It's Beginning To Get To Me

There are just some things in life that I don't get. I don't understand. I can't even begin to wrap my brain around it. So here are 5 things that I just don't get. I'm sure there are over a million things I just don't understand and maybe as time goes by, I'll post more on the 'ol blog. So let's start with these 5:

1. PUTTING THINGS BEFORE PEOPLE. I don't think I've ever honestly understood this. I remember when I was younger, we were living in this house and it was me, my brother, my sister, my mom and dad, and my aunt and uncle, their 4 kids, my grandma and grandpa. (crazy, i know) and one Christmas, my parents bought us tons of gifts...they were like...spreading out from the base of the tree into the wide open living room. And my aunt and uncle's family was more strapped for cash, and they watched while we all opened our gifts, but they didn't have many gifts, if any at all. But I remember feeling sad. Because I didn't think it was right for me to get so many cool new presents when the others who meant so much to me didn't. Christmas is always a tough time for me because I understand that getting 'stuff' is cool. But when getting 'stuff' means more than loving people, and sharing life with them, i just DO NOT understand. I cannot understand how it's okay to put more priority on things than we do on people. Take for instance, Black Friday...which...i think is a GIANT nightmare! People pushing and shoving and knocking others down and being so rude, just for stuff....not taking into account that the person they are pushing and shoving and knocking down is a PERSON, and not a cardboard cut out. I just...don't get it.  PS: Political wars and the immaturity developed by some of it also falls in this category.


2. THE APOLOGETIX. Let's get real for just one moment. The Apologetix are ridiculous. Just. Plain. Ridiculous. Instead of trying to be the "Weird Al" of the Christian world, make your own music and make it mean something. Throwing out kitschy phrases like, "I Love Apostle Paul..." Instead of "I love Rock and Roll..." ... REALLY?? just. REALLY? Okay, here's a video of them in concert doing a parody of Weezer's "BEVERLY HILLS."



SERIOUSLY? And you're proud of your wittiness or lack thereof? even better, are you proud of your 'witness'? it doesn't take a lot of creative energy to write a parody of a song. But to attach a spiritual hanger onto it...is silly. And this is just my opinion... but really. Even Weird Al knows that he's a dork because he does parodies of songs. But here's the kicker....his are actually REALLY FUNNy...The Apologetix...not so much. One time a friend from church asked me if I wanted to go to one of their concerts. I was afraid to just bust out laughing, so i just said no thanks. But inside, I was really screaming a big "HECK TO THE NO! I'D RATHER SHOOT MY EYE OUT!" yeah. so. I'm not a fan. I don't understand. They're not cool. They're not witty. They're not "wowing" the non-believing crowd with their talent. I think they should change their name from Apologetix to Just Plain Sux.


3. TWILIGHT PSYCHO FANS. So in a moment of honesty, yeah. I will admit. I AM A TWILIGHT FAN. Whether that makes me deranged or "unholy" i don't know. But I am. That's all there is to it. I love the way the books are written. I love the way the story progresses. And I love the way it's like a twisted remake of Romeo and Juliet. Very romantic and very intense all at the same time. And it gives some great twists on stereotypes of characters and even vampires themselves. But here's the thing. There's being a fan of something, and then there's being a ridiculous maniac. I've been reading articles and watching interviews with some of the key actors and hearing the stories...it's beyond ridiculous. For instance, girls scratching their necks until they bleed...as a sign of affection for the lead actor, Robert Pattinson. SERIOUSLY girls? That's how you show love? That's how it works, eh? Yeah, I don't think so. You just come across looking desperate and well...psychotic. And then, there's this one mom who brought her baby to the set, asking the actors to bite her baby's head. REALLY? YUCK. And don't even get me started on Tyra "Pervy" Banks' show featuring Taylor Lautner and Robert. I felt so bad for Taylor. I mean, just watching his face, was so sad. And when Robert bit Tyra...SERIOUSLY...what's with the asking him to bite people?? He's not a friggin' vampire. In fact, VAMPIRES AREN'T REAL! Yeah...just...ugh. I mean, seriously. I'm a fan of the books, a fan of the movies, and definitely a fan of Robert Pattinson. But a simple letter expressing appreciation (as a dare to myself) is all I sent. I don't think I'd ever be able to look at myself in the mirror with any sense of normalcy and pride in my human worth if I did anything beyond that. yeesh.


