Inventory

Following in the footsteps of some good friends, Chirky and Binky (heck with those names Kpinion sounds down right normal), I'm sharing with you the contents of my duffel bag purse. Now I have to admit I upgraded from a normal size purse (still able to hold a small dog if needed though I have promised myself to never become one of those people) to a full fledged could pass for a school bag tote/purse so I have more room but haven't really taken advantage of that at all times.

Here we go:

Rubbermaid 7 cup plastic food container
Can of Campbells Select harvest chicken noodle soup (lunch)
Wallet
Iphone
Ipod
Ear phones
Small notebook
Laminated Tax Exempt form (for work)
Check stub
Couple pieces of folded paper
Checkbook
Nail File
A pretty Cross pen in case that belonged to my grandmother
Mechanical pencil
A "katie" pen in hot pink (note: I usually have an abundance of these but today only one)
"Look Ma, new hands" lotion (heaven for my skin)
Burts Bees Lip Balm
C.O. Bigelow Lip Balm
Burts Bees Super Shiny Lip Gloss in Zesty Red
Clinique Lip Gloss in Juicy Apply
Estee Lauder Gloss in Cherry (a crazy red that I don't wear)
Clinique Color Surge impossibly glossy
Liplicious Tasty Lip Color (Dipped Strawberry - YUMMY)
California Pizza Kitchen receipt (from Sunday afternoon)
Keys
My set of valet keys (not sure why these are in here)
A package of Halls Defense Vitamin C drops in Strawberry
Two granola bars (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip flavor is you were intersted)
A travel container of assorted meds (advil, aleve, and tylenol)
A few said pills in the bottom of my purse
Eclipse mints in a tin with a lid that always comes open
A few said mints in the bottom of my purse
Kleenex pocket pack
Eye drops for contact wearers
Powder Compact
A mirror compact
A hershey kiss
A small reeses peanut butter cup
A bandaid
A Pappas bros. pack of matches
A roll of smarties
1 penny
6 bobby pins


That's all folks. The sad thing is there's plenty of room for a sweatshirt or small child.

Feeling like a kid again

What is it about Christmas that makes me feel like a kid? The decorations, smells (cookies, pine needles, and log fires), weather (cold and if you're lucky SNOW), friends and family, traditions? Maybe it's a little bit of everything all wrapped up in a present at the foot of the tree that makes me feel like I'm 5 in fuzzy footed pajamas with a mug of hot chocolate.

Last night "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was on TV and I had to stop and watch it and let myself become a child again. I love Charlie Brown, that poor kid who can't seem to get things right the first go round but has a heart too big for his yellow and brown sweater. I also love this cartoon because it so simply sets the stage for the Christmas holiday season. Even the kids of Peanuts get sucked into the commercialization of this holiday until one little tree that was headed for the chipper gets given a chance and Linus (oh sweet Linus) reminds everyone what the holiday is supposed to be about.

So watch and enjoy and join me with your cup of hot cocoa and your footed pajamas and take in the wonders of the season as you remember that's it's not about the sights and sounds but about something greater, bigger, and a promise that we're all waiting to see fulfilled.

I found this video on another blog, and unfortunately I closed the window before getting the address so I could properly give credit to the man who made this. So this is a thank you to Mr. Dixon for putting together this little video.

100,000

A few weeks ago my odometer rolled past the landmark of one hundred thousand miles. In fact, I didn't notice it until about fifty miles past the magic number. And while this huge number marks a lot of wear and tear on my poor car it also chronicles about 5 years of my life. Thankfully it's a Toyota so I'm convinced it will work until I drive it off of a cliff "Thelma and Louise style".


I remember buying my car which was, of course, my first grown up purchase. Before this, I had driven, wait for it, a Dodge Caravan and Chevrolet Caprice in high school (my coolness overwhelms you, I know) and then a Plymouth something-or-other and a Ford Taurus. Wow, I drove old lady cars. I will say that I have some great memories from those cars though. You'd be surprised just how many people you can pack into a Caprice, it's astounding.


When I was able to purchase my own car I steered clear of the land barges and soccer mom vehicles. Instead I wanted something grown up and yet fun that would outlive me if possible. A car is so utilitarian on one hand and a status symbol on the other. We pour over miles per gallon (now more than then), maintenance requirements, cloth or leather seating, power locks vs. the ancient crank windows, and then moon roof, sun roof, no roof. Even the color is important, do you want to blend or stand out? In my case, my speed while driving makes me stand out so I went for a blendable color, white in case you were wondering. We think through leg room, head room, and trunk space for those dead bodies we might one day haul or groceries if you live a boring life. We contemplate how high up or low to the ground we will sit, I guess choosing if we want to actually squash people in smaller cars or maybe skirt through the undercarriage of a semi.

