Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
I'm starting the 100 push ups challenge today. I know. Crazy. I'm doing it on my knees, though. Maybe the next round I will start with the full push up. My friend, Heather, is suppose to join me in this challenge. I admit my upper body strength is lacking, and I can't wait to strengthen it.
AND... I'm on day 100 of my blog!! yeaaaay! I started this on Inauguration Day filled with so much hope. Although my situation has changed since that day (for the better), the hope I had has not dwindled. I just have a different outlook on life. You have to look at the situation you're in with a positive perspective, which I admit is difficult at times, or you will spiral into a deep, dark hole. Trying to remember that things happens for a reason is f*cking hard when it seems like everything is going wrong.
As I've said, every time something happens to me, I find out that someone is in a situation worse off than I am. Even the day I got hit by the car, I talked with a woman, found out that her husband was laid off, they had two kids in High School and she wasn't sure if they could send them to college let alone put enough food on the table. After hanging up on the phone, I yelled out "I got hit by a freaking car! Can't I feel sorry for myself for five minutes??" (hahaha) What I have learned by being unemployed is about the human connection everyone needs. It seems like when I tell someone I was laid off that they are more generous with the details of their personal life. And, maybe, because I'm not too busy to listen, they talk. Whatever it is, it has renewed my perspective on life. I know I will get through this time in my life, because I have the support and love of friends/family to get me through the tough days or to remind me that we're all working for food. Thank you! xoxox
Highlights from the past 100 days
day 001: inauguration day
finding out I was getting laid off and the people who helped me through it.
day 008: pass-out-dena
day 009: Bergamot Station
day 010: down the rabbit hole
day 011: feeding the wolves
day 012: getting away
day 019: he's just not that into you
time to get back into the gym, and reminder that at least I have my health.
day 015: clean bill of health
my last day at work
day 025: unemployed
my birthday
day 035: The gift & 34 km
finding kindred spirits in these tough times.
day 042: the tow truck guy
remembering that there are bigger issues out there than not having a job.
day 044: same-sex marriage vigil
a day that is filled with so much happiness
day 055: sunny days sweeping the clouds away
first major meltdown, I don't think any day has been as bad as this day.
day 060: meltdown
I wasted day 69 on this...hahaha jk ;)
day 069: unexpected obstacles
found out about identity fraud.
day 072: painting
self explanatory so beautiful
day 073: Huntington Library
a Photoshop action discovery and reading an inspiring article. A day when good ideas collide. :)
day 076: beach
a day when a bad series of events collide. the day I was hit by the car on my bike
day 077: series of intersecting lives and incident...
unexpected gifts are the best! :)
day 081: awesome gift
I worked out all day: started at the pool, went to the gym and then for a run in the evening.
day 085: pool
Congrats to Tim, Mark, Steven & Kristy. :)
day 098: adoption
Last night I caught up with Joanna. Bianca went to Minnesota for a conference. What was suppose to be an early evening turned into a late (midnight) night.Being unemployed I have my ups and downs and I get so consumed in what is happening with myself that sometimes I need to be reminded of the bigger picture. Thank you to Joanna for reminding me of this.
It's between games, and I have to post. Here is a snake plant in my apt. Congrats to Michigan St. I hope there is another upset. :) Sorry for all the plant/flower pictures lately. I promise that next week I will not take an vegetation pics. :)
After yesterday's ....I have no idea what that was... the only thing I can do is continue to think ahead and stay positive.The first Thursday of the month is a free day at the Huntington Library & Gardens. I thought of canceling it, because of yesterday's happenings, but decided that I needed to take a day for myself. It was a beautiful day to walk around the gardens and escape my life. There's so much beauty and education to absorb, it was overwhelming and belittling.
The main hall had an exhibition on Abraham Lincoln. It featured different correspondence between him and citizens, senators, and Mary Todd Lincoln. The art form of letter writing has been lost. For me, it put things into perspective about what we can achieve with our time on earth if we apply our minds and our heart.
Finishing up painting.Yesterday was another freakin rollercoaster... seriously "What does not kill you, makes you stronger." (Fredric Nietzsche)
By the end of all of this I should be able to hold the world on my shoulders... or at least bench 90 lbs. hahaha Don't worry, that is not a personal goal.
There are times in our lives that we would rather not want to remember, but how can you appreciate the good times without a reminder of the bad. This will be my reminder.LET'S CELEBRATE!!! Celebrate Good Times, Come on!! It's a Celebration!!
Henry has his Architecture license, Carla passed all nine exams, and I am getting rid of negative energy. Do you have anything you want to celebrate?