4. YE OLDE BOOK BAN. This kinda goes along with the previous. So, being surrounded in a 'churchy' environment, I've really had to push myself to get out of the habit of reading just "Christian Inspiration" and Leadership books. Don't get me wrong, some of them are really quite good. But I love reading... and I love challenging my imagination... and I love the written word. And sometimes, I need to change things up. So I read Dante's Inferno, and Twilight, and Sybil, and some Stephen King stuff. But here's the thing, when people who run in the same 'esque circles go around judging you for what you read...it's kinda lame. pretty silly actually. I remember working this event and some random chick came up to me and was like, why is everyone in your group reading all this religious stuff? Is this a religious conference? And I'm like...um... I'm reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. And my friend is reading a Stephen King novel. I think that when people come up to you and judge you negatively based on what you read, it's quite silly. For instance, I recently started reading Dante's Purgatorio. Does that mean that my religion is messed up cause now I believe in Purgatory? No. It simply means I like poetry and I like Dante's imaginative thinking. If I read a Harry Potter book, am I going to start casting spells on people? No. That's silly. If I read Sybil, am I saying I experience Schizophrenia? No. I just want to learn more about Psychological stuff. I don't think it's right to say that one person is or is not spiritual based on what they read. Books are made to expand your imagination, to challenge your mind to gain more knowledge, and to give us a deeper appreciation of the English language. Again, sometimes I just don't get what the big deal is.


5. MY OWN PERSONAL MATCHMAKERS. This is a biggie for me. Here's the thing. I DO want to get married. I don't want other people to do my "shopping" for me. I'm highly capable of exploring the world of guy-dom without the help of others. I get really frustrated when married people, especially, feel like I have to be married to be fulfilled. Look, I know marriage is awesome! I look forward to it! But here's the thing...I want to go about it on my own terms. I don't need people picking out who they think is "PERFECT" for me, because honestly, a lot of the suggestions I've gotten, couldn't be further from what I find PERFECT in a possible husband. Oh, and especially when you offer to "work on them" for me. Seriously? No thanks. I don't want someone to "work on" my future husband. Chances are, I think he's pretty awesome WITHOUT your help. You know what I do LOVE? The fact that I am blessed with a best friend, who is married, and still doesn't feel the need to play matchmaker for me. You know what she does? She listens when I tell her I'm worried I might make a bad choice about a certain someone. She prays for me that I wouldn't "settle" for just any joe schmo simply because society or my own hormones say I just NEED someone for the time being. I LOVE THAT! I must say, though, that my favorite is when my own mom tries to get me interested in guys and she's like, "Well what about so and so?" And I'm like, "You mean Ramon's (my bro) friend ______?" And she's like, "Yeah, he's a nice guy" and I'm like, "Yeah, I'm sure he is, when he's not being a boozie crack dealer. No thanks. I prefer someone who doesn't live life in a haze of dope dealing and crack smoking." So here's the thing, leave the shopping to me and "Big guns upstairs." We got this.


Okay, that's all the ranting for today. :D Hope I made you laugh...smile...pee your pants...or just think about things differently. laters!

Time 'AVATAR' Time

So my friend Kelley created an avatar for her blogger site "Navel Gazing" and was like, "you should make one... or i can make one for you." So i told her, let's each make one of me and we'll see what we come up with. So here are me and kel's avatars of me! :D

Kelley's Version:



My Version:




I think they both resemble me. :D We're so funny! :D


Here's my version of Kelley:



What do you guys think? Or maybe you want to make one and send me the link to add to this post?

Me and Bastian

For anyone who ever grew up in the 80's, you've probably heard of the movie, THE NEVERENDING STORY. Now, growing up, I LOVED that movie! Such a classic. But I must admit, I also own Part 2! hahahahahhahahaha! So there's this one part in the beginning of part 2, where Bastian (Jonathan Brandis) has to jump off the high dive. And as much as he wants to make the team, his fear of the high dive is so overwhelming.





