3am Conversations

Free books!

2009-09-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

Tonight I went to the library.

Just walking through one aisle, I saw books I'd used for presentations/reports, books I heard about on TV and read, books I'd discussed...

It was like walking through old friends.
Old friends who are always there for you.
Old friends that smell like books.

One reason I love the library is that it's always been important to my life. In my family, as soon as you could sign your library card, you could have your own. It was a big deal at age 4/5. :-)

The librarians were wonderful! My favorite librarian, Miss Linda always knew what I liked and spent time with me to suggest new books and taught me to make origami - which inspired me to read all of their kids origami books.

But Dewey is the kicker.
I absolutely love The Dewey Decimal System, there is something so comforting about knowing that books about coffee are always in the 641.1 section

Tonight I checked out most of the 385 section, a book on time management and one of decluttering your life. M.M. You will truly understand the way these come together in my life (once you Google what the heck is in the 385s).

Every time I go to the library I use the same method. I start in new non-fiction to find which areas look interesting. If I pick up a book from the 745.1s I visit that area next.
It's the easiest way to browse all of Dewey in a few minutes.
The only section I always browse is biographies. I can't get enough of true life stories.

What is your favorite section? Your favorite library memory?

Cigarettes Are Not Candy

2009-09-22T14:05:00.086-05:00

So awhile back I posted some goals for fall.

One of these is to write a letter to the President. At the time I didn't know what the letter would be about. I felt I should write to him because I campaigned for him, voted for him and overall think he's doing a good job. This week however, I learned of a bill he signed which may become the topic of my letter.

It is a bill signed in June to discourage underage smoking. Link to CNN.

I do believe kids should be discouraged from beginning a gross and deadly addiction.

Among other things, such as larger health warnings and lowered nicotine content, the bill bans flavored cigars and cigarettes. This includes "grape, peach, strawberry, vanilla, honey, clove..."

Wait cloves?!

Back to that in a second.

As a teen I tried smoking. Most of you already know that or won't be that shocked to find out.

Never once as a kid did I buy, bum or try flavored cigarettes. I stuck with Camel lights, non menthol.

And no it wasn't because of the adorable camel on the package - Joe Cool RIP - or the minty taste as we've covered. I liked 'grown up cigarettes'.

I don't smoke now due to the health risks (namely, I don't want to die) but cloves were my treat of choice, once I became an adult and only occasionally. At $7 per pack what kids are smoking them??

So my feelings on the matter are that

*the government should back the heck off. It's none of their business anyway.

*they are targeting the wrong group, as illustrated by my experiences

*Obama is a former smoker himself, he should support this as a personal choice and none of the govenments business.

It's interesting to note Phillip Morris and other cigarette companies are backing this bill. Lower the nicotine, you might sell more cigarettes. Plus all the flavored smokers will be looking for a new fix...

Maybe there is no connection but it seems a little fishy.

What do you think? Do you disagree with my view?

I lied.

2009-09-21T20:49:00.000-05:00

I lied.

I didn't scream too much at a concert, I don't have allergies and this isn't just "seasonal".

I have a cold.

The reason for the lie is threefold.

1. I hate being sick.
I realize most people dislike it but I downright HATE being sick. There is no time for this 'resting' junk, there is work to be done! The only time I've ever called off work I had pneumonia. Pneumonia.

2. I work with food.
I am very careful to wash my hands like a surgeon - using the up to the elbows method and holding my arms upright like they do on TV. I sanitize and try to never touch my face etc. Personally, I hate being waited on by a sneezing, coughing, waitress. I wouldn't mind a bluff or two about allergies (as long as she carefully washed her hands etc too). If it helps you eat in peace, all the better. You should also know I don't think I'm contagious. If I were actually radiating say swine flu, I would stay home, don't worry!

3. I'm working to "think myself better".
If you believe you are well you are well. *ACHOO*.

In the mean time I'm ODing on vitamin C and echinacea. The other day I took 4000% of vitamin C.

Yours in health,

-Citrus

Games of Pain

2009-09-20T23:29:00.000-05:00

Tonight I was watching "How I Met Your Mother, the Slap Bet episode (- best ever!) and was struck (no pun intended) by the number of childhood games that inflict pain.

Slap Bet, Punch Buggy/Slug Bug, Bloody Knuckles, The Circle Game and my childhood favorite Jungle. For Jungle, kids would line up in a long row, arms flailing and slapping and the victim would walk through to the other side. Yes it was a game. Yes that was the whole point. No I wasn't the only victim! :) Did you play any others?

I'm starting to think Slap Bet could discourage gambling problems later in life. See that guy with all the bruises? Don't bet on him!

