Guest Blog Friday: Cousin SameMiddleName

Well kids, we haven't done a Guest Blog Friday post in a L-O-N-G time, and that's a little tradition I'd like to bring back.  We're doing that today with my little cousin who we'll call Cousin SameMiddleName (you guessed it...we have the same middle name!) talking about her desire to be a missionary.  She's still in high school, but this kid has a passion for it and she's got big plans.  I'm encouraging her to start her own blog so we can all follow along!  With that, I'll let her take it away. 

 

I always knew I would end up in Africa.
 

My entire life, I have been in love with the idea of Africa. I loved the entire continent. From the pyramids of Egypt, to the villages in the D.R. Congo, to the missionary stories from South Africa. I always knew I wanted to travel around the globe, but especially to Africa. I always have had a huge problem with the idea of going through school, then college, then getting married, getting a house, and having two kids and living "happily ever after." To me, that didn't sound happy at all. I guess you could say that "The American Dream," was not for me at all! And, while my mom, being a typical mom, decided it was a phase, when I got older it kind of made a wedge in between me and my father. Don't get me wrong, I'm still daddy's little girl. But it got harder to keep when I always wanted to talk about leaving, and not getting married, and not having a family, and how to me, that all meant nothing if there was no love for it. But I grew and I always was trying to find a nother way I could stay in Africa, and travel. Archaeoligy, medicine, mission work? No. I ruled out mission work from the start, because I've seen those kinds of people. They're strange, and I don't like people that much. So I did'nt put much more thought into it than that.

 

I always went to a small little church here in Peralta, and it wasn't a bad church. It was just the kind of church I didn't like. You went in, dressed nicely, smiled, sang the songs, then ran off to Childrens Church. You minded your manners, sat in your pew, and once it was over, you'd run out the doors, into your nice trucks, and get back to real life. And even though I was a young girl at the time, I knew this was'nt right. I know there had to be more than this to this whole "christian" thing.

 

Eventually, a new pastor by the name of Dave Blackwell, came to our church, and he was dorky. But one sunday, when the choir was singing, I made eye contact with him, and it was like I could hear him saying that I was his next mission. Like, somehow he was gonna reach me.

 

And, the years went by. By the time I was 15 it was the summer after my freshman year in high school, and I was'nt exactally the finest young lady by then. I'd been to parties, I'd been caught drinking, and smoking, I did stupid things with even stupider guys. I was your typical teenager, kinda. But the last week in july 2011, I went on a mission trip to the Navajo Nation around the four-corners area. The first night we got there was a Sunday, and I wanted to go home. My mom was there, it was boring, cold, and I was'nt the center of attention anymore. That night three boys came up to me and my friend Jocelyn, and said that they were really excited to do Vacation Bible School with us the next day, and that they wanted to hang out with us. So I did what I was good at, and I walked away. Went to my tent, and I didn't really care.

 

The next morning was VBS, and the bus went down into Sheep Springs and Naschitti to get the kids, and I hung out around, set up posters in the tent, and when the kids came, alot changed. The older youth, ignored alot of the older boys who were about ten - twelve. So I guess I just stepped in. The rest of the youth would go off with the rest of the kids, so I would stay with those boys and make jokes, and run with them, and try to be like a family. I don't know why, I just felt like that was what I needed to do.

Then at snack and lunch time, the youth would all go off and eat by themselves and leave the kids to eat somewhere else. And there were these two little boys who had to be two and three years old, And they wanted to play with the cactus, and so I ate with them, well, no I watched them eat while i tried to make sure noone played with the cactus. So every day, I would get them bolth and walk down the hill to where lunch was at and make sure we did'nt have any problems, and I tried to eat with the rest of the kids too so they didn;t feel left out.

 

There was one day in particular, where it was pouring, and the Navajo Nation, is mud, and dirt. we were outside, in nature, and wet, and cold, and by the end of VBS, the youth did'nt want to talk to each other. And so while we were waiting on the bus to come get the kids, all of the younger youth left, then the older youth left, then pretty soon the adults left, and there I was with about 45 kids in a tent out in the rain, and I was running trying to keep them in the tent, and safe, and someone came and asked me if I wanted help, and I screamed yes! I was livid! And so they went down the hill to get help, and still, noone came back. And eventually, the bus came, and the kids got to go home, and I got to go take a glamourous bath which was just wet wipes scrubbing to get the mud off of me.

 

But the entire first mission trip to the Navajo Nation, kind of taught me that I can do something, no matter how young I am. And I am not too young to know what I want to do with my life.

I always knew there was a God. I always knew, that Jesus died for me. It was just inside of me. I never really questioned if He was there, or if He had a plan. I knew it was there, I just did'nt want to follow Him. But after that mission trip, the pastor asked me to preach, and so I did. I talked about the trip, and about my life, and how some how, God has beauty in the brokenness of me. At that time, I was almost a semester into my sophmore year of high school, and I was taken out of school because I was failing all of my AP classes, because I could'nt sleep at night, because I was talking fifteen tylenol every night and cutting myself, because I wanted to die, because I felt like I was'nt worth anything, because that was what every guy eventually told me. Along with some other words that I won't go into detail about.

 

And of course, I had some genious friends who "cared for me" who came around with alchaol, and sex, and cocaine, and meth, and ALOT of pills, and parties, and I was back in the same boat again. I lost the fight.

 

But there is this event at the Calvary Chappel in Belen, it's called Ignite. And it's a 100% youth led function, where youth make a praise band, and lead classes, and cook lunch, and have prayer rooms, and a group from El Paso called King's Kids, stayed at our church, and we were allowed to stay the night with them, and that's where I met Julie. Julie Carafano, was beautiful. She told stories about going to the Eucrane, and South America, and helping people, by just being there, and holding hands, and hugging, but she did it in a way, that it was'nt like all of the other missionary people I had met. She loved, and she did it humbly.