Today, I had a "Bastian" moment. I've been working at my job for the past 4 months, and slowly and steadily, I've found myself more and more unfulfilled. My boss gets frustrated with me and has even snapped on me once. And then I found out recently that she was saying really harsh things about me to a bunch of people behind my back. She doesn't trust me to do my job, and I am a major frustration to her. And the fact that I hold certain religious viewpoints even though we work in an "ecumenical" environment was an issue to her. I had seen the slow deterioration of my sense of self-worth while I was in that job environment. And a few weeks ago, I realized that I needed to get out. I felt this urge in my heart saying it was time to move on. So after talking to some important mentors in my life, I finally resolved to put in my two weeks notice. So today I had my letter of resignation all typed up and printed, and the day before, I had spent so much time going over in my head what I would say. And all day today I had cold feet! I almost DIDN'T do it. But the more I thought about not doing it, the more miserable and sad I felt. So I finally worked up the courage, thanks to a few friends and embraced the fear. So, two weeks from now, I will no longer we working for the Washington Association of Churches. In the meantime, I am applying for various Junior Graphic Design positions at a few design firms here in Seattle. And on the 13th/14th/or 15th, I will be flying down to Austin for the Sexton/Castagnola wedding and to see the birth of my 2nd niece. And I'll get to hang out with some awesome people! Like Kelley Rowe, Elaine, P.Diz and Kel, the MC staff, the Flying Marshmallows and tons of other friends! After that, I'll be back here in Seattle, working an Event Force to make some extra moolah. :D And hopefully by then I will have a job set up. :D No matter what, I don't regret leaving The WAC and I'm ready for the next step! :D

MAC -VS- PC

Yes, it's the big technological debate- SHOULD I BUY A MAC OR A PC?

This is always a hard one because I am a graphic designer and I get a LOT of use out of my MAC. I am absolutely in LOVE with my MAC. It is like my right arm! And one of the main concerns that my friends have when they buy them is that they are not graphic designers and such. But really, I would recommend MAC over PC any day, no matter what your "task load" is. I've used PCs AND Macs before, so I'm familiar with each system. I've even used PCs with Vista on them. And I still vote Mac over PC in a heartbeat! I cannot tell you how much more user friendly the MAC is than the PC. And granted, I know that cost is always an issue, but I'm telling you, it's totally worth it! Another big concern with people is the fact that the Mac does not have the right click on the trackpad. But really folks, it's so unnecessary to have that silly right click button when you can use a 'hot key,' or now, even just a certain touch on the actual touch pad instead of pounding on that clicky button. It's so much faster and so much less complicated. And don't even get me started on the weight of those PC suckers! I had a DELL laptop computer that I used to work from, and let me tell you, I may as well have been carrying around a small child on my shoulders! That thing was so bulky and awkward. I love the streamline design of my mac and the fact that I can store things easily and have such awesome features as Spotlight and Expose and Dashboard, and TONS of other awesome features, just makes me smile so much! Even if you are not a graphic designer, the MAC is just a more superior machine. It makes things so much simpler, if you're willing to break out of a PC mentality and embrace a new way of doing things. Work smarter, not harder. :D

Here are some of my favorite MAC ADS:











I was going to post the latest PC ads, but I'd be ashamed to have them on my blog. They're really lame. :(

Amanda Is Short For...

Random post time! :D Right. As if they're not ALL random! ha! So I wanted to have a little fun today so i was thinking about all the fun nicknames I've acquired through the years and I wanted to blog about it. So here they are, along with the backstory and a pic of the person who initiated it. :D

The first would be my dad's nickname for me...

MANDY PANDY, MIJA (me-ha)

This is what my dad calls me. And I must add, that anytime anyone else calls me Mija, I get really irritated. My dad is the ONLY person who can call me that! :D But most of the time he will just call me Mandy Pandy. And that makes me smile! :D


MANDY

Matt Galka gave me this nickname while we were in Master's Commission. And this one actually has a video to go with it! This is the song Galka sings to me in honor of my nickname. :D It was featured in an episode of CSI. And so when we talk, I go... "Sing it dude, this is huge" and we run through the lines and he sings the song to me! :D



MIGGITY MANDA/MIG/MIGGITY

Craig Masbruch gave me this nickname in MCA. I think we were just randomly giving each other "gangster" nicknames or just being silly. I call him "Criggity-Craig" and he calls me "Miggity Manda" which has also led to me just being called Mig or Miggity.


AMUNDI (ah-moon-dee)

Jordan Johnson gave me this nickname. I'm not quite sure why. But it's one that a lot of people call me. Sadly, it's also one of my least favorites. Second only to the ever classic "AH-MAN-DUH"


AMO

This is one of my most common, and preferred nicknames! This nickname was given to me by my friend Soozie Amador when we were working SRMC Conference my 3rd year. It's real simple. It's Aaa-mo, not to be confused with (ammo), which is also a cool nickname that I will accept.


