Choosing Joy

TJ emailed me and said that I've been choosing joy less and less lately. LOL. That was a funny way to put it.

Just know, dear readers, that I am very much choosing joy still, even though I don't update my blog daily.

I just returned from a wonderful birthday weekend. It was so much fun, and the weather on Saturday was absolutely perfect.

Today I am dragging a bit, but it was worth it. :)

So happy birthday to me. I am now 33. Surely, I was supposed to be a grown up by now. Hmmm....

Thank you to everyone for my wonderful gifts, and calls, and good times. I am blessed.

I love weekends

I really should give thought to saving money at some point in my life. That way I can have a glimmer of hope related to retirement. I love being able to do whatever I want with my time, even if that means working. I don't love following a schedule that it's exactly up to me. I've been back to a full time normal job for one week, and now I'm thinking of retirement. LOL.

Friday night we were both tired, so we just stayed in and had a quiet night of TV...very relaxing. Saturday, I got up at 6:30 and I came into the office and worked for 5 hours or so, and then I went home, worked on some grant applications for the lake association, did some homework, prepared for my Bible study, and by 4PM I was on the hammock reading my book. It was so relaxing just reading, knowing I had accomplished a ton, and just listening to the sounds the water makes, and silly boys in a canoe singing Janis Joplin songs.

Saturday night, we went for dinner at Stephanie and Carolyn's house, and it was fantastic.

Sunday, we had Bible study, then we went out for a phenomenal lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, followed by the movie "All About Steve" (adorable - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Sandra Bullock)...when I got home, I read on the hammock for a while, and then I started making dinner, and reading while it cooked. I finished my good book (always feel a loss after that), and we had a very yummy dinner.

I watched TV for a little while, went to bed, and here I am. Tippy Tappy Typing my weekend update for you. LOL

I actually feel GREAT today. Not physically, I'm sore, and my allergies are bothering me, but mentally and emotionally, it's a great day. I'm so glad I got so much work done over the weekend, because I can enter the week ahead of the game.

I can accomplish a full week of work, spending 5 hours in the office when no one else is there. It's amazing. On the school front, I have all 100's so far, on my first 3 assignments/tests. I'm not focused on the grades that much, but it's nice to see the A's rolling in.

That's my update. I'm continuing to actively choose joy in my life, and I'm loving it.

How are you?? :)

I like my job

Howdy. I'm 3 days into my new full time role, and I am really enjoying it so far. I regret that I haven't had as much time to spend on it as I've wanted to, due to other commitments, but I'm going to do my best to free up my schedule next week. Also, I'm going to come in on Saturday to plow through a bunch of things.

I'm working on so many projects that I'm excited about, and I only wish I had more time to get them all done asap, but I suppose I shouldn't work myself out of a job just yet... ;-)

HOLLYWOOD!! (Florida, that is)

Well friends, once again I'm writing to say how tough life has been lately.

No, that sounds snotty. I'm not snotty. I'm just happy and very blessed...and one of the few people who will drop everything and prepare a speech at the last minute to fill in when there's been a cancellation...so there's that...it's not all just good fortune.

There are a few different pools to choose from at the *amazing* resort we are staying at (for free). This one is totally cool in that the water goes over the top of the stone that you can see, and drips down the side, which then funnels and flows into a fountain into a giant pool/lagoon at the level below. This pool also has a large glass circle in the middle of the floor so you can see down to the pool below. Also, when you're in the pool below looking up at the people through the glass circle, it looks like you are checking out humans at an aquarium. Very funny/cool.

They sky was amazing and about 12 different blues today. I need a better camera.

Hi!

This is the "endless" flowing pool I told you about earlier.

Those are all pictures from the vast, gorgeous lobby.

Why doesn't anyone want to sit next to me on the plane??

LOL. We're having a great time. I worked for most of the morning, and I finished my presentation as well. I also did a dry run through, and I feel very comfortable with it. I'm actually looking forward to presenting tomorrow. That's a nice feeling. I remember when I wasn't so nuts about presenting.

Tonight we are going to checkout the Hollywood Boardwalk, which I blogged about this past January (http://phatband.blogspot.com/2009/01/beautiful-goodbye.html) We loved Hollywood, and we're so happy to be back so soon!

Going back into an office full time is going to be an adjustment, but I certainly went out with a bang. (Looking forward to going to the cape in 2 weeks!) :)

Be well.

Jamaaaaaica

I'm not sure why I haven't yet retired to an island yet...what am I waiting for? Why isn't this a more immediate goal of mine? I'm not sure. :)

I'd like to live on an island, painting, composing, singing, swimming, boating and the like. Is that too much to ask? I don't see why. We can do whatever we want in life. It's probably a good thing (for my career) that I'm saddled with 2 mortgages right now, or else I would consider becoming a poor artist...even if it was just for a while...

We had a wonderful time in Jamaica. The resort was beautiful, the water was amazing, the sights we saw were so unique... Other than being ripped off by every local I met, I have absolutely no complaints.

The food wasn't great, actually, but I wasn't expecting it to be. It was an all inclusive resort, so it is what it is... it was fine, though. It was just as I expected, so I wasn't let down or delightfully surprised.

I loved the glass bottom boat - we were way out, and the water was so clear, you could see 30 and even 60 feet down! I saw lots of cool coral, fish, an octopus and even a shipwreck! We went into one of the poor villages nearby, and I couldn't believe the poverty. They didn't even really have walls to their houses, and certainly no running water or electricity.

We toured a nearby farm as well - that was really neat. I'll post more pictures later. We asked our driver to take us to local places, avoiding tourist traps, and he did a great job of that. I know it was sketchy going off with a strange man with no cell service, but he was old, I suspected diabetic, and I knew I could take him. :) As it turns out, he was very nice and he says we'll be friends for life now. Very cute. He wants me to send him a copy of my CD as soon as possible, and that he's going to go to the post office every day until it arrives.

Darcy didn't want to leave, but I was ready. I missed my Henry, and I wanted to have some time back home to recoup before going back to work (in an office) full time next week. It will be an adjustment.

That's all for now!