 

That night, I sat with her, and talked about parties, and boys, and drinking, and throwing everything away. She did alot of the same stuff as me, and I felt, loved. By God. I felt God for the first time, and she told me about programs, and about becoming a missionary, and from that day forward I felt peace. About what I will be. I felt the peace of God come around me, and for the first time, I wasn't scared.

 

And now, well, December 27th, I am going on my first out of the country trip to Ecuador, to visit orphanages in Quito, and Latacunga. I am no where near being perfect. I am no where near being a good or even a decent person. I am always ready for someone to notice me sinning again. I am a sinner, in the deepest meaning of the word. But by the grace and love of God, I am saved.

 

I am a senior in high school, and so yes, I still have a lot of life left to live. But I refuse to live it alone. And I refuse to let it pass by me, because I was too busy having "fun".

I let God have control of my life, and it has been the hardest thing I have ever done. But it's worth it. Plus, it has great retirement benefits!(;  

 

Thank you!

Peace to you.



Guest Blog: What It's Like To.....Live in China

While I'm on vacation in Costa Rica, some of my friends have volunteered to step in with guest blogs on the theme "What It's Like to...." Hope you enjoy! Buenos dias! :)

Since I'll got back from Costa Rica yesterday evening, today will be the last day of this series!  I'm super excited about this blog by College Roomie.  As a total fan of international travel, I am so jealous of her experience living in abroad for a year.  Although I hated China for taking my best friend away from me for a year, I'm so glad she went because her experiences totally made her life better!  So...here ya have her...College Roomie!

Ni hao, Tiffany’s followers!  While she is off zip-lining, beach lounging, or otherwise having a blast in Costa Rica, I’m delighted to be here with you today on the blog, telling you all about “What it’s like to…live in China.” 

I graduated college in December of 2006, and a few months prior to that I was in a panic about finding a job.  One of the professors in my college (Hotel and Restaurant Management) spoke of an alum who was currently in Shenzhen, China, serving as the General Manager of a brand-spankin’-new InterContinental Hotel that hiring a few management trainees.  Why not, I thought?  I sent in the application, was hired, accepted the offer, and started planning to move to China, all in the matter of about two weeks. 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are precisely fifteen thousand words that tell about my year in China far better than I could describe.

This picture says, “Four Americans in the Hong Kong Airport after a 15 (or was it 18?) hour flight – jet lagged, overwhelmed by the Cantonese and/or Mandarin characters on all the signage, and with absolutely no idea what’s in store for them.”

Here are a few pictures from the ol' workplace:

The pool area...gorgeous, eh?

The Club Floor.

 As a front office management trainee, I spent a good quarter of my time at the hotel working on the club floor. Here are some of the lovely ladies I worked with there:

But enough about work.  Here are some out-and-about in Shenzhen pictures:

One of my greatest regrets is failing to travel around China more than I did.  I filled up my passport with trips to Hong Kong and Macau, which are very accessible to Shenzhen by train (HK) and ferry (Macau).  I also made it to Beijing and Shanghai.  But there is so much more to see around China and it was an epic fail to not prioritize that during my time there. 

Hong Kong

Macau - The Vegas of Asia

The Great Wall (Ba Da Ling outside Beijing).

Living in China was such an amazing experience.  The friendships that will last forever...the food that I learned to love – uh, most of it at least…and the country, culture, and people that I learned to appreciate.  It would be easy for me to go on and on and on about what I learned and I could give a play-by-play for every picture and memory I have.  But you don’t have all day. 

I’m an American – the land of the free and the home of the brave, where we pride ourselves on our independence.  And there is no place like home.  But I gained my own personal sense of independence when I was living in Shenzhen and my time there will always be a tremendous blessing and a treasured experience. 

Xie xie - zai jian.

Guest Blog: What It's Like To...Start Your Own Business

While I'm on vacation in Costa Rica, some of my friends have volunteered to step in with guest blogs on the theme "What It's Like to...." Hope you enjoy! Buenos dias! :)

So today while I'm flying home from paradise, you're going to hear from Miss Canada about starting her own business.  I do not have an entrepeueral bone in my body, so I really admire her for following her dream and doing this thing!  Her blog is absolutely wonderful, just as I expected.  Here we go....Miss Canada!

What It's Like To Start Your Own Business.  Exciting. Scary. Empowering. Overwhelming. Rewarding.

I was truly honored when Tiffany asked if I would write a guest blog about what it has been like to start and run Bella Spur Innovative Media Inc. Now that I’m actually writing the post though, there are perhaps as many parallels in telling you all about it as actually doing it. How do I condense five years into a few paragraphs? So I think we’ll use the adjectives that started out this post to provide the foundation, and you are welcome to email any questions I’ve left unanswered.
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EXCITING. It’s always exciting to start a new chapter in your life. I had begun freelancing as a graphic designer on the side while working in Ontario. As it would, the stars aligned in the summer of 2006 for me to move back to Alberta and freelance full-time. Having grown up in the purebred cattle industry, many friends and acquaintances were willing to support my new venture, and I’ll be forever indebted to them. I can still feel the exhilaration that would come after each call that ended in, “Yes, we’d love to have you design our [catalog/website/whatever].”

SCARY. As exciting as any change is, there is always a little bit of fear, too. I remember flipping through all the breed publications that first month and seeing ads for seven, yes SEVEN, other designers. My only thought was, “there is not enough business in the Canadian cattle industry for all of us.” And being the new gal on the block, with a short two years of experience, I was afraid it could well be me who wouldn’t make it. Especially once I started really working… because ignorance is bliss, and when you realize how much you don’t know it’s downright frightening.

