it’s been great, but i needed my own site for various reasons. my wordpress has been imported to www.mandaloo.com. redirect and enjoy.

today has been great. i slept in and was in bed on my laptop until 1:00 pm. not something i want to make a habit of, mind you, but it’s been nice to relax. i finally just peeled myself from the covers and just got done washing my hair and ate lunch.

i got brave and weighed myself. i hadn’t done this in a while since i have been unable to exercise the last couple of weeks. i have changed my lunches during the week dramatically – usually a grilled chicken sandwich or a salad. i must have done something right because since september 1, i’ve lost 4.3 pounds. whoo hoo! i plan on adding the exercise back in next week, which should hopefull accelerate my results. i’d really like to get to the point where i look in the mirror and go, “oh, yeah…” i’ve got a ways to go, but at least progress has been made despite the various bumps last month.

another long week at work.  full of 11 or 12-hour days.  and i’m exhausted.  i decided that i’m taking friday off.  jeromy will have the day off, so we’re just going to veg out and do absolutely nothing.  i can’t wait.

i’m playing fantasy hockey with the boys.  our teams get assigned or something on friday.  i set up my player preferences tonight.  we’ll see how it goes.  i’m watching colorado beat up on dallas right now, actually.

rant for the day or week or whatever:  if i’m walking up to a door, and you decide to hold it open for me (this goes for elevators, too)… don’t wave at me to hurry up or tell me to “come on.”  i didn’t ask for you to hold it open for me.  and if you’re too busy to wait, then you obviously have better things to do than wait on me.  this tends to annoy me more in the mornings walking up to work.

my apartment is a mess.  i really needed to have done laundry tonight, but by the time i got home (after 8 pm) and ate dinner, there was no way my laundry would have been done by the time they lock the laundry area up.  i have been beaten by the time gods and will be forced to wear whatever smells decent.

oh where to begin… i’m sitting in a chair at a house that i stayed overnight last night (and will tonight). the parents of a family i knew from my previous church congregation are out of state and they wanted someone to stay the night with their 11-year old and 15-year old girls. good girls that are self sufficient… i’m merely here for the peace of mind factor. no biggie. the classic movie channel is on and there are a bunch of kids in costumes tap dancing and performing acrobatics (in black and white, of course). i have obviously missed something about the plot, methinks. the commercial just told me that there is a show where old movie child stars are going to talk about their pain or something. next.

while shopping for shoes, i left my cell phone (magenta pink rzr) on one of the little bench things. i didn’t realize it was gone until much later. by the time i had called the shoe store and realized it was not turned in, i immediately contacted my cell provider. my cell provider told me that calls had been made since the time i had left it. including a call to a church of all things. i had been calling my phone all day and had left messages for it to be returned. nothing. so i assumed that the finder of my phone had no intention of turning it in. i suspended my account and purchased a new phone (a samsung t509). it’s pretty sweet and i like it so far. it’s way slim and small. user-friendly controls are a plus for a tech n00b such as myself. low and behold, over two days after i lost my cell phone, i get a call from my grandma (who lives with my parents) saying that a lady called their house saying that she found my phone. she said her grandkids found it at the shoe store. and while that is great and wonderful, and i’m glad it was found, it really doesn’t do me a whole lot of good now that i bought a new phone and had a new card activated. i’m going to investigate options with my cell provider, though, and see what can be done (probably nothing).

on friday night, jeromy, neo, and i went to dinner at cantina laredo to celebrate jeromy’s birthday. we were also there to celebrate phoenix’s birthday as well. his friends showed up and all together, there were ten of us. it was a good time. below are some pics of jeromy opening his gifts earlier in the week, as well as some pics at cantina laredo (where the boys donned the birthday hat… heh).

