Joseph

Everyday at 11:35, I have a two minute conversation with "trash guy" Joseph.
He comes into my building dragging along two gigantic trashbins that in two seconds fill up my glass enclosed lobby with the most unpleasant smell.

I used to snub him...

He is a small, Chinese man with quirky hair and a walk to match. Just not my type of person you know? Plus by the looks of it he doesn't speak a lick of English.

Welp my ignorant ass was wrong.

Last week, Joseph asked me my name. He had noticed I was not there to say hello when I took St. Patrick's Day off.

Today we got the basics down. How am I? Am I married? How old am I? Why don't I work full-time? ... which led us to money. I explained I am lucky enough to live at home and am able to live off a parttime salary. Then he says...

"Money don't mean anything. Look at the people in Japan. Everything they had gone."
Thank you Joseph for teaching me not to judge a book by its cover and to be happy with what I have.

What I Learned In Church

Yes. I made the morally correct decision and went to church at 11 this morning ... neglecting to watch the end of the Husky game. Pastor Paul made a reference to the game in his welcome...he rocks. I found out he is leaving in June however ... which is lame because I already feel so out of place there. Pastor Paul is my friend whether he knows it or not. The way he describes the bible and Jesus and the lessons we should learn makes me feel like he is just there for me. I think that means he's doing his job :)

BTW I go to North Creek Presbyterian Church. http://www.northcreekpres.org/
(I have to sound out Presssssssssssss by uhhh ter I A N everytime I spell it...thank goodness for those squiggly redlines under my words after I type them telling me I didn't learn that much in school).

As I mentioned in a previous post (SO GO READ ALL OF MY RANTINGS SO YOU'RE UPDATED)I wanted to try mindful meditation.

In mindfulness meditation we are learning to pay attention to our current experience, whatever it may be, without judging it, changing or distracting from it,

explains Jade Pryzgoda, a psychologist. I got this from this magazine....

Which is not usually sideways...I just can't figure out how to make it go upright.

ANYWAY. The whole point of this is that while I was listening to Pastor Paul pray my mind was going a million miles a minute in every direction. I WENT TO CHURCH TO PRAY AND LISTEN TO THE WORD OF GOD AND I'M NOT EVEN PAYING ATTENTION. Then I thought hmmm I should blog about mind my wandering ... yet again making my mind wander. Ugh.

So today this 10 year old girl in a bright pink skirt and matching glitter head band was baptized. She accepted God as her savior...she knows why he is in her life and how she wants him to be in her life. She's 10. I am too scared to even write my name on the attendance sheet. I'm too scared to stop the habits that I have that separate me from God. But itty bitty tiny (we'll call her Abby) Abby knows what she wants and is not afraid.

HOW COOL IS THAT?
or rather inspiring.

This is the second Sunday of Lent so we talked about when Jesus told the criminal next to him "TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE." WHOA. Paradise? My paradise is eating peanut butter and oreos (double stuf thank you) and not gaining a pound. My paradise is full of luscious greenery sun life animals (NOT SNAKES) and flowers. Or maybe after listening to the biblical version of paradise my paradise is heaven.

There were two men (and please do not quote me because well this is my 3rd day at church and I may not be as reliable as I like to think) next to Jesus on the cross...both criminals. One was griping about how Jesus wasn't trying to save himself the other shut up and realized who Jesus was. He understood that he was close to God, that he could ask for forgiveness, that he was not alone in death or life, so he said to Jesus, "Jesus remember me."

That man could have been forgotten...he would have gone down in history and stayed there as no one ... nothing special ... nothing remembered. BUT BECAUSE HE HAD THE COURAGE! (please note the emphasis on courage) to speak up and say something he was saved ... he is now remembered as a man of faith.

Abby also had courage today.

It takes courage to change. I'm finding that the thrill and adrenaline of doing something that has a risk with it and unknown outcome is me practicing courage.

Like now...I am taking the time to sit in church alone trying to figure out my life...I am taking the risk of putting this out for you to read...I am risking not blow drying my hair in hopes it turns out ok and you know what these risks feel good.

So find your own courage and take a risk today <3

Chicken in a Quicken in da Kitchen

I got this recipe from DotFit...

In the end it looks like this...

But before that you have to get this...

Pick up:

• 4-5 ounce chicken breasts
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (or slice em yourself you lazy)
• 1 cup sliced zucchini
• I added squash (because I like squash)
• 1 cup light Italian dressing (orrr you could not have an entire cup of that stuff and improvise by adding 1/4 cup lemon juice and a bit of olive oil)

PREHEAT THE OVEN to 4 fifty degrees (450)

NOW take the chicken breasts and put them each on their own individual pieces of foil (12 X 18 inches).

DIVIDE the veggies accordingly (my mom doesn't like squash so I got it all...score)then pour the dressing over chicken and vegetables.

SEAL the goodies in by taking both side sides making it like a tent. Fold the top and bottom over onto themselves so there is enough room for ventilation.

STICK THOSE BABIES IN THE OVEN...for 20 minutes or so.

