One bite at a time!
The big moving stress is here! The Greenes will be gradually moving from Millerhood to The Mount, so think of us as we try to eat the elephant together in the next two weeks.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
How do you eat an Elephant?
One bite at a time!
The big moving stress is here! The Greenes will be gradually moving from Millerhood to The Mount, so think of us as we try to eat the elephant together in the next two weeks.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Memorial Day
“In one of his last newsletters, Mike Ranney wrote:
-Major Dick Winters,
"In thinking back on the days of Easy Company, I treasure my remark to a grandson who asked, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?'
No,'" I answered, 'but I served in a company of heroes.”
Commander of Easy Company
2nd Battalion
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Goals for Now until June
1) Read at least 5 books; right now I'm reading "under the skin," but next will be "girls in white dresses" and after that there are a slew of books to choose from. Hopefully I can get some of my group together to do some type of book club. The 5 don't include my audiobooks; I should get through 2 or 3 of them as well.
I also went to a book club that meets monthly, although they all read different books and talk about them; they got me connected to two others though, so hopefully I can get involved there as well.
2) Take 10 minutes every morning to take a walk around the apartment- Mom pointed out that there are lots of little opportunities that may seem insignificant but can still be utilized. I want to make it a goal just to walk more, but since that isn't as measurable I want to say I will at least do a mini walk in the morning.
3) Finish my coursera class, and then take a second one. It isn't so much that they're difficult, but they're good exercises in self-discipline. It also wouldn't kill me to start back on my Spanish rosetta course. I'm using my trip to Costa Rica as motivation.
4) Go to my gym 4 days a week- Screw weight loss. I give up on that right now. But it's good for me to get out of the house, it's good to push your body, and I always feel better after a workout. So even if I go just to get the rest of my steps in, I need to go.
5) Watch smarter movies and television- Instead of getting sucked into what's already on, or something I've already seen, I need to watch something that makes me better for having seen it.
I also went to a book club that meets monthly, although they all read different books and talk about them; they got me connected to two others though, so hopefully I can get involved there as well.
2) Take 10 minutes every morning to take a walk around the apartment- Mom pointed out that there are lots of little opportunities that may seem insignificant but can still be utilized. I want to make it a goal just to walk more, but since that isn't as measurable I want to say I will at least do a mini walk in the morning.
3) Finish my coursera class, and then take a second one. It isn't so much that they're difficult, but they're good exercises in self-discipline. It also wouldn't kill me to start back on my Spanish rosetta course. I'm using my trip to Costa Rica as motivation.
4) Go to my gym 4 days a week- Screw weight loss. I give up on that right now. But it's good for me to get out of the house, it's good to push your body, and I always feel better after a workout. So even if I go just to get the rest of my steps in, I need to go.
5) Watch smarter movies and television- Instead of getting sucked into what's already on, or something I've already seen, I need to watch something that makes me better for having seen it.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Rivers and Roads
It always makes me a little weepy, but in the best way, and it was in this season's finale of New Girl. Plus, it's the perfect graduation song.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
When You are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris
David Sedaris is the reason I love audiobooks. He is the perfect example of that hilarious written genius that, if read poorly, would just be dull and long winded. I fell in love with him freshman year of college, when we listened to an excerpt from his book "Me talk pretty one day." It is 100% worth listening to the whole thing:
Anyway, I just finished another of his books, "When You Are Engulfed in Flames," which follows his journey with quitting smoking, his neighbors in France, and how he and his partner decided to move to Japan. His is one that can't be captured in a few quotes; he has perfected the craft of extending a story without making it dull. He's the anti-twitter. So with that in mind, here are some quotes that don't necessarily represent the comedy of the book, but I still loved anyway:
“Sometimes the sins you haven't committed are all you have left to hold onto.”
“The things I've bought from strangers in the dark would curl your hair.”
“The bow tie is like the pierced eyebrow of the Republican party.”
Anyway, I just finished another of his books, "When You Are Engulfed in Flames," which follows his journey with quitting smoking, his neighbors in France, and how he and his partner decided to move to Japan. His is one that can't be captured in a few quotes; he has perfected the craft of extending a story without making it dull. He's the anti-twitter. So with that in mind, here are some quotes that don't necessarily represent the comedy of the book, but I still loved anyway:
“Sometimes the sins you haven't committed are all you have left to hold onto.”
“The things I've bought from strangers in the dark would curl your hair.”
“The bow tie is like the pierced eyebrow of the Republican party.”
The important thing is that you go out and get an audiobook or a youtube video of him reading one of his stories, because the man is hilarious.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Ryan Gosling Finally Eats his Cereal
I just find this so touching. If you haven't seen the original video, it was created by Ryan McHenry:
Ryan died on Sunday at the age of 27, and to honor him, Ryan Gosling sat down and had a bowl of cereal. It seems so trivial, but it's one of those little things that remind you how valuable we all are, and how easy it is to give someone their due props.