saturday night was the fort worth opera ball. jeromy and i got all dressed up and had a wonderful evening. the theme was japanese (the cherry blossom ball) and there were a lot of people. there was a silent auction with all sorts of neat things (but a lot of it was pricy, so i just looked). during the cocktail hour, we just stood and socialized. there were geisha girls walking around and old japanese women doing calligraphy and origami. really beautiful stuff. i got my name written in japanese on a bookmark. dinner was super good. we had a salad to begin with. and then the main dish was steak, salmon, potatos, carrots, eggplant, and some spinach thing. it was all super good. dessert was green tea ice cream with berries in it … in a chocolate bowl!!! the chocolate had the most marvelous flavor and i couldn’t help but to smile. while we ate, there were japanese performances including drumming, flute playing, and dancing. it was super enjoyable. we met some people around our age that are part of a young professionals group. we might be hanging out with them again soon. all in all, it was a wonderful time and a memorable night. below are pics…

tomorrow at work, we’re having the kickoff lunch for our united way campaign. our committee this year (i was co-chair) has been doing a great job, and i’ll be glad to have it behind us. this week at work should be much less chaotic and i might actually get home and get some things accomplished.

that’s right…

go to kenya

i cannot begin to tell you how much has happened in the last week so here are the highlights:

• dad’s birthday.  basically, jeromy and i went over to my parents’ house last saturday for my dad’s birthday.  i bought him some longhorns stuff (a sweatshirt and a tshirt, which i later exchanged for a larger size) and some dublin dr. pepper (which i picked up on my adventure in stephenville last week).  also threw in a free calendar from a tool store i got that day.  it was super cute and funny and i think dad enjoyed this gift more than any of the others i got… which felt like a parent getting a gift for a kid only to watch the child gleefully play with the box.  heh.
• work.  and tons of it.  it’s thursday and i have already gotten 40 hours plus some.  as a result, i’ve been kinda tired and stressed, but nothing major. 
• stars hockey game.  went to go watch the stars do their preseason thing last night.  they got whooped by colorado – they really need to pull it together soon.  it was jeromy’s birthday yesterday and his sister scored some tickets at work, so that was his gift to make the day fun for him.  they were platinum tickets… which meant parking in the garage and no lines.  it was super nice and despite the defeat, i had a good time.  i absolutely love going to hockey games.  it’s a good sport for an impatient person such as i to watch.  jeromy seemed to have a good time, too – it was his first hockey game.  you gotta love a guy who makes jokes about the midriff-showing ice girls who skate out there during breaks and wave to the crowd.  i was not amused.  neither was he.  so the side comments flew.  and i think i love him more for that.  there was a game with some of the crowd members that looked kinda fun.  the individual would sit in a sled and they would kinda “sling” you (with a giant slingshot amazingly enough) across the ice where you would try to knock over giant bowling pins.  i don’t know why i found it so entertaining but i did.  i had a young couple (high school maybe?) next to me that needed to get a room.  i found it interesting when the girl was showing her boyfriend her fresh tattoo on her leg… of a GIANT marajuana leaf and dice underneath.  classy.
  
• jeromy’s birthday.  i let jeromy open his gifts a day early since i thought i was going to have to work late last night.  i got him a batman ornament, batman nightlight, two batman tshirts, and a set of batman sheets.  they were all in batman bags, too.  (do you sense a theme?)  i think he liked them and it brought me sheer joy to see him smile while opening his gifts.  i’m grateful that i had the chance to celebrate a birthday with him.  i know this next year will be great for him – he’s got a great job and seems to be solidifying what he needs to do to have the type of life he wants.
• got invited to a ball.  no, we’re not in a fairy tale… i’m actually going to a ball this weekend, which rocks my face off.  one of the top people at my company bought a table for the event (it’s a fundraiser for the opera).  there are enough seats for him, his spouse, and four people and their guests (ten total).  i got a call monday morning from his secretary asking what i was doing this saturday and that i was invited to go to this event.  i rushed downstairs and could barely believe that i was asked to go, when we have 300 employees at our company.  the other people going are notable people in the company, so i still am stunned about the invitation, but i am totally excited beyond belief.  each plate is $300 – so that’s $600 for jeromy and i to attend.  i am still shocked.  it’s a super formal (black tie) event, so that night, my coworker and i went out dress shopping for me.  i scored a gorgeous gown, which rocks.  jeromy is going tonight to a tux place to rent a vest and tie for his suit.  it’s going to have a dinner and dancing and will be amazing.  i went to one of these events before (three years ago or so) when a coworker’s spouse couldn’t make it to attend with her and had an incredible evening (which may be why i was invited again – they probably get a kick out of seeing me beyond elated).  i still need to find some shoes and stuff, but i am thrilled to dress up and have a memorable night.
• got a new calling at church.  i’ll be coordinating periodic activities (called “enrichment” nights) for the women’s group, which will be fun.  i’m looking forward to serving the ladies in my congregation in this new role and hope i do a good job.

