Why Reach for the Moon?

"It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around" (Love Actually).

In our course of day-to-day living, most people forget about the good in it, and when asked "what did you do all day", usually answer with the catastrophes and mishaps of the day. The cat threw up, the dishwasher broke, I've been tired, work was hard, the computer was slow: the litany goes on and on. Only the optimistic and the hopelessly romantic actually constantly see the good in life. I'm not saying that no one ever sees any good. But those people who see a silver lining in every cloud, those who see a romance in every snowfall, those who see the endless possibilities of living, will always see the good in life.

You can identify these people as those who answer the above question with, oh, the cat slept on my feet, the dishes got clean, I stayed awake all day, work was gratifying, I had time to do things because the computer was slow: their litany, too, will go on and on. They will not see a silver cloud and put a grey lining in it, they will not see the horror in every snowfall, they will not put limits on what they can or can't do. 

Adventure is everywhere, and it is never too late to do anything. Grandma Moses, that famous painter, had a rewarding 20 year run: but she began when she was 79, when her hands couldn't hold the needle anymore. My life has a long time, and it is possible that I still become that famous writer, or actress, or singer, that I see in myself. The sky is not the limit: my limit is infinite, and I am going to act on that today.

Hangovers

What I remember from yesterday... wanting popcorn, eating, and Identity Thief.

So, it's Monday, and I feel like I have a hangover. I don't, I swear... I had less than two gulps of wine yesterday at Olive Garden. What really happened was that I got up at 7 pm Saturday night, worked 11 hours, then went home, got all gussied up, and went on a date with my boyfriend. It was all supposed to work out beautifully...

I'm going to have a relaxing day. Olive Garden? I've been looking forward to their three course dinner for weeks, if not months. I even know what I want. I've been counting calories, and I have enough not to care what I eat tomorrow. Unlimited soup and breadsticks, here I come! And Safe Haven, that can't be too bad. After all, Josh Duhamel is in it... We can eat, and then I will relax, and enjoy some well earned sweets. When we get home by 4 or 5, I can take a nap before watching The Good Wife and The Mentalist.

That's how it was supposed to work. I was going to be good. Then reality showed up.

I got home, but the Boyfriend wasn't ready. He had slept in (until 10, so he was refreshed and I was jealous), and he still needed to get a shower. After that, I got my hair done, but the first try didn't work out, so I had to curl my hair, cut my bangs, find some kind of jewelry and find something good to wear (this was our Valentine's Day, after all). When I came out, he still wasn't ready. So he got dressed, and we got on the road 2 hours later... 1 1/2 hours later than I wanted. (But don't tell him that). There was no way we were going to be able to eat before the movie started. Instead of Safe Haven, we got to see Identity Thief, which was much better, absolutely hysterical, and not Safe Haven (anything is better than another Nicolas Sparks movie). Lots of candy and a few hours later, we were on our way to Olive Garden. I quickly ordered a Diet Coke (no calories, but lots of caffeine), ate one bowl of soup and one breadstick, yawned my way through half my plate of ravioli, and went to sleep in the car while Matt picked up the desserts (to go), payed the bill, and came to drive to Menards. All thought of even attempting to go food shopping was out. We arrived home at 6:30 pm, and I took my hair down (the second highlight of the day), got dressed for bed, and went to bed. And I slept until 4:45 this morning, when I was so hungry I ate my leftovers from the day before.

I love Mondays.

Chicken/Tuna Roulette

Can you tell which one's the chicken, and which is tuna?

Everyone hates Mondays. Including me. But Mondays aren't actually the worst day of the week. For me, that's Wednesdays. Because it holds the tantalizing hope of the middle of the week, and the realization that there is still half a week left to suffer from. This problem can be characterized as the glass half full (optimist) vs. the glass half empty (pessimist). And I'm very much a pessimist. For me, Mondays still have that refreshment of the weekend. Sure, it's hard to go back to work for most people, but I am still stimulated by the weekend energy. I don't spend Sundays having lots of fun, instead, I usually stay in my pj's and watch TV. And sleep, play on my computer, and otherwise just relax. So I'm well- rested and ready for work.

