may 8

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."
Tenneva Jordan

and that is probably why i am not a mother. boo.

happy mother's day, mama! i love you! see you in a week!

cinco de mayo

"A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that "individuality" is the key to success."
Robert Orben i actually dread sitting through this, but i am also very excited to have finally completed something. it took me 19 years to earn this little ol' associates of applied science degree. not all of those were spent in school, but they all added to my education.

"The tassel's worth the hassle!"
Author Unknown i am the first person from my immediate family to receive a college degree. the experience has been fine, other than the hassle one particular woman, who calls herself a teacher, gave me. this quote is dedicated to her good riddance.

"Life is my college. May I graduate well, and earn some honors!"
Louisa May Alcott this to me, is more important, but it doesn't pay quite as well, typically.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning."
Albert Einstein it gets me into trouble, but i'll probably keep it up.

"At commencement you wear your square-shaped mortarboards. My hope is that from time to time you will let your minds be bold, and wear sombreros."
Paul Freund and i'll end with this quote in honor of cinco de mayo.

may 2

"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure. ”
Mark Twain

may 1

sauna solutions by danelle

Hissing steam, rises so hot,
wraps tightly around, like a blanket of heat.
A mental and emotional fight,
cleverly disguised as a physical feat.

The challenge to transform the sweat,
into something not bitter, but sweet.
The choices are much more complex,
than choosing from white or wheat.

An aching head, a chest so tight,
it feels like a trick, not a treat.
Each puzzle is complicated, right down to the core,
no picture is fully complete.

It will require all of my might,
to face the conclusions I meet.
But I took the first step, to enter this site,
claiming my well-deserved seat.

To tackle the ghosts of the future and past,
far more difficult than folding a sheet.
My journeys in life can be ever so great,
depending on which paths I greet.

If I fail to move on and forgive who I must,
it is only myself, whom I'll cheat.
They say our minds are powerful computers,
I sure wish mine had a delete.

Sometimes, to gain a clean slate,
we must suffer an onslaught of sleet.
But, I know happiness is in my own hands,
misery is never concrete.

Support will be mine, if I speak my mind,
no one benefits from deceit.
The future is where I must take aim,
the past cannot compete.

I am strong, I have no doubt,
these obstacles I will defeat.
For now, I am melting, my troubles they fade,
oozed from the souls of my feet.

My mind it was whirling, confused and afraid,
a commander without my fleet.
All I feel now, is hunger and thirst,
so I'm going upstairs to eat.

april 24

no quote today, but hopefully tomorrow i will have a new post on the other blog.

april 23

"Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life."
S.D. Gordon






i am allergic to spring, but i still think it's beautiful. may your eggs be hidden among the blossoms and petals.

april 22

The greatest man in history had no servants, yet they called Him Master. Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

(i copied this from somebody's facebook status)



I love Easter. Both the commercial side of it and the spiritual side. I hope you are all having a wonderful Friday, and that your weekend is full of warmth and happiness. Happy Easter!

april 18

"Most people would rather be certain they're miserable, than risk being happy."
Robert Anthony

"Happiness is a form of courage."
Holbrook Jackson



i hate this photo of me, but it illustrates the thoughts that are in my head right now. i look like a fool in this photo, but i'm happy. that is a pickled egg in my mouth. i had to be brave to try something new, and shoving the whole thing in my mouth for this photo op put me in a situation where i risked making a fool of myself in a restaurant full of people, but i did it. i know most of you probably think making a fool out of myself comes naturally to me, but sometimes i really have to step out of my comfort zone to make myself look this idiotic.

opening myself up to new situations, tearing down walls i've built up throughout old situations, risking failure and humiliation are not things i enjoy doing. this is a very rudimentary illustration of that, probably a poor example, but it's too difficult to capture the big events on film. for my own sake, i just wanted to document that i can do whatever i put my mind to, and that happiness only comes from exposing myself to situations that could just as easily lead to misery. i'll never know unless i try.

challenge: open the door for happiness, wide open...that means you can't even leave the screen door shut.

and happy birthday to Grandpa DeVar, i'm sure the pepsi, mtn. dew, and birthday cake are even better in heaven.

april 17

“It really was a miracle that things just worked and fell into place, ... I feel like there was a reason why things happened in the way they did. It wasn't just happenstance.”
Aron Ralston



i watched this movie yesterday. i liked it. this quote isn't from the movie, perhaps it's from the book, but wherever it's from, i absolutely believe it. whether the things that take place in my life are happy, sad, good, or bad, i truly rely on the fact that they happened for a reason. i don't always understand the reason, but i know there is one, so i just try to go with it and make it work. i don't always "make the best of it" but i get by.

karen stopped by yesterday (for a reason.) she made matt and me laugh. that felt better than the sunshine we soaked up in the backyard. i don't think she reads my blog, but thanks karen!

challenge: when you go out on adventures, always leave a note or let someone know where you're going. duh.

april 16

"There are two different kinds of people in this world: those who finish what they start, and"
Brad Ramsey



Oh. My. Goodness.

can you believe i'm actually going to finish something i started? i graduate the OTA program in 19 days. only 12 more days of fieldwork. shazaaaam!

challenge: think of an unfinished project you have been avoiding and finish it this weekend.