my mom is having some health problems i’ve heard via dad, so i hope she gets to feeling better.  they’re supposed to be testing her soon for various things.  i would love it if one day my mom felt good and and happy and well again.  

that’s about it for now.  the weekend is going to be busy.  there is a party (mexican restaurant – w00t) for jeromy with some of his friends plus an omni night for work in addition to the other activities this weekend.  more to come.  

just killing time in my hotel room before meeting my coworker and the driller downstairs. i’ve been in this town since wednesday. i actually spent about five years of my life in this town so it’s kinda cool to be back on old stomping grounds. slept like crap last night. couldn’t fall asleep and couldn’t stay asleep. heh.

yesterday’s work went well… we’re doing soil samples out in areas that are currently pastures and whatnot. in the morning, it rained, so we made a side trip to get some rain coats, which delayed us. the driller had two heads break on him, poor guy, which further delayed us. he got stuck in the mud later on, and we pulled him out. and then the property owner (who apparently didn’t know we were going to be out there) stopped and talked to us. i told her that i thought that the client had communicated to her what we were going to be up to that day. it was an older lady (sixties, maybe) and she didn’t seem too concerned with that. she pointed to the back of her truck and said, “oh – i’m just taking the dead ones out.” i thought, “what dead ones?” i had to look. there were three dead goats in the back of her truck that had apparently been killed by some animal. the driller looked like he was going to lose it. stuff like that doesn’t bother me. she came out and showed the puncture wounds and marks and whatnot. and then we just chit chatted. so, the day was filled with delays, but we somehow ALMOST finished up the amount of samples we wanted to do within a decent amount of time. i’m hoping that things go smooth today and i can get back home within a reasonable hour.

there were lots of cows yesterday… they kept surrounding the truck because they thought we were bringing them food. those jerks. ha. here are some pics from yesterday…

operation blubber blast has not really been followed through this week. between my knee being out of commission (it’s still a nice multi-colored bruise) and being out of town (which does not always promote healthy eating), i’m dreading weighing myself this weekend. *sigh* sad to say, my guiltless chicken platter at chili’s did not do much in the way of making me feel better.

not much on the radar for this weekend. neo and jeromy are going to jeff foxworthy tonight, so i don’t really know what i’m doing. probably unpack and just chill in my apartment. dad’s birthday is tomorrow, so sometime saturday morning i need to scout out a gift for him. just church stuff on sunday.

