This time of year is always particularly difficult for me. Its not the 17000 papers that the college wants turned in this week so I can graduate a million months from now. Its not the overwhelming heap of projects and papers piling up on my desk or the 107 emails in my inbox. No. Its Halloween. Now I'm not sure if you've experienced the stress that is an office Halloween party.
Some offices go all out
Others are less enthusiastic
But you never really know where your office stands on the issue until the day it arrives. Oh you can ask, but people will tell you things like "yeah its fun" or "I didn't dress up but I just forgot to" so you never can quite tell. After thinking about it for 2 seconds I was sure that my office was the type of office that really celebrates Halloween. Afterall, at that point I had been there since the end of June and the only holiday we had, Independence Day, everyone had dutifully celebrated by taking the day off and lighting fireworks. Obviously these people were spirited. So I set to work on my costume. I had considered other costumes... slutty nurse slutty flight attendant slutty devil thingy slutty optometrist and all the other costumes that they had available for women at the costume store, but I secretly already had my mind set. Yeah. A Dinosaur. And I was going to make my OWN costume too! People would be so impressed.
I was a little preoccupied with the prospect of winning the illusive grand prize. My co-workers kept telling me that Arnold won the prize every year. Which made sense because Arnold wore costumes to work all the time.
When I arrived at the party I saw Arnold immediately.
And I won the stupid grand prize. It was a stupid piece of stupid paper with writing on it. It said I kept it in my office all year long to remind me of the revenge I would need to take to restore my honor. And every year since then I've done a variation on the same theme
Well I thought I would share a few pictures I've taken over the last few weeks. You know, all the ones I've been telling you about (i.e. the moose, the canyon, apple pressing, etc). Hopefully you aren't all tired of fall pictures. These will be some of the last of the season. Enjoy!
Those apples were from our tree this year. They were so delicious!
Yesterday there was a busker at my train stop in the center of downtown. He sang about "booze and bibles". He apparently knew quite a bit about part of the topic. My dad, who was toting along with me, threw a few dollars in his case. The man slurred out a "thanks you fer suwportioning the arts" and then gave my 66-year-old dad a hug. I laughed really hard at my dad's startled face. It still makes me smile. Don't you just love watching people in a new environment?
It might not be your cup of tea. Its a little intense at parts but man, I like it. I think it will be the theme song of my weekend. Lots of energy and excitement but somehow, still kinda chill. Yeah. That's what I'm going to go for. This week has been a nice sort of reprieve before the storm. I got a nap and a few good meals and perfect weather and a break from school and to see my husband. I didn't even make a to-do list or goal list (which if you know me, that seldom happens). But the storm is comin'. The craziness that is the 4th quarter at work and with school and with church... I will tell you what I told my husband - I'm giving myself two break downs. I think that's reasonable. You can expect one sometime around finals, and expect a post around the same time, that questions everything that's going on in my life (like for example this post) to which later I will likely be embarrassed but whatever. The other breakdown is just for good measure. I mean who only expects one breakdown during a 3 month crunch time? Pshah. And in case you are wondering, break downs involve crying a lot while sitting on my husbands lap and explaining how I suck at everything and I can't do this or that and how I don't know why I am doing anything in my life that I'm doing, etc. You guys get that right? Ha. Anyway, on the docket this weekend is 1. a cornmaze 2. a bon fire with smores and my guitar (playing it, not burning it) 3. getting to see my new little nephew again. i mean check out this cutie...
Do you see Doug holding him? Wow right?
And I'm going to try and work on my gallery wall going up in the guest bedroom. I got this AWESOME drawing of a horse I just framed from one of my favorite little girls in the youth group. It is amazing. When you see it and know it was done by a 14-year-old girl, you will be blown away. You'll be blown away not having that information too, but its just that much more impressive. Its huge too. Its just perfection. I need to post some pictures of the house soon. The bedroom is painted and the pictures are going up and things are just lovely.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Love you all!