Beef. Because Chickens can't spell.

But by Wednesday, all that's changed. I look on the past week, and I can only think that I still have 1/2 a week to go. And on Monday, the house is full of food; we go shopping on the weekend. By Wednesday, I'm trying to figure out why the good, easy stuff is gone, and what to make that doesn't include chicken or tuna. Also, the canned vegetables and soups in the cupboard. Should I make a menu for each week? Sure. Do I? Heck, no. That would mean planning ahead, being responsible, avoiding some terrible fate of chicken and green beans. I'm too busy enjoying the chicken/tuna roulette.

Valentine's Day (And Other Major Holidays)

I'm looking forward to Valentine's Day this year. No pressure, no one to please but myself. I could probably co-erce my cat to spend most of the day snuggled up with me. You know, if I tie her with my scarf to my body. That's totally fine, right? She loves it. I swear she does. But I have to work that night, so I have the right to just sleep. Valentine's Day is postponed until Sunday for me, and fortunately we don't have much planned. Safe Haven is playing, Olive Garden is calling, and my diet is going to have a great break.

On another note, today was Fat Tuesday, or as the French say in English, Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras. I had a great day. My day started with cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors... but I got a lot of exercise in, so I could indulge myself a little. Just missing the ice cream, but that's coming. Possibly on Thursday, but definitely on Sunday. I love the fact that Dubuque has a great movie theatre, an Olive Garden, and a COLD STONE CREAMERY!!! That's the best. Except for right now, with some pointless television on, my cat purring next to me on the couch (totally not coerced, seriously), and writing. I feel like writing a story right now. If you all like or comment on this post, maybe I'll put it up here.

One for the Road

I love driving. Everyone is so polite, no one flips you off. When you need to pass someone, they let you do it. When you drive, people are going close to the speed limit, not 20 mph over or under. They don't use their cell phones driving, they always look twice before turning, they don't beep at you if they think you aren't doing something right. Everyone uses their turn signals, no one stops abruptly. No one cuts you off in traffic. Everyone pays attention to the road. The police just wave as you pass them, because they are happy, donut-fed, and relaxed.

                                                                          *****

Oh, wait. That's just in my dreams. Yesterday driving home, it had snowed pretty bad, and my brakes are bad. Someone decided to stop abruptly, and the car in between us was able to stop. Me, not so much. I tried, I really did. But my car started sliding, and in order to avoid rear-ending the other car, I just slid into the oncoming lane and passed them. As I was passing, I got flipped off.

When I was learning how to drive, I used to get upset at people who passed me, especially when I was going 5 mph over the limit. Then my dad said, "Don't get upset. They may have somewhere important to go, and you aren't in the car, so you shouldn't judge them." And I have lived by this since then. Unless you're cutting me off, I let you go. Sometimes, I feel bad for going too slow for you. But I just wish this patience was reciprocated by others.

First Sweepstakes!

So I am hosting my first blog sweepstakes. Here's the deal: if you win, you get a photograph taken by me, just for you. And I can sign it, if you want.

 Here's the rules:

1) Like me on Twitter or Facebook. Or both.

2) Create a logo for my site. Or give me an idea for one, with a sketch. I'll take pretty much any good idea and try to create it (but I prefer not to). It has to be original.

And that's pretty much it! Readers will get to vote for their favorite 5, and then I'll pick from there. When I get a winner, I'll send you an email, or message, for your address and your photo choice. Just remember, I can't travel the world, so the photo can be "sunset", but not, say, "sunset in Paris from the Eiffel Tower". Ok?  I wish you all the best of luck!

****Editor's Note****
I forgot to put a due date. The submissions are due March 7, 2013. So one month from today.