marriage, etc.

I'm not sure if I'm normal in this arena or not; I probably am. This has only happened a couple times in my life that I can recall. Someone that I used to be close to got married. It's this odd-oh-shit-we're-growing-up feeling, mixed in with some nostalgia, a little twist of saddness that I am not yet married (but I'm not upset about this in normal moments). There's another element of happiness for that person because, although they don't have a role in your life anymore, it's comforting to think that they have their own world of which to be a part. We all truly are the center of our own world; and I don't mean that in a negative "egoist" sort of way, but it is ego, and ego is there, regardless of judgement.

I read A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle this last summer and it was amazing. My comment about the ego reminded me of this book. I will read it again after I'm done with The Time Traveler's Wife, which is a great novel. In Tolle's book, he talks about ego and how it is fed and how it grows; it's part of being human, and he doesn't use that fact to justify the absurd behavior of the ego, but writes about it so as to make the reader aware.

That's really all I wanted to write about, marriage, babies, ego, and longing, growing up, happiness, books, and the list continues. I'm off to take my computer to the apple doctor. :)

Nikola Tesla is amazing!

I watched a History Channel special on Nikola Tesla, who is amazing, invented Radio, AC current and helped Westinghouse electrically power and light Chicago's World Fair in 1893. He was one cool guy. Edison was a total creep and he electrocuted elephants, and Tesla invented remote controls, and saved injured Pigeons. Tesla was clearly the better man. Also, he wanted to build a wireless power machine to transfer information and even music without wires (he predicted an idea like the internet 100 years before it happened!) That's really all I have to say about that.

Today was a good day! I got up, cleaned up my apartment, did the dishes, showered, took a bunch of silly photos of myself that are at the top of this blog, started a new blog, went to my parents, finished my laundry, went to Kohl's for my mom to get my stepdad a xmas present (no peeking!), went to starbucks to get my tips (yay), was invited to Seussical on Friday with Chad (so excited), and went to work at PKD. I've been doing really well there! I love everyone I work with. And, I've been getting a lot of pledges - I broke the record on number of pledges in one night! I talk with wonderful people every night. Just tonight I talked with a lovely woman who was really helpful and told me all about her family's experience with the disease. I have compassion for people who are suffering; and I hope I'm helping the world in a small way by having the job I have.

And then sometimes you get the grumpy jerks on the phone. I get thrown off by the unkind people, or the the people who hang up on me or yell at me (it just seems bizarre, I'm just trying to help a non-profit raise money so they can fund more clinical trials so that someone can find a cure). So to everyone who is reading this: if you come across a telefunder, all of us prefer people to kindly decline, not hang up. I know all 8 of us at PKD feel that way. I know people view it as an interruption, but it's not like we're calling random people; these are typically people that have PKD and have pledged to the foundation before. So, there; just remember to be nice.

I have been having great text message conversations. I sort of love text messaging. What do I have going tomorrow you ask? I will continue spiffying up my loft, and I have a orthodontic's appointment in the am. My doc said I only have a couple more months. I CAN'T WAIT. I'm so so so so excited. I bet it will feel really weird not to have them; I've heard it's slimy feeling. We'll see.

I should go to sleep! But the Tesla thing is still on and I have to see the end, he was a genius. Night!

a new life, a new blog

Hello! I wanted a completely new blog; it's like getting a new journal, so here I go.

My life is going pretty well. I'm happy, living in downtown Kansas City in the most beautiful loft I've ever seen; I'm looking for jobs, thinking about becoming a teacher; I have good friends, a magnificent and loving cat.

All in all, it's good.

I do need to finish my thesis. I went to a coffee shop last night and it inspired me to do so. I think I'll get my laptop all fixed, order some books from the library, print a bunch of articles and get the thesis party started, or ended, or whatever.

I met up with an old friend from high school last night. Actually I don't think we were friends in high school, but I knew him, and he was in my art classes, and he was always nice to me, etc. His name is Chad; it's so amazing how much I've changed since high school. I know everyone does, but it's just odd to think about. Anyway, I think Chad is a great guy and I'll see him again tomorrow! (yay!)

Hannah's in New York and I miss her quite frequently. She was just in town a couple weekends ago, and she'll be in town for Thanksgiving, so hopefully I'll see her then too. I wish we could live in the same city. I just don't have the impulse to live in NY, it's so expensive and busy and loud. I think I'm more of a Portland sort of person. My cousin Joe and his wife Tara live in Portland and I totally love them, so if I could move there, I would. I would miss my family, but hopefully the tides would be as such, that I could come and visit often.

I've started to embroider! I'm quite excited about it. I bought a bunch of DMC threads and have been organizing in a craft bin and so on.

My jobs: Starbucks and the PKD Foundation are going well; I would much prefer to have 1 full time job, but 2 part time jobs isn't too bad. Starbucks keeps me on my feet and I love making cappuccinos, and I work in the "care center" (which is the call center) for PKD, and I'm really good at talking with people, listening to them, and asking them to donate again. I felt guilty for asking people for money, at first; but then I realized that it's for a great organization to find a cure for a horrible disease; so now I don't feel bad. I love my boss there, and everyone I work with, so even if I did get a full time job, I would try to stay on there as long as I could handle working 60 hours per week.

The weather is cold and I love it. It flurried here the other day. Thanksgiving is coming up and I can't wait to put up Christmas decorations. I hope I have enough to decorate my own place too. I love Christmas.