Tree Tidings

So, I may have volunteered myself to decorate the company Christmas tree this year. All of my excessive excitement about this holiday season (which has basically been the focus of my last 3 or 4 entries) got the best of me. And you know what? I'm going all out. I'm gonna insert a little public art flair to the tree this year...make some cards, write good tidings inside them, and hang them on the tree. What do you think of that? Holiday cheer at its finest? I'd agree. And I'm thinking I'll do the same on my tree at home. Why not spread the good news, right? I'm gonna make a card a day and hang it on the tree for A to find; make him fall in love with my sweet, sweet Santa self. I'm gonna get something fabulous for Christmas this year, I'm sure of it ;)

*image from http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/

Grocery Shoppin and Home-Cookin

1) I love droppin the gs at the end of words. Try it for yourself. Don't you feel all down-home and friendly?

Now that we're feelin our southernest...

I want to talk about how wonderful it is grocery shoppin and cookin with another person. Last night I picked up A on my way home from work so that we could experience the fabulous place that is Safeway together! No, that's not quite true. I picked him up so we could grab fixins (<--what did I tell you about the preciousness of no gs?!) for our bean burriladas (burrito + enchilada). Not only is grocery shoppin more fun with 2 people, but it's WAY more fun with the man who loves you (because he calms you down when you can't reach your favorite cereal because 2 women with full carts and 12 kids between them are parked for a mid-aisle chat in front of the Cheerios; because he reaches over their poorly-positioned heads, charmingly saying, "Excuse me. My little girl's GOTTA have her Cheerios," the mothers smiling on knowingly, until they see that he meant me. And then...he pushes the cart ;) ). So there we were grocery shoppin with every single human being within the city limits who works a 9-5--the middle of a hungry pirahna fest really--just as happy as clams to be together. Ain't that somethin? Like those stories that end with "and then I found 5 dollars," and then we made some fabulously beany, cheesy, salsa-y burriladas!

Not to mention, as the cashier handed us our receipt, she said, "Have a good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Ware." Why, we certainly will! I smiled to myself. I have to say that I've really grown to appreciate comments like "Have a nice day!" or "Enjoy the rest of the afternoon!" Something about others well-wishing me makes my heart happy. And comments like that lift my mood, too. Like, Now that you told me to, I will DEFINITELY have a fabulous rest of the day! One-liner pep-talks is what they are. I think I might put a little thought into some new conversation enders. Dumb & Dumber's "Don't go dyin on me!" too much? Maybe a little bit. How about "Hope you get a good night's sleep!" Or "Maybe you'll get some good mail today!" Alright, so I need to put a little MORE thought into it...

Last but not least...

Daily Dose of Dillies: Married Talk

After last week's bridal shower, I realized that I'm now a part of the "Married Talk" circle. Before I got engaged, conversations about kids or houses or spouses were directed elsewhere (not that I minded being left out, as I wouldn't have had much to contribute, anyway). But now, my married coworkers address me, include me in their married talk. Just today I got asked how many kids A and I want, when we want them, and how life's different with and without kids. We talked about pregancy and raising kids while working. We talked about splitting time between families during the holidays and how we want to decorate our houses for Christmas. It was bizarre. But in a good way. It's like I was in unfamiliar territory in that I was talking about topics and issues that I've really only talked about with A. That's when it sank in for real--I'm a legitimate part of this new conversation circle; I think about and have opinions on married-related issues; I can talk to other married women now! Sounds ridiculous, but it made me feel so grown up, like I've been inducted into the next phase of my life :)

*image from http://frugalforlife.blogspot.com/ (The pic looks like it was taken in the1950s! The Safeway of today is not NEARLY as exciting as those cashiers' robes).

Winter Walls

I woke up this morning to warped window sills and bloated walls. The snow got in.

I took the blanket with me and went to the window.
Running my palm over the warped wood,
I watched the snow melt and drip off the rooves below,
knowing that Fall was over.
I might not have noticed it, but for the bubbles in the paint.

I'm too tired for Winter and the heaviness of it.
I just want to go back to bed and
sleep through this season without you,
but the cold's inside me, too.
In the night, it soaked me through and through,
filling me up with something that,
I hope,
will wake me to my own life again.