EMPOWERING. Less than a year after starting out on my own, I had a partner on board and we were incorporated. One of my dearest friends finished her digital media program about the same time as I started freelancing. Being independent, farm girl types, it never occurred to us to work together. We were always supporting each other through the first few months, but it wasn’t until clients who knew us both started asking us to work together that it dawned on us. We’re quick like that, haha! And so began Bella Spur Innovative Media. Word spread quickly, and it wasn’t long until we were getting calls about new projects every day. I tell ya, nothing beats other people believing in you to make you believe in yourself.

Jamie-Rae, Michael, Laura (the original team)

OVERWHELMING. We were ill prepared for success. Truthfully, we never had a business plan, and we were flying by the seats of our pants. As our workload increased, we assigned tasks as each of our schedules permitted rather than according to personal strengths. It took us both almost reaching our breaking points to realize we needed a better plan. So we switched some responsibilities around, hired another designer, and agreed we should have done both a long time before.

REWARDING. Those few changes made a tremendous difference to our personal states of happiness and our workflow efficiency, which was certainly reflected in the business. It began growing exponentially again when we were all doing the things we loved doing. The team doubled in size, we redefined roles as needed, and worked with an eye to the future.

Each of us has different goals in life, and all of us are as much committed to the others’ success as our own. We keep an open dialogue about everyone’s lives as much as the business, because we believe work should be contributing to our contentment in life emotionally as well as financially.

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That’s our story – the ups and the downs. What I have learned is that success comes from following your passion, and being willing to work hard. We love agriculture, and receive enormous joy from promoting the people who feed the world. However, the first couple of years, I did nothing but work. There were lots of 16-hour days. Thanks to that effort though, I now have the freedom to live life much more on my terms.
I’ve also learned that the rules don’t always apply. They say you should never go into business with your best friend, but that was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Not to say there aren’t trials when you do things your own way, but the rewards can far outweigh the challenges.

Finally, whatever you choose to do for work should aid you in your life’s quest. By that, I don’t mean your career has to be exactly what your life’s goals are; what I mean is that your career should help you along your path. If you want to share the beauty of the world through photography, you don’t have to make your living as a photographer – perhaps it’s that your job inspired you creatively and allows the opportunity for travel.

I believe I have a responsibility to honor the mission set out for me in this life, and Bella Spur allows me to do that on many different levels. I am blessed.

If you have any questions about starting a business, or want to swap emails about experiences, you can reach me at laura@bellaspur.com.

Guest Blog: What It's Like To....Work Out With A Trainer

While I'm on vacation in Costa Rica, some of my friends have volunteered to step in with guest blogs on the theme "What It's Like to...." Hope you enjoy! Buenos dias! :)

Today we have one of my best friends, Loud Oklahoma Girl, to tell us what it's like to work out with a trainer!  She started this last fall and has gotten even more serious with her upcomming WEDDING DAY just around the corner in July!  She does not brag about it enough here, but she has made a huge transformation in her life, lost like 20 pounds, and is running 5K's left and right.  Yep, she's a rock star.  Unlike me who decided after trying on swim suits for Costa Rica that we would make a neck-up only rule for pool and beach photos!  With that, here's Loud Oklahoma Girl!

Well as all you lovely Tiff blog readers know she is spending the week in Costa Rica. I’m very jealous and super excited to read the blog recaps from her and Lyndse over at I was born a redneck girl  when they get back. So, for today you get to read about me--Loud Oklahoma Girl--the friend of Tiff who is going to tell you what it is like to work out with a trainer.

Honestly for me working out with a trainer has been more about the encouragement they give me and the friendships I have made. I have lost a good 1-2 pant sizes, my blood pressure is back in the normal category, and I feel much healthier. However, all of this aside, the relationships I have built with my trainers has been the most enriching part for me. I don’t really have a work out partner and using a trainer has been a must needed encouragement to keep going. No matter what my size, my trainers have accepted me and know that I will accomplish all of my goals. Tiff got to meet my favorite trainer and work out with us one day. I will let her tell you how great he was, but after our session she was like I just love him! {Not only was he awesome, he was also adorable!  I loved Barrett....my arms did NOT love him the next day when I was too sore to wave the wheat at the football game!}

As far as workouts go, I do 45 minute sessions with them twice a week. Then after my session I do a 30-35 minute interval run on the treadmill. I learned through my trainer that you burn more calories if you do your cardio after your strength training. They write up whole body sculpting workouts that differ each time. I have learned some great ways to workout with and without weights. I have done just about every single form of plank known to man. I know I HATE burpies, but that does not stop my trainer from making me do them weekly. I am terrible at pull ups, but my trainer is certain that he will have me doing them by the end of year. Last, they really encourage me in running, which is my favorite work out. They are always excited to hear about all my runs and they do a great job of helping me get better and accomplishing my goal of running a half marathon.

LOKG on the far left after running the 5K at the SF Marathon

I have been working out at Fitness Together, which is a personal training gym only. I go twice a week, even though they recommend 4 times a week, I am just not that rich. I will tell you I budgeted it out and made some sacrifices to afford a personal trainer, but it is SO worth it to me. You must decide what is most important to you. Tiff can tell you I really struggled with spending my money on this, but it has been one of the best investments I have ever made. It is imperative that you find the trainer that is best for you. Every trainer is different and I need the type that is constantly encouraging me and not yelling at me.

It was nice sharing my training stories with you today. Happy blogging to all you great bloggers out there!

