When I think back to a year ago, I can't believe how different I was.
I hated my house, I worried all the time, I obsessed about little things and I cared way too much about what other people thought. I was very unhappy.
Well, now I like my house, and I worry, but not as much. I still obsess, but not to the point where it consumes my life. And I still care what people think, but hardly as much as I used to. I'm much happier.
Why the change? I got the help I needed. I talked about it. I dated a guy, who didn't turn out to be a great fit, but it was good for me in the time it lasted. I got a dog. I started doing the things I wanted to do. I stopped caring about others' opinions.
These were all good things that happened, and they were necessary. And I learned a lot from them.
I'm grateful I am still not that person, because I'm much, much happier now.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Lots 'o Stuff
- Feeling VERY under the weather. Last night I fell asleep right after Idol was done. I am getting a good 8-9 hours of sleep a night, and I still wake up groggy. Tired all the time. Maybe it's the weather?
- Am now teaching a resistance band class on Tuesdays. It's a nice change from kickboxing (still doing that on Thursdays), and I my muscles could use some toning. Marcia and I have our review next week. I can't believe I have been teaching for a year - time flies!
- Kelly had her annual check up last week, and it was all good. She cried a little when they had to take blood from her paw, and they made me leave the room, but she was a trooper!! I don't ever regret taking her.
- My dad turns....gosh...68 tomorrow? Yes, 68. He was born in 1940. He is a Leap Year baby, but we still celebrate his bday every year. He could pass for 50 easily. He still gets up at 3:30 am everyday to milk the cows. We all want him to retire, but he won't. Just too stubborn, and probably still enjoys it enough. He has been farming for 51 years, since age 17. I really hope if I make it to age 68 that I am not working.
- My brother Jeff's wrestling team at Kaukauna is competing in team state in Madison tomorrow. They actually have a great chance at being state champs, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for him!! He has done remarkable things with that program in the 16 years he has been head coach. I'm very proud of my big brother!
- My nieces and nephews will be presenting a check at the CP Telethon at Sunday, from "Carnival on the Farm." They are usually on around 12 pm, and they do this every year. They all wear their red shirts, and it's really cute. Afterwards we are heading to John and Amy's house for the twins b-day party. They turn "2" on March 10, but they are having the party early. We WERE going to have a b-day party for dad tomorrow, but now that Jeff's team is at state, Dad will probably go to that. So we'll probably celebrate his bday on Sunday, too.
-Can't BELIEVE I leave for China in three weeks! Haven't even had the time to think or prepare yet because of everything else going on. It will be here and gone before I know it!
- Am now teaching a resistance band class on Tuesdays. It's a nice change from kickboxing (still doing that on Thursdays), and I my muscles could use some toning. Marcia and I have our review next week. I can't believe I have been teaching for a year - time flies!
- Kelly had her annual check up last week, and it was all good. She cried a little when they had to take blood from her paw, and they made me leave the room, but she was a trooper!! I don't ever regret taking her.
- My dad turns....gosh...68 tomorrow? Yes, 68. He was born in 1940. He is a Leap Year baby, but we still celebrate his bday every year. He could pass for 50 easily. He still gets up at 3:30 am everyday to milk the cows. We all want him to retire, but he won't. Just too stubborn, and probably still enjoys it enough. He has been farming for 51 years, since age 17. I really hope if I make it to age 68 that I am not working.
- My brother Jeff's wrestling team at Kaukauna is competing in team state in Madison tomorrow. They actually have a great chance at being state champs, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for him!! He has done remarkable things with that program in the 16 years he has been head coach. I'm very proud of my big brother!
- My nieces and nephews will be presenting a check at the CP Telethon at Sunday, from "Carnival on the Farm." They are usually on around 12 pm, and they do this every year. They all wear their red shirts, and it's really cute. Afterwards we are heading to John and Amy's house for the twins b-day party. They turn "2" on March 10, but they are having the party early. We WERE going to have a b-day party for dad tomorrow, but now that Jeff's team is at state, Dad will probably go to that. So we'll probably celebrate his bday on Sunday, too.
-Can't BELIEVE I leave for China in three weeks! Haven't even had the time to think or prepare yet because of everything else going on. It will be here and gone before I know it!
Monday, February 18, 2008
32 Days...
Until I leave for Beijing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai. And I have the vaccinations to prove it!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Is It Possible???