Make sure your chicken is FULLY COOKED by jabbing it with a meat thermometer (it will be fully cooked and good to eat at 165 degrees)

OPEN the foil CAREFULLY ... it will be hot n steamy and you will burn yourself if you use your hands...trust me.

Hopefully it looks something like the above ... or who knows maybe you're better than me and it looks even more delectable.

This is what happens when your mom uses your knew camera phone.

Great success.

Next time I'm going to marinade the chicken in the dressing for a while THEN cook it...it wasn't as flavorful as I was hoping but the chicken was juicy :)

What I Learned In Church Today

Today was day numero dos for going to church.

I actually dressed a little nicer this time because my leggings and I got some not-so-approving looks the first Sunday I went.

Today the theme of the sermon was FORGIVENESS.

Whoa talk about timing on that one ... I didn't realize how much I had been holding onto negatives and people in my life until this morning. When you don't forgive you are the one oppressed ... you are the one filled with hate or anger or sadness and ironically the person/thing/event that caused your resentment or what have you is not in as much turmoil as you are because not being able to forgive is all in your head. The minutes hours days thoughts are all lost time when you don't forgive.

Yes you probably already know this .... at least that's what I was saying in my head to Pastor Paul when he was talking ... but HOW DO YOU FORGIVE? It'd be nice to just shake hands and be on your merry way. Or just drop off the stains and dirt you have in your life at the cleaners and pick em up the next day good as new (with that fresh laundry scent)...BUT IT DONWERKDAT WAY!

So of course he answered my question immediately after my mind began to race and distract me from the sermon ... and what he said was ....

When you are limited, you've fallen and you just don't have it in you to move on ... God can.

LIGHT BULB!

When Jesus was on the cross in the place of the skull he said "Father, forgive them, for they do not know that they are doing." Jesus forgave us for our sins. That power and love is still something I don't understand or can begin to explain but it's nice to know it's there.

I realized this message means I need to not only forgive others but I need to forgive myself. I need to forgive myself for not being perfect, for not being where I want to be in life, or who I want to be in life. I need to tell my high power that I cannot handle this on my own. I do not know how to forgive myself...or the right steps to take in order to better myself so please help me.

And that's all the sense I can make out of that.
<3

Remember It Could Be Worse

I'm getting sick...I have the shivers the aches the chills...the foggy head (or maybe that's just normal for me on a Friday).

My grandma is in surgery right now.

I'm single once again.

I have to work at 6:30 am ON A SATURDAY!

My life was looking pretty miserable...until...I started reading about the tsunami in Japan.

Once night fell in Tokyo the temperatures dropped to just above freezing. Tens of thousands of people had no way of getting to where they needed to go, if they still had a place to go to.

There are shelters for the survivors but most are staying in 24 hours cafes or hotels.

When something is wrong the first place I want to go to is home...to my bed...with my cats. These people who just experienced the fifth largest earthquake since 1900 don't have the luxury to worry about their dating life or when they'll get to the gym next.

My strife over the way my life has gone this week is a waste of my time. The energy spent crying, worrying, analysing has done nothing for me or others.

So as I sit here curled up as close as possible to my desk heater I am reminded of how big the world is, how small I am. I wish I could remember to practice this humility daily...

However I am not trying to be miss Negative Nancy here. Who likes her? My life is as important as I make it. Every day I make small and big decisions that have a domino effect.

This is an example of one of those small decisions that has a big impact.

Last summer I took a chance and dated this guy who was not my type. He's short, in his 30s, chews and is into MMA ... but his personality was what attracted me. We dated for a pathetic 3 weeks maybe? He was the first guy that I didn't know that hit on me that I actually went out with. Our first date was to a Mariner's game ... I had an extra ticket ... he played softball ... why not? Anyway...after a couple dates he told me he was a recovering alcoholic...sober 9 years. We talked about AA and living with a disease one day at a time. My disease is not with booze but with my body. I've been going to Over Eaters Anonymous for 6 months now and it's changed my life. That's all thanks to my decision to take a chance.

Crazy huh?

Or the other day I picked a random building to use the restroom in on Microsoft's INSANELY HUGE campus. I grabbed up a free magazine to read on the bus in that building. In the reading it had an article about meditation ... something I had been contemplating. It was as though my higher power was present nudging me to find that magazine, to see an alternative way to control my disease.

Ever since I started OA I realized that God is in my life and I keep seeing him come through and talk to me. It's Awesome. Yes with a capital A. I am no longer alone..

Wow writing this has been much harder than it should be. I am incredibly out of practice. It's frustrating to know what I want to say and not be able to get my point across in the funny light hearted sarcastic clever manner I want to...guess I'll just have to do this more often.

It's intimidating to know I'm writing something that others can see and judge...I'm so used to writing in a journal where spelling, grammar, content don't matter. There my thoughts are my own and only for me to read. The power of journaling is amazing though, it's like my brain is talking through the pen and paper.

Hmmm I went from a terrible disaster to journaling...oh and last thing is I'm not sure the point of this blog...but I want to write and be a good writer (like I once was) so I guess this is where I'll start.

