It seems noteworthy for me to talk about the inward journey during this time of reflection. Most, if not all of us, will spend the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, neighbors and relatives, and will share in happy memories of times once had together. While you are enjoying your time with others and reminiscing of all the good times you have had, I would like to offer a challenge to each of you to take the inward journey and really spend some time reflecting on the things of your own soul. Take some moments to recapture the experiences that have brought you to where you are today. Sit in a quiet place and delve into your own heart and mind and think about who you are as a person, a sibling, a friend, a parent, a co-worker, a leader, a follower, an adult, or a child. Open the door you closed so long ago and sweep out the anger, the hurt, the resentment, or the bitter feelings that may still be housed somewhere in your spirit, and just let go. Forgive those who may have hurt you in some way, but you may never have told them. Quietly apologize to those you may have hurt before, but never had the chance to say you're sorry. Open your heart to love those who you never thought you could love again, and bring yourself to trust those who may have betrayed you before. Don't be shy or timid and don't be scared to approach that place where you keep all things hidden. It's good to clean out the deep recesses of our souls every once in a while, for it's in the cleaning where we truly learn to let go, to love, and to be free. May your holiday be full of new beginnings. Enjoy your inward journey.
Chilly Beans
Tuesday, November 21
Tuesday, November 14
No more jeans....
So they got rid of jeans here at work. I know it’s not anything I should be really hung up on, but come on! Jeans?? Why dip into the employees one true joy just to spout off something about how it improves customer service if you dress business-like five days a week? I work at an online school for the love of Pete where all of our interactions with the students are done via phone or email. I can hear the phone conversation now:
“Hi! Thanks for calling. How can I help you?”
“Hi! I have a question about my account.”
“Sure thing! What kind of question do you have? I’m here to help you!”
“Thanks! Well, I was looking at my statement and……wait a minute. Are……? Are you wearing JEANS?!!??!!”
“Wha..? No, uh, no. I’m not! Honest!”
“Whatever! I can hear it in your voice! You are wearing jeans! I can’t believe this!!”
“No, you got it all wrong, see, it’s Friday and…”
“Oh, and I suppose that just because it’s Friday you can’t maintain the highest quality of customer service possible by NOT wearing jeans? I’m appalled. If you can’t take this seriously, then neither can I. I’m taking my business somewhere else. And don’t think for a second that I’m not going to report you to the BBB!”
-click!-
I get so confused now too since I don’t know what day of the week it is anymore. Most people use a calendar to figure out what day it is. Me? I use jean Friday to figure it out. But now that jeans are gone I’m all sorts off mixed up. It’s awful really. They got rid of the jeans allowance about a month ago, and I should be over it by now, but alas, ‘tis not the case. I mean, who ever really gets over having their jeans taken away? Obviously not me.
“Hi! Thanks for calling. How can I help you?”
“Hi! I have a question about my account.”
“Sure thing! What kind of question do you have? I’m here to help you!”
“Thanks! Well, I was looking at my statement and……wait a minute. Are……? Are you wearing JEANS?!!??!!”
“Wha..? No, uh, no. I’m not! Honest!”
“Whatever! I can hear it in your voice! You are wearing jeans! I can’t believe this!!”
“No, you got it all wrong, see, it’s Friday and…”
“Oh, and I suppose that just because it’s Friday you can’t maintain the highest quality of customer service possible by NOT wearing jeans? I’m appalled. If you can’t take this seriously, then neither can I. I’m taking my business somewhere else. And don’t think for a second that I’m not going to report you to the BBB!”
-click!-
I get so confused now too since I don’t know what day of the week it is anymore. Most people use a calendar to figure out what day it is. Me? I use jean Friday to figure it out. But now that jeans are gone I’m all sorts off mixed up. It’s awful really. They got rid of the jeans allowance about a month ago, and I should be over it by now, but alas, ‘tis not the case. I mean, who ever really gets over having their jeans taken away? Obviously not me.
Saturday, November 11
"Your fun is now over!"