Same Old Story

So, my lady coworker friends threw me a bridal shower last Friday night. Eeek, it was so much fun! (And I walked out with half a sheetcake, too, so...) But anywho, I knew before going that I'd get asked "How did he propose?" (a story I LOVE to tell), which got me thinking about all the stories we spend our lives telling and retelling. Earlier this week, being my regular eavesdropping self, I happened to overhear my cubicle neighbor, a 50 year-old family man, on the telephone. He was recounting times when he gifted his wife jewelry (times I gathered were out-of-the-blue giftings, not holidays or anniversaries. I know--adorable). He mentioned the time he put a diamond bracelet in a flashlight and handed it to his wife, saying, "You light up my life." He also mentioned the time he put a fancy-shamncy ring in the prize bag in a Cracker Jacks box. His wife opened the box and reached for a handful of deliciously carmelized popcorn and nuts, her fingers finding themselves wrapped around a heavier-than-plastic ring instead. Freakishly fabulous find, huh? I know. No wonder that man retells the story. Makes him look like a regular gift-giving god. But, putting aside my gift envy for a second, I can't stop thinking about the stories that are my staples, my bread-n-butta. Certainly the day A and I got engaged is my newest favorite, as recounting all the preciously planned details of that day woo a room full of women like George Clooney might (not to mention, I spoke to Kevin Bacon IN PERSON that day, so it's a double prize kind of story, as in doubly entertaining).

But there's also the story from when I was 10 years old and had pneumonia. I fell asleep on the black-top at recess, an act that broke the camel's back and got me sent home--sleeping at recess! Ha! As if that's the all-determining factor regarding a kid's sickness or wellness. And there's a Part 2 to that story, as well. I had a soccer game later that week, and for some unknown reason, I was determined to go. I feigned wellness as best I could, telling my parents I felt great and was totally pumped for the game. Driving to the game, however, I thew up out the window. My dad put his hand on my back and said, "I knew you were too sick to play today, but I thought we could at least watch the game. But that idea's no good either." I told him that throwing up had made me feel instantly better and that I wanted to stay and watch the game. Walking to the field, however, I threw up again! I've never thrown up so much in my life as I did that day! And in public! Needless to say, my dad turned me right around and drove me home. And there are so many more stories that I love to tell! Stories that I've worked over and over and so are exponentially better now, but that's not the point! My point is to get you thinking about YOUR stories, those infamous moments which, when shared, wow a crowd again and again and again. And then share them with ME. Please. Now. Thank you.

Daily Dose of Dillies: Public Restrooms (Don't ew yet).

While I'm usually one to bash public bathrooms--they're uninviting, unsanitary, and un-private--I've had a minor change of heart, minor in that I've changed my mind about certain public bathrooms. The first being the bathrooms in the office building where I work. Here's the sitch: I arrive at work at 8AM everyday. As soon as I log into my time-tracker-keeper (it's official name), I hustle over to the break room, pour myself a huge cup of coffee, and proceed to gulp it down as fast as its temperature allows me. Which means that come 8:30, I've got the fullest bladder known to man. So, I go to the bathroom. At 8:30. Every day. (Here's the part where I reveal the reason behind my change of heart...) I open the door. The lights are off. I smile to myself. I'm the first pee-pee-er of the day! I turn on the lights as if it's my own personal bathroom to which I reserve the electricity rights. I then proceed to walk by each empty stall, all the toilets freshly cleaned and ready for the day's use, and pick one at random. I semi-confidently step inside (when before I used my shirt sleeves, my elbows, my feet! to set-up shop, refusing to let an inch of my skin touch ANYTHING). It's glorious, I tell you, having an entire public bathroom to yourself! The choicest stalls, PLENTY of toilet paper, no need to be quiet (sometimes I hum in the bathroom; don't you?), no worries about hurrying for the next person in line, no water-logged countertops soaking your shirt or pants, and you can take as long as you want in front of the mirror without fellow pee-ers thinking you're vain! No longer does the public bathroom feel uninvited, unsanitary, and un-private. Brilliant! Best part of the work day maybe, my morning soiree with the stalls :)

But the office bathrooms aren't the only bathrooms I've grown to appreciate. There are the Nordstrom bathrooms! Or the "Women's Lounge" as it's hoity-toit-ily named. There are couches and full-length mirrors and the stalls have a million hooks for hanging your purse, your jacket, your shopping bags, your...well, if you had something else, there'd be a hook to hang it on. If I'm on the other end of the mall and need to pee, I hold it in just so I can use the Nordstrom bathrooms! Intense? I know.

