Friday Facts

1. I like to put things away in places where I'll be sure to find them again. But then when I go to get them, I can't remember where it is I put them.

2. At some point, I'm going to paint my living room and dining room. I'm making good progress. I picked out the paint colors - 2 years ago.

3. I have taken more steps in the last 2 hours than I did in the 8 hours I was at work today. Obviously I sit at a desk. I sit alot....

4. I am a big fan of Snoopy. There is at least one Snoopy (stuffed, picture, figurine, etc) in almost every room of my house. In fact, from where I am sitting right now, I can see 4. At Christmas time, it's even worse (better?) He's everywhere!!

5. My husband is a collector of Hot Wheels cars. Not to be outdone by the Snoopy's, there is also probably at least one Hot Wheels car in just about every room. Tiny cars are cool. I have my own collection of Mopar muscle cars in a case in my bedroom.

6. Want some good sunglasses? Oakley Half Jackets. Best ever. Kinda pricey, but so worth it.

Thought for Monday

To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.

~Eva Young

This is the same quote as last Monday. Last week, I was in a down mood and feeling a bit negative about a lot of things, so I looked at it in negative way. But the more I thought about it over the week, I realized that there was another way to look at it.

If you think about something long enough, you can find a way to solve a problem or form a plan to meet to goal. Thinking can get you through some tough spots. Positive thinking can propel you to bigger and better things.

Random Pic of the Week

Me & Bree. Skateboarding on Christmas Eve day, 2007

Friday Facts

1. People think I’m quiet and shy. If you really know me, you that’s not the case – I’m just very selective; If I have something to say, believe me, I’ll say it.

2. My email address is still my college nickname. Webster Andretti. Webster for the dictionary because I’m a storehouse of useless knowledge. And Andretti because of a lapse in my good judgment in driving home from a sorority event. I raced a friend down winding Pennsylvania roads going way way too fast. (and darn it, if I had just cut through that gas station parking lot at the corner instead of waiting for the light to turn green, I could’ve beat her too!!)

3. I can quote Disney’s “Aladdin” and “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” pretty much from beginning to end. Some of my favorites are “PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS – itty bitty living space” “in case of emergency, the exits are here, here, here, here, anywhere. Keep your hands and arms inside the carpet – WE’RE OUTTA HERE” “I’m gonna cut your heart out with a spoon!” “Why a spoon cousin, why not an axe or a ... Because it’s dull you twit, it’ll hurt more.” “I had a very sad childhood. I ought to tell you about it sometime. It’s amazing I’m sane”. I could go on, but I’ll stop now.

4. I miss Bree’s puppy days. She was such a cute little thing.

5. Bree is named after a character in one of my favorite book series (Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series). According to the books “bree” is a Scottish word for “a great disturbance.” She is that – you should hear her snore.

Thought for a Monday

To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.

~Eva Young

I am the master at overthinking things and psyching myself out. Ialways start out thinking I can do this; I just need to do this, this, this, and this.... And then I've thought too long and too much, and I get scared and it's over.

I do it on the mountain bike - I come up to a downhill and start thinking about all the things that could go wrong and before I know it, I'm giving up - getting off the bike and walking it down the hill.

I do it on the skateboard - I start cruising down a hill and thinking about how fast I could go and how much a fall will hurt, and the foot comes down and I'm slowing to a stop.

I do it before a run. I have a plan on how far I'm running on a particular day, and if I think about the distance any more than that initial plan, I start thinking about how hard it'll be and how much easier it would be to go shorter (or even not at all).

But I'm getting better with the runs. I try to get into what I call "The Little Engine That Could" mode: my mantra becomes "I think I can; I think I can; I think I can". And, if I can keep that mantra in my mind, it works. But keeping it up and not letting the thoughts of "it's too hot out here" and "there's such a long way to go" and other negative thinking drown it out is difficult.

I need to figure out a way to turn off the negative parts of my brain and stick with the "I can do this" mind set and be "The Little Engine That Could" every day.

Random Pic of the Week

Marc at the Grove City, Ohio Skate Park. August 2009

Hiking

My friend Keira came down for a visit this weekend. She wanted to go hiking so we went to Kanawha State Forest and hit the trails for a nice walk.

I should've charged my camera battery last night, but no, I didn't. I figured it would be fine. Well, I managed to get one whole picture before the battery died.

Lovely blue butterfly:

Random Pic of the Week

Otter at the Columbus Zoo (August 2009)

Friday Food

Tonight's dinner - Spicy Zucchini Boats

(ok, so this is the picture from the cookbook, but I swear, the ones I make look like the picture. We just get so excited to eat them that there's no opportunity to take a pic of the real thing. :o) )

Books that make me curious

Every now and then I'll read a book based some real historical event or place, and it will make me extremely curious. It happened when I read "The Terror" by Dan Simmons, and now Simmons is doing it to me again.

I'm currently reading "Black Hills". I'm a little less than halfway through (about 40% according to the Kindle), so I don't know if Paha Sapa succeeds in his plan to obliterate Mount Rushmore so that his vision of the Stone Presidents coming alive to devour the world does not come true.

I've always been interested in Native American history and I knew they considered the Black Hills to be sacred land, but I never gave any thought to how they might feel about a monument to 4 white men on their sacred ground.

So I'm going to do some more reading and some researching on the subject.

To start, here are a couple of articles that I've found for some background:
Article "Native American Culture and the Black Hills" : http://www.blackhillsvisitor.com/main.asp?id=14&cat_id=30118&open_id=71

Article "Paha Sapa - The Black Hills" : http://www.blackhillsvisitor.com/main.asp?id=14&cat_id=30034&open_id=71

Three Things I Am Thankful for This Thursday

my parents:

Marc:

WV Hills:

Thought for a Monday

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.

~Albert Schweitzer

The 4 ladies (and their little ones) that I spent the 4th of July weekend with are some of those people that rekindle my spirit. There's not much better than a weekend full of fun and laughter with good friends. I've already mentioned how blessed I am to have "my girls" in my life, but it can't be said enough.

Thank you Becca, Jen, Shannon & Keira (and Kayla, Katie, and Ali, too) - the weekend was awesome. Can't wait for next time!

Random Pic of the week (a day late)

Wedding pic. Me & Marc. 04-29-2006

(been out of town, and didn't get a chance to post the random pic on Sunday - was too busy having fun with the girls at Girls' Weekend :o) )

Three Things I Am Thankful For This Thursday

Plenty of reading material:

home sweet home:

My lovely "puppy" Bree: