So. The other evening the subject was broached. No conclusions were reached. Research must be completed and data compiled to determine the best option.
What am I talking about?
Why, where to go on vacation, of course!
Let's give some background information first. We usually go somewhere for our anniversary (Look at me, saying "usually"! We've only had one anniversary so far!) and we usually use the ride money from the entire year to go. (We set that money aside every week and pretend we don't have it - it's there if we need it, but otherwise it's the vacation fund.) We have no idea how much ride money we have this year because we don't count it. Anyway.
A asked me the other night where we were going on vacation. As if I just know these things. He has nowhere specific in mind - just wants to know where we are going. So now it has started.
Where in the world...ahem. Sorry. Where in the continental United States are we going to go? I have absolutely no idea, except that Florida is out. That was our honeymoon. And Branson is out. We did that last year. So many places are left to choose from!
Showing posts with label Musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Musings. Show all posts
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, December 18, 2009
Hmm...
So. I have toyed with the idea of photography for awhile now. I think I would enjoy it immensely—but. (There’s always one of those, isn’t there? Buts, I mean.) I know absolutely nothing about it beyond the fact that when you’re serious about photography as a hobby (or a business or whatever), you need a pretty darn good digital camera and different lenses and you have to know about light and placement and all that stuff. Which I don’t.
I’m pretty sure I couldn’t even pick out a camera close to what would be needed to take really GOOD pictures.
I know my taking up photography in any way, shape or form past the basic snapshots I can take with my current digital camera is in no way imminent. I know it costs a LOT of money to get equipped for good photography. I know.
But I’m interested. So I think I will start doing some research when I have time to see what I can learn (because I definitely won’t feel justified spending that much money until I KIND of know what I’m doing). Researching will be a VERY good thing. It will allow me to see if photography is something I would enjoy, and will also let me see if this is in any way a lasting ambition (I have some issues with being very eager to do something for about a week…maybe two…and then I think of it no more or get bored).
We’ll see.
I’m pretty sure I couldn’t even pick out a camera close to what would be needed to take really GOOD pictures.
I know my taking up photography in any way, shape or form past the basic snapshots I can take with my current digital camera is in no way imminent. I know it costs a LOT of money to get equipped for good photography. I know.
But I’m interested. So I think I will start doing some research when I have time to see what I can learn (because I definitely won’t feel justified spending that much money until I KIND of know what I’m doing). Researching will be a VERY good thing. It will allow me to see if photography is something I would enjoy, and will also let me see if this is in any way a lasting ambition (I have some issues with being very eager to do something for about a week…maybe two…and then I think of it no more or get bored).
We’ll see.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Back to Basics?
You can definitely tell we are in the electronic age. I was just asked to look up a phone number, and I, being the resourceful intelligent person that I am ;), immediately pulled up my internet browser and headed straight for Yellow Pages, the company website and a couple other places before I REALLY started using my head. Yeah, that’s right, I pulled out the ol’ phone book and looked in the white pages.
And found the number in about half the time it took me to search around the so-called efficient internet. I really think there are too many options and answers and sites who say they have the answers and just too much available in general via electronic means. Sometimes, like today, it’s almost impossible to find the information you are searching for due to the sheer volume of results any search engine pulls up. Sometimes we just need to get back to basics—we might just save a little time, which is the whole point of something like the internet.
It really took me aback a little when I thought about it. How many times have we all gotten an email about an event or a link or some new problem that we should all be informed of, only to receive a second email cancelling the first, or correcting the first, or saying to disregard the first? And all of this misinformation might be avoided if we didn’t send information so fast, and had to reflect a bit on what we were sending before it actually left our hands.
Relationships have turned into electronic ones. Our grandparents often have collections of letters sent over a period of years, that are incredibly special to read many years later. Today we have texts and emails and they are most often deleted after a certain number of days to make room for new ones. The romance is deleted, instead of saved and treasured years later. Will our children thank us for that? Or will they even notice since they are completely growing up in this electronic age?
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a big fan of speeding up communication. It’s amazing that we can communicate an idea within seconds instead of days. It’s amazing that we have webcams that allow us to “see” people overseas when unreliable mail was all that was available before. But at what cost?
I guess I’m just saying that sometimes I think it would be better if we slowed down, even if just a little and really thought about things instead of just reacting and shooting off an email or text or, as in my case, pulling up the internet for a goose chase instead of just finding the information the old-fashioned way. Sometimes slower is better. And sometimes I think we need to be reminded of that.
What do you think? Is slower better or do the benefits of the electronic modes of communication outweigh any sacrifices?