Scene kids and trendy times

2009-09-19T22:20:00.000-05:00

Photo credit

Tonight I took my little sister to a 'scene' concert. So many of the kids* (*I was one of the oldest people there) looked alike. Above is a picture of a kid who could have been there.
Actually I'm not entirely sure that kid wasn't there...

There were many girls? with skinny jeans, straightened hair, earrings and bracelets who turned out to be boys!
The -real- girls were so primped they looked like uncomfortable dolls who'd lost their hairbrushes.

I wonder what they will think when they are in their 20s or 30s and look back on these days.
I remember 90s fashions and laugh at the trends we followed.
Here are several I bought into

Denim Jackets. Once all the rage, then shunned, now back in fashion. One of my sister's fiends just inherited mine. Just goes to show you if you wait long enough, all the fads come back. My uncle has sported the same 'style' for over 50 years. Every 5 years or so he's back in fashion!
Pacifiers. Even my Barbie had one!
Mood Rings. I realize this dates back way before the 90s but they made a pretty strong come back in my day. Oh shoot, I've already had the "back in my day" days!
Giant hair Scrunches, on your wrist, even if your hair was short.
Overalls. Extra points for one strap left hanging. Extra extra points for a hammer loop.
Smiley face everything. This reminds me of the current trend of peace signs. M.M. needs a shirt that says "I liked peace before it was cool".

Looking at this list all together and recalling the outfits that went with them I'm wondering why I was allowed out of the house! The bright side being that everyone else dressed that way too!

What fads/trends do you remember from childhood?

Things that thrill me this week

2009-09-18T20:16:00.008-05:00

First off, I would like to welcome our new readers! M.M. and I (Citrus), are THRILLED to be featured in the link section of www.galadarling.com, one of our favorite blogs. Any of our readers who haven't visited, be sure to check her out, your life will never be the same.

Things that thrill me this week

My fabulous new job working on the scenic railroad train! Anyone who knows me will tell you, I love work. Good. Hard. Work. is like oxygen to me. The train is made of hard work, laughter and coffee. Everything I thrive on. Working a 12 hour day there is just heaven. Most of the train workers are volunteers, which means you work with people who love their jobs so much they do it for free. The passengers feel like they are taking a mini-vacation and everyone is in good spirits. Did I mention I love it?

Receiving a surprise check from my grandma <3,>

Finally committing to getting my tattoo! Tattoo, pictures and story coming soon. As M.M. knows this is something I've talked about for years and the time is finally right. I've had of a photo of the design on my wall for ages and now I can't wait any longer to see it all the time!

Figuring out (very last minute) what I REALLY want to give M.M. for her birthday. Her birthday list every year: world peace and a horse. Story of what it was as soon as she receives it. Hint: It's hard to mail horses, or world peace :)

Thanks for reading, expect miracles!

-Citrus

Hurray for Autumn

2009-09-13T22:00:00.003-05:00

Autumn, just that word gives me the warm-fuzzies. So much to look forward to.

Top Ten Favorite Fall Things:

The County Fair
hot donuts, samples and giveaways, carnival rides, carnival people, The Ferris wheel after dark, giant vegetable contests, tractor pulls..

Soup
being amazing again, especially slow roasted stews

Bonfires
that last all night leading to sunrise watching, so what if I’ve only made it to sunrise a few times

Corn Mazes
when I was in my younger teens two friends of mine got lost in one for hours. This year someone finally explained to me they planned to leave for hours… Ooh

The Seasonal Fresh Fruit/Vegetable Treats
Pumpkin everything, Apple picking, end of season corn

NFL
time begins! Go Steelers!

That smell
in the air of everything fantastic and crisp

Blankets
being amazing again, combined with Hot Cider it’s the ultimate

Candy Corn
I love the way it makes your brain ache and your spit unnaturally viscous

Giant Crunchy Leaves
in brilliant colors and the patterns they make as they fall.

Goals for Fall

2009-08-21T15:24:00.003-05:00

So it's the end of August and to my school friends, the end of summer. To a few of my friends the end of an era. -They can be quite dramatic. Everyone is trying to make last minute plans for the weekend. My calendar is starting to look like a Zentangle itself!

I've been feeling down this week, not having a set plan for the future so I created some goals for myself about five minutes ago.

Goals for the fall:

*See the East coast or re-visit the West coast

*Pick fruit, most likely apples and bake a cobbler.

*Take a class on something I know nothing about

*Make President's Club again (Avon sales of $10,100)

*Write a letter to the President

*Have a dinner party

There will be a follow up to this post in the coming months. Now you've seen the plan, I will attempt to stick with it.

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it". ~Russel Baker

Did you know August is National Goat Cheese Month?!

