Friday, January 27, 2012

Strengths Finder Class

So for the next 5 weeks I will be attending a Strength Finders class, typically I don't like personality tests or even tests of the nature, but a friend finally convinced me. These are my top 5 "strengths" in order, which are very much interesting, true and so good to know. I'm thinking about shelling out the extra money to find out the rest of my 34. hmm...

Adaptability

You live in the moment. You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.

Belief

If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics—both in yourself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. “I know where you stand,” they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live out your values.

Input

You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information—words, facts, books, and quotations—or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs. Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting precisely because of its infinite variety and complexity. If you read a great deal, it is not necessarily to refine your theories but, rather, to add more information to your archives. If you like to travel, it is because each new location offers novel artifacts and facts. These can be acquired and then stored away. Why are they worth storing? At the time of storing it is often hard to say exactly when or why you might need them, but who knows when they might become useful? With all those possible uses in mind, you really don’t feel comfortable throwing anything away. So you keep acquiring and compiling and filing stuff away. It’s interesting. It keeps your mind fresh. And perhaps one day some of it will prove valuable.

Intellection

You like to think. You like mental activity. You like exercising the “muscles” of your brain, stretching them in multiple directions. This need for mental activity may be focused; for example, you may be trying to solve a problem or develop an idea or understand another person’s feelings. The exact focus will depend on your other strengths. On the other hand, this mental activity may very well lack focus. The theme of Intellection does not dictate what you are thinking about; it simply describes that you like to think. You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection. You are introspective. In a sense you are your own best companion, as you pose yourself questions and try out answers on yourself to see how they sound. This introspection may lead you to a slight sense of discontent as you compare what you are actually doing with all the thoughts and ideas that your mind conceives. Or this introspection may tend toward more pragmatic matters such as the events of the day or a conversation that you plan to have later. Wherever it leads you, this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.

Positivity

You are generous with praise, quick to smile, and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation. Some call you lighthearted. Others just wish that their glass were as full as yours seems to be. But either way, people want to be around you. Their world looks better around you because your enthusiasm is contagious. Lacking your energy and optimism, some find their world drab with repetition or, worse, heavy with pressure. You seem to find a way to lighten their spirit. You inject drama into every project. You celebrate every achievement. You find ways to make everything more exciting and more vital. Some cynics may reject your energy, but you are rarely dragged down. Your Positivity won’t allow it. Somehow you can’t quite escape your conviction that it is good to be alive, that work can be fun, and that no matter what the setbacks, one must never lose one’s sense of humor.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The weekend is so close

Part of my job is to find videos like this to put in our newsletter:

Thursday, January 19, 2012

This baby...

doesn't stop crying...EVER! My sister and her man went out on a date tonight for the first time in like, idk, maybe 8 months. He picked her up in a limo. He has money to blow. I think he's going to propose to her tonight (it's about time) 2 kiddos and 3 years living together later. He's a good dude, she's beautiful. Together they make impossibly adorable children that I love watching, except for this present moment when the 5 month old is the neediest thing in the universe. I'm too selfish to have kids. I taught Makaila how to say "Awesome" and now she says it all the time, at the funniest moments ever, like at Walmart when she throws the bottle of applesauce on the floor and it shatters everywhere, "AWESOME" and always with a smile. It's hard not to like her. She's definitely the next comedian in the fam.

I realized today that I haven't been to the gym in a little over a week. It's been crazy busy, dear trainer that's not even mine, thanks for reminding me. I haven't been sleeping that much, two nights ago around 4:30am I was still laying in bed with my thoughts and earnestly trying and wanting to sleep, when I guess I cried out "I JUST WANT TO SLEEP!" shortly after I hear a whisper, "me too," it was Ginny, she couldn't sleep either. We talked and then fell asleep, only to have to be awake and at work three hours later. I've been drinking a lot of tea, more than I ever have, probably because I haven't been drinking coffee. Doc told me that I need to drink more water, half my body weight in fluid ounces, I believed him but looked it up anyways and sure enough, he was telling the truth.

Bougie is finally asleep...ptL!

I tried drinking that much for two days, but I stopped because I wasn't getting hungry and I had a belly full of water. It took me back to when I was younger, I would purposely drink an abundance of water and lay down on the floor and listen to it all swoosh around in my belly. I was able to hear that same thing for two days and it made me smile, but when I woke up with an intense hunger I've only experienced after a super duper long fast I decided that I would stop trying to impress my employer and just do whatever I want.

I purchased 6 more books (2 of Dostoevsky, super excited) last night and a children's book called "Parts" some kid at the office asked me to read it to them and I did, because I would rather do pretty much anything besides blog all day about peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, etc., and I LOL'd a lot and thought, "if I ever have a kid I think they would appreciate this book." I mean, even if they didn't I would still read it to them. So I got it and added it to my slowly growing stack of future kiddo(s) books. I think it's safe to say that I now own well over 600 books. I'm working on my library. I can't be the old cat lady (due to 1. allergies and 2. hatred), but I can be the old book lady. I'll take it.

I was/am seriously considering dying my hair red...like Deborah Messing red. I think it will look good, I haven't dyed my locks in about 4 years, I think it's time again. I have a great friend who's a hair stylist, so I know I'd be in good hands. Like I was telling my friend earlier though, I just don't know if I'll be up for the upkeep. Blonde roots growing out isn't that cute, (any roots aren't cute). I'm gonna wait until the summer though, I think it would look better once I'm tan again, not pasty. I'm asking the Lord just to change the color of my hair, I kinda like not having to do anything to it besides wash it. Well, even that's optional.

And she's awake again. Tootles.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Summary of Last Two Months or so In Pictures

This is for Karin...I couldn't grow an avocado tree, but I was able to grow mold.

waiting and super excited for Bon Iver

Bon Iver: definitely in my top 3 shows ever.



Hang out time with the queen, she's tapping on my teeth?
Happy Christmas

Luke came home for Christmas break and I decided that I would be a good friend and wash my hair so it smelt nice. That's all very well, only I hadn't combed it in over a month, so when I finally combed it out (35 minutes later) this was the result. Shower promptly followed.
Luke's heart attack burger from
Red Robin.


we got to play some apples to apples. I knew this was going to be bad from the beginning...these were the cards I had to choose from. Guess which one I picked. :) pumping iron.

scary house in Sandwich. I was learning how to use my new camera.

So I am sitting in one of two seats that is in somebodies side yard. They made this little pond themselves and, guessing by the chairs, the owners like to sit out here and stare at stagnant water. I was laughing a lot about this. I'm taking a picture of Clay taking a picture of me.

It was so damn cold!!
No motorized vehicles, like horses and bicycles!



and my ma.
Luke and I got breakfast at Honey before he drove back to California.
Christmas Eve with the grands
New Years Eve hang out with friends.
Art Museum...HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

We finally have our computer back.

So I had a lot of nonsense to catch up on. I just fell out watching this video. Sorry if you all don't find comedy in this guy, just don't watch him I suppose.