AMIZZ

This is a fun nickname that Jonathan Robinson, who I lovingly call J.Rob, gave me. I can't remember if he started calling me this before or after I also gave him the nickname, J.Rizz. But this is a fun one that i enjoy! :D


'MANDA'RIN CHICKEN

Josh Sport gave me this nickname. This kid cracks me up! We have shared so many ridiculous stories and Mandarin Chicken is a nickname that stems from one of them...somewhere along the lines.


NEZ/MANDAPANTS

My best friend, Sarah gave me these names. Nez is a nicknamed derived from a spoof of a KRIS KROSS song, called Jump Jump. But I call her Dubs, and she calls me Nez. And instead of Kris, i put in 'Dubs' and instead of Kross, she puts in 'NEZ' and we sing the song and jump around. :D Mandapants is another term of endearment that she calls me. PS: We're pretty gangsta! ;)


AMANDAX

This nickname comes from the biggest group! Sarah's Mom's family! Every so often, I spend Christmas with Sarah and her family up in Baltimore. And each time I've been, we've also driven up to upstate New York to spend time with her mom's family. And they always get me gifts!! They are so awesome!! So as the story goes, one christmas, they were going down the list of people they needed to get gifts for. And if they got the gifts, they put an 'X' at the end of the name to signify the gift was taken care of. Well, as they were double checking the list, someone came across my name, which had an 'X' at the end. And they were so confused and were like, "Who is Amandax?!?" And then they realized what had happened and just laughed so hard! And since them, they have called me AMANDAX. It's a fun one! :D


and i'm sure there's plenty more, but I can't think of them right now. If you know of any and want to share, please feel free to do so in the comments. :D

New Song To Check Out...

Okay, so I was cruising around on MySpace tonight, and I clicked on the link for their 20 Best Videos of 2008, and this one group really caught my attention and I just fell in love with this song! It's by a group called Kings of Leon. And you might already know them...I know Aaron does! :D But I'm posting a YouTube video with the song and lyrics below. Check 'em out, I think they're pretty amazing!

Look Back And Laugh

So I was watching a couple of episodes of One Tree Hill earlier, and I just love so many things about the show! I love the chemistry that the actors/actresses have together. I love the new indie music they tend to include, and I love how their storylines just go outside of the norm. I can always count on OTH for a good laugh. These are some of my favorite moments from OTH. Enjoy!

SEASON 2, EPISODE 5: I WILL DARE
During a night where each person is given specific dares to complete in a friendly competition, Mouth, Skills and Fergie have to do Karaoke.


SEASON 3, EPISODE 4: AN ATTEMPT TO TIP THE SCALES
As everyone is trying to find the perfect costume for the Halloween Costume Party at TRIC, Lucas and his best friend Haley share some funny moments.


SEASON 3, EPISODE 4: AN ATTEMPT TO TIP THE SCALES
At the Halloween Costume Party at TRIC, Mouth decides to ask Peyton to dance with him to liven up her mood.


SEASON 6, EPISODE 1: TOUCH ME I'M GOING TO SCREAM (PART 1)
Quentin teaches 4 year old Jamie Scott how to dance like a pro! So cute!


SEASON 4, EPISODE 21: ALL OF A SUDDEN I MISS EVERYONE
The girls of OTH get together for a Spice Girls Dance! :D


SEASON 4, EPISODE 3: PICTURES OF YOU
Everyone is given an assignment to help them get to know their other classmates better. They have a list of five questions/statements that require responses. This is the part where they do celeb impressions.

THE CHRISTMAS POST

Hello everyone! Since I wasn't able to send individual cards to EVERYONE for Christmas, I figured I would do a video blog.



And though I didn't mention much of it in the video, I just want all my new friends in SEATTLE to know that you are SO much appreciated!! You have made my move here so refreshing and I love knowing and spending time with all of you!! You guys rock!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!

Love,

Amanda

-aka-

"Amo"

Warm Whispers

Snow Snow Snow...it's everywhere!