Guest Blog: What It's Like To.....Have Santa and Mrs. Claus for Grandparents

While I'm on vacation in Costa Rica, some of my friends have volunteered to step in with guest blogs on the theme "What It's Like to...." Hope you enjoy! Buenos dias! :)

I'm super excited about today's guest blog from my friend Mama Rock!  She married one of my best guy friends from high school, Daddy Rock, and they have three of the cutest kids that you've ever seen in your life.  How she keeps up with him and the kids and her job PLUS has time to write a guest blog is beyond me.  I've already got her tapped to do a Meet the Cast post and intend on asking!  So with that...Mama Rock!

"We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.”

Mama Rock and her grandparents...Santa and Mrs. Claus

My Papa has had his beard since 1965. 2 of his 7 children have never seen him without it. It used to be jet black but when it turned white he got this hair brained idea to stand on the over pass outside of town and wave at people dressed as Santa.  The first time he tried it a sheriff’s deputy showed up because someone had called in a jumper.

One of the first parades he was ever in, he talked my brother into being an elf but I thought I was too cool for that (because apparently I thought the glasses and braces were helping my case).

Eventually he suckered by Granny into dressing up like Mrs. Claus.

He has always believed that once you quit working, you die, so in 2009 him and my brother decided to put a drive thru Christmas park out on his and Granny’s 4 acres. Anyone who goes out there and doesn’t think it is an insane amount of work is CRAZY. They usually start in September and work all the way up to opening night on Thanksgiving. It is all donation based. People have donated over 100,000 Christmas lights! It is like the Griswold’s on steroids.

My oldest daughter decided to be an elf 2 years ago and amazingly enough she still truly believes in Santa. I’m sure my youngest children will be recruited before long.

Mama Rock's girls playing elves.

The rest of the year is spent going to Vegas, playing softball (Rylin and Papa both play), and loving on their grandbabies.  Growing up with such eccentricity might have warped us but I think it was all for the good.  Scratch that.  I KNOW it was all for the good.  It has taught us patience, how to work hard, joy, love for each other but mostly that doing things for others to make them so incredibly happy can be so rewarding.  About Halloween we always seem to think “What are we doing this for?”  but on Thanksgiving night when that first kid jumps out of the car in his pj’s and screams “Santa!” we remember why we do it and know that it’s all worth it.

Santa playing catcher.

Guest Blog: What It's Like To...Spend a HunDo a Plate

While I'm on vacation in Costa Rica, some of my friends have volunteered to step in with guest blogs on the theme "What It's Like to...." Hope you enjoy! Buenos dias! :)

Today's blog is going to be sort of short and sweet....it's written by Little Brother, so would you really expect anything else?  A little reminder--for their wedding present, I got them a gift card to the fanciest steakhouse in Vegas, Prime in the Bellagio.  I'm much more into spending money on experiences rather than material things (jewelry coming in a little blue box with a white bow is an exception!) 

Anyway, after getting hilarious text messages from him saying he didn't know what to do and he couldn't believe this place, I knew a blog was in order.  And so....here is Little Brother's thoughts on what it's like to spend a HunDo (hundred dollars) a plate on dinner!

 As you know we got married in Vegas a couple weeks ago.

Tiff got us a gift card to the Prime Steakhouse at the Bellagio. Most of the time the fanciest place we eat is a Chili’s or Olive Garden so this was really out of our experience level. We got all dressed up and headed that way.

We walked in to the place and there was a sign that said “Jackets Preferred” well I didn’t wear a coat just a cowboy hat starched shirt and I got real wild and broke out the slacks. Lindsay rocked a long dress so she was kinda in with the fashion unlike me I was the only one in boots and a hat. They sat us in a dark back corner (due to our lack of reservation) and left us a wine menu and I flipped through it and they had a bottle of wine for $58k. The waiter came over and I couldn’t hear him ‘cause he talked so low. The look we got when we ordered our drinks was priceless; I guess they don’t hear you order a jack and 7 or a crown and water too often.

Little Brother's snooty rich person face.

We got an appetizer of bacon wrapped shrimp. Then the main course came a Lindsay got salmon and a side of sautéed mushrooms.  {Note from Tiff:  I send her to the best freaking STEAK house in Vegas and she orders fish?  And not even fancy fish...the kind that you can buy in a can and make into patties?} I had a dry aged bone in rib eye with herb mashed potatoes and a side of steamed asparagus. The steak was by far the best steak I had ever eaten in my life.

It was worth the 70 bucks but just barely. 

Guest Blog: What It's Like To....Be A Fisherwoman

While I'm on vacation in Costa Rica, some of my friends have volunteered to step in with guest blogs on the theme "What It's Like to...."  Hope you enjoy!  Buenos dias! :)

We'll kick things off with my dear friend, Blonde Oklahoma Girl, who is actually with me in Costa Rica enjoying paradise!  If you know her in real life, you realize that she's a little high maintenence (I rate her at an 8/10 on the scale), loves pink and glitter and make up.  But what you  might not know is that her favorite summertime hobby is fishing.  So, what better for her to write about?  With that intro, here you have Blonde Oklahoma Girl!

Helllloooo

Blonde Oklahoma girl here...Tiff here is one of my bff's and I blog over here at I was born a red dirt girl.

Tiff wanted me to do a blog about fishing. This might seem to shock people, because normally I would do a blog about how to master the ulitimate poof pony tail. I never go anywhere with a flat pony tail, but I've broaden my horizons...one of those horizons just so happens to be fishing.

Poofed hair example :)

It's actually not a new found hobby. I started fishing at a young age. Growing up, I would spend summers with my Nana and Papa. They lived on a ranch in southern Oklahoma with tons and tons of land for us to run wild and lots of ponds. In fact, not only is this where my love for fishing first started, but it's also where I learned to shoot a gun...and might I add...learned to shoot very well. What I am about to say is going to make me sound very red neck...but hey, it is Oklahoma. My Papa would toss various can's into the water and see if I could shoot them. Free entertainment I guess.