And found the number in about half the time it took me to search around the so-called efficient internet. I really think there are too many options and answers and sites who say they have the answers and just too much available in general via electronic means. Sometimes, like today, it’s almost impossible to find the information you are searching for due to the sheer volume of results any search engine pulls up. Sometimes we just need to get back to basics—we might just save a little time, which is the whole point of something like the internet.
It really took me aback a little when I thought about it. How many times have we all gotten an email about an event or a link or some new problem that we should all be informed of, only to receive a second email cancelling the first, or correcting the first, or saying to disregard the first? And all of this misinformation might be avoided if we didn’t send information so fast, and had to reflect a bit on what we were sending before it actually left our hands.
Relationships have turned into electronic ones. Our grandparents often have collections of letters sent over a period of years, that are incredibly special to read many years later. Today we have texts and emails and they are most often deleted after a certain number of days to make room for new ones. The romance is deleted, instead of saved and treasured years later. Will our children thank us for that? Or will they even notice since they are completely growing up in this electronic age?
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a big fan of speeding up communication. It’s amazing that we can communicate an idea within seconds instead of days. It’s amazing that we have webcams that allow us to “see” people overseas when unreliable mail was all that was available before. But at what cost?
I guess I’m just saying that sometimes I think it would be better if we slowed down, even if just a little and really thought about things instead of just reacting and shooting off an email or text or, as in my case, pulling up the internet for a goose chase instead of just finding the information the old-fashioned way. Sometimes slower is better. And sometimes I think we need to be reminded of that.
What do you think? Is slower better or do the benefits of the electronic modes of communication outweigh any sacrifices?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Why can't we all just get along?
I forgot my book today. This really is very frustrating for me, but it did lead me to some new knowledge this time. Since I was unable to read about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy over my lunch break, I thought that reading the thousands of comments on a controversial (and I think well written blog) would take up my hour of eating time satisfactorily. (It did rather easily—I barely made it halfway!) But this hour of reading comments and my recent experience reading comments on news stories and other stories on celebrity antics has also made me really wonder about people in the world today.
A good chunk of comments on most any heavily commented story are completely negative, name-calling, inconsiderate, and actually rather rude. Some are constructive and are polite messages conveying a different opinion from that of the author. Others are berating the name-calling comments, but are just as rude. (Rudeness from someone does not excuse rudeness in return.)This is not even touching on the fact that most of the commenters out there cannot be bothered with proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. But that's another issue altogether.
I’m quite honestly astonished that there is such hate in the world, although I don’t know why. So many stories in the media are full of hate and are picking at the all-too-human flaws of those in the spotlight that is celebrity. Understand, I’m not excusing the behavior of celebrities when they do wrong; I am questioning our right as citizens, as the public to so outspokenly judge others. What gives us the right to inject hate into comments and posts and news stories? Freedom of speech? Because that doesn’t quite cut it for me.
I don’t believe anything gives us the right to be that way. Yes, we have the right to our own opinion, and yes, we have a right to voice that opinion. What on earth is accomplished, though, if our opinion is full of negativity and is in no way constructive criticism or courteous disagreement? The right to voice our opinion is not a requirement. We do not HAVE to give a voice to negativity. That so many people choose to do so is amazing to me.
Personally, I think we should all take a step back and look at ourselves before we criticize others, and then if we still choose to criticize or correct someone, it should be done in love.
But that’s just my opinion.
A good chunk of comments on most any heavily commented story are completely negative, name-calling, inconsiderate, and actually rather rude. Some are constructive and are polite messages conveying a different opinion from that of the author. Others are berating the name-calling comments, but are just as rude. (Rudeness from someone does not excuse rudeness in return.)This is not even touching on the fact that most of the commenters out there cannot be bothered with proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. But that's another issue altogether.
I’m quite honestly astonished that there is such hate in the world, although I don’t know why. So many stories in the media are full of hate and are picking at the all-too-human flaws of those in the spotlight that is celebrity. Understand, I’m not excusing the behavior of celebrities when they do wrong; I am questioning our right as citizens, as the public to so outspokenly judge others. What gives us the right to inject hate into comments and posts and news stories? Freedom of speech? Because that doesn’t quite cut it for me.
I don’t believe anything gives us the right to be that way. Yes, we have the right to our own opinion, and yes, we have a right to voice that opinion. What on earth is accomplished, though, if our opinion is full of negativity and is in no way constructive criticism or courteous disagreement? The right to voice our opinion is not a requirement. We do not HAVE to give a voice to negativity. That so many people choose to do so is amazing to me.
Personally, I think we should all take a step back and look at ourselves before we criticize others, and then if we still choose to criticize or correct someone, it should be done in love.