So yesterday, my boss had me print up stuff for a 600 person end of year mailout... and I didn't even touch the tip of the iceberg before it was late in the evening and i had to catch a bus before they stopped running because of all the snow. Along the way to catch the bus, I was carrying this Banker's Box full of 600 mailing envelops, 600 return envelopes, 600 letters, and 600 postcards. I had to walk 4 blocks to get to the bus stop, and along the way, were busses stranded by the snow. So things were lookin' pretty bleak. After waiting a while, there was finally a bus that could take me to my area! But the bus drops me off 5 blocks from home. So i continued on my way, me and my banker's box full of stuff... and walked up and down hills to get home. :D

And it's a good thing I did, cause busses are still down and I got to work from home today!


So I still get the hours and get to enjoy the comforts of home!

There were really 3 main things that got me through the day:

THE COMFORT OF WEARING JAMMIES AND WARM TOE SOCKS!


A COFFE MUG CONSTANTLY FILLED WITH EITHER COFFEE OR TEA


THE AWESOME MUSIC BLASTING FROM MY MACBOOK PRO!



What are some of your comforts?

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BE SURE TO CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS VIDEO MESSAGE!

VIDEO BLOG: There's No Women Like Snowomen!

A new video blog post about my fun antics making a snow-chick today! :D

PS: It says the video is 10 minutes long, but it's really only 6. iMovie exported it weird and i didn't want to go back and fix it. ;)


Pictures of the completed snow-chick:

Movies, Music and Mayhem

Alrighty! So i might be jumping the gun, in fact, i probably am. But after looking at the upcoming releases for music and movies, I've decided that I don't really want to desperately see anything new coming out. So I decided now would be a good time for me to post about my favorite movies and music of 2008. I've gotten to watch a lot of good movies this past year. Some lived up to expectations and some didn't. Some just stuck out so prevalently and some just bombed. Below is a list of the top 10 movies that I got to see this past year! Again, just my opinion, and you can totally share your own in the comments section or via my facebook/myspace. :D

AMO'S TOP MOVIES OF 2008:














I also got to check out a lot of cool new music this year, and below I am posting MY top 10 songs of 2008!

AMO'S TOP SONGS OF 2008:













And to finish up, I wanted to post a list of 5 movies that I am greatly anticipating for this next year!!!



* all songs can be found on iTunes and all movies can be researched on IMDB.com

Music For the Masses

Okay, so since I'm feeling completely random right now (must be the coffee), I'm gonna post up 6 new songs that I recently added to my iTunes that I've just fallen in love with. Recently I've been trying to branch out and try different types of songs and so I'm hoping that there's a little something for everyone here.

1. STACY CLARK : Matter of Time

- Andrew McMahan from Jack's Mannequin recently did an interview, and gave Stacy a lot of praise for her vocals and her songwriting. She sang with J.M. on one of the songs off of The Glass Passenger album. So I looked her up, and I found I actually really like this one song she does. It's called Matter of Time. I think the thing I love the most is that it's so spastic! Naturally, I'm not a fan of electronica type music, but I went out on a limb with this one and I wasn't disappointed. Enjoy!




2. COPELAND : The Last Time He Saw Dorie

- In my true emo fashion, this song is just so mellow and so emotional, I love it! It's a very calming song and sometimes I listen to it when it's been a long day and I'm trying to "put myself to sleep," which I actually do a lot. ha! A big thanks to Kelley Rowe, who shared this song with me!




3. EVERYDAY SUNDAY : I Won't Give Up

- A great Christian group that has some awesomely honest lyrics. When Kelley first showed me this song, I didn't even know they were a Christian band.

I Won't Give Up - Everyday Sunday




4. LYDIA : Stay Awake

- I'm pretty sure I've referenced Lydia to others before because I just love their stuff. This is my favorite song by them. It's so passionate and then they just rock it out! I listen to this one A LOT!




5. PARAMORE : My Heart

- Can I just say that I love the way lead singer Hayley Williams just rocks out? Cause I did...and I do! Such a passionate song that just...ROCKS!




6. T.I. featuring RIHANNA : Live Your Life

- This is like, my new guilty pleasure. I'm totally not the hip-hop appreciation branch of my family- that's totally my brother! But once I got this song, it was just on repeat non-stop...and I still listen to it so much! It's really fun, upbeat and positive. I can't stop dancing to this song...seriously. I'll be standing at the bus stop listening to this on my iPod and just bouncing up and down...i'm sure everyone driving by is like- "Who is that moron?" ha!