Might I add...I blew those suckers out of the water.

Back to fishing.

Here are just few things, I think everyone should know before the deem themselves pro fisherwomen...like myself.

Own your own pole/tacklebox. So what if your pole is pink and gray. Poles with no color are boring...plus, in a man's world...it's nice to have a little femininity. Also, ingnore the grumpy old men that fish on the dock...they are just jealous because their fishing pole isn't as fancy.

Bait your own hook. You can't be a pansy when it comes to fishing. People won't take you serious if you can't bait your own hook.

Take your fish off the hook. You aren't always going to be around someone to take the fish off for you. Don't worry about the fish biting you, that like hardly ever happens...what you do have to worry about is the fins...sometimes they will get you, and catfish. They have whiskers...I don't mess with them. If I catch a catfish I'm pretty much screwed because I haven't figured that out yet.

Oh, if you catch a snake...and sometimes this happens...just slowly put your pole down and run. Forget about the pole, Atwoods carries more.

Don't wear flip flops. One would think it would be ok to wear flip flops while fishing...but sometimes one walks down to the edge of the water off of a rock just to wash her hands...only to slip and fall into the lake. If you try to get back up said slippery rocks with said flip flops on, you will fall not only once again but twice until you figure out that the flip flops are causing you the problems.

Bruises, scrapes and the realization that while you fell into the water you also fell onto some goose poop....you learn to not wear flip flops while fishing.

Learn the lingo. Apparently there is some kind of lingo that real fisherman know...you can't refer to bait as that pink glittery worm with the feathers or that lime green slimy worm...these are lures and jigs. Sometimes called crank bait, Twitch bait,Trolling baits...I prefer pink glittery worm with feathers...but whatever.

Watching fishing shows do not help. These needs no explanation really....they obviously cheat on these shows.

What you really need to know about fishing and I learned this from all my years of watching my Papa and my dad fish...is that fishing is just a little better with a nice cold beer in your hand.

And that's how you become a fishing woman.

Guest Blog by Connie J: Trends I Am Ready To See Go Away

"I rant, therefore I am." ~Dennis Miller

Ohhhhh, do I ever have a treat for y'all today! For those of you who might have been around back at the beginning of my blog, you probably remember Connie J. She became blog famous after her rant about cell phone use. If you missed it, click here to read it. Trust me.

Well....she's back with another little rant today. And, as usual, she's hilarious and right on point. And she's going to make you crack up the next time you check out your facebook news feed or walk through Wal-Mart and realize she's right on point. Without further adieu, I give you Connie J! (PS--I realize this picture has nothing to do with the topic of her blog, but I love it and decided to use it anyway.)

Trends I Am Ready to See Go Away….

You know, I like to think of myself as a “trendy old lady” and I’ve seen a lot of things come and go that were pretty awful, but I think there are some trends today that are among the worst.

You have all already heard my previous diatribe regarding cell phone use in church, at the movies, at the funeral, at the wedding, in line at the convenience store, etc…so enough said about that.

Pajamas in public – a personal favorite thing to hate…..now if you just got out of surgery and don’t have ANYONE who can go pick up your prescription maybe it’s understandable, I said MAYBE. However, the number of able bodied healthy people who go out in public in their pajamas is astounding. Not only pajamas, but also fuzzy slippers and bathrobes….please please please take the time to just throw on some clothes before you go to town, I’m begging you!

The “duck face” – this is a subject I have ranted about previously, several times. If you insist on taking a self portrait for facebook, even if you are gorgeous, you look totally ridiculous with your kissy face looking at the camera. As my lovely daughter so aptly put it “if you ever see me making the duck face please walk over to me and punch me in it, I mean it”!

Along the same lines, the self portrait – in addition, if you insist on that aforesaid self portrait in the bathroom or bedroom mirror, try to ensure that the toilet is not in the background, this does not a beautiful picture make, just sayin’.

In closing, I would just like to say that hopefully these current trends will pass and something else not so dumb will take their place, it’s happened before……..

Opera 101....GUEST BLOG by Elizabeth!

"An opera begins long before the curtain goes up and ends long fter it hs come down." ~Maria Callas

One of the fantastic people I worked with in San Francisco was Elizabeth. She's one of the sweetest people in the world.....and I seriously think that she's the biggest opera fan in the world! You have just never seen anyone get so excited when talking about opreas. She knows everything about it, she discusses all the composers and names and songs.....imagine someone talking about opera the way I enjoy talking about college football. That's Elizabeth.

Anyway, she reads the blog, so I was so excited when she agreed to guest blog about opera for me!

So....here's Elizabeth!

Opera is the greatest of all art forms because it combines every method of artistic expression. Music, acting, scenery, costumes and dance all work together to form a perfect evening of entertainment. It is therefore unfortunate, even tragic, that opera has been saddled with the reputation of being a high-minded, inaccessible and elitist form of art, for indeed, nothing could be further from the truth. 19th century composers wrote their operas for a broad, populist audience, and were constantly at pains to choose works guaranteed to be crowd pleasers.

Opera’s current, unfortunate reputation may have several sources. For one, modern audiences of opera often find themselves on the wrong side of a language barrier. This problem did not exist in the 19th century, when composers fully expected their operas to be performed in the language of the audience. Giuseppe Verdi would often translate his operas into French from Italian or vice versa. Gaetano Donizetti not only wrote in French, but wrote on subjects designed to appeal to the local audience. His charming comedy, Daughter of the Regiment, tells the story of a young girl raised by a regiment of Napoleon’s army, only to fall in love with an enemy Tyrolean, who promptly joins the regiment to win his beloved’s hand. The effervescently patriotic finale, ‘Salut a la France,’ became something of a second national anthem in France, despite having been written by a committed Italian patriot.