on wednesday afternoon, i was out with a coworker that i usually don’t have that much interaction with. we’re both on the united way committee this year for our work’s campaign, just like we were last year. and just like last year, she and i made our way to the costume shop for the purpose of finding costumes for upper management to wear that would mirror our theme (pirates) during the kick off lunch. last year, when we were picking up the costomes, this lady and i had a really long and good converstaion. i was going through my mini crisis in my life, having just left my husband due to his betrayal and in the middle of the overwhelming divorce process. i can’t even remember what was said last year to me, but i remember i left the vehicle feeling better than when i got in. and her words meant a lot to me. well, this year, my coworker is going through a rough time. in the last month, her 24-year old son had gotten shot (road rage – they have yet to catch the person who did it), her mother-in-law died, and her father-in-law is not doing so hot health wise. plus a plethera of all sorts of other logistical burdens (her son left behind daughters, he didn’t have life insurance, etc.). so she and i talked. mainly, i let her talk and vent. i don’t even know how to begin with a situation like hers, but i offered some thoughts. when we arrived to the store, we both paused… and i think we had reverse deja vu. she looked at me and said exactly what i was thinking at that moment, “it’s funny – last year, you were going through your big thing and we were talking about it on the way here. and now it’s my turn.” i nodded in agreement. and maybe it’s not a notable thing that happened, but it just made me feel connected in a way. and it gave me some perspective. there were some dark dark days for me during the late summer/early fall of 2005. and now, when the scene is juxtaposed to present time, it’s just amazing to see the difference. i’m happier than i’ve ever been in some areas of my life. and i’m glad that phases of life change with the seasons. it’s encouraging to think that we really can make things happen. we all have the ability to change and shift and move towards our goals. sometimes the starting points suck, but that’s just how it goes.

on friday, i worked half a day. jeromy had the day off. so the day before, he and i made plans to have lunch with my dad. i made the invitation to daddy without much thought as to how it was being interpreted on the other side. apparently, mom thought “something was up” and that the lunch was a way to break some big news to dad. poor daddy… i think for the first half of lunch, he thought there was some announcement that was going to be made. but it was just lunch. it was nice to spend time with dad in that way. jeromy and i rode in dad’s ‘68 mustang that he’s working on restoring. jeromy came up to the office for a couple of minutes with me and then i went to mom’s, where i picked up bacon for the weekend. one of cookie’s puppies has come back to live with mom (the one named “toffee”) and he and bacon have apparently become close. they play constantly and sleep together. in theory, mom is supposed to be finding another home for toffee, but there has been no effort made thus far.  i predict that he stays.  i’ve already heard the phrase, “but he is so well behaved…” and so on.

after picking up bacon, i took her to meet up with jeromy and jack at petsmart. both bacon and jack went to the groomers for the “works” and got bathed and had their nails clipped. while waiting for the dogs, jeromy and i went shopping at different pet stores to find a new collar and leash for bacon and jack. we went to pet-o-rama and looked at the aquarium stuff just for fun. i found out that there are these little “nano cube” salt water tanks which allows people to have a smaller, more affordable, easy-to-maintain salt water environment to enjoy. they had a 12 gallon one on display witha large variety of coral and such and i was super impressed. and now i want one.

after our shopping adventure, we picked up jack and bacon from the groomers. they looked and smelled great. while there, i met a lady who was going to the basset shuffle i had planned on going to with bacon the next day. the “shuffle” is an event put on by the north texas basset hound rescue group. it’s their yearly fundraiser in which dogs can walk (or in a basset’s case… “shuffle”) and raise pledges from sponsors to help rescue animals.

that evening, we had dinner with jeromy’s family at black-eyed pea. after that, jeromy and i went to wal mart for a late night run for groceries and other assorted needed items. it was super late at night, so we saw a lot of characters roaming through. i found a bandanna for bacon to wear for the shuffle (red of course) and bought food for my dinner party i was throwing for some friends the next night.

on saturday morning, it was time for the shuffle. when bacon and i got to the park, we saw tons of basset hounds and their owners.  there were lots of activities including costume contests, a howling contest, musical mats, bobbing for wienies, etc. while there, i also got bacon microchipped. it was so much fun to see bacon interacting with other dogs that were actually on her eye level. she wanted to be everyone’s friend. later in the afternoon, jeromy and jack joined us at the shuffle and saw all of the fun. below are some pictures from the shuffle…

later that evening, i had a dinner party for some ladies i’ve had the pleasure of knowing for the last five or six years or so. two of them had birthdays this weekend, so i made a special dinner of salad, bread, spaghetti and pies (chocolate and lemon meringue). they were also able to meet jeromy as well. we had a great time with our visit and laughed the evening away. i was just super happy that i didn’t burn or ruin anything. my apartment actually looked really good (and jeromy hung all my pictures up which made a big difference).