I hope you guys enjoy some new music! :D

PS: IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY NEW MUSIC YOU'D LIKE TO SUGGEST, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO! I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW TUNES! :D

Close Encounters Of The Weird Kind

I think I've told a few people this story, but definitely haven't told all you other awesome blog reading friends of mine. So, a few days before I left for Austin, I had the weirdest, most awkward conversation with a guy. Now, let's set some things straight- I am totally up for dating, and would love to be in a serious relationship...but let's get real...when the guy is like 40 and he's hitting on me...it's so not sexy. In fact, it's gross. And I ALWAYS get hit on by the guys who are like, old enough to be my dad! It's soooo entirely weird! I dunno. Just weird. Oh, and then I'll tell you about another one towards the end about this one guy who really...blew his shot...at lunch one day. So funny!

*** THE COPY GUY ***

I work in the University District (U-District) in Seattle and there's a ton of local shops that I get to stop in on from time to time. One of the main ones is a Copy and Print Shop that's about a block away from where I work. I've been in a few times, and this one guy is almost always there. And when his chick co-worker isn't there, he quickly turns into a creepo. Like, one time I went in and got pictures of myself printed so I could send them to friends. Well, after he printed them, he looked at them for like 4 minutes before telling me how much I owed him. But he was like.... gawking...at the photos. and he's like, "these...are... really nice." And after picking up on the vibe, I was like, "thank you so much." and then rushed outta there. And seriously... this guy is like...in his early 40s or something...and, I can dig older guys...but NOT THAT old.

So the time I went in before I left for Austin, I was getting some tickets printed up for our big Dec. 4th event. I got in early cause I had a lot to do before I left. And so I took my thumb drive with all my files on it and took it down there. And NO ONE was in the shop except for me and my "not-so-secret admirer." So then he sits at the computer next to me and just...watches me open up the file and starts up some conversation that goes like this:

Him > So, do you work at the University?
Me > No. I work in a small office nearby.
Him > Have I seen you somewhere before?
Me > Well, I've been here in the store a couple of times. So yeah, maybe.
Him > Didn't I see you at (names a random bar) ?
Me > (with a small laugh) uh. no. No i've never been there.
Him > Oh. Well then I must have seen you at (names another random bar) .
Me > Um. No. I'm pretty sure it wasn't me. Maybe it was my twin or something.
Him > Oh. Do you...uh...not drink?
Me > No. I don't. Sorry.
Him > Oh...yeah... neither do I. No. I don't drink. Why don't you drink?
Me > Well, I've just seen the way it's destroyed my brother's life and most of my family. Nothing good ever comes of it in my experience. And I don't want to live my life the way my brother does, so... I just don't.
Him > You have very pretty hair.
Me > (awkwardly) Uh. Thanks. My dad really likes it too. (laughing in my head)
Him > So, are you from ( random neighborhood in Seattle ) ?
Me > No. I'm from (I gave him the name of the neighborhood next to mine, cause I sure as heck ain't telling him where I live).
Him > So are you originally from India?
Me > Um. No. No I"m not from India. (He is) My mom is spanish and my dad is mexican american, which is why I guess I could seem foreign. A lot of people think I'm from Brazil.
Him > Oh. Yeah. Well you're very pretty.
Me > Thanks. I uh, gotta make a quick call before I forget... (I dash to the opposite side of the store and call my mom. She talks to me for like all of 8 minutes while the guy is working on printing my stuff, and then says she has to go...THANKS, MOM.)

So when I'm done, he's got my prints ready to go. So I ask him how much I owe him, and he charges me a less than the original price since I don't have exact change. Which, I think is nice, but seriously sir... that's no way to buy my affection.

So as I'm paying, he goes, "Well...I was really trying very hard to impress you. But I guess it didn't work." and he was soooo distraught. :(

So I lied. :(

I was like, "I am so sorry. I'm really just not interested in dating right now." Okay, so it wasn't a total lie. I mean, I wasn't interested in dating HIM. Anyway, I jetted out of the store... and got halfway down the block and called up Joy and I was so confused- it was completely awkward and hilarious all at the same time.

***THE FREE BIRD***

So another case in which I just don't have luck with the guys. So one day after church, I went to eat with a bunch of friends from our college ministry. We went to (one of my favorite places EVER in Austin) FREEBIRDS to eat. So while I was in line, there was this guy who had just started coming to our church and was really starting to get to know everyone. But he was kinda....socially awkward...you could say.