Verdi too was not above shameless patriotic pandering in his choice of subjects. His works The Lombards on the First Crusade and The Battle of Legnano were specifically chosen for their interest to the audience. Lombards had its premiere in Milan (the Lombardi region of Italy), and the story served as something of a crutch to the young and still insecure composer, lest his music should fail to please in its own right. Even in his later years, when his reputation was secure, Verdi thought to use a subject from Venetian history for Simon Boccanegra when commissioned to write an opera for Venice’s house. Unfortunately, the ploy was unsuccessful, with Verdi describing the reception of his work as a ‘fiasco.’

Though Verdi successfully revised the music of Simon Boccanegra following its premiere, it is still an opera known for having a particularly confusing plot. In addition to a twenty year leap forward between the prologue and Act 1, several characters spend much of the opera either concealing, or else being unaware of their true identities. Plots such as these sometimes act as a turn off to modern audiences. However, in Verdi’s day, opera plots were specifically chosen for their complicated and often unrealistic dramatic twists. Verdi’s audiences wanted to be entertained in much the same way modern audiences expect to be entertained when they go to the movies. Strange plots are a particularly great asset in an opera, as they allow the composer to showcase a wide range of emotions, and thereby infuse the work with drama.

This emotion and this drama are the very traits that ensure opera’s enduring popularity as an art form. In opera, it is the music itself that tells the story. The music allows the story to convey a meaning greater than that which can be conveyed in words alone. Glorious music can emphasize a heroic act, beautiful music can add dignity to suffering, and sinister music can make an act all the more evil. When the singers are silent, the music can nevertheless deliver a powerful psychological portrait. And when six people each share their feelings at any given moment, rather than hearing people trying to talk over one another in confusion, we hear six separate ideas harmoniously interwoven.

Opera is well worth getting to know. The one remaining difficulty is knowing where to begin. One of the best ways to begin an introduction to opera is with a highlights CD. Once you’ve gotten to know the CD, choose your favorite track and buy a full length recording of that opera. It’s likely you’ll love the opera so much, you’ll wonder how they could choose just one aria as a highlight.
Another excellent way to get to know opera is by watching a DVD of a performance. Seeing a performance can be very useful to understanding the action. One of my favorite operas, Lucia di Lammermoor, has just been released on DVD with Anna Netrebko in the title role. This opera was broadcast live from the Met last year, and features a wonderful cast singing beautiful music. Based on a novel by Sir Walter Scott, the action takes place in Scotland. Lucia and Edgardo fall in love. Unfortunately, they are from feuding families. What’s more, Lucia’s brother, Enrico, has arranged for Lucia to marry a man capable of restoring Enrico to political favor at court. Predictably, the opera, ends in tragedy when Lucia goes insane, kills her husband on their wedding night, and then dies herself. Her beloved Edgardo, hearing of her death, promptly kills himself, but not before singing of how the two will be reunited in heaven. This is one opera where I honestly love every moment of the music.

Finally, for the excitement of a live performance, I would recommend the Met’s HD broadcasts. For several years, the Met has been broadcasting live performances into movie theaters around the country. In addition to seeing an opera for about the cost of a standing room ticket at the Met, you can have a close up view of all the action, and watch interviews with the stars during intermission. It’s an excellent way to get to know opera.

Though getting to know the operatic repertory may seem like a daunting task, it’s nothing but a complete joy once you begin. While settings and plots may seem remote and alien, the emotion contained in the music will be all too familiar. The music helps to convey meaning that cannot be fully communicated in words. Simply put, opera allows us to express that which is beyond description.

GUEST BLOG by Stefanie!

"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." ~Pooh's Grand Adventure

I've known Stefanie for about 9 years or so...since she was a little pipsqueak picking out show lambs at Mr. Franklin's house. She's like a litlte sister to me and I'm so glad she's in my life! She's all grown up now...a senior in high school....which makes me feel insanely old! You might have seen her kicking everyone's butt in the sheep show ring, or breaking hearts outside the ring. :) She's fantastic and I'm so glad she's guest blogging!

So....here's Stefanie!

Life's biggest challenges make for a sweeter victory.

Well, I couldn't think of what I should write about. I feel like I need something that all of Tiff's friends could relate to. So after I pondered a while, I decided that Tiff missed her calling....She should definitely be a therapist. But, I suppose a lawyer will work too. Just with the circle of friends we havein comon, she is doing us all a favor either way. By the way Tiff, umm do you think you could get my ticket shaved off? JUST KIDDING! :)

Tiff has always been such an inspiring and helpful friend no matter how silly or how deep the problem. So, as I thought about that....Bingo. I found my blog topic.

The challenges we face today, the simple ones or the ones that really have detrimental impacts on us, are all a part of wht builds and binds our character. I don't know about you all, but I use to hate the saying, "it builds character" and yet, here I am using it. (What a hypocrit!) "It builds character" was my mom's sympathy for any complaint I honestly believe. But really it is true. Think about it.

It can be a simple challenge such as a competition, the more intense the competition and the more effort you dedicate to it, the sweeter the outcome or victory. Along the way, you will develop character, good or bad, you will obtain it.

If you are hte one who has faced or is facing (do you realize in life it seems like you are always facing challenge of some sort?) one of life's interrupting challenges, sadly, it will build character too. Probably it will even help define you. And at the same time, it may seem detrimentl. But as time heals the wounds, or Tiff works her therapist magic, you will find yourself stronger and the victory worthwile.