today has been nice and relaxing. it rained all day, and it’s been a welcome sight. jeromy and i went to church this morning. there was hardly anyone there -it was the smallest crowd i’ve ever seen. the meeting was all about missionary work and about spreading the word of christ to those who don’t have it. some good points were made about how a lot of people are living lives to where they want that joy and peace in their lives, but they’re just waiting. i’ve known people in the past like that. i guess i’m somewhat in a bubble, though, because most of the people i work with and am friends with and close to are “on board” for the most part for that area…or, at least, heading in the right direction. i really am amazed how good of people i’m surrounded by on a daily basis. but it was a good reminder to keep the missionaries worldwide in my prayers and to be mindful of the blessings i have from my relationship with christ.

the rest of the day has been super relaxing. i even got a nap in. i hung out at mom’s for a short while and am now just kicking around until bed time. i just read the blog of a former coworker. he’s a young chap that is talented musically and has just started his family with his wife. his little girl (two months old) has brought him so much joy and i just read a short blurb about his interpretation on his new life and the demands therein. it was a beautiful paragraph about how he appreciates new things and takes genuine joy in his family and it was refreshing to read. i find myself getting caught up in worldly cares and i forget the things that are really important. in every phase of life, there is beauty and happiness to be had and it’s easy to look ahead and forget to appreciate the “now.” i have endless reasons to smile.

tonight coming home from mom’s, i noticed that i didn’t have my ac on full blast. i can’t wait until it’s beanie weather.  i might be out of town some this upcoming week, so we’ll see.  over and out…

when i moved right before my senior year, i was really upset. but one thing that made it more bearable is that i became part of a really neat youth group. i had aways lived in small towns, where the words “youth group” were laughable.  i was lucky if it was “youth few.”  most of the times, i was the only latter-day saint in my school. and in some ways, it didn’t bother me because it gave me time and trials to have some powerful faith-building experiences.  there are tons of misconceptions about my faith and uninformed people seem to be more concentrated in small towns for some reason.  i was able to learn about the faith of those around me and had many opportunities to dispel stereotypes.

that being said, moving to a large city with a great youth group was a welcome change. one of my youth leaders really made an impact on me. right when she met our group, she had us all fill out a super long survey about ourselves. and she didn’t just file it away and never look at it again. i could tell from subsequent conversations that she had really taken time to get to know me. when it was my birthday, she would have a basket filled with my favorite things.  her lessons were always insightful and honest.  she was open about her life and past decisions.  she genuinely cared about each and every one of us.  i’ll never forget her or her impact.

this particular youth leader and i have stayed in close contact since we met seven years ago. she’s an amazing lady and i enjoy our friendship tremendously. today, after my 11-hour workday, i found a pleasant surprise in my mailbox… a fat envelope from my past youth leader. when i removed the papers, i immediately knew what it was – it was the survey i had filled out when i was 16 or so.  she included a note saying that she had found it in her paperwork and thought i would enjoy having it.

