Friday, December 31, 2010

Through her eyes

I am excited for this post. It's my first guest blogger! 
Taylor Jane is new to the blogging world and so far I give her two thumbs up.
Something I am slightly jealous of is her perfect grammar and zero typo's. How is it possible.....
TJ and words go together like two peas in a pod. 
Kinda like her and I.
Without further ado..........
  
So I recently started a new blog and sent my “about me” section to my darling Christel for her approval since she is, in my eyes, the blogging queen.
She liked it so much that she asked me if I would be a guest blogger on her site and write one for her as well.  Of course I said, “Of course”.
Now, it’s really easy to talk about yourself because you know yourself better than any other person ever could…but I’m going to give this thing a shot.  After all, we have been friends for 23+ years…I kind of know her better than most.
My style is a bit different than Christel’s, I make up words sometimes, and you may think this is just a bunch of random gibberish…or you may really like it.  Let’s find out. 
Even though I’ve known Christel for SO many years, I got to know her even more through her blog.  I’d never known her to really be a writer-the shiz that comes out of that girl’s brain sometimes just amazes me…this I’ve always known, but the way she writes is not the way she talks.  Her writing is truly giving the world a glimpse at what really goes on in that head of hers. 
I’ve never met someone that can logicize the world the way that Christel does.  You could throw that girl out of an airplane over a desert and she’d, with a smile on her face, build a sand castle to live in.  She’d dig until she found water and then have a pool party.   The whole lemonade out of lemons phrase was written about her.  Swear.
She likes to sing (not very well), she dances when she’s happy, she loves cupcakes.  She likes it when her boyfriend picks her up from her waist and she kicks her legs like she’s running in the air.  She can find the silver lining in anything in the world.  She has the best, “It could always be worse” attitude I have ever seen. 
She can’t smell and loves it when people describe smells to her…something, even after two decades, that I am TERRIBLE at doing.  As hard as I try, I just cannot do it well.  Try it sometime.  Leave her a comment and tell her about your favorite smell.  Try it and then giggle at yourself when you start to type, “It smells like, you know the way a peach smells?”  No, she doesn’t…because SHE CAN’T smell.  I love this about her…I just wish I was better at describing the indescribable.  Challenge yourself, accept my challenge.  I dare you.  J
She says things like, “don’t yuck my yum” when someone doesn’t like something that she adores.  She gets tipsy after two beers and her head will hurt for three days after.  She doesn’t like taking medicine even when she feels like she’s on her death bed.  She doesn’t use curse words…*unless you REALLY, REALLY make her angry…and even then, she will only say them in front of a few, select people.  She texts them more than she says them-I think that’s her way of convincing herself that she hasn’t really said anything bad at all.
Christel is the only person I have ever met that still lives by things that her mother told her when she was a child.  At least once a month I will hear her telling someone that the reason she does a certain thing is because her mother told her it should be done that way.  And sometimes, because her mother told her that if she didn’t do something then she wouldn’t like the repercussions.  (Like don’t swallow that watermelon seed Christel, or a watermelon is going to start growing in your belly.)  
She loves to travel, write, giggle and hang out with her family.  They are one of the closest families I’ve ever seen.  She forgives and forgets…and seriously forgets…if it’s out of her sight, it’s out of her mind.  She can trick her brain into believing anything she wants without ever giving it a second thought.  I wish I had that quality.
There is always something that can be done…a drawer to be cleaned, a window to be windexed, shelves to be rearranged.  She will get up from even the most mind-blowing movie to go organize her silverware drawer, or remember that she doesn’t like where a box is in her attic-so she’ll go move it.  She also organizes her friend’s houses too…which is a nice plus!  
If you tell her no, she’ll do it just to prove you wrong…and then tell you, in her ever-so-nice manner.  And if she ever doubts herself, she’ll prove herself wrong, one way or another. 
Her handwriting rivals that of a grade schooler, which is something she embraces.  And something that I still laugh about, lovingly.  She’ll tell you when you’re being stupid and she’ll tell you when you’re being great.  She can find greatness in all things flawed and give you 27 reasons why a piece of grass is the greatest thing on earth.  She can spit off 934 reasons, without a second thought, why that decision you just made was the right one…even if you don’t think it was. 
I don’t know how she does it but she does it every day.  She’s the best friend a girl can have…and I’m proud to have called her mine for so long. 
 *this is really NOTHING like my “about me” page on my blog…I’m going to chalk it up to the fact that Christel is much more complex than I.  AND…it, again, is a whole lot easier to just say random words about yourself.  I’m not sure if this is what she wanted…but I dig it, nonetheless.

Thank you Taylor for being a guest! And I must say reading how a very close friend views you in her own perfectly placed words is an incredible moment which I didn't know existed.  I have now read this 6 or maybe 10 times.  
Now we should all go read more of Taylor's thoughts at www.coherentlychaotic.com
She's entertaining.....I promise.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

No one would find us


this past weekend we drove one hour south and found ourselves giggling at life in a small town wal-mart.we were on our way to a weekend cabin to do much of nothing. it was cozy and perfectly decorated with symbols of the simple country life.

we had our four dogs with us, played a ridiculous card game and ate steak and shrimp for two meals.

we wanted to scare ourselves and thought the idea of a homemade Ouija board was a good one.

it didn't work and then had to google the proper way to get rid of a Ouija board.

just in case....


come to find out even city dogs love cow patties.


the only thing which made us leave our cozy cabin in the middle of a field with no one knowing were we were was we ran out of food.

next time i say we take extra.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Paper Snowflakes


While making paper snowflakes with a lovely 6 year old for her dad's window I said 'I am not very good with crafts.' And this little lady smiled at me and said 'Christel, do not say that. You are perfect.' And then went back to her tiny cuts while she excitedly decorated the window which framed her Christmas tree. She thought the snowflakes needed to be colored with markers and crayons so people driving by could see what a great artist she is.

When do we stop having so much faith in ourselves?

I want to be my own biggest fan again.
And starting today I am!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

2010

i have decided to conquer my year long writers block by looking back to where i was a year ago. i set a few goals for myself. lets see how i did.

goals for twenty-ten


finally get 3 numbers to say what i want them read - Double Check!
pay off debts - Check
wash my car more often - Ha, I was kidding myself with this one
workout more often - I have learned to love my time at the gym. It's where I find a little peace in the chaos called life.
vacation somewhere by plane - Did not get to this one.
be aware of my vices and try to conquer them - Check on a few. Working on some others.
start separating my laundry - Not even close.
be a better version of myself when we meet 2011 - TRIPLE CHECK!

I said multiple times in 2010 'why does the universe hate me?' This was simply me forgetting for a moment that a broken cell phone, being laid off from a job i love, or a totaled vehicle is ridiculous to spend more than a moment ruffling my feathers. In between the little life lessons the universe thought I needed to learn I had a spectacular year. And if I would of known I would of set these goals for myself this past year.

get a gorgeous golden retriever and name him Carson
start a massive bathroom renovation
fall madly in love
own 3 different vehicles
remember action fix most problems
bleach my hair like crazy but never cut it

become even more aware of the love and dedication these two individuals share



i am back to blogging. wish me luck to stay with it.