I've Never Seen A Witch

 Me & T— ready for some trick-or-treating

A few weeks ago, one of my youth group girls asked me to go trick-or-treating with her, and I agreed because she's so fun to hang with and I haven't been trick-or-treating in forever (naturally). I had so much fun trick-or-treating with T— tonight! She went as a pirate and I went as a narwhal. We got so much loot! One lady even said, "Oh I have something SPECIAL for the big kids!" and she gave each of us a huge bag of M&Ms!

I loved being a narwhal this year too. It was extra fun because most of the adults were like, "Are you a unicorn?" and a bunch of the kids were like, "OH MY GOSH I LOVE YOUR COSTUME!!! I LOVE NARWHALS!!!"* I got a LOT of compliments and many confused glances from people walking up and down Market Street. I'm glad I got to get out and have fun this year—I felt like I was a kid again "oohing" and "aahing" at the fun pumpkins and decorations.

Here are some pics from the evening:

A legit Cake Wreck!
I think the pumpkin got sick of all the kids enjoying
the sweetness and wanted to try some himself.

 A super cute family trick-or-treating on Market Street

 A sweet pup ready for Halloween . . . ps: it's a boy!

 Raise your hand if you're having fun . . .

One giant bag of M&Ms coming right up

My loot from the evening!

And as a special treat, here is a fun video of my friend, Heather J. dressed as a kitty making me laugh. She thought I was taking a picture, but I was filming!

*caps lock & exclamation points totally part of the deal.

Stadium Arcadium

Last night I had dinner with the Irwins, but before we sat down at the table, we were watching the World Series. The fact that at first I didn't know which team was Texas and which one was San Francisco tells you just a little bit about my knowledge of sports. It wasn't until one of the Texas players turned around and I saw the big TEXAS across his (ugly, might I add) jersey that I realized who was who. That said, it made me think back to the time this summer when I played softball. I mean, we're not major league YET . . . okay, or at all. But it was genuinely fun—not because I knew what was going on, because most of the time I didn't—but because it allowed me to spend time outdoors having fun with friends. Today I finally got around to editing my softball photos.

And looking back on all the fun I had, I'd like to dedicate today's post to

TOP TEN REASONS WHY
I WILL NEVER PLAY IN THE WORLD SERIES:

10. Odds are more likely that I'd get my cleat stuck in the toilet while changing before the game.

9.  I don't even own my own mitt. Legit.

8. Converse shoes don't really have great traction for running bases.

7. They say "batter up" and I ask what flavor they're offering.

6. Baseball pants don't come in electric blue.

5. They don't allow you to wear beaded necklaces in the big leagues.

4. When catching a ball: "I got it! I got it! . . .  SQUIRREL!"

3. My idea of a pop-fly involves Thanksgiving and some old jeans.

2. They chant "Be the ball," and I curl up in a ball and scream "DON'T HIT ME!"

1. I actually confessed to someone this season that I thought that Ken Griffey Jr. played baseball with Babe Ruth and was a baseball legend.

. . . so yeah, all of these—plus the fact that I don't want to, have never trained for the position, and a ton of other factors. Oh well, at least I know I'm prime for a short-term softball league! And really folks, that's all I need! :)

GO RANGERS!!

GO GIANTS!!

GO WHOEVER IS GONNA WIN!!

Stones Under Rushing Water

Life has been a whirlwind this past 2 weeks! The great news is that I'm doing really well on the Game On Diet with my friends. My favorite thing is trash talking the competition—sooo fun!

Well here's a quick rundown on some things that have been going on lately:

Thanks to the Game On Diet, I've traded in my pizza for salads and smoothies.

I've also traded in my potato chips for these:

And boy are they tasty! No but really, I've always liked cucumbers and carrots and stuff like that, so it's not that big of a stretch* but the hard part is resisting the other things I love . . . like pizza . . . and chocolate . . . and cupcakes!

The seasons have changed in the city and I'm loving the fall here in the city. Even with the rain, it's been really nice. I've had to layer up a little more to stay warm at work, but they're working on fixing the heater in my office, so that's a plus!

