About this time every year

About this time every year the Christmas decoration get taken out. maybe. I have a hard time decorating for Christmas when it's just me here in my house. Sure the roommates are here this year but I still am having a hard time mustering the enthusiam to decorate. I've got the mantle done and the tree in up - not decorated just up and the only reason it's up to be honest is that my roommate recieved a package that needed to go under the tree. I feel bad for my "why bother" attitude.

About this time every year I get lonely. I start to really miss my family. It doesn't matter that I talk to them on the phone every week I want them around me. Listening to my dad read "The Life and Adventures of St. Nicholas" (Dad if your reading this shouldn't you be starting to send me MP3 files of the recording soon).

About this time every year I wish I had someone to cuddle with. This year I have this guy:

 

but he's not really into cuddling and I don't think he likes me very much. PS-he needs a home. He's only here till the end of the year then he's got to go so if you like big puppies and this adorable face I may have the pup for you! He could be someone's Christmas present! Having him go to a good home would be my Christmas present.

 

Wandering

In honor of The Hobbit coming out soon, one of my favorite JRR Tolien quotes:

"Not all who wander are lost."

I have found that:

By wandering I have discovered many unexpected treasures of nature

It is usually when I let my mind wander where is will that solutions are found

Wandering is good for the soul

And you are never truly lost - just a little confused as to your whereabouts

5 Random Facts about me

1: I have a huge Teddy Bear collection. not kidding. at last count it was near 400 of them. Granted at this stage in my life most are in a few big bins in my garage but I still have a few on display thoughout the house. and much to my surprise my parents keep adding to my collection (and I love them for it) the latest addition: a bear that is literally as tall as I am that they bought in Maryland and stuffed in a big suitcase to deliver when they visited. I would have loved to see the look on the guys face who x-rayed that suitcase.

 

2: In direct contrast with my love of the cute and cuddly is my love for violent and bloody books and movies. Saving Private Ryan? yeah I laughed when the guy picked up his arm and walked off with it. My favorite auther is Matthew Rielly, he's australian and writes fast and furious and oh so violent novels. I'm waiting rather patiently to read this book (called Scarecrow Returns here in the USofA, why they changed the title is beyond me I thing Scarecrow and the Army of Theives is a great title) comes out in paperback on December 26th and you better believe I've pre-ordered it!

3: I like doing things that should scare me as evidanced here. My bucket list may also include things like swimming with sharks - and I'm not talking about in a tank and minus the cage thing you see in the shows I wanna be up close and personal. ummm ok maybe not too close and personal like the shark making me dinner that would not be cool. And we're not talking tiny little plancton eating sharks either - maybe not a great white per se but something of medium size. But then again how cool would swimming with great whites be! I may have looked up the best places to encounter a shark...

4: I like to observe people/things. It calms me and helps me put things in perspective. Even when I'm in a large group of friends I'm usually the one in the back taking it all in. My powers of observation also helps in the creative process. So if you catch me staring at you - it's not that I'm starring, I just forget to blink when I'm processing information.

 

 

 

 

5: Sometimes it'll take me years to finish a project. Case #1: I stripped most of the wall paper off the kitchen/dining room walls right after my parents moved (almost 3 years ago) and it's set like that ever since. Case #2: I started a really cool (I think) series of 3 painting which I call "Pillars of Eternity" about 5 years ago I have .25 paintings left I just have to paint the olive tree... and I'm stuck. Trees are not my favorite thing to paint I find them a little intimidating. Case #3: I'm not sure how long ago I started this post...but it was at least a year and a half ago.

Where's your focus?

I was looking through my pictures from my Nauvoo trip this summer and this on caught my eye...

 

It made me think about where I put my focus in life. Is it on the things right in front of me - the here and now? Or is it on the bigger picture - the future and where I want to end up? Is it on what lies in my way - obstacles/weaknesses to overcome? Or is it on the joy of traveling to a prized destination?

 

So natuaraly I made this...

Somersaulting Tire Treads

My car is cursed. Let me explain my reasoning.

In June I hit a curb which caused my to have to replace a wheel and my windshield.

In July, my dad backed my car into another (only my car was hurt) and I had to replace my back bumper.

Wednesday a semi's tire tread displayed it's acrobatic genious on my way home from work and slammed into my car (I think my car won the fight but not without some damage) so off I go to replace my front bumper.

Hence my conclusion that my car is cursed and I need to own stock in my collision repair shop.