just for fun, i have decided to post it just because it’s neat to see how much i have (and haven’t) changed in the last seven years…

background

favorite class:  anatomy/physiology
least favorite class:  pre calculus
clubs i’m in:  last year, i was in interact club (service projects), math league, future homakers of america, national honors society, and i was the representative for the career and technology department

favorites

color:  yellow, yellow, yellow!
number:  two
hobby:  music, writing, philosophy
game:  othello
sport to play:  no coordination
magazine:  seventeen, national geographic
book:  the house on mango street
tv show:  anamaniacs
cartoon character:  larry the cucumber
movie:  contact
movie stars:  meg ryan, john travolta
type of music:  punk and some ska
music group:  mxpx, blink 182, nofx, less than jake
song:  “let it happen” by mxpx
instrument i play:  used to play oboe, trying to teach myself some piano
language i speak:  english; took 3 years of french
celebrity i’m most like:  none come to mind
store:  one with a great sale
brand of clothes:  just whatever fits – i’m not into brands
make-up:  mary kay (my mom sales it)
perfume:  i like body splashes – especially apple ones
holiday:  good ‘ol christmas
season of the year:  fall
cookie:  chocolate chip – can’t outdo a classic
candy bar:  hershey’s cookies ‘n mint
soda pop:  ibc root beer
snack food:  bread (especially wheat bread)
cereal:  never eat breakfast but i guess frosted flakes
pizza:  pepperoni
type of food:  italian
place to eat:  outback steakhouse
meal of the day:  supper time
time of the day:  free time – whenever that may be
activities:  hanging with my friends; concerts; writing poetry
scripture:  2 nephi 2:11
scripture story:  christ’s atonement

more personal

favorite thing to do:  my quiet time – i’ll write or read
thing that bugs me to no end:  hypocrites and people that think they know everything
if i had an hour of free time, how would you spend it:  write a poem while listening to music
neatest thing i ever did:  volunteer for the special olympics
weirdest thing i ever did:  chase geese with my friends
strangest thing i ever ate:  live oyster
5 adjectives that describe you:  sensitive, intelligent, down-to-earth, diligent, open-minded
how would your friends describe you to someone who has never met you:  mandy is a trust worthy person that you can depend on and she’ll drop everything to listen to you.
what do you think about yourself:  i’m a perfectionist in a lot of ways and am hard on myself.  I have many flaws but i try to make up for them by improving my other internal characteristics.
5 of your strengths:  loyal, good listener, intelligent, fun, caring
5 of your weaknesses:  not always patient, uneasy with change, hate the heat, shy at first with people, unfocused at times
things you want to improve on:  i always want to continue developing and improving my relationship with god.
personal accomplishments that i have completed:  straight A’s since 3rd grade; who’s who of american high school students for the last three years; earned 12 merit awards for school; i work at winn-dixie; had two poems published; perfect score on TAAS on all sections
what do you want to be when you grwo up:  a mother (as for a college major, i have no idea)
college you want to attend:  undecided but maybe tcu, unt, rick’s or acu
favorite temple:  salt lake
do you want to go on a mission:  maybe
if so, where:  anywhere is spiffy by me
do you want to get married:  of course
if so, do you want to have children:  yep
how many:  four
places you want to visit:  alaska; church historical sites (salt lake)
where i want to go on vacation:  alaska
in 5 years, i will be doing:  i’ll be in college and have a better idea of what life’s about
in 10 years, i will be doing:  hopefully, i’ll be a supportive wife and have a kid(s)
in 20 years:  who knows?  probably finishing raising the last bit of my flock of children.  maybe i’ll have a book published by then.
goals that mean a lot to you that you want to accomplish:  graduate college; temple marriage; go to alaska; be a great mom; enjoy whatever it is i’m going to do; get to heaven
how do you feel about your family:  we have our differences, but i love them
favorite thing about your dad:  he acts like a kid sometimes – we can rough house and wrestle
about your mom:  she knows me so well (perhaps too well)
who are you closest to:  i don’t know – probably my dad because he is more laid back about some things.

i had no original thought for my blog title.  in fact, that’s kinda been the theme for the last week.  nothing has gone on too terribly exciting. 