One of my favorite parts of the Game On Diet is getting together each week to watch The Biggest Loser and Glee! I get to do my weigh-in and then watch as others work toward a better health as well. Then I get to forget about any pounds I may have gained ;) by watching Glee! Yesterday on Biggest Loser, we kept rewinding the DVR because at one point, Jillian grabbed one of the other girls by the butt and made the funniest faces. And THEN, Deb saw a cockroach crawl across the floor when they were at the table doing the elimination round! We still don't know HOW she saw it, but we rewound the DVR and sure enough, it was there!

This morning when I came in to work, I got a special treat in my mailbox: NEW MUSIC to listen to! This is an album from a local Seattle band, THE HEAD AND THE HEART. I spent some time this morning listening to it and I loved the mellow sound. I really appreciate that it incorporates so many different layers and instruments—ones that you don't typically hear on a mainstream candy-coated album.  It was a sweet treat for the indie folk parts of my heart. My favorite song off the album is Cats and Dogs.

In other great news: I have been whining and complaining (mostly to myself) about not getting to see the HBO mini-series BOARDWALK EMPIRE . . . which is a creation of Terence Winter, who made The Sopranos. But not only does it have great writing, it's backed by Scorcese, and it stars Steve Buscemi. Yes, that Steve Buscemi! And, as if that wasn't enough, the story takes place in one of my favorite eras—The Roaring 20s! Gangsters, flapper gowns, bright lights, drama to the max! But now . . .

I'm more than excited to start watching it—I don't even care if the season already started! The only thing is I have to wait until I'm done with the Game On Diet game, because it comes on at 10 and I have to be in bed asleep by 10 so I get my sleep points . . . and as much as I love TV, I'll turn it down for some butt-kickin' points!

Welp, that's pretty much it! My past few days in a nutshell. And oh what a refining process that nutshell is going through. ;)

In other news, I leave for Dallas next week for my Birthday Weekend!!! YAY!

* See what I did there? ;)

We Didn't Start The Fire

As a young girl, I was lucky enough to learn the fine art of using a hot glue gun  to decorate knick knacks with fake jewels. My hot glue gun skills were  rivaled  only by my ability to weild a bottle of puffy paint. For the longest time, I was sure my hot glue gun skills would lay waste and never come in handy. Today, that all changed.

It's getting a bit colder here and though I tried my best to brave the elements, I resorted to turning on the heater in my office. About 10 minutes later, our IT guy came into my office and asked, "What is that smell?!" I took in a whiff and said, "Hmm. It smells like hot glue gun. That's weird."

So after moving my desk and searching all over my office for the origin of the smell, we discovered that a pen had fallen into the heating grate and was melting onto the panels. I think it's safe to say we were mildly worried. After turning off the heater, thus preventing more toxins burning in the air, we aired out the office and retrieved the melted pen. We then decided that until we get it fixed I should either use one of the office space heaters or invest in a triple-layer Snuggie.  After hearing that temperatures are going to be dropping significantly next week, I'm contemplating moving my office to Hawaii. ;p

I've also taken the liberty to change my office name from PUBLICATIONS OFFICE to THE FIRESIDE LOUNGE. I think I'll redecorate with jewels outlined in puffy paint. And of course, I'll apply the jewels with a hot glue gun.

The moral of the story: There's never a dull moment in my office. Also, only you (and a combo of tweezers, tongs, and scissors) can prevent office fires

Angels We Have Heard On High

Tonight is a BIG night! Every Tuesday night, I meet up with my friends, Cindy B., Deb, Cindy J., Heather, and Clanci to watch Glee and Biggest Loser. Well tonight, we're shaking things up!

We are starting a friendly competition between us! We're going to be challenging each other to do the GAME ON DIET in teams and believe me, the trash talking has already begun in full force. When we were first working through the logistics, I learned that one of the other teams had a name and my team didn't. Well that just wouldn't do, so my teammates threw around some names and asked me to help pick one. From the list, I chose the most clever and fun one! After picking out the name, they asked me to design a logo of sorts for us to use to promote our team. Well ladies and gentlemen here it is—the logo for our team (the winning team), VICTORIOUS SECRET!

That's right folks! We're the angels ready to mangle the other teams! We each have our personal fitness goals and there is a strong system of accountability built into the diet, so it's also a great way for us to stay connected and build stronger friendships too! I've already been doing some prep work to get my body to ease into the changes a little smoother and I'm super excited about doing this with my friends. I'm really looking forward to what will come from it all!

