Case of the Mondays

Can you name that movie?

It’s a happy Monday today. Many have it off. Many get to relax and get that second or third cup of coffee. Nothing like starting your week off right with an extra day off.

It’s normal every day for me. Working on the schoolwork. Getting myself all mentally into my classes. The one I’m enjoying most, and doing it a little too fast (which is having me lose points..eek) is my Applied Food Principles class. I’m zooming through my assignments and it’s obvious after getting my first week’s graded, that I need to slow down just a bit and read carefully before answering.

My other class is First Year Composition. I found out as I was registering for my Spring classes that I have a very “writing heavy” degree. So begins the first of what I hear is many writing classes. This one is a little challenging as I navigate the enormous amounts of information given and sort through all the assignments but if it helps me learn to write better, I welcome it.

It had me thinking how much my writing style will change once I get a couple writing classes under my belt. Will it stay the same? Will I be all refined and deep? More witty but with a smoother delivery? Time will tell. Right now, all I care about is getting an A.

My food class is part cooking class and once I realized that, I was all sorts of excited. We have to prep and cook and show pictures of each with explanations. So far, I’ve made microwaved mashed potatoes and set the table. Each week we get new recipes, so you can bet you’ll be seeing my ‘products’ throughout the next few weeks. I doubt the professor intended us to take the photography so seriously, but I’m determined to take as good of pictures as I know how, to showcase everything.

Here are the first and second week’s labs.

I’m having fun to say the least. I’m hoping and wanting to get back into blogging. Things are bouncing around again in my mind so I’m hoping that’s a sign of better blogging from me. Plus I’m about to do some more traveling, so that always gives a little bit of interest in this home-body’s life. So, keep an eye out for a little more from me starting today.

I hope you had quite the weekend, whether you watched football or Pride and Prejudice, I hope it was a nice one.

**Movie: Office Space

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I’m thankful for 15

Monday Monday, how do you do? I’m oddly saying that to people… ‘how do you do?’ Weird, right? Sometimes out of the blue I’ll start saying random sentences and have a hard time stopping. Any way…

Sorry I’ve been a little absent on all your blogs, the end of last week was so hectic and then the weekend was 100% rest. I put myself on a bit of a computer break and it was so nice ‘getting away’ from it. It’s Monday now, so, new week of nothing. I have SO many pictures from my week that I’m “editing”, ok, like I know how to edit pictures, but I’m learning PSE9 and having fun watching my pictures change and can’t wait to show you them.

I’m thankful for safe travels to everywhere I went. Los Angeles, Northridge, Santa Maria, Paso Robles and home. Still recovering.

I’m thankful for my kind friends who let me stay with them for each trip. I felt like I was overstaying but neither of them showed it.

I’m thankful for being able to witness my friend’s accomplishment Wednesday.


I’m thankful for getting squeezed in to see Dr. P. Thursday, although it left me frustrated and annoyed. But I did what was necessary for my retirement and I’m thankful it’s done.

I’m thankful for finally being able to wear a pair of ballet flats that I haven’t been able to since the surgery last year. I was rejoicing over this small ability.

I’m thankful for fun friends who put up with me wanting to learn photography.
here’s a snipit of my mini faux-to shoot.



I’m thankful for everything right now. It’s so easy for me to focus on all the negative that happens in my days that I quickly forget all the wonderful moments. I really want to remind myself of the great moments in my days to remain happier.

I’m thankful for my love who’s committed himself to serve this country to the end and to all who’ve given their lives to protect us as we’re safely in our homes.


Proverbs 12:1
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.

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Have you ever had a friend

This is my special post of my sweet dear friend who’s done a whole heck of a lot since living in the US.

When I first moved to LA in 2002, she was my new co worker and quickly became my one and only friend. Born and raised in Germany she moved here in 2001 to live with her hubby, whom she met on the beaches of Spain. how neat would that be?

When I started working with her, we realized really quick how boring our job was and how much time we had on our hands, so we agreed that she would teach me German and I would help her with her English.

Company Christmas party

Even though I moved away 8 months later we remained close friends and went on ‘girl’ vacations together. One year was Santa Barbara, staying in Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort right on the beach. If any of you ever go, make sure you stay there with a beachfront room. It’s amazing!



Another year we went to Palm Springs.


But there’s a couple things that were extra special that we got to do together. Like when she became an American citizen in 2006. She asked me if I’d like to go and I knew I didn’t want to miss it.

Let me tell you, if you ever have the opportunity to witness thousands of people swearing in to become American citizens, you have to do it. It’s an amazing sight. People who actually appreciate the meaning of citizenship, who actually go through all the steps and headaches of becoming a citizen and want nothing more than to be a citizen of the United States, it’s a moving sight to see.




The other is getting to see her graduate from college. This girl has gone to college for years. Many years…and she’s finished. She asked if I’d like to go since no one else could and again, I couldn’t pass it up. I don’t know anyone else who’s worked so hard on getting her education. With marriage, a job, a new baby, she never let up but kept going until she was done and 8 years later she graduates with honors.

