroom. It is definitely great to have that extra room! :)

Lately, I’ve been getting into two new hobbies. The first is something I’ve kind of talked about for a while, and the second is newer in my scope of interests. I am learning more about web design and programming (as I’ve mentioned before in a few posts), and I have decided to take up gardening (sort of). I have several plants and flowers on the balcony, and I really like learning more about gardening. I have a few challenges, though, such as partial sun, high wind, and Lucy. I have to be sure that every plant I buy is cat safe because Lucy seems to think that the garden is an outdoor salad bar.

We are also testing out several new churches, due to the unfortunate fact that we are now just too far away from Glen Rose to keep going there regularly. We definitely miss our church family there, but I kind of like the search for a new church. It is interesting to see all the different churches out there. There are several Chinese churches in the area, and I jokingly told Mark we should check them out. :)

That’s all for now, I guess!

CARE Conference Update

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Yesterday, Mom and I arrived at the CARE conference. We had a great time at the International Women’s Day celebration, where we enjoyed the musical talents of Michael Franti and India.Arie. It was a fun time, and we got to meet several people from across the country. We also enjoyed a delicious dinner free Sprinkles cupcakes!

Today, we spent time learning how to effectively lobby our congressmen and women about the issues we are here to support (foreign aid budget, education for all, and microsavings). Mom and I will be talking about microsavings, which we learned a lot about today (I’ll post more about that later).

We were also able to hear from Melinda Gates and Laura Bush. It was so inspiring to hear about the initiatives that these two amazing women have helped launch, including health and literacy programs. We were also able to hear from many of CARE’s country directors and staff, and gained valuable insight from them.

Tomorrow, we take our voices (1,200 strong!) to Capitol Hill, hopefully to convince our Senators and Representatives that these issues should be supported and taken seriously.

Whoa! It’s been a little while, huh?

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Well, Mark and I have been married almost a month now, and we are having a blast! It is a lot of fun being able to get to know each other better, and to be able to share in some new experiences! I have been learning a lot about home-keeping skills (and how incredibly often the same chores need to be done over and over), but I’m having fun while doing it! It is kind of nice to be able to take a small break from the fast-paced, jam-packed life that was college! Although, since I’ve graduated, I have really missed a lot of things about college and DBU. I really miss getting to see some of my best friends every day, and walking around DBU’s beautiful campus. I miss learning new and interesting things about literature and political science, and interacting with my professors and class mates. I also miss work and my former co-workers. However, I am super relieved that, for now at least, I am homework free! :) This doesn’t mean that I don’t occasionally want to write a paper or go to the library and research things, but it’s nice not to have ten million deadlines and all of the stress that goes with trying to maintain different classes. That I absolutely DO NOT miss!

I have been able to get some good reading done lately, and although I already posted my latest book reviews, I’m eager to post some more soon. It probably doesn’t help that I can’t decide which of the books I’m reading or want to read should have the priority. Oh well, there’s no rule against reading more than one book at once! I am also watching a lot of movies and documentaries, thanks to our Netflix subscription! I figured out that there are quite a few great documentaries about issues I care about, so I’ve been getting my learning fix that way. And maybe watching a little Monty Python’s Flying Circus on the side. :)

I do want to say that this past weekend was a lot of fun. I got to go to the Ryan High School Craft Fair. It was great to see all of the cool arts and crafts, and to enjoy some delicious cinnamon pecan things! :) I couldn’t buy everything I wanted, but I did get a really stellar necklace from Firefly Forge! What a great way to spend a Saturday with some great family and a bunch of other people out looking for cool, crafty things!

I hope that you’ve all been enjoying the nice fall weather (unless it isn’t fall where you are). I know I have! I’m pretty excited that it is once again time for hot chocolate! Mmmm…I’ll definitely be enjoying a lot of it this season, thanks to my spiffy new kettle! Speaking of kettles, I want to say thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported us as we were preparing to get married, and those that were able to make it to the wedding (the kettle connection works in my brain, trust me). I loved getting to interact with every one as much as I was able to, and I also loved getting to meet some new friends (especially those friends who may have a spiffy Internet show (this is not a paid endorsement…yet ;) )).

