A Novel Idea

I should be going to sleep right now but I really want to write this blog. It's been brewing in my mind for a couple days, since I found four books at the thrift store. Wouldn't you know, when I'm looking for nothing in particular, I do judge a book by its cover? That's how I stumbled across these new finds. To decide which one to read first, I read the very first sentence of the first chapter. Here's what I've got (I'll tell you the titles of the books after):

"I never knew her in life."

"A white light seeped through the shoji windows and into the room, along with the morning chill."

"Seven years ago, I had my first tutorial in becoming a man."

"To borrow, and slightly bend, a line from the movie Kindergarten Cop, Arnold Schwarzenegger is like the ocean."

What kind of crazy mix do I have going on here? The first line is from The Black Dahlia, the second from The Street of a Thousand Blossoms, the third from Self-Made Man, and the fourth from Why Arnold Matters: The Rise of a Cultural Icon. I have no idea what any of these are about (except maybe for Dahlia- I saw the preview for the movie- and obviously the last is about the Governator), so I'm excited to read and see what they're all about.

Some people have plans of what books they'll read and when (and sometimes I wish I did, especially when all the used bookstore shelves are coughing up are dusty cookbooks and romance novels...). But so far I've found it to be a lot more interesting to have no plan at all.

~VL~

Mmm...Thrifty

Someone said to me last week, "Thrift stores are so last year." To that I say, boo on you! I have been finding nothing short of amazing things in Santa Maria's fine thrifting (is that a word?) establishments these last two Saturdays. The tally?

Four books

Four nice comfy shirts

Three dresses

Three skirts

Two black cardigans (one nice and one pretty)

A pair of Seven jeans 

A pair of regular jeans (Seven jeans get their own category)

A cream colored cropped cardigan

A toasty Hollister vest (that I intend to take to college winter camp- it's perfect!)

A pretty white shirt by Express

(A partridge in a pear tree? Sadly, not on sale)

And all this for under the cost of the aforementioned Seven jeans at regular price. Yippee! I do love shopping.

~V.L.~

  

Im Rückblick (In Retrospect)

I've been thinking in German ever since I woke up this morning. Often random German words come to me in thought, or a phrase of annoyance comes out every now and then (it's really funny to me that the German phrases that stick in my mind mostly are exclamations of disdain and how to order a pretzel). But today is a little different because a year ago on this day I was on an airplane en route to Germany. It's so crazy to think that a whole year has gone by since I left warm, sunny California for frozen, snowy Germany. All the emotions, anticipations, reality checks, language barriers and victories- it was a hard but ultimately changing and shaping experience. I realized in a new way how much I love my family and friends and what a great thing it is to have a strong support system, but also how much I really do love traveling and experiencing the world in more ways than just reading about it. I can't wait until my next trip!

I'll always love you, Deutschland!

There's Only So Much Of Nothing I Can Take

... and it's not very much. I guess something I've realized lately (reinforced by Dad in a recent conversation) is that I'm an all-or-nothing girl. Recently I've felt that  the private, personal aspects of my relationship with God are leaning more towards nothing than all. Other parts of it are doing well- I love love love Sundays for just the time that I get to spend with church family and close friends, under one roof, worshiping  God together, learning about His promises and how we can bring Him everything we have every day of our lives. Ministry through the Late Service is so meaningful and I am totally committed to serving God through that outlet. This last weekend I was really sick with a nasty cold- for the morning service I was miserable and Parker got some medicine and Vitamin Water and took me home so I could rest. I fell asleep and woke up feeling just the same and knew that I couldn't play at Late Service that night. Spending that time at home was definitely not the way I wanted to spend Sunday night, but it did give me a lot of time to think. And what I realized is that, as bad as it sounds, maybe the way I look at Sunday is all wrong. I'm involved in all the ministry, the fellowship, the worship, and figure it will get me through the week. To be completely honest, my spiritual life Monday through Saturday is pretty pitiful. And it's gotten to the point where I can't ignore how it's affecting my relationship with God. 

Today marked the inauguration of a new President. All over the news, a word has been repeated again and again. What's the word on the street? Change. And, with diligence and support, a change for the better- for the best.

~V.L.~

Before the Nyquil Kicks In...

I would just like to have it on record that I do not enjoy being sick. Especially on Sundays!

~V.L.~

Books, TV, and Other Particulars

Here's the sitch: January is a busy month! There are a couple different work possibilities and back to school plans in the works, which are exactly what I need. Last semester was a slump and I'm anxious to get to work and schoolin' again.
I'm also thinking of the new TV season. Since the familia only has two channels (NBC and CBS) and often the TV is already being used in some way or another (Ernie and the Xbox...Paul and his Sesame Street/Elmo potty-training DVD...that's right, brought to you by the letter P and the number 2), I'm not much of a television junkie. I just finished up the last season of Gilmore Girls on DVD thanks to Parker, and Ashley is my television buddy. We've been watching Momma's Boys (shut it, Parker) and the new season of the Biggest Loser just started last Tuesday so that's exciting. Other than that...not sure what to watch besides the reliable (attractive) Craig Ferguson. I get annoyed with criminal/detective-y stuff and I don't have the channel for American Idol...so, I turn to books.
I've realized that while I love the thrift store and used book stores and adore Barnes & Nobles, I'm really picky when it comes to the way a book smells. I mean, books are like friends. Each one's got a story. But if one of them has an awful stink, we're not going to see very much of each other. That's a horrible analogy...and not ezackly what I meant...but you get the gist. So what am I reading? Alice loaned me Born to Kvetch and it's pretty interesting thus far. Yay for Yiddish is what I always say!
Well, since it's late and I have internet at home again (yippee!), I'll write more later. Adios amigos!

~V.L.~

New Year's 2009

So, after my year in review, I think it's time (especially since the new year is underway) that I write what I was thinking on my goals and focal points for this year. I have seven major categories: God, Family, Friends, Parker, Education, Travel, and Me. So here goes.

God- Contentment and Quiet Time.
Family- Quality time
Friends- Spontaneity
Parker- Trust and making him a different baked dessert every month
Education- Figure out the next step...
Travel- (At least) One new state and/or the East Coast
Me- Ban Dr. Pepper for at least one month. Get a decent job. Start caring about exercising.

So that's it. New Year's Eve and the party that followed were so much fun and I'm glad that Parker went too (even though he didn't dance...but what if he did dance? I don't know what to think about that).

~V.L.~