I've always claimed that single men do not go to church, especially to Catholic church.
Well, I know that they do and they are out there, but they are typically the types who still live with their mothers and wear bow ties.
However, today I struck gold. I struck something at least, and at the 8 am mass nonetheless!
I saw a man at church. Good looking. Not just good looking, but something definitely date-able and kiss-able. He wasn't wearing a wedding ring, and he wasn't sitting in a pew with a wife and 2.5 kids, as most men are his age in church. He was dressed nicely, and more than likely looked as though he didn't just roll out of bed and throw on some clothes like I did. Now that's impressive. Any guy who puts some effort into looking decent for church at that hour deserves a medal.
He did the prayer at the end of the mass, and kept his book open during the recessional so he could sing along. Not that I was checking him out or anything...
And it just so happened that when I was leaving the lot, he was driving in front of me, in a black Honda Accord. He's likes a quality vehicle. Nice.
I know he could've left the wife and kids at home, as well as his wedding ring, but I'm guessing not. Maybe I finally proved myself wrong.
Single, (good-looking) men do go to Catholic church.
Well, I know that they do and they are out there, but they are typically the types who still live with their mothers and wear bow ties.
However, today I struck gold. I struck something at least, and at the 8 am mass nonetheless!
I saw a man at church. Good looking. Not just good looking, but something definitely date-able and kiss-able. He wasn't wearing a wedding ring, and he wasn't sitting in a pew with a wife and 2.5 kids, as most men are his age in church. He was dressed nicely, and more than likely looked as though he didn't just roll out of bed and throw on some clothes like I did. Now that's impressive. Any guy who puts some effort into looking decent for church at that hour deserves a medal.
He did the prayer at the end of the mass, and kept his book open during the recessional so he could sing along. Not that I was checking him out or anything...
And it just so happened that when I was leaving the lot, he was driving in front of me, in a black Honda Accord. He's likes a quality vehicle. Nice.
I know he could've left the wife and kids at home, as well as his wedding ring, but I'm guessing not. Maybe I finally proved myself wrong.
Single, (good-looking) men do go to Catholic church.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Good 'Ole Green Bay
"I'm SOOOOOOOOOO bored with Green Bay. Just so bored with it. Bored."
Alright. That's not the best way to impress a gal on a first date - by calling her home "boring."
"Really?" I asked. "I actually like it here."
"Well, tell me what you like about it."
So I told him, and by the time I was done, he agreed with me.
You want to know what I'm sick and tired of? People ripping on my home!
I get it, and I understand. Green Bay is not Chicago. It is not Madison. It is not Milwaukee. And it's not the flawless, smoke-free city of Appleton, either.
It's Green Bay. It's meat and potatoes. It's Packers football. It's toilet paper and the pollution that goes along with it. It's blue collar. It's conservative. It's Republican. It's backwards at times, with its aldermen making asinine comments in public. It's bars with lots of smokers. It's disgusting. It's lacking in big museums and big department stores and lots of sushi restaurants.
In some ways, it's a lot of things I'm not.
It's definitely not perfect.
But you know what? I love it anyway. And I always will.
I love that on a Sunday afternoon I can hear the roaring crowd over at Lambeau Field. I love that I can take my dog for a walk and feel safe. I love that someone with my salary can afford to own a home, because that's not the case in every city. I love that our tallest building is a hospital downtown. I love that people are friendly, and that neighbors will help neighbors. I love that the media during football games portray it as living in the North Pole, even though that's not the case - we have summers! I love that people consider cars slowing up on Hwy. 41 as rush-hour traffic.
I love Bay Beach, even though the bay is too gross to even dip a toenail into. I love the Weidner Center. I love the libraries. I love the Packers. I love Brett Favre. I love the beer and brats. I love the Mexican eateries sprouting up all over the place. I love Kroll's hamburgers. I love Escapades margaritas. I love a good fish fry at The Settlement. I love that some women still tight roll their jeans and have 80s bangs. I love that I can still spot a mullet once in awhile.
If people are that bored or unhappy here, they can move to a bigger city with more class, culture and a cosmopolitan feel. It's that simple. No one is forcing the naysayers to stay. And if I need to leave dodge for awhile, I do.
But you know what? I'm always ready to come back. I always miss it.