operation blubber blast has improved, with me making it to the gym to work out three times in the last week.  must be a personal record for me or something because i hate exercise.  but i’m really trying to keep with it.  when i go, i either do the elliptical machine (which can be more challenging than it looks i found out) or the good ‘ol treadmill.  i’m not as sore as i thought i would be.  and actually – kinda miss the sore feelings because i guess i like having them as a reminder that i’ve accomplished something.  my calves ache (from the elliptical, i’m sure) and my shoulders ache (from weights last night) and that’s about it.  i really would like to rid myself of my monster thighs, but it’s hard to make them feel like they’re working.  oh well – i’ll just keep at it and hopefully, it’ll all start chipping away.  i’ve been not too horrible on my diet.  granted, i indulged in chik-fil-a last night, but for the rest of the week, i’ve been sticking to grilled chicken, salads, etc.  and lots of water.  i haven’t really felt any results of the last two weeks of my efforts so far, but that’s okay – i know these things take time.  if anything, i know i haven’t felt myself getting bigger, so stopping the trend is a step in the right direction. 

the approaching weekend is going to be super busy.  i’ll be taking bacon to a fundraiser on saturday morning to benefit the north tx basset hound rescue group.  they’re having a “shuffle” in which your dog can walk 1/2 a mile (quite a feat for a basset) and get pledges from people to raise money for the rescued animals.  there’s also supposed to be games and food and such there… so, that will be fun.  i need to get her a bandanna or something to wear to make her feel all special.  apparently, a lot of the bassets show up wearing costumes.  i don’t think my dog has the tolerance required to wear a whole outfit, but i bet she won’t mind if i tie something cute around her neck.  i’ll try to take pics of the event.

on saturday night, i’m having two friends over since it’s their birthday weekend.  i’m attempting a dinner party of some sort and will be cooking (gosh help us all).  so, tonight and tomorrow, i need to get on the ball and get my apartment looking decent and maybe get around to hanging the pictures that never made it up when i moved in over six months ago.  and yes – i know i said i’d do this before, but i think it might actually happen now.

jeromy and i are having lunch with my dad tomorrow just for fun.  mom’s convinced that “something’s up” and that we have some major news to spill or something, but that’s simply not the case.  it’s just lunch.  i’ll be glad to have my two favorite fellas together.

as indicated by my blog title, time is quickly passing by.  i can hardly believe that i met neo around this time last year at a card game at his house.  shortly thereafter, i was introduced to jeromy.  it’s been a fast year.  i know it’s a little premature, but i’m actually excited for christmas.  i love the season and i can’t wait to hear those fun carols on the radio soon.

i was reminded today through the words and experience of another just how much we can touch each other – even within brief periods of time.  this particular someone was talking about a friend of mine and it just really resonated to me how god puts certain people in your path for a reason.  maybe it was just so that you wouldn’t feel lonely for a couple of hours while at an event.  or perhaps someone said “just the right thing at just the right time” when it didn’t pertain to what they were talking about at all.  or a smile.  or an encouraging word.  we all have had it done to us and all have the ability and opportunity to give it back on a daily basis.  it goes against our grain, sometimes, but i guess that’s why it’s called character.  the more i’ve been living this somewhat care-free day-to-day life i’ve been embracing for the last year or so, the more i see that very little is left to chance … if that makes sense.  i know that i need to be better about this.  it’s sometimes hard for me to be aware of things or people or feelings around me.  and trust me… the oblivious state is nowhere connected to any place of malice on my part – i’m just clueless sometimes.  i just kinda go in auto pilot and don’t really think about my fellow neighbor.  but it’s funny – when you pray for experiences and opportunities to be an instrument or to have an affect – they oftentimes come fast.  this topic was in my heart last night and was in my mind this morning.  and this evening, i received a call from a friend that is going through a hard time, but seldom admits such things to me.  and even though i think i helped little in this person’s immediate situation, i still felt joy at the friendship and memories i have with this individual.

i’m still at work right now and just got done with some emails and other tidbits before meetings tomorrow.  i’m off to head home.  when i see the cleaning people, i know i’ve been here too long.