With all my positive public bathroom experiences, I've taken to checking out restaurants' restrooms, too (specifically sit-down restaurants' restrooms though...no McDonald's McNastiness for moi). Not only are restaurant bathrooms generally the cleanest of the bunch, but they tend to be fancier. There's this restaurant in Denver called Jing; their see-through glass bathroom doors fog over and opaque the minute you lock them! Or how about Del Frisco's bathrooms! They've got terry cloth towels for drying your hands! And hairspray! And floss! And breath mints! Most importantly, however, going to a restaurant's bathroom provides one with the opportunity to say, "I'm gonna go freshen up real quick." Freshen up? Don't mind if I do ;)

*image from http://conversationarts.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/storytelling-to-motivate/

Eeeeee!

That's my excited noise, if you didn't know. Sometimes I feel so happy that it overwhelms me, and I have to clap my hands together and squeal, Eeeee! That doesn't happen to everybody? Oh.

My Monday Madness has officially dissipated, and I am finally ready for the week! Actually, for the rest of the year! Just this morning, I got egg nog delivered to my door, and I swear to God, it tasted like Christmas. That one sip changed everything. Suddenly, I want to string garland from all the staircase banisters! I want a cornucopia centerpiece! I want to burn fig and firewood oil! I want to put tiny lit trees in every room of the house! I want to bake a gajillion pumpkin pies (and secretly leave them on my neighbors' doorsteps). I want to play Mannheim Steamroller CDs! I want to grab this holiday season by the shoulders and shake out every last bit of its cheer and festivity! Sound a little rough? Yeah, well, I want to make the absolute MOST out of this season...

See, I've ALWAYS loved this part of the year; from October to January, life feels like one big party to me. I mean, you got Halloween--dressing up in ridiculous costumes, handing out/receiving FREE candy, and basically acting like a kid again. It's a FABULOUS holiday, if you ask me; I can't seem to get enough of it. Then you got Thanksgiving--getting the whole damn fam together for some serious grubbing, and by serious, I mean NOT thinking twice about that second helping of stuffing AND cornbread AND cranberry sauce AND green bean casserole AND pumpkin pie....Like alcohol, Thanksgiving messes with our self-control. (Thank God I don't eat turkey anymore, or I'd have some serious inhibition issues. Yipes). Then there's Christmas! Yet another excuse to get the family together and eat tons of food. Granted, Christmas also brings with it house lights and yard creatures and pine trees and snow and stockings above roaring fireplaces. Just writing all that made my heart back-flip :) And THEN, and THEN you've got New Year's Eve! A night to reminisce the past and party--I mean prepare ;)--for an entirely new year. Fireworks, champagne, friends, and second chances (the grown-up version of do-overs, which I take full advantage of)...all reasons for celebration <3

But this holiday season is different than any before...And I'm thinking it's because a new holiday has been added to the mix--a wee little thing called a wedding! December 19th is a stone's throw away, my friends! Can you believe that Ms. Erin Mathews will be Mrs. Erin Ware in less than 40 days?! Me neither! I'm foreseeing Mrs. Ware doing some mind-blowing things though...so the sooner I can bring her front and center, the better. Yes, I'm giddier than a goat right now because my usual excitement about the holiday season has blended with my current excitement about my wedding. It's excitement overload, people! Eeeee, I tell you! Eeeee!

Not to mention, this giddiness has made me more aware of my senses. All this heightened excitement, and now I've got heightened senses, too?! I'm seeing in full color--a yellow leaf against the gray-blue sky, the light from our kitchen window brightening the front steps. I'm smelling the cold of winter--its burnt-firewoodsy smell that reminds me of the taste of snow. Which brings me to my tasting--the hot, hot oatmeal with the creamy, nutmeggy swallow of egg nog. I'm listening more closely--to A's feelings, his worries, his dreams. In his voice, I can hear his inner happenings. And I'm feeling more alive than ever--the energy in my body giving me goosebumps and making my heart beat faster. I'm tick-tocking, tick-tocking, ready to go off and chirp like a cuckoo clock! 