Think about some of your greatest heroes. Chances are they they didn't find that special place in your heart the easy way, did they? As I think of my greatest hero, Pops (Jerry Franklin), some of his most inspiring and motivational impacts on me were how he coped with Lou Gehrig's disease. Even as something so tragic impacted his life, he didn't let it impact his character in a negtive way. It just grew more positive each day. He strived on with faith and leadership, just like he taught so many of us. He definitely set the ultimate example of heroic character. Through his struggle he excelled with grace, which left a sweet victory on so many. We even found an unborn character and strength within ourselves as we went through such a loss.

I honestly beleive we are all stronger than we know, and though we are tested from time to t ime, we "CAN DO IT!" By "doing it" and facing the challenge, whatever it may be that life presents us with, we will be building in ourselves, character, and preparing for a sweeter victory.

Keep on keeping on....when the going gets tough, you gotta get tougher.

Guest Blog Friday.....Me!

"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart." ~Elisabeth Foley

So guest blog Friday this week has a little twist.....because I was asked to do a guest blog! Yay!

My dear friend, Crazy Canadian, invited me to blog at her wonderful website, Copper West. Robyn and I judged together at Dodge City Community College for a year back in the good ol' days. She's one of the most AMAZING people you'll ever meet in your life! She started Copper West as a way to showcase and share ideas about western living and style......and it's a great website! Check it out at: http://copperwest.ca/blog

So now that I've shared my opportunity to guest blog.....I'll be returning to our regularly scheduled programming next week. I have several people who are soon to come...Denton, Stefanie, Shane, Elizabeth, Myranda.....it'll be fun!

GUEST BLOG BY SARA: The Choices You Make....

"Your friends will know you better in the first minute they meet you than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years."~ Richard Bach


For today's guest blog Friday, we have my dear friend, Sara! I usually explain how I met my guest blogger, but Sara's whole blog is about that, so I'll leave that part out. I will say Sara is one of my favorite people....she's funny and beautiful and I love her to death! When our group of girls gets together, you just never know what is going to happen! We've been through a lot...good and bad.... but she's so sweet and positive and just all round great!

So.....here's Sara!

Well when Tiff asked me to do a guest blog I was very excited, but unsure of what I would write about. Now I’m not the type of person that has all this great advice to give, or is good at writing interesting stories, so this is quite a challenge for me. With that I have racked my brain all week trying to decide what to write about, and I have decided to share my first encounter with Tiff.

Tiff and I didn’t grow up together, go to high school together, and if it wouldn’t have been for my BFF’s boyfriend we would have never met. You see Tiff attended a Junior College in Kansas and I attended a Junior College in Oklahoma and somehow our paths crossed and she will be in my life forever. Since growing up, moving out of the house and going to college I realized real quick that all the choices you make are for a reason. And, in my experience it is to meet people that will change your life…

To set the background, I grew up in very small town called Copan, OK, which is an hour North of Tulsa, OK right on the Kansas border. As a young lady all I wanted to do was graduate High School and go to a College far far away from home. So, I decided to attend Eastern Oklahoma State College with my high school best friend. This school was located in another small Oklahoma town called Wilburton, which is 3 hours from Copan down by the Arkansas border. This was no great College that all the kids in the surrounding high schools dreamed of going, but it was far away from home.

While there I met my best friend for life and through her ultimately I met Tiff. You see my BFF and I decided to go back to Straford, which was the town my BFF is from, for the weekend. You may ask why any college kid would want to go home for the weekend and they would tell their parents it’s because they miss them, but we went home so we could meet up with my BFF’s boyfriend at a hotel in once again another small town called Pauls Valley.

You see my BFF never dated anyone from Eastern and was known for her long distant boyfriends. Well this one defiantly fell into that category. The boyfriend went to a small junior college in Kansas. And the reason we were able to meet him at a hotel was because he was on his way to a college livestock judging contest. You may be asking how he was able to convince his judging coach to stay at this hotel and I to this day still don’t know…

Well, once at the Hotel my BFF and I get escorted to a room full of livestock judgers. My BFF and I get introduced to everyone, and then I got left in the room alone with all these strangers. If you find yourself asking what happened to my BFF and the Boyfriend I have no idea… All I know is that I was in a room full of complete strangers. In the room was the livestock judging coach, a very loud and opinionated girl from Canada, Tiff and some other random boy from Kansas. Needless to say Tiff and I hit it off and became close friends.

Tiff was a life saver that night and has become one of my all time closest friends. If I had chosen to go to just some junior college close to home I would have never met my BFF, and would have never went to some random hotel in Pauls Valley with her to meet a random livestock judging team were I met Tiff. So, like I said in the beginning of this story the choices you make are for a reason.

Growing Up....GUEST BLOG by Marianna!!

"We grow neither better nor worse as we get old, but more like ourselves." ~ May Lamberton Becker

I'm so excited to have one of my closest, and oldest (meaning longest time....not that she's old!) friends guest blog today! Marianna and I have been friends since the 4th grade. Although we had a year or two of not getting along (circa middle school.....go figure!), we have been really close ever since. Sooooo many of my favorite memories involve her! State Fair dorms, double dates in Grady, her chasing her twin brother with a butcher knife.....I could go on forever. She is one of the sweetest, strongest people I know and I'm so grateful to have her in my life. I think her blog topic is just great, hope you all do too!

So......here's Marianna!

I have realized that as the years pass by and we age one more year, that each has held something great. Growing up is definitely a hard feat and if it were easy everyone would do it. When Tiffany asked me to write on this wonderful blog, my mind went through all of the different stories I could tell or the different events that have happened in our lives. One of the main ones that kept coming back was the idea of when I knew I was ‘grown up’.