Kris

7 Things to Make Your Day

1. Smile like you mean it ... because after doing so you will.

I've found that if you smile ...even by yourself.... you either:

• feel stupid for smiling like a creep by yourself therefore crack up at yourself
• smile at someone else who then returns the smile therefore making the smile contagious
• smile at someone else who then doesn't return the smile therefore you glare at nonsmiler therefore making you feel like creep therefore once again cracking yourself up

2. When you wake up turn on music.
When I hear my alarm ... I curse the day coming so soon and ruining my sleep ... roll over ... turn on MTV and jam out. So far it has not failed. Unless there is an infomercial ... then I curse the said infomercial ... change the channel until I find music.

3. Clean.
HA! You are not a cleaner? Oh but yes you are. Cleaning is A productive B healthy and C ... well shoot are those two not enough for you? And I don't mean like yellow gloves get high off the chemicals clean ... I mean reorganize a drawer ... make your bed (WHILE DANCING TO MUSIC YOU WOKE UP TO?! Eh eh?) ... take out the trash. Cleaning is something we are always NEEDING to do and WILL GET TO but shoot when you actually do it ... KUDOS to you.

4. Listen to stand up.
I've got Mitch Hedberg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWkhmw_PLTw (thanks youtube)

on CD in my car and on my ipod. I listen to him in the car on my way to work or when coming home after a stressful day at work. (mmm don't you love WORK?) I was riding the bus home the other day and had to change from Mitch to music because I couldn't help but LOL (the one time it's ok to use lol) like a crazy person on the bus.

5. Go on a walk.

Ya every health magazine and news report has told you to do this once or twice PROBABLY BECAUSE IT WORKS! Getting outside your home, your WORK (there it is again), yourself is um well great. Personally, I like looking at the different houses and architecture in my hood. Another plus to this is the EXERCISE you'll get. AND seriously stop and smell the roses. After a rain there's a new smell, if someone just put bark down you'll sniff it into your nostrils, if there's freshly turned dirt it'll be there. You can't get those simple pleasures, stimulate your senses (and glute muscles) INSIDE!

Oh ya and walking allows you to clear your head or to day dream...whichever your brain chooses to do.

6. Compliment someone.

Think that skinny pretty brunette has some killer shoes on and you want them all for yourself and why does she get to have the bod the hair and the BOOTS to ... boot? Instead of envying her and putting yourself down in the process ... tell her how y0u feel. No not that she's a skinny pretty brunette but that you like her shoes.

Everyone likes GETTING compliments but who has the courage to give them? YOU DO! Changing your scowl to a smile (AH-HA SMILING!) will make you feel better. I'm not sure how to put this into words (which is not good since this is a blog) but everytime I go out of my way to make someone feel better AND talk to strangers (sorry mom) it makes me feel empowered and just grand.

7. What the heck ever makes you happy.

Ok not specific but shoot I don't know you. These are all my ideas. Go get your own.

There you have it. These 6 or well 7ish things have honestly helped me brighten my own day.

Thanks for reading,

Kris

Easy Quick Fun Craft

Jars Aren't Just for Jam ...

When washing out a jar so I could recycle it I noticed how cool the jar looked when the label was off. I thought "I could do something with that." So I did. And now you can too.

The end result is whatever YOU make it but basically this is what you're going for...

Here's shwat you need to have.

So a clean glass jar (you chose size and shape), puff paint, double sided tape and lastly construction paper (again there are no rules as to what you have to use!).

So side note. I love puff paint. I should make a shirt using puff paint saying that I love puff paint. BELIEVE me...once you've bought those little puffers you will use them OVER and OVER again ... totally worth it. Plus the other craft ideas I'm going to put up later will be using the same materials...because well I'm cheap :)

I got everything from Fred Meyer. The paper is just in their CRAFT (of course) section ... it's supposed to be used to post pictures on...but we are more creative than that.

Here we go:

1. Take paper and cut it so it'll fit into the jar.
   
2. Remove paper and write whatever it is on the paper that you want. Use black sharpie so that you can use the paints to highlight your words and creativity.
   
3. Put a piece of double-sided tape on upper left corner then the lower right corner on the front of the paper you'll be using. This is so the paper will stick to the inside of the jar when you put it in there! Be careful when taping once it's in there it's hard to remove and doesn't look right if it's not straight.
   
4. Now it's really up to you. Take your puff paint and go for it! The paint gives your jar dimension and texture...this is what makes me like this project so much.
5. Some ideas for what on earth to put on your jar are :
   

• Like the example shown above I made a jar as to why I "heart" my boyfriend. Sweet easy gift.
• Do something festive ... I did these for Halloween.

• Or "I'm thankful for ..." on it. Or for Christmas theme a jar that supposedly holds snowmen supplies. Etc.

Tips for writing on the glass:

• Go slow. Once it's on there it's hard to fully wipe off.
• Watch your hands. They can get messy.

• If you are doing words hover when writing don't push too hard.
  
• If the writing is too thin you can always go over it after it's dried.
• Don't press the bottle too hard ... I guess just use your own judgment ... I mean it IS only puff paint.

Thanks for reading. This is my first post ... so tips on how I can make it better would help! I hope I inspired you.