Vices, Virtues, & Superpowers!

The last three prompts of Resound 11 all are related, so I’ll just cover them all together here. 

the devil.

 Day 2: What are your Vices?

My biggest vice is that I’m an all-or-nothing girl.  If I like a TV show, I prefer to watch it all at once, if possible, preferably on Hulu.  (This generally means I do nothing else productive all weekend or weeknights too, if it takes that long, until the show is over.)  I tend to read late into the night when I should be sleeping, if I’m within 100 pages of the end, since it feels so close.  When I’m eating healthy, it’s green smoothies for breakfast & lots of veggies.  When I’m not, it’s soda & chocolates & pizza all day.  Food is a big weakness for me, especially sugar, so I’m working on that.  But when I fall off, I do it well.  A jar of nutella (that stuff is the Devil!) or a bag of chocolates or a cake.  This also means if I love you, I’ll do anything for you and if I don’t like you, well, you won’t get much out of me unless I’m contractually obligated to provide it.      

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 Day 3: What are your Virtues?

My vices are also sometimes my virtues.  My all-out attitude means I’m an excellent caregiver & good at nurturing those who need it.  And because I get so gung-ho about things, I often inspire others to make good changes too.  When I switched to all natural cleaning products, my mom & several close friends all followed me over, eventually.  Not because I nagged them or insisted, but because I spoke with so much excitement & passion about what I was learning and doing. 

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Day 4: What is your Superpower?

Well, besides fluency in sarcasm, I also have the ability to translate between two viewpoints to give clarity in an argument.  I cannot count how many times I’ve watched two people say the same thing over & over but not realize they were actually agreeing.  It’s like one says “I told you there are 6 of those!” and the other says “I swear to you there are only half a dozen!”.  I can hear that it’s the same thing & they can’t.  But I have the ability to explain to both sides so that they can move on.  It’s been a very helpful skill many times.  It just doesn’t work when I know my husband & I are doing it, because it’s me he can’t understand so my explanations fall on deaf ears. 

Also, I can walk into a second-hand store and automatically find a great deal (yesterday I found 2 gorgeous dresses for holiday parties for $4 each) or pick the best item on a menu at a new restaurant (my boss actually always orders what I order because of this skill).  

So, what about you?  Do you have a superpower?  

An Insider's Look at the Home Mortgage Process

This is an inside look at dealing with a lender for a home mortgage.  

First, They ask for every single piece of paper you own that might have numbers on it that relate to money- bank statements, pay stubs, bills, credit statement, receipts, etc.  They want to know about every single trip to Walmart and McDonalds that you've made in the last 2 years and exactly how much you spent. 

Next, They call back & say that’s great- we just need a few more things to finish your application.  Please send us:

1. Page 3 (and only page 3) of your mother’s tax return from 1993.
2. Page 74 of your father’s 3^rd favorite book.
3. A lock of hair from a teenage virgin. 
4. A full DNA profile of both applicants, your dog, and your paternal grandmother.
5. A stool sample from a female Burmese unicorn.  (Send a check for $567 for processing this information)

Photo Credit

 So, you think to yourself- how on earth am I going to find a teenage virgin?!?  But you manage to do it (geek squad to the rescue!).  Then you trek into the Burmese jungle to locate the unicorn & collect the sample.  (It looks remarkably like Skittles.)  You submit it all to the lender, with your check. 

Then, they call back & say, “Actually, we need a sample from a MALE unicorn, not a female.  Sorry about the typo.  Please also send another $567 for processing a second sample.” 

And suddenly you’re starting to understand how people ‘go postal’ because this is making you crazy.

One Word- Expansion

 

I tried to participate in reverb10 but I quit somewhere around day 4.  I'm not really good with daily challenges, but the end of the year always makes me very reflective and determined to write.  I'm trying Resound11 and today's prompt was to sum up this year with one word.  

The word I chose for 2011 was balance.  And so much of this year has been leading to more balance and feeling more centered in my own life.  However, the word I’d use to sum up this year is expansion, because there has been even more of that.  I know that the expansion has been necessary to move towards balance.  Emotionally, spiritually, mentally, even locationally, I have expanded in all aspects this year in amazing ways.  I was feeling very small and stuck and yucky last fall.  Just a zombie- go to work, come home, sleep, repeat.  Not much joy or sense of purpose.  That had a lot to do with my job, which is mind-numbingly boring and still stressful at the same time.  It’s not something I enjoy and I know it doesn’t fulfill my soul’s purpose.  Also, our living situation made me feel small because we are cramped in the small space.  I was losing my sense of me, because my husband & I didn’t have any space to be apart and practice our separate hobbies. 

Space by Sweetie 187

 I felt desperate to break out of those chains.  My mental breakout came first and allowed my emotions to float back up to joy and happiness.  I started blogging, which gave me an outlet & it encouraged me to do more cooking & crafts- things I love.  I also read blogs and found amazing communities of art and kindness and sharing.  I discovered life coaching, which I had never even heard of.  And the more I learned, the more I knew it was for me.  I found a great course, through one of those online connections, and started my training.  I learned so much and found myself opening up again emotionally.  I was practicing silence, writing, making art, celebrating rituals, dancing, and exploring the world again.  Now, at the end of the year, I am in a much better place in my head & in life.  I am feeling like myself again, but a wiser and better version, constantly evolving.  Our marriage is even better now that I’m being creative again.  I’m so much happier. 

But I still have that job and we still haven’t moved- the mental clarity came even though I haven’t resolved those problems yet.   Just knowing that I have plans and goals and a timeline was all I really needed to get out of my funk- I needed to know I could expand and that the limits were imaginary.  We’re buying a house & will be moving soon.  I’m incredibly excited to have a whole room just for an office and crafts room!  And a real, full sized kitchen!  And a porch & a man cave space in the garage!  I also know that I will be leaving my job soon- as soon as I get my life coaching business fully established.  (Having an office space will help that tremendously as well.)   

