Tag, you're it!

Well Melissa it worked. Here I am updating my blog--poor thing it's like a very bad dating relationship. On one month, off two...on another two months, off for three. Anyways, thanks to Melissa my blog and I are back in contact.

So…here are the rules:

- Link back to the person who tagged you. Melissa
- Post these rules on your blog.
- Share six unimportant things about yourself
- Tag six random people at the end of your entry. (Or 4 if you're not popular! ;) )

Six unimportant things:

1. I've become a maniac on Outlook, especially when it comes to scheduling appointments. I love scheduling appointments--mostly with my friends who also use Outlook at work. It's like a special connection we have in our calendars, a small silver thread that holds us together in the vast nebulous that is the internet. Maybe my mild obsession stems from the fact that it's my window outside my cube. The portal that shows me I do have a world waiting for me to explore once the clock strikes 5 and I escape my gray cube prison with its constant computer humming and fluorescent lighting.

2. In the past eight months public radio and podcasts entered my sphere. I adore listening to them! This American Life = genius. Most of the time this show has such engaging stories that for an hour on Mondays I'm completely enthralled. One story told the tale of a family who moved into a neighborhood only to find out that their neighbor was crazy and hated them. So for years they endured him sitting outside his house yelling at them as they walked to their cars, burning profanity into their grass, shining his car brights into their windows, and taunting their children as they rode their bicycles outside. Any normal person would've moved, fought back, or at the very least hated him too! But this family pitied him. One day they found his trash in their yard and saw his credit card and bank statements...basically ammo to completely wreck his credit and possibly steal his identity. But what did they do? Boxed it up and kept it in their house. They also found letters from his children to his wife saying they want her to leave him, that he's an awful man...etc. The family grieved over his home life and chose to see the soul inside the man. His deep pain and not his outward manifestations of it. It made me stop and think about how I see people. Do I see their innermost being or the mask they wear, the protective armor that hides their pain.

3. I've become a fan of the audio Bible. I've listened to Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians on my way to work. Surprisingly it brings the human aspect of the Bible to light. Hearing someone read it out loud reminds me that these were letters written by normal people. The sound effects in the background only help bring you into the time period in which they were written. This morning I bought the gospel of John on iTunes and was delighted when they actually voiced all the parts with different actors.

4. Usually I'm not a big magazine person but this one Real Simple is simply awesome! Organizing suggestions, quick recipes, gift ideas, fast cleaning tips, money savers--totally a "Holly Homemaker" type of magazine--and since that is my goal: to be the best wife/mom I can be, I believe I'm going to enjoy my new subscription (once it arrives in July). :)

5. Walking -- it's my form of exercise and I'm proud of it. Finally after many days of feeling overwhelmed by the idea of exercise, months of trying jazzercise, weights, videos, made-up routines, attempts at accountability...I've discovered what I ENJOY doing and that is walking. For the month of May my company promoted, "Step up, step out, get moving!" and encouraged a competition to see which campus could log the most time walked. They gave one point for walking 30 minutes/day, 2 points for walking 60 mins/day, and .5 points for dragging someone along with you during that hour! Let's just say Dan graciously walked quite a bit with me this month! Two days left and I'm proud of myself. 20 whole days of exercise for the month, that's better than ANY OTHER FORM I'VE TRIED! Woohoo! Exercise you no longer intimidate me!

6. New York & Company is my new favorite store for work clothing. Kohl's and Target, don't worry you're right up there, but NY & Co has such cute things! However, it is one of those places that I'll wait until things are on sale, I still have issues paying so much for a piece of clothing that costs so little to make...


People to tag:

1. Katie S.
2. Faith K.
3. Jensey R.
4. Boundless --> a group of people