Saturday mornings, to me, are often spent cleaning up my apartment while my husband is at school. Sometimes I do some homework, sometimes I go shopping, and sometimes I talk on the phone while I clean. Rarely is there ever a Saturday that music can not be heard coming from my third floor apartment building. It's never crude music. Sometimes it's Josh Groban, or Jamie Cullum, maybe a little bit of Enya, or the upbeat tempos of the All American Rejects or Coldplay, it all totally depends on the mood I am in. For the past few months we have been extremely lucky in that no one has lived in the apartment below us. We used to have a great neighbor by the name of Pete. He had a surround sound system in his apartment and would watch movies with the volume up really loud. I'd like to think he did that so we could watch the movie too. He was kind like that. :) So my brother and I would often play lots of music so he could listen as well. A couple of times I would leave the apartment only to hear his little boy singing one of the very songs we had recently played. He was a great neighbor. But he moved and now James and I have had the freedom of listening to all our music and movies at slightly higher levels...until now. I'm going through my Saturday morning schedule, listen to the soundtrack from the Garden State movie when I hear a loud knock on the door. I open it up and see one of the leasing office ladies standing before me, a plasta-smile on her face. She says, "Hi!" all perky and peppy, and flips her hair as she does so.
"I'm from the leasing office and I was just downstairs in the apartment below you where someone is moving in. We can hear every word of your music so I'm going to have to ask you to turn it down." I noticed that she didn't even break a frown there anywhere. I could see her teeth with every word.
"Oh! Sure. I'm sorry. I didn't realize that someone was moving in. I was just doing some chores. I'll turn it down. Sorry about that." I reply, in total honesty because I was playing the music through my DVD player on my TV in the living room. The TV we have now is one of those 1970 floor model swivel TVs that I got at a garage sale some six years ago for a whopping $20.00. Not too shabby. However since it's on the floor it's easier for others below us to hear what we are watching and listening to. One of the few downfalls of living on the top floor of any apartment complex.
"Yeah, it's kind of loud. Thanks!!" She flashes her smile then says, "Your fun is now over!" as she bounces back down the stairs and gets in her little golf cart to drive back over to the leasing office.
I peaked my head out the window to see if there was a moving truck or people coming from the apartment below, but I saw nothing. I turned my music down but it's just not the same without it ringing through the house. My motivation is no longer there....I miss Pete.
"I'm from the leasing office and I was just downstairs in the apartment below you where someone is moving in. We can hear every word of your music so I'm going to have to ask you to turn it down." I noticed that she didn't even break a frown there anywhere. I could see her teeth with every word.
"Oh! Sure. I'm sorry. I didn't realize that someone was moving in. I was just doing some chores. I'll turn it down. Sorry about that." I reply, in total honesty because I was playing the music through my DVD player on my TV in the living room. The TV we have now is one of those 1970 floor model swivel TVs that I got at a garage sale some six years ago for a whopping $20.00. Not too shabby. However since it's on the floor it's easier for others below us to hear what we are watching and listening to. One of the few downfalls of living on the top floor of any apartment complex.
"Yeah, it's kind of loud. Thanks!!" She flashes her smile then says, "Your fun is now over!" as she bounces back down the stairs and gets in her little golf cart to drive back over to the leasing office.
I peaked my head out the window to see if there was a moving truck or people coming from the apartment below, but I saw nothing. I turned my music down but it's just not the same without it ringing through the house. My motivation is no longer there....I miss Pete.
Friday, November 10
The downfall of pumpkin pie
Pumpkin pie has long since been the staple of many Thanksgivings. It is often found quietly placed in the center of the table, taunting guests with a sweet aroma of spices, while bits of the flaky crust just happen to crumble right before your very eyes. The irresistible combination of fluffy whip cream and savory pumpkin pie sends your mouth into a highly anticipated food coma that is just too hard to resist. The pre-made pumpkin pie is listed as one of the top desserts in November. It is always the leftover dessert you find on the top shelf of the fridge at 3:00 in the morning when your stomach grumbles from hunger and your mouth waters from the remembrance of such delicious food. And wouldn't you know it's always covered in plastic wrap that clings to the pumpkin pie filling like a child clings to his mother as she tries to drop him off at kindergarten.
Homemade pumpkin pies are on the downfall...actually, I think all pumpkin pie is because I think people are so used to the sweet sugary taste of the store bought pies, or the canned pumpkin that's full of lovely ingredients which excite the tastebuds, that they have become bored with it. An honest-to-goodness homemade pumpkin pie (and I'm talking straight from the pumpkin, puree-ed, fresh made crust, put together and carefully placed in the oven homemade pumpkin pie) is so hard to come by nowadays. But when someone takes the carefully planned out time to put together said pie no one is really interested in eating it. You mess up the kitchen, do four loads of dishes, get flour everywhere and even burn yourself to make this homemade delicacy only to have more left over than you know what to do with...