Yes, expansion is definitely the word to sum up 2011.          

Magic Readalong

I am participating in a Read-along of the Time Traveler's Wife.  I wrote a post on the blog of my new website, which you can check out here and check out the rest of the site while you're there ;).  I'll still be blogging here as well as there, depending on my mood.  

I hope everyone is well and has a fantastic US Independence Day! 

Big Announcement: Regiving Ebook

Remember a few months back when I had a sort-of guest post on Kind Over Matter with a funny story in her Seven-Souls-One-Musing series?  Well, Amanda decided to turn the concept into an amazing ebook with 30 contributors, including me.  (I'm actually published-yay!!!)  She used those funny stories and also stories of kindness and each of us gave her 2 stories, so there are 60 altogether, along with 5 great downloadable artworks.  It's an incredible collection of laughter and heartfelt kindness, from some amazing people from all over the interwebz.  I cracked into my copy already & I have laughed & cried & thoroughly enjoyed sharing these experiences. 

Here's a few quotes from the book, just a taste of what it holds:

I finished my business, walked calmly out the door and then ran for the car. Then I laughed so hard I almost threw up. - Fabeku Fatunmise

I'll always remember what it felt like to be so invincible: to have someone believe in me with their whole, fumbling, translucently lovely heart. - Goddess Leonie
I felt so special, so important. I didn’t just learn how to ride that day. I learned how to fly. - Jamie Ridler
This was the only instance where I laughed so hard that I peed a little... which made me laugh even more. - Ev`Yan Nasman
So Brian suggested I take off the tights. But (I can’t believe I’m telling you this) - they were the kind with the panties already built in. Catch my drift? - Connie Hozvicka

There's even space for you to add your own stories to the book.  If you're interested, you can download your own copy here (Full disclosure- as a contributor, I am also an affiliate, so I will earn a percentage if you buy from here.  I'd still recommend it even if I didn't).

Also, in REALLY BIG personal news, I have launched my own website for my new life coaching business.  I will do another longer post soon about why I've become a life coach, but for now, please check it out & let me know what you think. 

Wonder (Day 2 BGBL)

Light peeks through

"We need a renaissance of wonder. We need to renew, in our hearts and in our souls, the deathless dream, the eternal poetry, the perennial sense that life is miracle and magic.” -E. Merrill Root

The second virtue in the Be Gentle, Be Love ecourse is wonder.  This brought to mind a recent walk in the woods that my sister & I shared.  I have a tendency to stop & take photos often, especially now that I have a great camera phone with a flash.  (Side note- a camera that I always have with me is absolutely amazing to me.  I know many people have had these for awhile, but this is my first and I love always being able to get that perfect photo when it presents itself.) 

This knothole reminded me of Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas.  I could see telling your secrets to this tree. 

Anyway, we were walking in a section near our home that I hadn't been through recently & I was absolutely captivated with all the lovely things we saw.  I pointed out how pretty the moss on a tree stump was & my sister said "You find the weirdest things beautiful."  I paused, thought for a moment, & said "Thank you."  She said "I actually did mean it as a compliment" and I said "I really did take it as one."  (We share a fluency in sarcasm, so we both had to make it clear this was not a sarcastic moment.)  See, I love that I haven't lost that childlike wonder & I also love that my family notices this wonder.  And I think that they enjoy the little reminders I offer them that the world is a wondrous place.  Sometimes I misplace my wonder, but I never lose it completely. 


I love found hearts.  This is actually a deer print.

I also think it's no coincidence that wonder & wander sound the same. Wandering around will increase your sense of wonder if you just pay attention.  The world is a beautiful, amazing miracle every day.  Wander through your world & recapture your sense of wonder.  Enjoy the flowers, the clouds, the grass, the birds chirping, etc.  Or, if you're in the city, enjoy the sounds & sites & people there.   

Even this falling barn is beautiful in its own way.

Blessed Wanderings & Wonderings to all!

Joy & Laughter

I was in need of inspiration for writing, so I decided today that I needed to go back through my Be Gentle, Be Love prompts & actually blog them this time.  Day one is Joyfulness & Amanda says "Let your eyes radiate Joy. Be a magnet of magnificence."  I love alliteration & magnet of magnificence just made me smile all by itself. 

She suggested to focus on smiling & let your eyes smile.  I also pulled my daily affirmation (there's a button in the sidebar) and it said "Today may I recognize joy where it happens", so today is clearly meant to be about joy.  At lunchtime, I went home like I always do, had my lunch & a few moments of quiet & came back to the office. 

Now, you should know that I am a barefoot babe.  When I walk in the door, I kick my shoes off right away.  When I'm sitting at my desk, I mostly have my shoes off.  Even my shoe choices are mostly flip flops, if I can get away with them.  So, naturally, I took my shoes off when I got home for lunch & grabbed them again on my way out.  Except....

I failed a bit on the grabbing them at the door bit.  I wasn't paying much attention & both pairs must have been right there.  I drove back over, came in & while I was talking to my coworker, I noticed my shoes felt odd.  The pink pair are very soft & molded to my feet, while the brown ones are all leather & not as soft.  I looked down & burst out laughing.  My coworker laughed too.  I'm still laughing.  I guess I was determined to make today about laughter & joy, no matter what it took.  Luckily, I don't have an official meeting or anything that would make this really embarrassing.  My coworkers will all laugh with me & no harm will come of it. 

So, have a nice belly laugh at my expense (this one's on the house) and recognize the joy in your day, wherever you find it!