Obama was in SoCal yesterday and today. This morning I tried to get tickets to the Jay Leno show, but they ran out of tickets. People, who were waiting since 8pm last night, didn't get tickets. Crazy!! I met, Adam, in line and after we went for "breakfast" at a local pub to start March Madness sans alcohol. Even I don't drink that early. It was a nice morning.This picture was taken in Beachwood Canyon. After my morning in Burbank, I hiked the "stairs" while listening to sports radio of course. Did you submit your picks for March Madness? Here is a link to the Commander-in-Chief's Picks. He was not very kind to the Pac-10. :(
When it rains, it pours. This weekend my car was having problems starting. I took it to the mechanic. They checked the battery, the alternator, and said everything was fine. We turned it off and then back on: no problems. Of course! That's how it always works, right? So, I brought it home and on Sunday more problems, but this time the mechanic was closed. I called the tow truck this morning and had it taken in. :( I will find out what the problem is tomorrow. Please think positive thoughts for me. I think it's the starter.
The tow truck guy: I wish I could remember his name. I will ask my mechanic tomorrow. He was awesome. First off, he was very courteous on the phone and offered a definite time to be at my apartment. Can you imagine? Yes, in LA, he gave me a time, and was spot on. I guess if you're towing cars all day you know the ebbs and flow of traffic. Secondly, on the way to the mechanic we had an a-mazing conversation, amazing. You know those people who come into your life, and for no apparent reason, they open up to you and you feel like there was some purpose to meeting them. This guy was that person today. We talked about the failing economy, the housing crisis and his family.
Honestly, the trip was about twenty minutes, but in those twenty minutes I could tell that he was a dear soul. I'm scared about our economy and the powers (banks) that are in charge, but I'm confident in the people of this country. We're resilient. He offered to cut the tow rate for me, but I could see the stress in his eyes behind the sentiment. I don't have three mouths to feed, so I declined his sweet offer. I know I will be ok, but I don't want him to cut me a deal if it's gonna make his life harder. I just said, "what's fair is fair, you towed my car at a great rate (which it was...I called around), how can I not pay you for your services." And with that we hugged. Yes, a twenty minute ride and I felt comfortable enough to give this guy a hug. If our paths should cross again I hope that we have happier stories to share.
I feel like I'm on summer vacation. For most of my life, I've been in school and have always had summer vacations that was up until 4 years ago, (wait, I mean almost 5 years ago) when I started working full time. Then it was three weeks vacation plus one week of sick, from 3 months vacation to one month.
Anyway, I found this tip bucket at Wahoo's Fish Tacos and decided to take a picture. It's very telling of these economic times.
This morning my friend, Vanessa, ran the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, CA. It was a beautiful morning to spend next to the beach. Vanessa was awesome. We saw her at mile 20 and Amery ran the last 6.2 miles with her. Amery looked worse than Vanessa at the end. hahaha Afterward we enjoyed a cold beer and welcomed her into the Marathoners' club. Congratulations Vanessa!!! You've inspired me to do it again!
I didn't have time to post yesterday. After work, I went to watch Frost/Nixon with Chris and then enjoyed an engaging conversation with dinner at Canter's. This is not the best picture from the Day, but it is the best picture of Chris. :)
This is an excerpt from the National Prayer Service
There is a story attributed to Cherokee wisdom:
One evening a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces.Thank you, Chris, for reminding me to feed the correct wolf. :)
“There are two wolves struggling inside each of us,” the old man said.
“One wolf is vengefulness, anger, resentment, self-pity, fear…
“The other wolf is compassion, faithfulness, hope, truth, love…”
The grandson sat, thinking, then asked: “Which wolf wins, Grandfather?”
His grandfather replied, “The one you feed.”
Happy Chinese New Year!! It's the year of the Ox and what better way to celebrate it than ushering it in with Henry, who is also an Ox. My only requests was a loung-y bar with a fireplace, and we found it at Geisha House in Hollywood. As we walked in, The Cars that go Boom was playing, I loved it. A couple of glasses of wine and conversation near a fireplace was the best was to welcome the new year!
This is a picture of the trail that I walked this morning. I'm not ready for running yet, but I hope in the next couple of weeks to start running again. I know those of you on the east coast will think I'm a wimp, but it was cold this morning.
I'm not dreaming yesterday happened. Along with my photo blog, I'm keeping a journal. My most prized possessions are my journals from the past years. I haven't been very diligent with them, but I feel like I want to remember this feeling forever, so I'm starting the habit again, besides it will be a journal/sketch book.
I will not allow anyone to ruin this day for me. Please.
I have been waiting for this day for eight years. Today is such a beautiful day. I'm so proud to be an American today, and yes it's been a long time that I've been able to say that. I use to say a disclaimer of not voting for Bush.
I know that I'm suppose to be reaching across the aisle and there are no red or blue states, there is only the United States. BUT, can I please just gloat for a couple of days? Give me a week and then I will give you the 3 years and 11 months and 3 weeks.
THANK YOU, AMERICA!!!
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