Zentangle

2009-08-16T16:00:00.000-05:00

I went to a Zentangle class yesterday. It’s a form of meditation through art. (www.zentangle.com)
You create repetitive patterns and shapes with ink on tiles.

It was a lot of fun!

I kept my mind unfocused and drew whatever happened to be. I was happy with the result but didn’t think to much into it. It had been a rough week and I just drew to take my mind off of that. I thought it was simple but pretty.

I didn’t realize until today what it was about.

One side is filled with boxes, cages and tangles, the other is open, airy and peaceful.

I could reach that open side through any of the holes in the tangles. I just need to stop seeing everything as a two dimensional cage.

Onion Rings

2009-08-13T12:05:00.000-05:00

Just typing those words “Onion Rings” made my mouth water.

There is a local drive-in restaurant that makes the most sinfully delicious ones. They are deep-fried in a slightly sweet batter and have the perfect onion/batter ratio. Gosh are they good! I crave them 24/7.

I know you can buy their signature burgers by the case, frozen. I’ve been too afraid to look into buying the onion rings the same way.

Some dwindling moral sense stops me from getting for two orders every time. I would weigh 5000 pounds in no time at all.

Onion rings can be very hit-or-miss.

I have a friend who wouldn’t know good cuisine if it bit him.

Once while dining out at a fast food chain with a group, said friend asked the waitress
“Are these the good onion rings?”
She didn’t know what He meant.

- it was quite obvious to me-

He explained,

“when you bite into it will only a bite of onion come out or will the whole thing slide out in a mess leaving you with an onion size amount of plain fried stuff to eat”.

He took the risk and ordered them.

Sadly they were not “the good kind” and He left the plate untouched after one bite.

Atta boy.

My horoscope

2009-08-12T12:30:00.003-05:00

Capricorn:

You are lucky enough to be able to find pleasure in whatever you are doing today. In fact, you can turn a boring chore into something that's so much fun, others want to jump in and work with you -- and, of course, this increases your enjoyment level. Ultimately, your day is like a self-fulfilling prophecy; your positive attitude can create the wonderful experience you believe you are having.

Or, as I read it

You are disillusioned enough to fall in love with whatever humdrum thing comes your way. In fact, you are loco enough to convince others it is true. You'll be so thrilled to have suckered them into having fun you'll have even more fun. Ultimately, your day is like a self-fulfilling prophecy; your Julia Child attitude can create a delicious combination of wonderful experiences you actually believe you are having.

I can't stand how I write that I'll be blogging more and then don't write. I also can't stand when people blog about not blogging. So this is me not blogging about not blogging. Henceforth there will be more posts.

Craigslist job search, a short story

2009-07-21T16:27:00.004-05:00

I'm back from my On The Road adventures! Lots of stories but I'm not sure where to begin so I'll talk about my job search since coming home.

I'm looking for a second job to take up some free time.

I started browsing Craigslist, it was wildly unhelpful.

In the process of sifting through "MODEL$ needed" and "females 18-21-quick ca$h!!!" I stumbled upon egg donation. I thought, what the hell.

Though I shudder at the thought of mini-mes I don't know about running amok in the world, it was too fascinating to avoid.

I read testimonials of happy parents and looked at photos of a doctor in Indian garb kissing babies.

I went so far as to open the PDF form for potential egg donors.
It was a 16 page form of questions like

"What are your personal goals?

Have you achieved any of them?

What were you like as an adolescent?

What's your favorite color?

..Favorite movie?"

16 pages! I could only imagine prospective parents reading 'Silence of the Lambs' and crossing me off the list.

Plus extensive family health and mental questions

In the end, it was "Describe your father's personality" that made me realize I was unqualified.

No way they would want those genes, though I've turned out alright (IMHO).

Back to "Models no exp necessary!! Good $$$$" for me.

-Citrus

Who knew that ranch dressing had such a high fat content?! I sure didn't!

2009-07-02T00:02:00.004-05:00

So, I'm making up for lost time and have decided to post again on here tonight. : )

I love the fact that even if your bedroom is a complete mess, simply making your bed can have a dramatically positive influence on making it appear cleaner. Hence, I have a bed that is all made up... and the rest of my room looks as though a tornado hit (lol, but that fixed-up bed really helps!). : P

I'm not a fan of talking on the phone, but those phone conversations that easily go for over an hour and that address normally-touchy subjects help make a life into a life worth living, in my opinion. They're ThAt amazing! And, of course, those phone calls are thanks to the wonderful people on the other end of the line. Thank you Lord for friends!

So, I'm often told that we don't have to/can't be expected to be positive allll the time. But where is the divide between convincing yourself that you're in a positive mood in order to help things seem more positive (b/c isn't that good sometimes?) and going overboard with that? Hmm, I'll keep trying to figure that out.

I told someone that I liked Michael Jackson better NoW than I did when he was alive. : S Lol, I meant that I knew more of his music now that he's passed on (b/c all the radio stations have been playing his songs) and therefore like him better now that I know more of and can better appreciate his works. It just came out wrong when I tried to say that. : P

I'm trying hard to eat healthier, exercise more, and take better care of myself in other ways as well. It's not as easy as I'd like it to be. : / Whyyy is change so very hard? I guess challenges are good though, keeps things from getting boring.

Today was the first day of July. : ) I love July! Happy (early) Independence Day!

I guess we're all actors and actresses, aren't we? Well, maybe not some of us, and some days I'm highly envious of those people who may not be acting. I'm one of the number of people that hold onto expectations and attempt to live up to them to avoid creating disappointments though, so to some extent I'm acting in order to do that. Dealing with expectations (either my own or other peoples') is about as appealing in my book as dealing with blood tests. Thankfully, life isn't entirely made up of either expectations or blood tests. ; )

Blowing bubble-gum scented kisses your wayyy,

~*m.m.*~

Just learned that "apon" is a word used solely in fairy tales and the like, it's not to be used in real life. My world will never be the same.

2009-06-30T20:54:00.009-05:00

It's SuMmErTiMe!!! I now have this glorious thing called "free time" and will FiNaLLy create a post for this nearly-forgotten blog.

The lightening bugs have commenced their summertime show in our backyard. I love lightening bugs. I received a text the other day letting me know that they were out, in case I hadn't noticed and wanted to go watch them. (Seriously, what did we *do* before cell phones/facebook/e-mails/etc.??) So, I went outside and have come to the conclusion that maybe I'm just not cut out for life. For example, I was outside for quite a while and the only lightening bug I was able to catch was one crawling in the grass. How sad it that? (I came up with the theory that maybe the lightening bugs have gotten smarter over the years and now know to avoid people, but that's likely NoT the case.) I felt that it was symbolic - missed chances, mistakes, evasive dreams. At least I did get to enjoy the beauty of the lightening bugs while I was out there.

My dearest Citrus is out in the big world in far-off California. I miss her. : ( I think that when she ventures off again I may just have to crawl into her suitcase and go along with her.

I'm done with my first year of college! It's weird, exciting, terrifying, wonderful, and empowering. I learned more than I'll be able to put into words for YeArS probably. I had many new experiences even if no one else can understand how certain experiences meant anything significant for me. I miss some parts of college (including the structured life of it all and, of course, many of the people) but I'm torn because I'm also enjoying aspects of being home (including the people, good food, foam soap, free time, and getting to sleep in). I'm still adjusting to being home, probably because I have very little structure in my life right now (didn't realize HoW big of a deal that is!). As the book "I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was" points out, "fewer people get depressed during war than in peacetime" basically because there isn't time to think. : S

This summer I'm visiting with a friend I haven't seen in 7 years, another friend I haven't seen in 2 years, friends I've known for years but whom I hadn't seen much of during the past school year, making new friends, and visiting with friends from college. I love the fact that there are so many types of friends, it adds such a great layer to life!

I'm completely fascinated by the study of communication, by the ways that people can communicate nonverbally, by the fact that we can communicate a message by the clothes we wear and the way we smell... It's amazing! This is something I get all caught up in (learning about communication), and I feel as though this could be the PeRfEcT major... I just don't know what I'll do with it AfTeR college. : / Oh well, I have time. : )

I think that wrinkles can be considered to be a sign of a long life and should be accepted and smiled upon. When I get older and wrinkly, I hope to look upon my wrinkles with fondness. : ) (We'll see if that happens though) Also, shouldn't it be a good thing to state your age no matter HoW old you are? Like, you can be proud of each year under your belt, and the older you are the prouder you can be. : ) Just some thoughts.

Are you happy? I just watched the movie "Happy-go-Lucky" and really enjoyed it! It was very unusual though, hmm... It gets my seal of approval! *whacks it with a seal-of-approval stamp*

I still find it very strange to write on this blog (couldn't be because I only rarely do this, ohh noo : P). So, I'm getting off now.

Sending summer-scented breezes along with hugs and love,

~*M.M*~

Things that sound the same, but are completely different

2008-12-18T19:00:00.004-05:00

This morning my breakfast of pop tarts led to deep thoughts, as it often does. I started thinking about cheese and cream cheese. You would never substitute a block of Swiss in your cheesecake recipe. Although, they have nearly the same name. Baking soda and baking powder are an entirely worse story.
I’ve made the biscuits to prove it.