People complain about the lack of diversity. I hate to say it, but we are all diverse. Diversity is made up of so many more factors than origin and skin color. And if you're still not convinced, visit the East side of town or take a stroll through the public schools. We are not lacking in diversity.
When I was at the "International" Austin Straubel airport last week, I overheard a young Giants fan talking on the phone. "You gotta come here, man. No....I'm serious. The next time the Giants play here, you gotta come. It's a lot of fun."
He was right, even if he was a Giants fan. It's fun. It's a good city. It is what it is.
It's perfect for me.
And just for the record - I don't like sushi, anyway.
Alright. That's not the best way to impress a gal on a first date - by calling her home "boring."
"Really?" I asked. "I actually like it here."
"Well, tell me what you like about it."
So I told him, and by the time I was done, he agreed with me.
You want to know what I'm sick and tired of? People ripping on my home!
I get it, and I understand. Green Bay is not Chicago. It is not Madison. It is not Milwaukee. And it's not the flawless, smoke-free city of Appleton, either.
It's Green Bay. It's meat and potatoes. It's Packers football. It's toilet paper and the pollution that goes along with it. It's blue collar. It's conservative. It's Republican. It's backwards at times, with its aldermen making asinine comments in public. It's bars with lots of smokers. It's disgusting. It's lacking in big museums and big department stores and lots of sushi restaurants.
In some ways, it's a lot of things I'm not.
It's definitely not perfect.
But you know what? I love it anyway. And I always will.
I love that on a Sunday afternoon I can hear the roaring crowd over at Lambeau Field. I love that I can take my dog for a walk and feel safe. I love that someone with my salary can afford to own a home, because that's not the case in every city. I love that our tallest building is a hospital downtown. I love that people are friendly, and that neighbors will help neighbors. I love that the media during football games portray it as living in the North Pole, even though that's not the case - we have summers! I love that people consider cars slowing up on Hwy. 41 as rush-hour traffic.
I love Bay Beach, even though the bay is too gross to even dip a toenail into. I love the Weidner Center. I love the libraries. I love the Packers. I love Brett Favre. I love the beer and brats. I love the Mexican eateries sprouting up all over the place. I love Kroll's hamburgers. I love Escapades margaritas. I love a good fish fry at The Settlement. I love that some women still tight roll their jeans and have 80s bangs. I love that I can still spot a mullet once in awhile.
If people are that bored or unhappy here, they can move to a bigger city with more class, culture and a cosmopolitan feel. It's that simple. No one is forcing the naysayers to stay. And if I need to leave dodge for awhile, I do.
But you know what? I'm always ready to come back. I always miss it.
People complain about the lack of diversity. I hate to say it, but we are all diverse. Diversity is made up of so many more factors than origin and skin color. And if you're still not convinced, visit the East side of town or take a stroll through the public schools. We are not lacking in diversity.
When I was at the "International" Austin Straubel airport last week, I overheard a young Giants fan talking on the phone. "You gotta come here, man. No....I'm serious. The next time the Giants play here, you gotta come. It's a lot of fun."
He was right, even if he was a Giants fan. It's fun. It's a good city. It is what it is.
It's perfect for me.
And just for the record - I don't like sushi, anyway.
Monday, January 28, 2008
V is Back
Just when I thought "Vince" was out of the picture, he wants to meet for dinner this week. I guess we are meeting on Wednesday night. Who knows? It might be fun!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
I Miss My "Pretty Girl"
Tomorrow I get back from Orlando, and I miss Kelly more than I missed my luggage on Tuesday afternoon.
Kelly is staying at my parents' house, and although she is fine and probably very happy, I miss her dearly. I miss her sleeping and trying to snuggle with me at night. I miss her licking my face so I wake up in the morning. I miss her being pesty when I get home from work. I miss getting up from the couch only to find dog hair on my pants. I even miss bundling up at 6 am in the freezing cold temps so I can take her for a walk.
She means the world to me. I can't wait to see her tomorrow.
Kelly is staying at my parents' house, and although she is fine and probably very happy, I miss her dearly. I miss her sleeping and trying to snuggle with me at night. I miss her licking my face so I wake up in the morning. I miss her being pesty when I get home from work. I miss getting up from the couch only to find dog hair on my pants. I even miss bundling up at 6 am in the freezing cold temps so I can take her for a walk.
She means the world to me. I can't wait to see her tomorrow.
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