Rats!

No, I'm not referring to the exclamation, I'm referring to the rodent. Yep, actual rats. In my department in the office. (Thank the Lord they're not in the house.) Also thankfully, I have not seen the varmints nor seen evidence of them in my area. A coworker has found thoughtful brown "presents" that they've left behind for her and this is how we know it is not a tiny mouse we're dealing with. These were big presents.

One woman opened her desk to find the little fiends had eaten her candy. One had a little treasure chest of mints and all that was left when she came back in the next day were a few wrappers on the floor. And then there's the scratching that she can hear coming from the ceiling tiles up above her work station. Holy cow, how can she get any work done?

Her productivity might not be affected, but her sleep has been. She is now having nightmares about the little buggers. In one she is chasing the rats around the office trying to hit them over the head with something (very caveman, very brave). In another, she actually dreamt that she woke up to find droppings on her pillow. Now that would have been the end of me. I have a new found respect for this woman.

I've been putting our candy bowls up on top of the file cabinets at night, hoping this will foil the little terrorists, but I think I'm just fooling myself. It's only a matter of time until they work towards my office. If you don't hear from me for awhile, check the hospital - I may have suffered from cardiac arrest.

Howdy, Ya'll

Now please don't get me wrong, I am not dissin' the south, but I was shocked to realize yesterday that I have now begun the process of assimilation. We just moved to Texas in December and yesterday I caught myself telling a coworker that I was "fixin'" to do something. I am now officially in acculturation mode.

Hold on to Your Hats

This morning at 6:00 am, a miracle occured. When the alarm went off I did not roll over and go back to sleep. I actually got out of bed, put on my shorts and t-shirt and EXERCISED. Not only did I do the LA Weightloss aerobics video in my living room, but I lived to tell about it. AND I found myself smiling while doing it!

Yesterday when we went to weigh in, I had lost .2 lbs since Saturday. That's going in the right direction so I'm ok with that. But I'm realizing, I've never lost more than 2 lbs. a week (while I have lost less). So, if my math skills are still intact, that means that I cannot lose an average of 2 lbs. a week if I never actually lose more than 2 lbs. to even out the times that I don't lose 2 lbs. (I haven't lost all my math skills since teaching algebra 5 years ago!) So basically this means that if I'm going to make my goal by my goal date (which is sometime in late October) that I've got to step it up. So I'm trying the exercise thing. (Never mind the fact that JJ's losing an average of over 3 lbs a week without exercise.)

So while you may not have wanted this detailed account, there it is. I will try not to obsess and post about this every day. As my dad says, "Honest Italian".

I Aim to Please

On Sundays, my husband JJ preaches at a church in a small town nearby. Most of the members are older and we've had an average of about 35 -40 people attending worship each week. Because of the generation gap, at times it feels we're in a different culture. For example, when we first started attending there, one of the ladies commented on how she appreciated that I wore a skirt every week. Before we came, they had many fill-in preachers and their wives come and go and she told me about the various ways in which different women chose to dress. Women never wore slacks to church when she was growing up and she obviously did not think they should start now.

After she made this comment, I had to stop and wonder. Why had I been wearing a skirt every week? Should I continue just because she wanted me to? I usually prefer slacks. I've always felt that Sunday dress should not alienate or intimidate any guests that might come. I know I would not feel comfortable in a place where I was underdressed.

Jesus did not show partiality based on wealth, status, or appearances. James chapter 2 talks about not showing favoritism because of a person's dress. I Timothy 2:9 says, "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds. . . "

But the longer I thought about it, the more I decided that by wearing a skirt, I was showing respect to a generation in which Sunday dress was really important. I've come to realize that there are times that the people around me are much more important than the issue at hand and what my opinion is on the matter. So I wear a skirt every week and and every week the ladies comment on how pretty I look. (Now there's one perk to the situation - a little ego boost for me!)

And even though I feel I've resolved this issue, I fully realize that I will not be able to please everyone all the time. JJ mentioned a verse this morning in class which illustrates this perfectly. In Matthew 11:18-19 Jesus says, "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."' So it's settled, if John the Baptist and Christ himself could not make people happy, I am now released from this burdensome responsibility as well!

The Incredible Shrinking Couple

My husband JJ and I have been on the LA Weightloss plan for 8 weeks now. I thought it would be fun to post our progress on the blog from time to time. When we went to weigh in today, we found that JJ's lost 28.2 lbs total and I have lost 14. The goal is 2 lbs. a week so I haven't quite made it, but the fact that I continue to lose every week helps to keep me positive. We also measure our progress in inches. So far, I've lost 14 1/2 inches total (and JJ can't remember what his adds up to). They get this number by adding together what you've lost in each area that they measure.
I would post some "before" pictures, but we don't have a camera. I've been using a disposable one to record our progress, but we still have a lot of pictures to take before we can get them developed.
Of course, it's wonderful to see our clothes getting baggy, but it was our health that finally made us decide that it was time to do something about our weight. We wanted to be prepared in every way possible for the mission field. Since there is very little health care available in Tanzania, it's important to us to take some preventative measures so that we are in good health on the field.
So we'll keep you updated! JJ's very close to a goal that he's set for himself. He wanted to lose 30 lbs. by his birthday, which is Friday. I have no doubt at this point that he will make it as he's been losing far more than 2 lbs. a week. And I'll work on the picture thing so you can see our progress too!