While we were at FREEBIRDS, me and this guy stood in line together and were just talking about what each of us did. He was a student at UT who had also gone to college in a small texas town for another graduate program. And he just moved to Austin that summer. I told him I was on staff with Master's and that I taught students Graphic Design, Web Design and Video Production, along with teaching them book studies and being a discipleship director. Anyway, we got to the end of the line and i realized I totally accidentally left my wallet in my office at the church. So he offered to pay for me! Which, I thought was ultimately sweet...cause he TOTALLY didn't have to! So as we were getting our drinks, I thanked him and told him how grateful I was for his kind gesture. His reply?

"Oh, that's okay. You're a poor minister and I can support that"

Gee. Thanks.

I'm sure he meant that differently than it came out, so I decided to just let it slide and give him another shot. So then we're sitting there, eating our AMAZINGLY YUMMY FREEBIRD BURRITOS (yum-O) and we keep talking. He's going on and on about all the classes he's taking and how many accolades he's achieved, and how smart he is and how great of a personality he has...blah...blah...blah. (It feels weird when the person congratulates them-self more than you ever could). So then he's like, "Oh yeah. I mean, i wake up every morning and look in the mirror and I'm just so ready to dive into like a philosophy book. I just love sitting down with people and talking about philosophy with everyone all day." And I just kept nodding and smiling, the whole time thinking...oh jeeze. I could handle a couple of philosophical discussions, but not all day. :(

Then came the kicker. He looks at me and asks, "So, when are you gonna like stop working for Master's and grow up and get a real job?"

I was speechless.

I was like, "Well I"m sure there's a million and one things I could be doing right now, but for the time being, I really feel like I'm doing what I love and it is actually a real job. I actually do stuff that constitutes a real job." Pretty sure I said some harsh and sarcastic things in my mind at the time.

and he's like, "Yeah, I guess."

Then I changed the subject to something else where I didn't think he'd put his foot in his mouth. Needless to say, he wasn't a keeper either.

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So tell me guys, have you ever had an embarrassing story along the lines of relationships with the opposite sex? Do Tell!! :D

An ENFJ you say?

So I took the Meyer's Briggs Personality test and my result is "ENFJ." And I must admit, I was amazed by just how 'spot on' the results were. Here are two descriptions of an ENFJ. It's nice to know that there's some explanation for how odd i always think i am. hahahahahahahahaha! (brace yourself, it's kinda lengthy)

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///ENFJ: The Giver///


As an ENFJ, you're primary mode of living is focused externally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit into your personal value system. Your secondary mode is internal, where you take things in primarily via your intuition.

ENFJs are people-focused individuals. They live in the world of people possibilities. More so than any other type, they have excellent people skills. They understand and care about people, and have a special talent for bringing out the best in others. ENFJ's main interest in life is giving love, support, and a good time to other people. They are focused on understanding, supporting, and encouraging others. They make things happen for people, and get their best personal satisfaction from this.

Because ENFJ's people skills are so extraordinary, they have the ability to make people do exactly what they want them to do. They get under people's skins and get the reactions that they are seeking. ENFJ's motives are usually unselfish, but ENFJs who have developed less than ideally have been known to use their power over people to manipulate them.

ENFJ's are so externally focused that it's especially important for them to spend time alone. This can be difficult for some ENFJs, because they have the tendency to be hard on themselves and turn to dark thoughts when alone. Consequently, ENFJs might avoid being alone, and fill their lives with activities involving other people. ENFJs tend to define their life's direction and priorities according to other people's needs, and may not be aware of their own needs. It's natural to their personality type that they will tend to place other people's needs above their own, but they need to stay aware of their own needs so that they don't sacrifice themselves in their drive to help others.

ENFJ's tend to be more reserved about exposing themselves than other extraverted types. Although they may have strongly-felt beliefs, they're likely to refrain from expressing them if doing so would interfere with bringing out the best in others. Because their strongest interest lies in being a catalyst of change in other people, they're likely to interact with others on their own level, in a chameleon-like manner, rather than as individuals.

Which is not to say that the ENFJ does not have opinions. ENFJs have definite values and opinions which they're able to express clearly and succinctly. These beliefs will be expressed as long as they're not too personal. ENFJ is in many ways expressive and open, but is more focused on being responsive and supportive of others. When faced with a conflict between a strongly-held value and serving another person's need, they are highly likely to value the other person's needs.

The ENFJ may feel quite lonely even when surrounded by people. This feeling of aloneness may be exacerbated by the tendency to not reveal their true selves.

