What Really Matters?

"This life is simply the title page for the main story that is yet to come." ~ C.S. Lewis

http://www.1000thingsthatmatter.com/

The website challenges people to tell what matters to them, in two sentences, an image or a video. Reading through some of the entries on the website was really interesting to see what different things matter to different people. It made me think, first off, about what does matter.

But then it got me thinking even more about whether or not a person could really fit everything that really matters into two sentences, one picture, or one video. When you really think about the things that matter in your life--the people, experiences, places, ideas, beliefs--that are important to you, don't you feel like you are blessed beyond belief to have so many things that matter?

Brett Favre

"You're never guaranteed about next year. People ask what you think of next season, you have to seize the opportunities when they're in front of you." ~Brett Favre

Well, because OSU's football season seems to be blowing up on smoke (see Exhibit A http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/10183726/Oklahoma-State-All-American-Bryant-is-inegligible .... and believe me there are plenty more similar stories) I have turned my blogging attention to the NFL.

For those of you who might not follow football....who is Brett Favre? He played quarterback for the Green Bay Packers for 15 years. Now, he plays for the Minnesota Vikings. When the Vikings won the game on Monday Night, Brett Favre became the first quarterback in the NFL to beat every team in the league. Pretty cool record.

I think what's even cooler is that this guy genuinely loves the game. He's won the Super Bowl, been the league MVP, probably has more money in the bank right now than I'll earn in my whole life, and he still loves to play football. He's old and banged up and tired.....but he still loves playing. When a reporter asked him recently if he still felt like he needed to be at practice, he said of course he'd be at practice. He said he was just thankful he was able to be there playing.

Maybe some of the other athletes, both college and the pros, should think about why they play. Seems like those who play for the money or for the fame end up in trouble or burned out. It's the ones who play for the game who end up being remembered as great.

FRIENDS Returns???

"See? He's her lobster!" ~Phoebe

According to this article, a FRIENDS movie may be in the works. http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=433916&gt1=28101 Of course, this is based on information from Gunther.....but I always felt like he was reliable on the show. :)

I loved FRIENDS! I still do---seriously, I will sit on my couch watching an episode I have seen 57 times and can quote word for word, and still laugh my head off. I think everything in life can relate back to an episode of FRIENDS.

Here are clips from some of my favorite episodes....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGWNQm0xh8M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiUDDkqdLkA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rp73AJIwHI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyvRjF0NBeM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSUxmIyMHIk

And here are a few of my favorite quotes....

"They don't know we know they know we know!" ~Phoebe and Rachel

"I'm getting married today!!" ~Monica

"Oh, I wish I could. But I just don't want to." ~Phoebe

"We were on a break!" ~Ross"I thought it'd be great, you know? Have some time alone with my thoughts....turns out, I don't have as many thoughts as you'd think!" ~Joey
"YOU COULD DO A LOT WORSE THAN JOEY TRIBIANI!" ~Phoebe

PLEASE COMMENT and share your favorites as well! :)

The Amazing Race!

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” ~ Mark Twain


So.....I really don't watch much tv. I have probably a total of 5 shows I watch frequently (college football doesn't count....we all know I waste every Saturday for 6 months!). One of the shows I have come to love is The Amazing Race.

Check it out: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/




(Whitney and I backpacking in Geneva!)

The show has pairs of contestants who race around the world. At each stop, the last team to complete their tasks is eliminated. The winners get $1 million. But even without the million dollars, these people get an amazing chance to travel the world, to places that they would not go otherwise, on someone else's dollar. They get to meet people from all over the country who they are competing against, and meet people from all over the world on their journey.
(Map of this year's race)



So......I really want to go on this show and have beentalking to my friends about who my partner should be. Major concern for me is going to be the whole car-sickness sitution. These people are always in cabs going a million miles an hour then on a plane then on a bus, then on a boat. Looks like a disaster for someone who is motion sick. Anyway, hopefully I'll trap someone in to applying with me. Even if we didn't make it on the show, how cool would it be to have applied??

(Me at the Coliseum in Rome, Italy)

Stay tuned......maybe you'll see me puking my way across the world some day!

Going to the Drive In

"Friends are the bacon bits in the salad bowl of life." ~Pizza Place Sign

Because I am really no fun, I live my life vicariously through my dear friend College Roomie. Isn't she adorable?