But that’s just my opinion.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I'm taking back over!
Every once in a great while, it’s spring cleaning time in my world. Now, this big time cleaning does not depend on the time of year, but rather upon my inner self and the amount of stress I’m having in my life due to things that I CAN control. (I have a horrible procrastination habit. I never leave stuff for too long, but I will leave a lot of stuff at one time instead of just getting the job done when I need to. But that’s another story entirely.)
This is one of those big cleaning times. I’m not talking house cleaning, although that is often includcd. I’m talking get-all-my-stuff-organized-so-I-can-find-everything-I-need-when-I-need-or-want-it cleaning. I’m talking stop being lazy for a while and get my stuff together. Lately with everything (little things, but together they add up to big stress!) going the way it has (you know, broken hot water heater, ants in the kitchen, and the seemingly never-ending chore of moving and unpacking) I have been feeling incredibly stressed. Which is really nothing new; I stress a lot. I know that.
But I’m tired of it. And I’m going to fix it…or at least lessen it by getting my hiney in gear!
On my to-do list:
1. Balance my checkbook: this one is big and nagging because it has been awhile (wedding planning got in the way and now I wish it hadn’t!)
2. Straighten up the office: it is kind of in arrears because we found some ants in there yesterday. The desk is away from the wall and there are tons of papers in there that need filed in our lovely and completely functional though currently mostly unused due to other things taking priority. If the ants are gone, I’m taking charge and the clutter will no longer rule
3. Laundry: I’ve actually been keeping up with this quite well, but the stress of the ants has put me behind a little. I’m catching up!
4. Reline dresser drawers: I have a second dresser with mostly stuff that needs sorted out in it, or empty drawers. I’m going to reline the drawers with newspapers and move some of my clothes over (since I bought new clothes for Florida, my protestingly full drawers have gone completely on strike and will not, I mean WILL NOT hold anymore. I have shoved as much as possible in there). I’m taking charge of the leftover clothes, too!
5. Empty/work on emptying at least one box a night: I have a lot of boxes just waiting. Waiting to be stored, waiting to be emptied, just waiting. No more waiting allowed! Progress will be made!
I can’t control if there are ants in my pantry (though we’re doing our darndest to get rid of them), and I can’t control if my hot water heater goes out of commission. So I’m going to control what I can. I have no idea how long this mood or whatever you want to call it will last, but hopefully it will be a while! Wish me luck!
This is one of those big cleaning times. I’m not talking house cleaning, although that is often includcd. I’m talking get-all-my-stuff-organized-so-I-can-find-everything-I-need-when-I-need-or-want-it cleaning. I’m talking stop being lazy for a while and get my stuff together. Lately with everything (little things, but together they add up to big stress!) going the way it has (you know, broken hot water heater, ants in the kitchen, and the seemingly never-ending chore of moving and unpacking) I have been feeling incredibly stressed. Which is really nothing new; I stress a lot. I know that.
But I’m tired of it. And I’m going to fix it…or at least lessen it by getting my hiney in gear!
On my to-do list:
1. Balance my checkbook: this one is big and nagging because it has been awhile (wedding planning got in the way and now I wish it hadn’t!)
2. Straighten up the office: it is kind of in arrears because we found some ants in there yesterday. The desk is away from the wall and there are tons of papers in there that need filed in our lovely and completely functional though currently mostly unused due to other things taking priority. If the ants are gone, I’m taking charge and the clutter will no longer rule
3. Laundry: I’ve actually been keeping up with this quite well, but the stress of the ants has put me behind a little. I’m catching up!
4. Reline dresser drawers: I have a second dresser with mostly stuff that needs sorted out in it, or empty drawers. I’m going to reline the drawers with newspapers and move some of my clothes over (since I bought new clothes for Florida, my protestingly full drawers have gone completely on strike and will not, I mean WILL NOT hold anymore. I have shoved as much as possible in there). I’m taking charge of the leftover clothes, too!
5. Empty/work on emptying at least one box a night: I have a lot of boxes just waiting. Waiting to be stored, waiting to be emptied, just waiting. No more waiting allowed! Progress will be made!
I can’t control if there are ants in my pantry (though we’re doing our darndest to get rid of them), and I can’t control if my hot water heater goes out of commission. So I’m going to control what I can. I have no idea how long this mood or whatever you want to call it will last, but hopefully it will be a while! Wish me luck!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Any other Faithful Thinkers out there?