A friend of mine, recently started a Facebook group called “one million strong against not being racist” and invited me to join. The description of the group said that “racism is still strong today and we should do what we can to fight it”.

People signed up.

I wrote to this friend saying, “you must not know this, but using a double negative here implies that you are racist, (or at least not against it)”. He replied that he knew that and this group was “part of a contest to see who could get 1000 people to sign up first, please don‘t tell anyone what it really means“. The grand prize, a tee shirt ($12 value).
I searched Facebook and found hundreds of people signing up for groups of the same name.
Because I’m already “against not not being racist", I declined his invitation.

I question someone who would so quickly sell out their beliefs.
I also wonder about all of the people who signed up for these groups.
Did they think it was a harmless joke? Did they realize the true meaning?

Why do so many people sacrifice something for nothing?

Thanks for reading,

Citrus

Quotes for the day

"Always have class"
-My Grandpa

"An educated person is one who has learned that information almost always turns out to be at best incomplete and very often false, misleading, fictitious, mendacious - just dead wrong".
Russell Baker

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that you will do things differently".
-Warren Buffett

2008-06-08T22:44:00.002-05:00

It's nearly summer once again. The flowers are looking lovely, it's festival season, schools are letting out... I'm already sunburned. : P Lol, but I love the changing of the seasons!

Going back to the idea of festivals, I was hanging out at a festival last night with some friends. We sat under the main canopy for a while listening to the band sing and play their instruments and watching the people dance. I'm not sure how, but the songs that bands choose to play at festivals are often so seemingly perfect that it just amazes me! There were little, little children running around dancing, mixed with older adults slow dancing lovingly with their partners- the music had a hold of all of them. Music spans so many bridges; often not age, race, or gender discourages music from spreading into the hearts of all kinds of people. It's a beautiful and very interesting thing. ... Watching the older (and I don't mean that to be in any way offensive!) crowd dancing sweetly with their partners, I wonder how two people can (I'm guessing that at least several of them have stayed together over many years) stay together for so long and with so much love. How wonderful would it be if all marriages could be like that? ... I suppose that life wouldn't be as interesting if everything flowed terribly smoothly all the time, but sometimes I think that it would be very nice and preferable to how life actually is.

I'm heading off to college this autumn. It's a very strange thought, even though it's one that I've accepted and been looking forward to for years and years. It's so strange how some things remain so much the same over the years that it seems as though time is nearly standing still, and then there will be things that show you how much time has truly passed. There are things in my life that I wish would have changed more and then other things that I wish would have stayed simply as they were. I need to learn how to accept what I cannot change and learn to deal with it... I can do that well with some things but not with everything.

Sometimes this life seems so full of formalities, expectations, and limits that I just want to start a protest. But then, I get confused and don't know where to start and think that I must just be overanalyzing things. *Sigh* I'm thinking, I'll have a breakthrough eventually.

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter was at LeAsT one of the best personality-type-tests that I have ever taken (as far as it being thorough in its questioning and offering a long set of answers). I would definitely recommend this test to anyone and everyone looking for career ideas for themselves or for many other insights!

Well, I think that I rambled on for quite long enough. ; ) Enjoy your summerrrr! ~*M.M.*~

Not a personal ad ;)

2008-03-08T22:52:00.004-05:00

Listening to: "Once" soundtrack

Snacking on: Grapefruit slices

Hey Y'all!

I had planned a kick-butt weekend of Avon selling and general happiness.

Then Mother Nature threw a curve with a blizzard stretching across the state.

Now my county is in a state of emergency. My family and I have already played Monopoly, A whole page of Yatzee, Life, and TriVirsity. I also made muffins and caught up on some paperwork (for Avon)

Kinda weird it takes a blizzard to give me a block of time -and an incentive- for writing.

Please don't think it takes that much to make me suffer through blogging :) I just get restless when I am stranded in my house and don't like to sit typing.

Lately my life has been changing a lot.

I just ended a two year relationship and, while I know it was for the best, it's a major adjustment.

M.M. sorry it seems to be all I talk about right now! :/

A few things I've learned are

No matter how independent you are, it changes you to be with someone that long.

No matter how self-sufficient you are, you'll need your friends to cope.

(Thank you M.M., you mean the world to me <3)

Now I'm figuring out who I am. Reinventing myself.

Make it faster, better, stronger... :)

I've also had time to reevaluate what's important to me in a boyfriend.