Anyway, last weekend she went on a date to a drive in movie! I didn't even know they had these, but this has now totally been added to my bucket list. Here's the scoop: It only costs $5 per car!! So, you could jam like 10 people in there and the movie would cost each of you like 50 cents! I mean, that might sort of rain on the romantic aspect of it, but it would be a party!! Oh, yea, one more detail. You have to drive 2 hours one way to get to Las Vegas, New Mexico. Those of you who are downers are probably thinking, for what you'd pay in gas, you could afford to go to regular movie here. And that's true--but going to a regular movie isn't on my bucket list.

So, everyone keep your eye out for a boy to take me to the drive in movie in Las Vegas. You'll get credit for helping me cross off that bucket list item!

Happy Anniversary Crazy Canadian and Hubby!!

"Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning." ~Anonymous



My friend The Crazy Canadian is one of the most AMAZING people you'll ever meet. I've never seen anyone so determined and goal oriented and on top of things. We judged livestock together at Dodge City when I was a freshman. We were the girls on the team and although we were just about total opposites, we hit it off and have been great friends ever since!

Check out her fabulous blog here: http://www.robynbeazley.com/






Three years go, she called me while I was studying at school. I came out into the hall and she told me I might need to sit down. I thought she was going to say she was pregnant (sorry, love!) but instead she dropped the bomb on me that she and Hubby had eloped!!


Three years later, they are still happy, healthy and going strong, living in Canada.

So...HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Love you guys!!

Random Thoughts AND Happy Birthday Chase!

My best friend, BFF, and my brother, Little Brother both forwarded this thing to me. They thought it was so hilarious I couldn't help but share. They both tell me they read the blog.....so here's your shout out boys!





P.S.--it's also BFF's birthday today! Here we were on his 21st....he's lots older now! :)

RANDOM THOUGHTS.....

• I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
• Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
• I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
• I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
• The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will neverbe ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.
• There is a great need for sarcasm font.
• I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
• How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
• I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
• I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
• The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
• A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
• Was learning cursive really necessary?
• Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
• I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
• Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantrontest is absolutely petrifying.
• My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us."Classy, bro.
• Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
• How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
• I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
• While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
• MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
• Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
• I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in thes hower first and THEN turn on the water.
• Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty,and you can wear them forever.
• I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
• Bad decisions make good stories.
• Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind ifI do!
• Is it just me or do high school girls get trashier and trashier every year?
• If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
• Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....
• You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
• Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
• There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
• I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
• "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
• I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
• While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA. No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don't win, they are executed.
• I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dangit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
• I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
• When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
• I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
• Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
• As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers,but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
• Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
• It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
• I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
• I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.
• Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
• Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet you anything everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
• My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?
• It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
• I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
• I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
• I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
• The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimate d that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating bymyself.

Vanilla Pop!

"There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good." ~Edwin Denby

VANILLA POP!

So I figured I needed a fun, relaxing evening in my life.....Vanilla Pop was the answer! :) http://www.vanillapop.com/

They are these two old white guys who wear ridiculous clothing, draw on fake mustaches and cover 80's music. The crowd of people is seriously the most random group you've ever seen in your life, but everyone just dances and sings and has a great time. My fabulous group of friends went last night and it was great!

Sooooo....if you guys are ever in town on the first Friday of a month, let me know and we'll go! It's a good time for sure!

Life Lessons

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential and fight for your dreams." ~Ashley Smith

(Pictures from Switzerland)

45 LiFe LeSsOnS

I stole this from Rana, but some of them are really good! As usual, I highlighted my favorite ones!



1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let people see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship hurts, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything.. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Heaven

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He rescues those who are crushed in spirit." ~ Ps. 34:18

(St. Peter overlooking cross statue in Vatican City)

It's amazing how God can put messages our lives when we really need to hear them. When I was in college at OSU, I went to Sunnybrook Christian Church. I loved that church and the people and our wonderful life group and the preacher, Jim. Lucky for me, they post sermons from Jim online so that I can still listen to and learn from him even though I'm no longer in Stillwater. (I just read that and realized it sounded like they did this for me----I'm totally not that important---but I do benefit from whatever reason they decided to do it!)

Jim has been doing a series on Heaven. As everyone knows from the prior blog entries, I recently lost one of my favorite people in the world, Mr. F. Losing someone you love really makes you think about your faith and what you believe Heaven will be like. This series tackles these questions head-on.

I haven't gotten through all of the sermons yet, but I'm working on them. If you are interested, you can listen to them online at: http://sunnybrookcc.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=50120. Just click on "Show Details" under the "Heaven" series. Then click on "Listen Now."

One of the most interesting questions tonight was: What do you currently believe about Heaven? It's something to think about.....