The one thing I didn't think about as I signed away five years of car payments was where my car would take me. Those 100,000 miles represented payments and gas tanks but more than that, they represented the places I would go (insert a Dr. Seuss reference here). From the everyday drive to work or the grocery store to road trips and family visits, my car has taken me all kinds of places.

I like numbers, they give a sense of measurement and history. With each mile tallied on my car comes the history of where I went and why. Trips to south Texas for holidays, birthdays, funerals, and family events all add to the big number. Those twice weekly trips to Dallas for bible study from which lifelong friendships grew. A long drive in my car on a Saturday afternoon when I wanted to think or not think and just listen to music with the windows down.

Memories, stories, and miles all represented in that six digit number right there on my dash. What if other things in our life kept a tally: shoes that marked the steps taken exploring New York City, phones that log the hours spent having a heart wrenching talk with a friend, a stomach that counted all those calories resulting from chocolate chip cookies, keyboards that keep track of the words written in a lifetime.

One hundred thousand miles and counting.

It's like Christmas

I just wrote an email to the group leader for my weekly Bible study in which I explained to her that I was going to sneak out early so I can watch election results. Yep, I'm a nerd.

Her reply included the party line by the large group leader about polls not closing until 9, and I already voted so I couldn't change anything, and yada, yada, yada. She then mentioned that she thought of me during that whole discussion and how I had skipped out early on the same Bible study years ago to catch the end of the State of the Union (did I mention I'm a nerd?) So I responded with my ever growing rebellious tone that I'm a freak when it comes to politics and governement and Election Day is like Christmas to me and I had no problem skipping out early on Bible study no less.

Seriously, it doesn't matter that my vote has been cast already or that polls won't close until 9pm CST, I want to watch it all happen! It's like opening Christmas presents, most of the fun is in unwrapping them and being surprised. I want to listen to the commentators talk about exit polls and put up precinct reports. I want to watch as the states turn from gray to blue or red. In fact, if I would have planned better I would have made my own electoral college counter with a big map of the US and a state cut-out in red and blue that I could then tap to my wall. I would tally the electoral college points and tally after each state was called.

This is my holiday people and I want to celebrate it my way.

So if you haven't, go out and cast your vote. Do it now, do it because you can, do it because someone actually gave their life so that you had the freedom to have your voice heard and counted. And then, when you're done, you can come and sit on my couch with me and watch the results come in.

Stumped

It's funny for me to think that for almost two years I wrote a blog post practically daily and yet for the last two years I've been averaging one or two a month. I'm not sure if it's that I have less time to write or I have less things to write. Or maybe, it's a combination of both.

Oh I still think, boy do I think. But my thoughts are often left to rattle around in my brain than to go from pen to paper, or in my case, keyboard to screen. I do miss writing though. For being a more analytical, practical, administrative type person, writing always seemed to be my one creative outlet. It was a place for all the thoughts, questions, ideas, etc. that crowd my ever turning mind to find release.

So, I'm going to try to write more. Trust me it won't be a post a day, I've got too much going on for a goal like that. But maybe just a post a week. So if you're still out there internet I'm going to start speaking again. And if you're gone, that's ok, honestly I never wrote for you but more for me.

In shock

Below is a picture, post-Ike, of the coastal town of our family's beach cabins - Canal City. Devastation isn't really the right word to describe that there is ONE home left standing from a neighborhood of dozens. It's a bit surreal to think this beach house, built by my grandfather and his buddies over 50 years ago, was obliterated by wind and water.

The comforting thing is that I know all the many memories I have of this beach house and time there with my family there can't be taken away by a hurricane.

Olympics

Since the 12 hour time difference between China and Texas has led to many a late nights watching the Olympics I've had some time to ponder what event I would be able to compete in if I had a chance at a slot on the Olympic team.

Running is most definitely out. I'm more of a turtle than a hare.
Swimming is probably a no-go since I never learned how to breath and swim at the same time.
Gymnastics has no chance since balance is my mortal weakness.

Hmmm what does this leave? Weightlifting - nope, fencing - good idea but not sure I have the skills, maybe I need to look at the more non-famous sports.

I found it! Yep, I know what I will try out for next Olympic go-round. I would be perfect as the person that yells out "STROKE" in the crew competitions. I'm loud, I can keep tempo, and it requires really only those two things.

So in four or maybe 8 years, I might have a medal in hand for being the best yeller to keep time there is in the world.