Thanks to M.M. for inspiring me to do so

My ideal boyfriend -

*Loves spending time with me

*Has a positive attitude about life

*Likes going out

*Buys flowers for me (okay, not essential, but almost)

*Values me time (and is mostly on time)

*A good conversationalist

*Cuddly

*Hard worker

*Loyal

*Encourages me to pursue my dreams

*Has goals

*Respects me

*Cute

*Cares about his health

*Good listener

*Gets along with my friends

*Is always happy to see me

*Wants a family someday (not too soon)

*Has a sense of humor

*Loves me just as I am

*Has... gumption, cahones, you know bravery

*Has faith (in God, love, himself)

If you fit this description feel free to leave a comment ;)

Seriously, everyone should make a list like this. Even if you aren't looking for a relationship, it's good to know what you want.

Thanks again M.M.

I hope you all have a beautiful snowy weekend of hot cocoa afternoons.

2008-02-28T15:40:00.002-05:00

So, I haven't changed the color or style of the font I've used in AgEs. I'm sorry for the monotony (for some reason I couldn't figure out HoW to change it for my three most recent posts). : (

Alright Citrus, you inspired me- I now have my own 43 Things! You can view my list at www.43things.com/person/bttrfly28 This is a really creative site and it really helps a person to get it together and decide what exactly he or she wants to achieve. I didn't find 43 things to be enough for all of the goals I want to reach, but having only 43 makes it less overwhelming.

I also recently came up with a list of 100 things that make me happy (I chose that as a goal for one of my 43 things) and a list of some of the best times of my life. I figure that I can refer to these lists to decide on (a) college major(s), a career, get ideas to implement into my life (to better enjoy life), and can use them at difficult times to help keep me going. I would definitely recommend making up your own lists on the aforementioned subjects!

Half of the time I feel as though I am just waiting (for WhAt though I have NO idea) for my life to start. I had read or heard that opinion expressed by someone else, years ago, and probably only realized recently that I feel that too. I want to be done waiting...I just have to figure out how to shake that mindset.

Hmmm, when Citrus and I first started this blog we figured we would create a monstrously huge blog. Well, I think it's safe to say that that hasn't happened yet!... However, we do keep coming back to it (even if it takes a while)! Who knows? - Maybe someday this will be gloriously long. Until that time though, dear-possibly-non-existent-reader, keep being patient with us.

I would like to take this paragraph to recommend some things to y'all (there are some words and phrases that I adore, and will probably continue to adore, no matter how much I get teased about them). I don't believe that a person should live his or her life without experiencing...

*Watching "Dead Poet's Society" *Reading "Anne of Green Gables" *Having a midnight phone call *Seeing the show "The Phantom of the Opera" *Traveling (I could recommend about a million favorite/absolute must-see places of mine! : )) *Dancing, rolling down a driveway, and singing in the rain *Riding the Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, and/or another roller coaster that, before the ride, terrifies you *Watching a sunset *Watching a sunrise *Seeing the show "Wicked" *Taking a drive in a pretty area by yourself while listening to music you love and singing along loudly *Pulling an all-nighter with (a) friend(s) *Riding horses (and not just on a ride at some fair or on a "we'll only be walking our horses"-trail-ride) *Screaming at the top of your lungs for the exhilaration *Having a shamrock shake on St. Pattie's Day (the fact that they are green and fun is so distracting that I'm not even sure if I enjoy the taste of them) *Waltzing (even if you don't know how, just trying it is even fun) *Eating a whole pint of ice cream *Sleeping outside under the stars *Volunteering (!!! I can't say enough about it !!!) *Doing things that scare you *Smiling often *Being generous with your hugs *Truly listening to someone *Giving flowers to someone *So, I could really go on and on for a while but I'm going to end this post now before I lose you ~Seize the day!! ~*M.M.*~

Fashioning a Life

2008-02-21T23:45:00.003-05:00

“...I'd often dreamed off going West to see the country, always vaguely planning and never taking off” - On the Road by Jack Kerouac

That's me right now. Making hundreds of big plans for my future with nothing set in stone.

They say an unwritten goal is a wish.

I must have a million wishes. :) I have 43 written goals:
www.43things.com/person/deadbeatpanda

Some are large, some are small.
They all help me stay focused on my dreams.

One of my best friends spent all of one semester in college and the next 10 years traveling, doing dozens of interesting things.

Granted, he doesn't have the stability of my 9-5 friends. He believes in learning through living. Right now I share that view.

Nothing wrong with school. I'd just hate to spend $$$ only to change my mind. Which, knowing me, I would.

I'm not looking for a career, just life experience.

Plan A4.6 (at the moment) is this:

Prepare for travel by saving as much money as I can, research funding to visit Australia, get a passport.

Build my Avon business.

Live beautifully by being myself.

Move to any surrounding state. - My state requires a higher bar tending age than most.

Become an online Avon rep, to keep up my business while I'm away.

Become certified (to tend bar), gain as much experience as possible.

Expand my network to people in state X and Australia.