So a little known fact about me is that I love soup. I could eat me a soup or a stew or a chili of sorts any ol' day. When I was about 13 or 14 I worked at a retirement home and I would push around a soup cart and ask if the residents were interested in the soup of the day. I had the most terrible time with Split Pea Soup. I would say "Anyone care for Split Pee Poop? I mean Split Pea Poop Soup? I mean Split Soup?" and then I would just give up and the old ladies would just laugh and laugh. Assuming it wasn't split pee poop day, I would sneak three or four soup cups in the back just before I'd head back out with the side dish cart. It was a fabulous job. Years later I worked in a place called Big City Soup (also a mouth full - I swore unintentionally at customers a number of times while trying to welcome them, "Welcome to Big **ity Soup" or "Can I interest you in a Big **ity Soup sample?") and that place had excellent soup! I still crave their soups all the time. I worked there over the summer and you better believe I ate hot soup all summer long. SOOOOOOOOO If you guys have a soup recipe, hand it on over. Here are a few fall pictures and a wonderful fall soup recipe that I can't wait to try out.
THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CURRY CONDIMENTS
Serves 4 to 6
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded 2 yellow onions 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored 3 tablespoons good olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 to 3 cups homemade chicken stock 1/2 teaspoon good curry powder
2. Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very tender.
Blogging is strange. I had someone ask me the other day what type of blog I have. I wasn't really sure how to answer so I said 'random'. I feel that is probably an accurate description. It is sometimes about the happenings in my life. Its sometimes about funny stories or random terrible drawings in the paint program or sometimes about pretty pictures or beautiful music or sometimes about frustrations. Its probably an accurate reflection of me in that its all over the place. So I feel compelled to tell you, whoever you are - and if no one is there then that's fine too, that I do this because I want to and I like to share things. So share things I shall. First a few things from me and then a few random pictures and a video and such, because it wouldn't be a post from me if it weren't completely disjointed and all over the place. I've been reading a book about Clinton (I see all you people rolling your eyes. Just bare with me). Whether you believe in his political ideology or not, we can all agree that the man was a machine. Allow me to elaborate. He was the president of about 10-15 clubs in high school, mastered the saxophone, and graduated with honors while growing up in an abusive and unsupportive home. He went on to Georgetown, then Yale Law School, and then taught law briefly while running for congress. He was attorney general for Arkansas by 30 and Governor by 32. He stayed in the post (minus a one term loss of office) until he successfully won the office of President at age 46 by beating out an incumbent President. That's a machine, right? He decided when he was 17 that he was going to be President of the U.S. one day and he didn't stop till he got there. And there are plenty of other examples. Oprah, Mother Teresa, Christ... these people knew who they were/are and everything they do reflects that knowledge. They just find a means to channel it, be it through politics, television, ministry... I find this fascinating. I reflect on my own life and I think, uh well, where am I going? I feel at times like I'm running as hard as I can only to look up periodically and ask, where was it that I was headed? I think about who I want to become and what type of occupation best fits that and what type of activities help me become that, but its surprisingly difficult to work backwards when you don't know what you're working backwards from. And if you're thinking, well she just needs to figure out who she is and what she wants, then I would ask you, um, how? (sorry for comma splicege). I could give you the glib answers. I'm a thinker and a problem solver and an artist and a musician and a grand orator, and of course a loser and a winner and a lover and a sinner. Sure. But what the crap does that mean? I don't want to be the sum product of what I do. I want what I do to be the sum product of who I am. Do I make sense? Maybe this is a little deep. I blame it on the rain outside. Uh here is some stuff to lighten it up a bit.
some cool albino and half peacocks via mimi & meg
a cool fall scene via birch and lily
a before and after that I think is kinda fabulous via brass petal
a sofa I'm thinking of replacing my leather one with because I'm crazy - via Ikeaa song I think I like but haven't completely decided but leaning towards yes
and another video via Ted.com that changed how I think of advertising and marketing and how I write proposals and all sorts of things. I'm a Simon Sinek fan now.
ok and that's all the random stuff for now. Thank you. Come again.
Others are less enthusiastic
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