So, in my various and sundry explorations in blog world…(ok, not so various and sundry…I pretty much visit the same 10 or so over and over, but that’s beside the point)I came across a personality test on Fabulously Broke in the City’s blog, and decided to try it. Especially since it is free and it doesn’t make you sign in or create an account or something annoying like that before trying it out. And it turns out that I am a
FAITHFUL THINKER
FAITHFUL THINKER
Exciting, isn’t it? And actually, if I answered the questions accurately, it seemed pretty consistent with how I react to situations and what I tend towards…can we say extreme introvert here? I already knew that, but it was nice to have it confirmed anyway. Kinda fun anyway…
So what are you still doing here? Oh, yeah. You probably want the link to try it out for yourself! Well, here you go. Try that out. Let me know your results!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Changing lanes-figuratively at least!
Switching gears here a bit….I know you all may be wanting a change from accounts of my everyday newlywed activities, and your wish is my command! Or at least today it is!
I’m talking dreams today. No, not the ones you have when you’re snoozing away on your comfy pillow. The ones about your future.
My biggest dream is to one day have my own bookstore, complete with a café and big squishy armchairs (sort of like the ones I always imagine inhabit the Gryffindor common room). It would be a casual place without being cheap looking, where people could feel free to sit and read for awhile before going on their way. I want the kind of bookstore that I, as a voracious reader, would want to go to…something with a huge variety of books to choose from and that could satisfy most readers (never say all, I know). I think that if I could manage something like that ever in my life, that would be my absolute dream job. I would love it!
I also want to write a book someday, but I’m still working out if I could even pull that off marginally well. So it’s not a priority dream. Kind of a dream dream.
I want to lose some weight, too (actually, I don’t care so much about the weight as the inches, but at this point it all amounts to the same thing). But that is more of a goal than a dream. Cooking school would be pretty cool, too. (I’m a bit contradictory, no?)
And then there are the dreams that most people have, albeit in variety. The goal is the same. To have a happy life, whatever that entails.
What are some of your dreams? Or just some goals you have?
I’m talking dreams today. No, not the ones you have when you’re snoozing away on your comfy pillow. The ones about your future.
My biggest dream is to one day have my own bookstore, complete with a café and big squishy armchairs (sort of like the ones I always imagine inhabit the Gryffindor common room). It would be a casual place without being cheap looking, where people could feel free to sit and read for awhile before going on their way. I want the kind of bookstore that I, as a voracious reader, would want to go to…something with a huge variety of books to choose from and that could satisfy most readers (never say all, I know). I think that if I could manage something like that ever in my life, that would be my absolute dream job. I would love it!
I also want to write a book someday, but I’m still working out if I could even pull that off marginally well. So it’s not a priority dream. Kind of a dream dream.
I want to lose some weight, too (actually, I don’t care so much about the weight as the inches, but at this point it all amounts to the same thing). But that is more of a goal than a dream. Cooking school would be pretty cool, too. (I’m a bit contradictory, no?)
And then there are the dreams that most people have, albeit in variety. The goal is the same. To have a happy life, whatever that entails.
What are some of your dreams? Or just some goals you have?
Monday, September 28, 2009
Oh my word.
My wedding is this weekend. It seems like I have waited forever, and waited hardly at all for this to come. I go back and forth between being so excited, and so nervous I could scream. (But since that would probably be quite annoying, I will refrain from the screaming part...)
A and I moved furniture into our house this past weekend. Now it looks like a house someone could live in, instead of being an empty house. It is beautiful! I'm so excited to start unpacking all the stuff we've gotten!
But have I mentioned that my wedding is this weekend? The beginning of an entirely new, and greatly anticipated chapter in my life. And also the ending of what I'm sure will be one of my favorite and most loved chapters. Bittersweet and absolutely joyful all in one.
Is it any wonder that my emotions are on such a roller coaster?
But regardless of how nervous, or emotional, or just plain crazy with details I get, this Saturday will no doubt be one of the absolute best days of my life. When I can take my best friend's hand and marry him in the eyes of God and our families, and let everyone know I love him best of all.
A and I moved furniture into our house this past weekend. Now it looks like a house someone could live in, instead of being an empty house. It is beautiful! I'm so excited to start unpacking all the stuff we've gotten!
But have I mentioned that my wedding is this weekend? The beginning of an entirely new, and greatly anticipated chapter in my life. And also the ending of what I'm sure will be one of my favorite and most loved chapters. Bittersweet and absolutely joyful all in one.
Is it any wonder that my emotions are on such a roller coaster?
But regardless of how nervous, or emotional, or just plain crazy with details I get, this Saturday will no doubt be one of the absolute best days of my life. When I can take my best friend's hand and marry him in the eyes of God and our families, and let everyone know I love him best of all.
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