Just Rannin' Around

Friday, February 22, 2008

Post #350 :)

“Some make it happen, some watch it happen, and some say, ‘What happened?’” -Unknown

There has been a lot on my mind lately and not a lot of time to put it down onto paper so I caution that this might become a bit of a lengthy blog. What can I say? When a girl is quiet, millions of things are running in her mind.

Politics

The other night as I was sitting on my bed putting together a variety of projects that have been in need of some attention, I also had the television turned on watching MSNBC (I never can seem to just focus on one thing at a time). They were running documentaries on the two democratic front runners for the Presidential election. The first one was on Obama, followed immediately by one on Clinton. Although I am a registered republican, I always feel it necessary to know about all the candidates regardless of their party affiliation. I believe that voting is about making the wisest decision based on as much knowledge as can be gathered on the person and on their views and not just checking a party box.

I noted quite a few new things that were enlightening. Despite the fact that I don’t particularly agree with either of these candidates on many of their political views, they both have some impressive qualities. Obama is determined. Throughout his entire life he fought for everything that he has been able to accomplish. Blood, sweat and tears . . . it is the great American story. I always have great respect and admiration for men and women that have worked hard for everything that they now are as a human being. This is something to which I relate.

Clinton has her own impressive resume. She has pushed her way through life and made sure that she has gotten the things that she has wanted. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she still took the opportunity to excel in her educational and social pursuits. I must admit that I actually found myself beginning to feel a little bit sorry for the lady. Throughout the entire presentation the fact that she was not a “beauty queen, but incredibly intelligent” kept being brought to light. I think this would be the same as us calling someone a “sweet spirit”. Then to add injury to insult on at least three occasions during the broadcast they pointedly stated that she fell head-over-heels in love with Bill Clinton, while he decided to get together with her because of her brains and influence which was unusually because he typically went for the “campus bombshells”. It never once indicated that he was or has been in love with her. Every woman deserves better than that.

No worries though. I have issues with McCain also. November is becoming an ugly word to me. I know that I will vote for McCain because his stand on the war is the only one that I agree with out of the three candidates and to me that is one of the biggest issues facing us as a population. Immediate withdrawal of the troops is not an option in my opinion for several different reasons and he is the only one that seems to recognize the importance of this. Needless to say there are several other platform issues that I lean toward the republican candidate. I suppose that in this election for me it is voting for the person that I see as the least of the evils. I won’t be turning in my resume to become a member of the cabinet anytime in the near future.

Personal

It has been about time management at my house. I have to agree with Sandi on the point, the older you get the faster time seems to fly away from us. I have spent much of this month preparing for and teaching at Ward Conferences throughout my Stake. When I changed my major from Business to Communication with an emphasis on Public Speaking a year after I got to the University of Utah, I had no idea how useful it would be in my life. I have always seemed to spend a lot of time in front of groups especially in the church setting. This Sunday is the last week of Ward Conferences, but there is more in the queue waiting for me to have a moment to prepare. The Stake Relief Society Spring Social is coming up on March 15th and with that they have asked me to teach three classes on Personal Finance. I think that it has been a little over 6 years since I last taught a class on Personal Finance so I have to start digging up a lot of fresh material. The other speaking engagement that I know that is coming up is that they have asked me to speak in my Ward’s Sacrament meeting on Easter Sunday about the Atonement. That is a heavy assignment for me. It is one part of the gospel that is dearest to my heart. A lifetime of study is not enough on this subject.

I have really been attempting to put in some additional time on finishing up my classes for my Travel Agent license. Everything up until now has been studying out of books and not a lot of computer work which has allowed me to progress anywhere that I am. Right now the section I am in is completely on the computer and very intensive which doesn’t allow the opportunity to get it done as easily. It is definitely been challenging to me to continue plugging through not knowing when I will be finished. However it is really important to me that I finish it because it opens up several exciting avenues that are extremely important to me. Someone needs to tie my feet to the floor.

Work has picked up tenfold which is a great blessing. Monday is the last refinance day of the month and I have appointments scheduled until late that night. The only thing that I miss about it being so slow is that I was able to get a lot of reading done. I have finished two additional books since my post which makes a total of ten books that I have completed already this year. I am still reading every spare second I get. I am also attempting to read the Book of Mormon within the first 90 days of this year. It is looking pretty good. I am already in Alma 51 and that is more than half way through. I don’t think that I have ever read the Book of Mormon at this fast a pace. I have discovered a whole new realm and it is helping my spiritual growth as I discover new insights that have jumped right out of the pages and knocked me upside the head. I have ordered four new books all of which are completely different genres and bound to be thought provoking. Speaking of thought provoking . . . the institute class that I am attending this semester is amazing! We are going through the Pearl of Great Price and I have been gaining fabulous nuggets of knowledge.