I want, I NEED, to make the most of right now, because this is a rare time. I need to remember these days better than I've ever remembered any before...because this is a time of blessings. This is a time of family and friends and love and laughter and a whole bunch of other 10-dollar words that mean perfect. This is my year, God's telling me, to really pay attention. He's given me the gift of heightened awareness so that I can live this part of my life how it's meant to be lived--unabashedly. I'm gonna put all my touchy-feelers out there and overwhelm my senses. And then I'm gonna put my overflow of excitement back out into the world and share it with those I love. As I said before (only in slightly different words), I'm gonna beat the crap outta this holiday pinata! (Excuse the near-violent outburst again, but...) Will you do the same?

*image from overstock.com

A Case of the Mondays With a Side of Story

It's Monday, which means I'm tired and incapable of producing anything worthwhile, so please excuse the short, short, SHORT entry; the least I could do for you is a dollop of dilly...

Daily Dose of Dillies: Eavesdropping.

I've always been one to listen in where I'm not invited. But it was a Naropa professor who told me to take my bad manners to the next level and document overheard bits of convo. Here are some of the gems I've captured:

(a guy hitting on a girl) "You're the second coming of Jesus."

"I'm gorgeous inside."

(a chef ordering chicken over the phone) "I'm a thigh guy, so I always wanted a thigh with my breast."

"I get free food. Did I tell you I get free food? I get free food."

"He didn't answer me, so I was like that's a yes."

"He dated her for 4 years? Ew, how wrong."

"Talk about being someone's bitch."

"Do you guys have gift cards? Or gift certificates?"

"Yes, we have gift cards."

"Super doodie, super doodie."

"We're all the same in different ways."

and the most pertinent of all: "Mondays always ruin the weekend."

P.S. Who all wants a Bassett Hound now?...I do.

* image from http://www.pageonepr.com/blog/tag/monitoring/

Take Two

Personally, I'm a skeptic when it comes to sequels. However, I think yesterday's entry needs a little more attention, a little more TLC.

Yesterday, I didn't speak to A's place in my "spiritual crisis" (a term I've realized is harsh and desperate and negative and so might be part of the problem. So let's call it my "spiritual quandary" instead, shall we?). I met A two years ago, and for the entirety of those two years, he's shown me what a daily spiritual practice is, what living spiritually means. Seriously, this kid has got his faith DOWN. And he's not shy about expressing it or talking about it, because his faith is him; he doesn't see any strangeness or flamboyancy in living faithfully (I know--reason enough to fall in love with the man, right?). But anywho, it's been A's faith that has made me question my own. It's been his daily faith practices (meditation, chanting, and praying) that made me realize I'm out of the loop. I'm missing something. If A can make his faith second-nature, I can get to that point too, right?

So I asked him how he prays. He said, "I thank God for all of my blessings--my health, my family, our relationship. Then I offer my day as a thank you gift. I offer my studies, my interactions with people, my thoughts, everything...in return for what God's given me. And only then do I ask for something...if there's something to ask for." Seriously, I was stunned. He thanks, he offers, and sometimes he asks. Is that not the most fabulous way of praying ever?! I just recently started praying on my drive to work, and I follow A's formula. While it's not a 15 minute sit-down like A's morning routine, I still feel like prayer changes the flavor of the day; I'm more aware perhaps? In-tune? Though I'm still a work-in-progress, I feel like I can work with A's formula and let it grow me. Also, I'm currently reading "Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul." I'm not that far into it and already I want to recommend it. Along the lines of "A New Earth"--change our consciousnesses and our world will follow suit. Can I count reading as prayer? (hehe).

Before I go, I HAVE to tell you this story (I think I read it on someone else's blog, but I'm not sure whose. So I apologize for the stealing-of-stories). So, this woman who used to work at Starbucks witnessed what she calls "a miracle" one morning. A man was paying for his coffee when he said he'd like to pay for the person behind him, too. That woman then paid for the person behind her. And then that person paid for the person behind him. Apparently this "pay-it-forward" (or backward, technically) lasted for 45 MINUTES! Can you imagine?! Kindness pouring up, out, and over! The only reason the cycle ended is because there were no more people to pay for! Bloody brilliant, I tell you! I adore stories that tout humanity's goodness. I'm sharing this one with everyone...

*image from http://www.imagebase.davidniblack.com/main.php?g2_itemId=3875