Ryan died on Sunday at the age of 27, and to honor him, Ryan Gosling sat down and had a bowl of cereal. It seems so trivial, but it's one of those little things that remind you how valuable we all are, and how easy it is to give someone their due props.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Adventures in Cat Fostering
For the past 6 weeks, I've been sharing my space with a momma cat and her three kittens. I really thought, prior to this experience, that I was an animal person. I've always been a little afraid of kittens (they're so fragile!) but figured I could be compassionate and hospitable regardless.
I was wrong.
While the experience came with a lot of stories, and it was a Good Thing to Do, I'm going to try very hard to never do this again. Some examples of this month's struggles:
1) Because you aren't keeping the cats, you shouldn't get attached. For that reason, the mom is always just "cat," and then there's "the kitten with the boots," "the middle kitten," and "the runt." The shelter told me I could name them, but it just seemed like a bad idea. It also doesn't help that you don't find out their gender until they're older, because I didn't even have a pronoun to use instead of a name.
2) Since you aren't attached to the cats, and they aren't yours, you feel much less forgivable when they act weird. When Shakespeare wakes me up in the morning, it's the best alarm clock ever. When mom cat does it, I'm immediately annoyed. It's the difference between having a house guest and having family.
3) Kittens are so fragile! They've had to go in for eye infections, one of them has been making messes everywhere and I have to take him in to see if he has worms, and you constantly have to be on the alert for flees. Even if you do all the things you're supposed to, the kittens still might just die. And since they aren't yours, you will feel even worse about it.
I will add that I was very lucky to have a mom cat who was generally very helpful through all this. She didn't mind when I was smearing medicine on her kittens' eyes, and we tagged teamed cleaning the kitten last night (she only clean them if they're convenient, and I was so tired of wiping it off with a wet paper towel that I just held the kitten down while she licked it clean. Gross.)
4) Animals smell. That's just how it goes. And my bathroom is too small for the litterbox to go there, so it's in my closet, and I'm constantly vacuuming and scooping and air-freshening and lysol-ing. My hands are so dry from the amount of cleaning I do. On the bright side, cleaning a litterbox is way easier than cleaning a rat cage.
5) Cats are prickly! Even when they're happy with you, they dig their claws into your leg. I had to hide my grammy quilt so they couldn't dig into that, but they've ruined some clothes and I'm constantly stopping them from yanking up the carpet. They've only recently started chewing on wood, too, so my desk and dresser are on high alert.
So I don't care how cute they are, I hate them. I do not want a kitten. I keep telling people, and they don't believe me, but truly- I want a grouchy, old, fat cat that hides in the corner and hisses at strangers and only likes me (but in a prideful, not needy way). Preferably orange. So basically, Garfield.
I was wrong.
While the experience came with a lot of stories, and it was a Good Thing to Do, I'm going to try very hard to never do this again. Some examples of this month's struggles:
1) Because you aren't keeping the cats, you shouldn't get attached. For that reason, the mom is always just "cat," and then there's "the kitten with the boots," "the middle kitten," and "the runt." The shelter told me I could name them, but it just seemed like a bad idea. It also doesn't help that you don't find out their gender until they're older, because I didn't even have a pronoun to use instead of a name.2) Since you aren't attached to the cats, and they aren't yours, you feel much less forgivable when they act weird. When Shakespeare wakes me up in the morning, it's the best alarm clock ever. When mom cat does it, I'm immediately annoyed. It's the difference between having a house guest and having family.
3) Kittens are so fragile! They've had to go in for eye infections, one of them has been making messes everywhere and I have to take him in to see if he has worms, and you constantly have to be on the alert for flees. Even if you do all the things you're supposed to, the kittens still might just die. And since they aren't yours, you will feel even worse about it.
I will add that I was very lucky to have a mom cat who was generally very helpful through all this. She didn't mind when I was smearing medicine on her kittens' eyes, and we tagged teamed cleaning the kitten last night (she only clean them if they're convenient, and I was so tired of wiping it off with a wet paper towel that I just held the kitten down while she licked it clean. Gross.)4) Animals smell. That's just how it goes. And my bathroom is too small for the litterbox to go there, so it's in my closet, and I'm constantly vacuuming and scooping and air-freshening and lysol-ing. My hands are so dry from the amount of cleaning I do. On the bright side, cleaning a litterbox is way easier than cleaning a rat cage.
5) Cats are prickly! Even when they're happy with you, they dig their claws into your leg. I had to hide my grammy quilt so they couldn't dig into that, but they've ruined some clothes and I'm constantly stopping them from yanking up the carpet. They've only recently started chewing on wood, too, so my desk and dresser are on high alert.
So I don't care how cute they are, I hate them. I do not want a kitten. I keep telling people, and they don't believe me, but truly- I want a grouchy, old, fat cat that hides in the corner and hisses at strangers and only likes me (but in a prideful, not needy way). Preferably orange. So basically, Garfield.
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