People love ENFJs. They are fun to be with, and truly understand and love people. They are typically very straight-forward and honest. Usually ENFJs exude a lot of self-confidence, and have a great amount of ability to do many different things. They are generally bright, full of potential, energetic and fast-paced. They are usually good at anything which captures their interest.

ENFJs like for things to be well-organized, and will work hard at maintaining structure and resolving ambiguity. They have a tendency to be fussy, especially with their home environments.

In the work place, ENFJs do well in positions where they deal with people. They are naturals for the social committee. Their uncanny ability to understand people and say just what needs to be said to make them happy makes them naturals for counseling. They enjoy being the center of attention, and do very well in situations where they can inspire and lead others, such as teaching.

ENFJs do not like dealing with impersonal reasoning. They don't understand or appreciate its merit, and will be unhappy in situations where they're forced to deal with logic and facts without any connection to a human element. Living in the world of people possibilities, they enjoy their plans more than their achievements. They get excited about possibilities for the future, but may become easily bored and restless with the present.

ENFJs have a special gift with people, and are basically happy people when they can use that gift to help others. They get their best satisfaction from serving others. Their genuine interest in Humankind and their exceptional intuitive awareness of people makes them able to draw out even the most reserved individuals.

ENFJs have a strong need for close, intimate relationships, and will put forth a lot of effort in creating and maintaining these relationships. They're very loyal and trustworthy once involved in a relationship.

An ENFJ who has not developed their Feeling side may have difficulty making good decisions, and may rely heavily on other people in decision-making processes. If they have not developed their Intuition, they may not be able to see possibilities, and will judge things too quickly based on established value systems or social rules, without really understanding the current situation. An ENFJ who has not found their place in the world is likely to be extremely sensitive to criticism, and to have the tendency to worry excessively and feel guilty. They are also likely to be very manipulative and controling with others.

In general, ENFJs are charming, warm, gracious, creative and diverse individuals with richly developed insights into what makes other people tick. This special ability to see growth potential in others combined with a genuine drive to help people makes the ENFJ a truly valued individual. As giving and caring as the ENFJ is, they need to remember to value their own needs as well as the needs of others.

read more @: http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFJ.html
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Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging (PROFILE)

ENFJs are the benevolent 'pedagogues' of humanity. They have tremendous charisma by which many are drawn into their nurturant tutelage and/or grand schemes. Many ENFJs have tremendous power to manipulate others with their phenomenal interpersonal skills and unique salesmanship. But it's usually not meant as manipulation -- ENFJs generally believe in their dreams, and see themselves as helpers and enablers, which they usually are.

ENFJs are global learners. They see the big picture. The ENFJs focus is expansive. Some can juggle an amazing number of responsibilities or projects simultaneously. Many ENFJs have tremendous entrepreneurial ability.

ENFJs are, by definition, Js, with whom we associate organization and decisiveness. But they don't resemble the SJs or even the NTJs in organization of the environment nor occasional recalcitrance. ENFJs are organized in the arena of interpersonal affairs. Their offices may or may not be cluttered, but their conclusions (reached through feelings) about people and motives are drawn much more quickly and are more resilient than those of their NFP counterparts.

ENFJs know and appreciate people. Like most NFs, (and Feelers in general), they are apt to neglect themselves and their own needs for the needs of others. They have thinner psychological boundaries than most, and are at risk for being hurt or even abused by less sensitive people. ENFJs often take on more of the burdens of others than they can bear.

(read more @ http://typelogic.com/enfj.html)

Snow White and the 7 Pictures I'm Posting Here

It snowed today and I had such a fun time!!






It was supposed to snow yesterday, but apparently the weather forecasters were off by a day. :D Here's some fun pictures I took throughout the day. :D



Our Own Little White Castle



I Guess The City Isn't So "Bustling" When The Powder Hits



On The Bus To Work



After Going To Check The Mail




Me Thinking About A Fun Idea....


So on the way home from work, I was walking through all this snow and I thought to myself: MAN, I WANT TO HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT!

But no one was with me...so it wasn't gonna work out. So then I thought... OH I KNOW! I'LL MAKE SNOWBALLS AND THROW THEM UP IN THE AIR AND LET THEM HIT ME AND THEN PRETEND THAT SOMEONE THREW THEM AT ME!!

yes i know...sad. But it was FUN!!

Here's the end result:




thanks for enjoying the Snow Day with me!! Wheeeeeee!!! Fun!!! :D