Well, I guess that’s enough rambling to eliminate my I-haven’t-blogged-in-a-while guilt. Now for those of you who have blogs  and haven’t blogged in a while, get out there and do it (I’m looking at you, Katie)! And to those of you who have blogs and have updated recently, thanks! You have, I’m sure, provided me with great reading material. For those of you who do not have blogs, what are you waiting for? It’s easy and fun! :)

Reading, writing, learning

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As you may have noticed, the blog has started looking a little different, changing for the better–and will continue to do so for a little while. Here’s why: This summer is my last semester of college. I wanted to do something fun–for me, that is–since I will probably never take another English class again. I remembered back in the old days, when my parents took my brother and I to the library every summer, how we eagerly signed up for the summer reading program. Back then, reading was pretty much my only hobby, so I really got into the whole thing. This summer, in the absence of assigned literature, I decided to have my own summer reading program. However, there are no prizes in this program–no free books or pizzas or pool passes. No, this time around, I’m reading and reviewing books, and posting the reviews here, under the books tab. Why am I reviewing these books? Well, now I have at least two hobbies–reading and writing–and this little scheme allows me to indulge in both. Another reason is that maybe you’ll check out the books I’m reviewing, find one you like, and read it yourself. If that happens, we both get a little something out of the deal. Great, right?

Another addition is the causes tab. I’m a big believer in good causes, and I’m featuring those organizations that I believe in enough to send my own money to. Now, I’m not saying you have to go out and donate to these causes. If you don’t want to, that’s okay. I’m featuring them because I want you to know about some big issues I support–there are several of them–and I’m hoping that if you don’t know anything about these issues, you’ll learn about them. Knowledge of the problem, after all, is the first step to identifying the solution.

These are the newest changes to the site, but I’m sure they won’t be the only ones. Keep coming back to see what’s new!

Ireland

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It’s been a little over a month since I headed out to Ireland, and a little under a month since I got back–crazy how it seems so long ago. The trip was amazing, a complete whirlwind, and exhausting. Our arrival into London was delayed by about an hour, thanks to a late take off from DFW. This late arrival caused us to hurry through Heathrow, stopping only at the request of two rather rude passport agents who, from the way they treated us and people we met on the tour, don’t really like it when non-Brits come through their airport. Aside from them, though, the airport seemed nice, and I have to admit that flying over London made me want to visit England soooo much. This wish was almost granted, thanks to our good friend Eyajafjallajokull. As we were standing in line to board our plane in London, a breaking news update flashed on the TV from the BBC: Dublin’s airport was set to close. I am not exaggerating when I say that I heard a collective murmur go through the crowd, punctuated by random voices wondering if we would make it through the ban.

Fortunately, Aer Lingus was not daunted by the closure, and slipped us in an hour before the airport closed. Note: I was on a constant lookout for any ash in the air, both on the flight over and the flight to Ireland. I didn’t even see a gray cloud. Upon our arrival at Dublin’s airport, we exited the plane–not a noteworthy experience in most airports, but here, we got to come down those fancy stairs, just like we were all the President of the United States or some celebrity from the 1950′s. It may seem mundane to a lot of people, but I got a kick out of it. :)

After navigating our way through the airport, we finally made it to where the Paddy’s Palace shuttle was waiting to take us to our lovely hostel. If you’ve never stayed at a hostel before, just imagine a college co-ed dorm or a summer camp cabin with communal bathrooms, although all of Paddy’s Palaces were much cleaner than either of those. Hostel living is easy and breezy, and once you get used to it, no problem at all. Courtney, her mom, my mom, and I really enjoyed it.