Last night after watching my favorite 11-month old nephew that lives in my complex (not to be confused with my other three favorite nephews), picking his mom up from the airport and then doing my taxes, I walked outside. It was fairly late but I needed some fresh air. The sky was beautiful! The moon has been quite a sight these last few days. It gave me some quiet time to reflect. Enjoying the beauty of nature has always been times when I feel closest to Home and a loving Father. It also seems to be the times that I let my guard completely down. What a spectacular world we have to trip and stumble in as we attempt to progress toward a much loftier sphere! Every day that I live, new experiences help mold me. There is nothing that can replace or speed up the experience that time gives us.

So much more that I could write. Ah but so much more that I won’t write!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Your Candy Heart Says "First Kiss"

You're a true romantic who brings an innocent hope to each new relationship.

You see the good in every person you date, and you relish each step of falling in love.

Your ideal Valentine's Day date: a romantic dinner your sweetie cooks for you

Your flirting style: friendly and sweet

What turns you off: cynics who don't believe in romance

Why you're hot: you always keep the romance alive

Thursday, February 14, 2008

I always have been a slow runner…

I have just been tagged by Jamie. For this specific tag I am to divulge 6 somewhat interesting facts about myself that I have thus far been able to keep from the general population, and somewhat from the majority of my friends and family. Then I am to get 6 others to confess theirs. Get your running shoes on…

1) I have a touch of O.C.D. (this is not the hidden fact as most people figure this out fairly quickly about me). The telling signs of it appear in my closet. All of my warm weather shirts are hanging together, next to those are my cold weather shirts, then all of my slacks and then skirts and finally my dresses. Ah, but it get even more exciting than that. How embarrassing I am even sharing this! In each “category” they are all color coordinated. So, all the white warm weather shirts are together, followed by the gray and then black and then pink, red and purple and then yellow and then green and blue, ect. All of the others follow suit. Someone really needs to lock me up. If you ever want a good laugh, come and take a look at my over-stuffed, over-organized closet.

2) I have a slight fear of flying. Now I know that this little fact will be a huge surprise to everyone as I have never shared it with anyone. However, my love of travel will always override my fear. It typically presents itself during takeoff. My stomach gets a bit tight and I think about what would happen if that huge hunk of metal was to have something go wrong when we are thousands of miles up in the air. It only takes me a minute or so to calmly talk myself through these thoughts and I am fine for the rest of the flight….unless there is horrible turbulence. I am always grateful when we land.

3) One day I want to live somewhere other than the State of Utah. Don’t get me wrong, I love Utah and I can’t imagine not being from here and I adore being close to my family, but I have always wanted to experience living elsewhere. Actually I would enjoy living outside of the country for a while.

4) Some will know this one, but I still find it funny. When my parents brought me home from the hospital my older sister (who was 2-years old at the time) decided that she wasn’t so sure about that ugly thing on my stomach. So while asking my mom what it was, ripped the piece of umbilical cord out of my stomach causing my mom a moment of panic as blood ran all over the place. She didn’t stop there. When she was 4-years old and I was 2-years old we were having a tea party. We ran out of water and she thought that she was going to be in trouble because I started crying. So she crawled up on the sink (past the water) and reached over some boards and found the turpentine. She then came back down (again past the water) and poured me a glass. Needless to say I spent that night in the hospital. No worries though, she finally decided that she liked me around and attempts to get rid of me stopped after that.

5) I want to write a book. It will happen.

6) Sometimes I still have a pressing desire to build a fort using the pillows from the couch and blankets and stay in there all day long reading with a flashlight. Don't be surprised if you show up at my house and find such fort in the middle of the room. A girl just has to be 6 every once in a while.

Sorry....you didn't run fast enough. I am tagging: Hollyoak, Diva, American Girl, Stoic, MacMad House and the whole Bain Blog.

Sunday, February 03, 2008



















February - it has its problems!

Happy Valentine's Day on the 14th of this month! So I typically refuse to acknowledge this day because well, frankly it drudges up feelings that I was taught in Primary were not what a good person should be feeling. For years now I have been saying "Happy Cupid Passover" which was just a way of letting everyone know that I was feeling cynical and sarcastic about the holiday as a whole (please refer to the previous sentence).


As much as I would love nothing more than have my own special someone on that day and every other day of the year for that matter, I have realized that I am constantly surrounded by the love of so many. These are blessings that should never be discounted. I wish that I had pictures of all the strong, caring men that are and have been a part of my life, but sadly I don't and due to my extremely blessed life, they all wouldn't fit on here anyway. Here are a few of those men that have touched my life and Thank You!!



 

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