Run Forward

Last night I got to go to my FIRST EVER professional soccer match! It was so much fun, and not just because we won, but because I was surrounded by wonderful people! The fans in the stadium were outrageous and fun but the company of the friends who invited me—the Reddys—really made the night exciting! I got to have quality conversations and learn a lot about a sport I'd never really taken the time to pay attention to. Although I must admit, I'm not a bonafide soccer buff, I feel like I don't have to be clueless in the crowd anymore.

Here are some photos from the evening:

GO SOUNDERS!

Single Ladies

Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts. It's about to get a little ranty up in here.

One thing that I've bragged about for the past few years is that while a lot of my friends got the "Why aren't you married with kids yet?" talk from their parents, my parents had been silent on the issue. THAT was truly something I appreciated. Until a couple of weeks ago, when I got a call in which I had to explain to one of my parents that there were actually some pretty valid reasons why I'm not married yet.

Can I just take a moment to say, as a young (yes I still consider 28 to be young) single woman, how refreshing it is not to feel any pressure to be in a relationship with someone just because it's what is expected by society? I just cannot express to you so much how freeing it's been to not have anyone in my life questioning my life choices when it comes to finding the man I want to marry. I've been able to browse all by myself, on my own terms, and develop my own shopping list when it comes to finding the guy I want to devote some quality time to? It is entirely liberating.

But then I got the call. Then I had to explain that first and foremost, the reason I'm not in a relationship is not because I don't WANT to be, but because the only people that have asked me out are 40 year-old creepy guys on the bus, who are not my type. And yes, I do have a type; and NO, my type is not the knight-in-shining armor, riding in on a white horse delivering cards, candy, and flowers covered in diamonds. But being a young, independent woman, I know who I am and what I like, and I know what I'm willing to work for in the guy department.

Getting that call did not make me want to go out and find someone around the corner to get married do, but it did make me wonder why it mattered to anyone that I am still young and single. The thing that I always come back to is: "Who said that I have to be married with kids at 28? or 29 for that matter? Who says I have to have kids right out of the gate after I get married? Who says I have to have 5 kids of my own before I can feel fulfilled as a woman? Who?" Oh, I know who (and I'm not saying it's my parents, because up until now, they had not joined that chorus). Those questions that are always on my mind kind of came to a head during that conversation. I think it was interesting for my parents to hear my point of view on the matter—that I don't answer to those who think it's my job as a woman to settle for "the next available someone that I can have kids with." I take relationships and marriage a little more serious than that.

If you were to take an outside look at my friendships, you could gather that I spend a lot of time and energy pouring into those relationships. And those are just my basic friendships. Throw intimacy and a deeper, honest friendship in the mix and I'm not just going to treat it like it's a kitten in a box on the side of the road. If I think it has value, which I do, I'm going to go into it full force with 10x the attention, care, concern, and devotion that I would a basic friendship. So (in my opinion) for people in society to think that someone who is in their younger years and not romantically attached to someone (thus giving them some semblance of "mattering" to the world around them), are somehow 'less than' or 'missing the mark,' is absolutely absurd.

I understand that there sare some people that are married who feel like everyone else around them should be married: We could do married people stuff together! We could talk about our husbands together! We could have kids at the same time and they can have playdates together and then we can talk about how my son will marry your daughter and we'll plan their whole lives for them!!! What could be more fun?

I'll tell you what could be more fun. It would be more fun if married people would let time work its magic, like it did with them. It would be more fun if married people would let love progress under its personal circumstances, like it did with them. It would be SO much fun if married people would pray for my future, and that I would make wise choices. It would be SO much fun if married people would remember the pressures they felt when walking into relationships that led them to their mates, and help me work through those when the time comes.

I believe there is power in a woman who is confident in who she is even if she not furiously planning her wedding with the person she has just moved beyond being "just friends" with. And I worry for young women who only see their worth in being attached to a man. Am I against dating someone right now, Not.At.All. In fact, I have even ventured into online dating sites because I realize that I am at a point where I'm comfortable enough with who I am that I'm open to dating. But I have to say that even if I don't find someone this weekend to go on a date with me, I'm okay. I still have plenty of life in me, and there is still PLENTY of time for me to share it with the person I'm going to marry. And I will—in due time—to someone who adds just what I need to my life, and who I'm willing to build a life together with.