· When my hero went from a guy throwing around a football or singing a country song to my dad.
· When Chester and I could actually be together for more than a day and not fight (and if you knew us we sure could! There are great fighting stories that still circulate!)
· When I stopped caring about how other people looked at me.
· When I knew it was OK to express emotion.
· When dad calls me and I don’t think ‘Oh I am too busy to talk right now.’
· When I look back on my childhood and realize how blessed I was to have strict parents.
· When I yearn to have land and cattle.
· When I knew I didn’t have to agree with EVERYTHING anyone talked about.

Growing up is definitely a process that enriches the soul. In one hand, growing up means more responsibility, but on the other hand it means more freedom to spread your wings. Every day you are becoming more like yourself.

Don't sit by me.....GUEST BLOG by Connie J!

"Common sense is not so common." ~Voltaire

I'm super excited about this week's guest blogger....Connie J! She is one of the funniest ladies you'll ever meet. She was one of the office ladies at my high school and let me tell you, she ran that school! Everyone loves her and I think we would all read her blog if she started one! When she said she'd do a guest blog, I was super excited to see what she'd have to rant about. She didn't let me down.

So......here's Connie!

Tiffany stole my thunder by already talking about cell phones…but I’m going ahead with it anyway…

Is everybody who goes to church, the movies, a wedding, a funeral, school….so important that they can’t leave their cell phones off for ONE hour? Are we all heart surgeons on call, the governor, the president, etc….that we can’t be out of touch with everyone for just a little while?

I have been highly disturbed recently at a funeral when the same guy’s phone rang not once, but twice during the service. I’ve paid actual money to go to a movie and I want to slap the lady whose phone rings five times. I’ve been at bingo for goodness sake, when you know the people in there are not lawyers and doctors and prison wardens waiting for the reprieve from the governor (some may be future prisoners however) and they have their Bluetooth headset on and they just receive all the phone calls….oh my gosh!


I remember the time when we would drive miles across the country, heck sometimes I even went by myself, and never thought about not being able to contact my friends, co-workers or family until I got to the next town where there was a pay phone. I remember going to church and never worried about not getting a message from my mother about the dog’s appointment at the groomer or how she is out of beans, could I please bring her some on my way home.

I remember going to school for 12 years (and that was a long time ago!) and not once did I feel the need, or even know of the existence of, a cell phone. If I needed to call my mom I went to the office and asked to use the phone, AND it better be pretty dang important or I could just march myself right back to class, and why did my teacher let me out in the first place!!!??? I remember going to school meetings in Albuquerque where they didn’t feel the need to ask “professional” people to please turn off their cell phones during the meeting—they shouldn’t have to ask!

When you go to Allsups or McDonalds and the brain surgeon behind the counter can’t stop texting or talking to take your money, tell me you don’t have the same issues… Technology is indeed a wonderful thing, but there are limits to my patience about it. I do not have an answering machine, and don’t have voice mail on my cell phone. Yes, I do have a cell phone and am as bad as most people about carrying it. I do, however, turn it off when the occasion calls for it to be off.

So don’t sit next to me at the movies or the funeral or the wedding…..because if your cell phone rings I will slap you.

"All The Single Ladies...." GUEST BLOG by Lyndse!!

"Think about it. If you are single, after graduation there isn't one occasion where people celebrate you. ... Hallmark doesn't make a "congratulations, you didn't marry the wrong guy" card. And where's the flatware for going on vacation alone?" ~SATC

Today's guest blog is by my dear friend, Lyndse! We met at OSU (shocking, I know) and she is honestly one of the funniest, sweetest, most amazing people I know! She's one of the foursome of girls I love to have girls weekends with every year. She always writes the cutest emails, so when she said she wanted to guest blog, I was super excited. She didn't let me down!

So.....drumroll.....here's Lyndse!

Let me just start off by saying that I am very excited to be one of Tiff’s guest bloggers, since I live in Oklahoma and do not get to see her very much, I look forward to reading up on the latest adventures of Tiff. That being said, I couldn’t think for the life of me what to write about, my life is nowhere near as exciting.

Then it came to me when I was checking my mail. I got the normal stuff, bills…blah, something for someone named Lisa (not me obviously) and two invites to a baby shower. Two invites to a baby shower!? How can this be? When did we become the age where we are getting invited to weddings and baby showers, not to mention bridal showers, bachelorette parties, etc.

Two things about this bothers me: One, that I am getting older (I turned twenty-five this year, yes I had a pity party, and no I am still not over it) and Two, this is yet another thing that I have to buy for. Yes, I said it. That I have to buy for. This probably sounds selfish but please understand this is not the point I am making. I am very excited for my friends that are having babies, for those who have already had babies and those that are getting married or have gotten married. Congrats!! Yay!! Couldn’t be happier for you. However, all these weddings, showers, and babies are getting expensive for me. I am a single woman, who is now on a budget. Who invented a budget anyway? It’s really for the birds (another soapbox, another day). Why is it that we are only allowed to register for things when we’re getting married or having a baby? I have a house, I need or should I say “want” things, why can’t I register? It’s really only fair, don’t you think. I do not think that I have to become joined with one for someone to buy me a blender or five for that matter. I would like to get pots and pans, towels, and fancy dishes that I will probably never use. Why does it have to come when I get married? I think us, young, professional, successful, single women who are on our own, buying houses, out in the world making a name for ourselves, and getting older should be able to register. For example, turning twenty-five seems like a momentous occasion maybe one that would require a registry, just throwing that out there!

Maybe I am just jealous that I can’t go to Target or Bed Bath and beyond and take one of those fancy guns, and scan any and everything that I need or think I need. I really am excited for my friends that get to register, really I am. And as for those baby showers, don’t worry, I will get them a gift, after all I do like to shop…its where that whole not working well on a budget comes in : )

(Our fabulous Girls Weekend 2008!)