...at least I'll have something to eat at 3 am ... bring on the plastic wrap!!
Check out this superfantastic blog from Sarah at the delicious life. Perhaps this will encourage everyone to give pumpkin pie one more chance.
Chilly Beans
Homemade pumpkin pies are on the downfall...actually, I think all pumpkin pie is because I think people are so used to the sweet sugary taste of the store bought pies, or the canned pumpkin that's full of lovely ingredients which excite the tastebuds, that they have become bored with it. An honest-to-goodness homemade pumpkin pie (and I'm talking straight from the pumpkin, puree-ed, fresh made crust, put together and carefully placed in the oven homemade pumpkin pie) is so hard to come by nowadays. But when someone takes the carefully planned out time to put together said pie no one is really interested in eating it. You mess up the kitchen, do four loads of dishes, get flour everywhere and even burn yourself to make this homemade delicacy only to have more left over than you know what to do with...
...at least I'll have something to eat at 3 am ... bring on the plastic wrap!!
Check out this superfantastic blog from Sarah at the delicious life. Perhaps this will encourage everyone to give pumpkin pie one more chance.
Chilly Beans
Thursday, November 9
At the end of each day
Work always has a tendency to make me very tired (who doesn't get tired of work?) and I find myself trying to do things that will take my mind off the research and projects I have outstanding at the office. The one thing that is ever constant in my mind is James. He can make even the toughest days better for me, and I always look forward to seeing him at the end of each day. I really love spending my time with him and its as if we are whole when we are together...we just work better. I'm gushing, I know, but I just want the world to know how much I love that boy.
There are times when I get home and I think I would have life so much better "if only"...If only we had a house instead of an apartment, if only we could make more money, if only I was rich, if only my husband would tell me he was rich :), or if only I had a dog (that's for you, mom! "I want a pet!!!"). But then I start to really look around, and really listen. I've come to recognize the dripping faucet, the constant hum of the fan. I've become acquainted with the creaking walls, the comfy couch, and my warm blankets. I understand that although I may not be making millions of dollars at my full-time job, I am learning a whole lot more than I ever thought I would. I see that I am far more blessed than I truly realize and this makes me happy. I can get so caught up in the things of this world sometimes and it's just nice to remember all the things I have already at the end of each day.
Chilly Beans
There are times when I get home and I think I would have life so much better "if only"...If only we had a house instead of an apartment, if only we could make more money, if only I was rich, if only my husband would tell me he was rich :), or if only I had a dog (that's for you, mom! "I want a pet!!!"). But then I start to really look around, and really listen. I've come to recognize the dripping faucet, the constant hum of the fan. I've become acquainted with the creaking walls, the comfy couch, and my warm blankets. I understand that although I may not be making millions of dollars at my full-time job, I am learning a whole lot more than I ever thought I would. I see that I am far more blessed than I truly realize and this makes me happy. I can get so caught up in the things of this world sometimes and it's just nice to remember all the things I have already at the end of each day.
Chilly Beans
In the beginning...
In the beginning there was a girl who would sometimes feel bad about who she was and the path her life had taken. Sure, she worked hard and often times felt happy and comfortable with the work and progress she could offer. On most days she would smile brightly after working hard on a particularly difficult problem and succeeding. Other days she would laugh and joke around like she didn't have a care in the world. But some days, she just felt inadequate and very, very small. It was on those days that she liked to reflect about her life, her loved ones, her talents, her work, and mostly....her thoughts.
So begins my blog. It's intentions, for now, are to get the thoughts out of my head when I find myself in such moods, and have them down somewhere to read through on those happy days I have more often than not. I often write things that I call "deep thoughts". It is some of my best writing I think, and helps me to truly see who I am as a person, a friend, a sister, a wife, a coworker....and the list goes on. Thanks for reading. Come back often. If anything, I hope my thoughts will help to create some of your own.
So begins my blog. It's intentions, for now, are to get the thoughts out of my head when I find myself in such moods, and have them down somewhere to read through on those happy days I have more often than not. I often write things that I call "deep thoughts". It is some of my best writing I think, and helps me to truly see who I am as a person, a friend, a sister, a wife, a coworker....and the list goes on. Thanks for reading. Come back often. If anything, I hope my thoughts will help to create some of your own.
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