But until that time, I'm not rushing into things. I believe that love is a powerful thing and I'm not afraid to learn along the way, but I'm also not just going to pass my heart out like it's a SWAG item at a convention. It will be worked for, fought for, looked after, and cared for. I'm not afraid of love, or marriage, or kids, but I AM wary of rushing past the sweet moments that will bring fullness of life in my relationships.

What's This?

K— is ready for Halloween!

It's getting closer to that magic hour . . . Halloween. My housemates and I have already decorated our house for Halloween and we're planning our Halloween party and a trip to a haunted corn maze.

I keep jumping the gun and suggesting we decorate for both Halloween and Christmas. Ka— suggested putting snowflakes on the windows, to which K— adamantly vetoed. I suggested we all take a trip down to California and chop down a redwood tree to decorate as our Christmas tree. K— seems to think we wouldn't make it out of the park, but only because she isn't aware of my childhood klepto skills. Jk. I won't steal a tree . . . unless it's one of those Reese's chocolate trees . . . okay but maybe I wouldn't steal those either.

One thing that I have set as a goal for this month is to learn the Thriller dance. K— is mandating that I perform it for the house on October 30th. Wish me luck guys!

Strip Me

Take what you want
Steal my pride
Build me up
Or cut me down to size
Shut me out
But I’ll just scream
I'm only one voice in a million
But you ain't taking that from me
Oh oh no you ain't taking that from me

I dont need a microphone
To say what I been thinking
My heart is like a loudspeaker
Thats always on eleven
And if you strip me,
Strip it all away

If you strip me,
What would you find
If you strip me,
Strip it all away
I’m still the same

- STRIP ME by Natasha Bedingfield

Over the course of the week, I've gotten to see two interesting documentaries. Usually I'm wary of documentaries, but the two that I saw recently did a pretty decent job and reached me on every level. After watching both of them, I walked away, not with a flight of fancy enthusiasm to conquer the world, but with a bigger quest for knowledge, research, and understanding—much of which I've already begun to incorporate into my own life.

WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

I will admit, this one was heavy-handed in its one-sided cause, but it also provided me with enough facts and resources to dig deeper to understand the underbelly of the American education system. The movie highly promotes charter schools as the premiere form of education for students and it shows a lot of pros about them, while heaping on the disdain for public schools. After seeing the film, I'm not FULLY convinced that charter schools are the complete answer, but their techniques and some other practical solutions provided in the film do shed some hope for the future of education that can be used on an at-home level. It also digs deeper into what circumstances are halting success in public schools across America. It was a hard pill for me to swallow at first, because I came from GREAT public schools and each of my teachers genuinely cared about my personal success in the realm of a quality education and positive social growth, but I could see where some of the data provided was valid. The truth I walked away with is that as a community, much can be done to help push education forward—through community involvement, individual awareness of the issue at hand, and by parents understanding that they DO have options and can make daily decisions to propel their child's academic level, there is hope for the future of America.

Here is a clip from the movie:

FREAKONOMICS

 This movie was definitely one that left me with my world turned on its side. There was a lot of information and intrigue to question various angles of basic life assumptions that I had never thought to question. It's broken down into four parts, each with their own focus. While these segments were not long enough to really provide a thorough conclusion about their individual topics, it provided enough information for me to process the data and come to my own conclusions about each topic, which I appreciated.

This was the first 3 minutes of the film. This part wasn't really what intrigued me, as much as it was the segment about all the tips and tricks that parents buy into to be "successful" parents who raise their kids to be "the best of the best." The segment on observations of the decrease in crime rates also got me to think about things from a different angle.

I'm not saying necessarily that you should RUSH out to the theaters to see these documentaries because they will BLOW YOUR MIND, but they are worth the watch on Netflix. They bring awareness and provoke thought. I feel that if we would spend more time thinking about such things and how we can challenge our own viewpoint of the things that are taught to us (and which we sometimes take at face value), as opposed to thinking about surface issues or how to get the next big awesome thing that will seemingly enhance our lives, then we'll be doing our communities and our own families a great service.