I’m honored to have been there. I cheered…people around me laughed (my voice cracked mid scream). It was fun though and cold…outdoor ceremonies are great in theory.

I’ve loved having her as a friend and loved even more that I got to experience these milestones in her life. She’s always so sweet, giving me Feigling and feeding me chocolate whenever I want. One thing I enjoy the most is teaching her new words and sayings. I just taught her “ticked pink” the other night. She was literally 'tickled pink’ herself for having learned this term and can’t wait to use it.


She’s a dear friend that I know I’ll have for many more years to come and I’m thankful to have her in my life.

Hab Dich lieb meine freundin
Tschuess

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I’m thankful for 14

Hello All. I wished good sunny warm weather on everyone over the weekend and since my wishes ALWAYS come true, I know you all had it. ha!

Any way, I really do hope you all did though. I’m here in sunny Los Angeles visiting my friend who graduates from college today. It’s her honors ceremony today and her big time official graduation on Wednesday. Busy busy this week.


I’m thankful for getting here safely. I’m not the most fond of the drive. Going over the grapevine (for all you who know about ‘the grapevine’) is one of the most lousy moments in driving, so I’m happy to be here safe and sound.

I’m thankful for the sweet old man who stopped me while I was working out last week to tell me he admired my tenacity and athleticism. I thought it was the nicest thing ever. I repaid the compliment since he’s out there every day walking 4 miles around the track.

I’m thankful for getting healthy. Working out every day last week was a challenge but I felt good all day long and loved that!

I’m thankful for my Mom and Dad. I kinda blanked last Monday in my post, but making up for it today. It was their birthday last Monday. Yep, I said “their.” My Dad is about 5 hours older than my mom, neat huh? I’m so thankful for them. I’m so happy I’m their favorite child. (no really, I am…huh Mom?!)

I’m thankful for my friend loaning me “Tangled.” It’s the cutest movie of all time. I kept telling her ‘my kid was bugging me about it and wouldn’t leave me alone until she saw it so please please please loan it to me.’ (as we all know I have no kids)

I’m thankful for finishing my list of problems for the Dr. I’m seeing tomorrow. I put them in bullets and when I was done it was almost an entire page long…single spaced. Let’s hope he doesn’t think I’m crazy.

I think if I can force myself to stop…I have this weird deal about stopping on road trips, but if I stop, there’s an absolutely beautiful lake just off of the grapevine that I may take pictures of and show you. It’s so gorgeous. I go off the road at least 4 times looking at it while driving.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday’s.

via

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College girls are mean

Ok, so maybe not really mean, but when they think of ways to ‘initiate new freshman’ (I guess all freshman are new…any way) into the dorm hall they really think of some crazy stuff.

the computers that managed to erase 7 of my 12 pages final paper for Psychology

Take my hall for instance. It was appropriately named, “Circus Hall”. I didn’t ask to go in this hall, didn’t even know it existed, but in I went. First door on the left in fact.

(ok, so apparently it was the 2nd door. 1st is a closet. Please let’s not comment on what appears to be big hair, it’s a shadow, uh..promise.)

Circus Hall had a reputation for being…can you guess? Crazy. Good guess! However, as it always seems to be with me, the year I move in, everything goes blah, and the hall is not what it once was. I think it’s me…seriously.

Anyhoo, after a month or so goes by the RA gets the idea, unbeknownst to me and the other freshman, that they want to ‘welcome’ us into the hall.

Fast forward to a night like any other.

As I’m lying in bed my roommate gets up and says she has to use the bathroom and goes down the hall. (the whole hall shared the bathrooms. awesome). A few minutes goes by when there’s a knock at the door. I jump down from the bunk and swing open the door. The hall is pitch black and all of a sudden, out of the darkness, someone grabs my arm and yanks me out into the hall.

The next thing I know, I’m struggling with at least 6 girls as they’re grabbing my arms and legs, pinning me as best they can. I hear the sound of giggles and duct tape as one grabs my arm in an attempt to join it with the other. I fight with all I have, but by the end, they succeeded in taping my wrists and ankles together. They hoist me up and begin carrying me down the stairs out into the night.

As we round the corner of the building, I see a large group of students anxiously waiting for the “main event.” I get plopped onto a bench and securely duct taped down as I see another fellow freshman, with her fate already sealed like mine.

They make a little speech and begin to rain down every condiment known to man over my head and body along with flour and eventually eggs. Throwing, cracking, smashing them as if I were the frying pan.







Half way through the eggs, I manage to pry my hand out of the tape and begin throwing them back at the girls, creating a miniature food fight, much to the delight of the crowd.

Once they completely depleted their supply, they set me free. Walking me slowly into the night to the gym locker room so I could wash off.

The next morning I was presented with the ugliest mustard yellow shirt that said, ‘I survived Circus Hall Initiation’, and I wore it with pride that day.

It happened that we were the only 2 to get initiated. What planned to be 6 more, never came about, yet all the other freshman walked the halls afraid of when their time might come.

Circus Hall
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