We looked around Dublin on our own that night, and the next day set off on our grand tour, six days going around the Irish coast on a big green tour bus filled with Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans, a Belgian, a Canadian and some Americans (plus our Irish driver, Joe). It was a multi-cultural bonding experience, I’ll tell you that much!

As much as I would love to go into great detail telling you every single thing we did, I’m afraid that I would run out of room. I can tell you that the first night we stayed in Derry, Northern Ireland. Derry was an interesting city, full of history and struggle, although there have been great advances toward peace recently. Not knowing too much about Irish history, I was very interested in all that we learned in Derry.

The next morning, we woke up and headed toward Belfast, stopping on the way to see my favorite thing in all of Ireland, the Giant’s Causeway. I LOVED this place, and would have happily spent days there. Unfortunately, two hours was all we got, but we were rewarded by seeing one of God’s coolest creations, and by some delicious Irish stew at a hotel near the coat that I definitely intend on staying at one day. When we arrived in Belfast, I immediately fell in love with the city. There is a ton of history there, to be sure, which was all outlined on our Black Taxi Tour (ironically, I was in the only red taxi in the group). I wish we could have spent a few days in Belfast, but alas, onward we went toward Galway.

The drive to Galway was amazingly beautiful, and we stopped in County Sligo to see W. B. Yeats‘s grave. After more driving, we made it to Galway, where we had a great time. The next morning, we went to the Cliffs of Moher, which were beautiful and breathtaking. I definitely was amazed at just how tall they are. This was a major tourist spot, with people from all over the world there to admire the splendor.

We spent the night in a small village called Annascaul, right on the Dingle Peninsula. It was a quaint little town, and our night was filled with karaoke fun. Courtney and I submitted our request to sing, but I have to say that I was actually glad that the guy never called us up. However, it was great to see our moms along with our new friends from South Africa sing “Dancing Queen!” The next morning, we got up and headed to Dingle, where we enjoyed a couple of hours of just roaming through the city. I would definitely like to go there again, especially because we came upon a farmers’ market, with a ton of local goodies.

We stayed in Killarney the next night, where we were privileged to be able to visit the national park. The scenery in Killarney is gorgeous. There isn’t really a good word to describe how stunning the mountains and lakes are, our a picture I could either find or take that did it justice. Trust me, you’ll have to visit this place yourself.

Killarney was the perfect tourist town, and we had a great time there. I would like to visit again, but I preferred some of the other cities we stayed in, just because they were a lot less touristy. After Killarney, we visited the biggest tourist trap of them all, the Blarney Stone. Don’t get me wrong, the Castle Blarney was really amazing, and the grounds were pretty, but there were tourists everywhere, and laying on a mat and having some random Irish guy shove me headfirst toward a stone to kiss it isn’t really my idea of fun. But hey, if you like it, go for it. :)

We ended our tour by visiting the Guinness factory/museum back in Dublin. I’m definitely not into drinking, but it was cool to see the history behind this iconic brew. I did try a taste in the tasting room, and was not really surprised at the crazy-bitter flavor of Guinness. I passed on my free pint, and instead just enjoyed the history.

Instead of staying at the hostel again, the four of us stayed at a nice hotel where we felt like royalty after living in hostels–no bunk beds! Private rooms! A real shower!!–it was awesome. And I have to confess that we definitely enjoyed our fair share of chocolate heaven cake and cheesecake. Mmmmm!

I am so glad that we were able to take this trip, and I cannot wait to go back and spend more time in Ireland. The country is beautiful (and the weather was fabulous when we went), the people are super-friendly, and there is a vibe of relaxing and having fun everywhere we went. And who knows, when I go back, I may even let Mark come. :)

I know this post was incredibly long, but trust me, I could have added another thousand words easily, that’s how awesome this trip was. If you ever have a chance to take this tour, do it! It was a great introduction to Ireland at a wonderfully low cost. If you have a little more time and or money, try renting a cottage somewhere and just staying put…I promise that you’ll be glad you did, and that is exactly what I want to do next time! Thanks for letting me share my amazing trip!