Get a work visa in Australia.

Visit Sydney and Melbourne while bar tending for 4 months.

(While having an amazing time)

That's it. There still is a lot of room for clarity or even a different plan.

All I know is I'm ready for my adventure of a lifetime!

“We lived out all of our adventures, even the ones we made up” - Some Postage Due by Rachel Moore

What adventures have you had?

What are your 43 things?

Take notes- there will be a short quiz... : )

2007-11-09T23:28:00.000-05:00

I'm learning...
*that as long as a person cares about how others are doing, tries to relate to them, and is patient- that person can feel good about how they're doing and the other people will usually appreciate it (or least put up a good front)
*that it truly IS all about attitude, if you smile and give it your all you can convince yourself that it's all good and will eventually feel alright
*that comparing yourself to others is a very, very bad idea and should be completely taken out of our lives
*that life is what YoU make of it. You can't blame others - and that's scary - but you also don't have to rely on others to get your life to be how you want it.
*that the ability to make lists is a treasure to be prized. life is so much easier with lists!
*to focus on the good in life and instead of worrying about the bad figure out how to make the best of it. give up worrying!!- sure, worrying can make a person feel productive but, as hard as this belief is to shake, it really isn't necessary that a person spend time worrying and life will be better w/o it.
*that if you hate yourself, you should never acknowledge that to yourself because it only makes you miserable. instead you should make a list of new habits, deeds, characteristics, etc. to replace the bad ones and immediately follow this up with a list of things that you DoN't want to change about yourself and your life
*that soft cookies must be a gift sent straight down from Heaven
*sometimes it is not so important whether or not you are sweet or kind enough but rather whether you speak up. I have had entirely too many opportunities pass me up because I kept silent. people can't know what you are like unless you speak up!
*whenever you feel the urge to characterize someone in a negative way or jump to an assumption, consider any ideas for OtHeR reasons why that person may have done that/ been like that. you may be getting upset w/o reason.
*it is extremely hard to break bad habits, but it CaN be done. also, it's easier to break a bad habit if you have a good one to replace it w/.
*if you know that you'll regret not doing it, go ahead and do it! and visa versa.
*that some people will be kind to you, seemingly w/o reason, and sometimes you should be cautious but the rest of the time you should be greatful and take note of the fact that there ARE kind people in this world (so peace IS possible!)
*that you should have no regrets because you've learned from them now...well, hopefully...and can now live a better life
This list is for anyone out there reading this to consider, to build off of these items from their own experiences, and to dissagree w/ items for any and all possible reasons! : ) Sending out hugs and love to all of you. ~*MM*~

2007-08-06T17:26:00.000-05:00

I hope that you guys are having a wonderful summer!! I am currently away at camp as a camp counselor. I am so excited to be able to have this experience. However, it's extremely different from how I thought that it would be. I'm learning so much about life and about myself. I can't stress enough how important it is to go out and try new things. I don't think that I'll be a camp counselor again but I'm so glad that I signed up for it this time. Have a lovely evening! : )
~*M & M*~

2007-05-20T08:54:00.000-05:00

I am GrADuAtInG this year! I am so excited and yet am finding it hard to wrap my mind around. At my LAST portfolio review ever (ahh!) I was told something that I found very beneficial and would like to pass on to all of you. I was told that Intention + Mechanism = Results. This means that what your intentions are plus the thing(s) that you do to use them yields results. This next part is hard to grasp, but to get 100% of your results all you need to have is 100% intentions (so, you don't need to have a mechanism in your mind). Therefore, if you don't know how you're going to do something, as long as you are fully intent on doing it you'll get it done. ...I hope that I made sense explaining that. In my case this equation means that, although I don't know WhAt I want to go to college for or what career I want, I DO know what I want to Do with my life which will lead me to be able to do it. *Happy sigh* Isn't that great?!
~*Live~*Love~*Laugh
~*M.M.*~

Planning ahead, way, way ahead

2007-04-19T14:41:00.000-05:00

Dear M. M. and readers,

Welcome to - The Life of Citrus (cliff notes)
Please, relax, make some coffee, chill.

On the bright side news: My car is finally being repaired, which is one of my 43 things. I found someone who will fix it (correctly fix it, no duct tape needed) for parts only (no labor charge) and I am totally thrilled about that!!!

On the inside news: Puppy (my boyfriend) and I have been apart for a few weeks. Which, while it's been very painful, has given me room to branch out. I've spent time with friends I haven't seen, met new friends and had a chance to "date myself". Overall, I think it's been good for our relationship in the long run. Though I've had trouble balancing my needs with his.
It has made me realize how lucky I am to have him and that we both have a long way to go before marriage. Now we are dating again and our relationship seems stronger for it.
We've both set goals for ourselves which means a lot to me.

As for the title of my post,
I'm making a wedding book, filled with everything I want to enjoy. From the motorcycle procession to the open bar with shot glasses made of ice cubes. It will be the party of the year (in whatever year I get married). The shocker: This was Nate's idea. (see "complicated" pg 34 & "freak out" pg 12). Just put that in your pocket for later. That's where I keep it. I can only look at it sometimes. Ooh shiny...

- Citrus

A cheerfully fluff-like in nature post

2007-04-12T23:37:00.000-05:00

Happy (belated, sorry) Easter everyone! I hope that it was wonderful! If you are reading this post and don't celebrate Easter than I hope your Sunday was great anyway!

I decided that it would be fun to bestow on you all some words of at-least-somewhat-insightful : ) wisdom. *Live with your whole self *Love fully *Only look back on the good or to see what you can learn from the seemingly-bad -- have no regrets *Smile (it is of no cost to you but it could save a life) *Be only as cautious as needed and avoid fear completely (easier said then done : )) *Dance *Laugh *Use forgiveness as your revenge *Give hugs *Sing *"All you need is love" (da da da du du da : )) *"If you can DREAM it, you can DO it."-Walt Disney *"Begin each day as if it were on purpose."-Mary Anne Radmacher *"The greatest mistake you can make is to be afraid of making one."
* Sing as though no one were listening
Dance as though no one were watching
Love as though you’ve never been hurt before
Work as though you don’t need the money
And live as though Heaven were on Earth
-Irish Proverb
And, of course, *eat lots of chocolate! : )

I hope I didn't lose anyone through all of the color changes. : /
Have a beautiful weekend! - ~*M.M.*~

My week: excuses for not blogging

2007-04-05T23:43:00.000-05:00

The perfect imperfection.
That is life
The calculated miscalculation.
That is life
The certain uncertainty.
That is life
-Me

((Deep breathes and bongo drums))

This week the temp went from 76(F) to 20(F) overnight. On the beautiful day I went for a hike with Nate and had a bunny bowl of ice cream. On the snowy day, I snuggled a blanket and watched movies. And made coffee, of course. Also made Easter baskets for my family. I found the perfect gifts for both of them! I can't say more, they read this.

For our anniversary (which falls on Easter), I am making a picnic dinner for Nate. We are having grilled steak kabobs with vegetables and a special surprise dessert. Yum!

As M.M probably knows, I'm freaking out. I went to about 30 cooking sites and am still afraid of ruining everything.

I'm almost wishing for more snow so I can postpone and prepare. A little background:
I cook everything on high and use the smoke alarm as my timer.
Which is why grilling sounds perfect for me.
Open flame, black marks on food? Sounds like my stove top cooking.
And I choose a no-bake dessert - Don't tell Nate.
But I'm still totally freaking out about it.
Maybe he will like a salad instead... :)

-Citrus Li

Flickr Addict

2007-03-31T10:17:00.000-05:00

Today I discovered Flickr. Not in the sense of discovering it existed, but more in the Christopher Columbus sense of realizing potential. There are so many features to this site!! I'm a brand new photographer, but already have many CDs full of pictures.
I've uploaded some this morning.
Tell me what you think.

M.M., you know about The Free Hugs Campaign? you can find so many awesome pictures of it in action.
Try searching for it in tags. I'm pretty new to blogger so I'm still learning how to upload images from URLs.
Here are links to some of my favorite huggers:

And this is a random group I adore
How beautiful, so everyday.

I hope you clicked some of the links. If you didn't go back and do so now. I spent my morning collecting them like stamps or postcards or erasers - did you look at those at least? - And you are going to look at them dang it! Are you still reading? Shouldn't you be clicking?
^^^this way to links^^^

Citrus Li

2007-03-30T22:08:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our blog where you will get our unbiased opinions, learn about potentially
life-changing books, movies, ideas, etc. (but then, isn't everything potentially life-changing?), and get to read our purposeful ramblings! We're glad that you are here. When we open up our coffee shop/bookstore/pastry shop/? we hope that you will come there too.
Have a glorious day and enjoy our posts! - ~*m.m.*~

~"You are unrepeatable. There is a magic about you that is all your own..." -D. M. Delinger~

Introductions are for strangers

2007-03-29T20:19:00.000-05:00

We thought long and hard about how to start this blog and decided to jump right in.

First, about us.

Citrus is a former waitress, current cashier, future ? with high goals and no roadblocks

M. M. is a former bread baker, current collegiate, future world changer, who believes in chocolate, world peace and herself.

That is all the introduction we have for you. Please check back soon for updates and comment often. Much love, Citrus and M.M.