Kindergarten Crush

A friend recently told me that her daughter has a crush on a little boy in her kindergarten class. When my friend asks her who she's played with that day, she'll reply, "Jenny, and Bobby, and Rachel, and Tyyyyyyyyyyy." (Picture her: head down, shoulders up, and a shy grin on her face.)
This reminded me of a little crush I had in first grade. Peter McDonald. He had kinda big ears, but I liked him anyway. And he liked me too because he would blow me secret kisses from time to time when no one was looking! And I remember getting a "note" from him (it was probably just a picture he had drawn) and putting it under my mattress because I was afraid my parents would find it. I would have been so embarrassed!
Isn't it amazing how early all this starts? And it's just so cute! Until, I'm told, they become teenagers and it's happening for real. Ahhhhhhhh. One of the wonderful things about being "kidless". No teen years to worry about!

Somebody, Please, Shut Me Down!

So here I am, 1:30 a.m., lying in bed and wide awake. And do you know what is going through my head? Files. Pictures of file folders and tabs. That interchanged with bits and pieces of the song, "With Imagination, I'll Get There" by Harry Connick, Jr. And it's driving me nuts.
And you've got to understand, this is muy unusual for me. I am one of these types that falls asleep when my head hits the pillow and I sleep all night long. (Please don't hate me.) But as I think about it, I do file all day. Mostly e-mail. My boss gets tons of e-mail every day and I get all his e-mail in my box, plus mine. So I'm constantly filing it in folders to keep track of it. I just didn't realize my subconscious was so busy working on all this.
Or maybe, I'm thinking in this not-so-lucid early morning state I'm in, this is some kind of message I'm supposed to be getting. What does "With Imagination" have to do with files? Should I be coming up with a new, creative filing system? (Apparently, my predecessor on the job did! See "Where I Am on the Anal Scale".)
And then I realize, I am completely balmy. Berserk, bonkers, cracked, crazed, cuckoo, daft, delirious. And my brain will not turn off. And now all I can think of is Adam Sandler singing in "The Wedding Singer", "Somebody kill me please. Somebody kill me please. I'm on my knees, pretty, pretty please. Kill me!" Can anyone relate?

You Go Girl!

OK, if you don't like American Idol, hang in there because this isn't really about American Idol. But I am going to use it as an illustration if you can tolerate it for a millisecond.

Mandisa is one of my favorite contestants this year - this girl can SING! One of the comments that Simon made last night just confirmed my vote of support for her. I have to tell you that she, like me, is a big girl, but this is what Simon said. "Mandisa, you are blossoming. That was a very sexy performance." (Then he made some comment about a stripper song that I'm choosing to ignore right now.) But ANYWAY, I just think that's such a great message to all those young girls watching - you can be big and beautiful and sexy and successful all at the same time! There are so many demeaning and destructive messages out there about body image and the importance of appearances that I just had to pass on this great comment of Simon's and also say, Mandisa - YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!

Oddities and Oopsies

Here is a list of some of the blunders and strange things that have happened lately:

• Ironed one leg of my pants - I was daydreaming. Thankfully, I caught it before I got out the door!
• Dropped the top of my foundation bottle and splatter painted the bathroom a nice golden beige.
  
• Caught myself dancing to the elevator music on the weather channel. (Am I really admitting to this?)
• Found a strange, rectangular-shaped object on the floor at work and put it aside until I figured out what it was. Yesterday, I realized it was the bottom of the heel of my shoe. Think I need a new pair?
• My Hubby hung up one of my shirts to air-dry on the shower curtain rod. It fell down and it ended up in the toilet. Lovely.
• Oh, and several weeks ago, he dropped his cell phone in the toilet as well. I'm sensing a theme here.
  

Isn't life fun? If we can't laugh at ourselves, then what in the world are we doing?

A Scary Step

I recently read a prayer that knocked my socks off. It's recorded in Henri Nouwen's Sabbatical Journey, which is a journal that he kept during the last year of his life. This is a prayer that he prayed every day.
It's not that I hadn't heard any of it before, but talk about TOTAL SURRENDER. There is just something that really appeals to me about fully LETTING GO, but on the other hand, it sounds terrifying! I ask myself, could I ever really be in a place where I could honestly pray this prayer?
Then it occured to me, how would I ever arrive in that place unless I asked the Lord for His grace and mercy to put me there. So I'm taking one monster of a scary step and I'm going to pray this every day for 7 days.
I know that this kind of transformation takes time, but you've got to start with one step, right? And we'll see where the Lord takes me!

Father, I abandon myself into your hands.
Do with me whatever you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you.
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.
I offer it to you with all the love that is in my heart.
For I love you, Lord, and so want to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands,
without reserve and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.

Now, Now, Mr. Socrates

Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Don't you think this is a little harsh? I mean, he could have said, “It’s good to examine your life from time to time.” Or, “A personal inventory is a valuable thing.” So I don't think I've arrived at the same conclusion as Socrates, but I do agree with the basic concept.

We get so busy and our lives so full, we have little time for reflection. And I'm not necessarily talking about deep stuff here. Maybe I need to stop and ask myself if I have played lately. You know, indulged that "inner child". A coworker told me this week that they keep bubbles and playdough in their office for those tense days. What a great idea!

Or maybe we need to stop and take note of the people in our lives who we may be taking for granted. Or take a second to thank God for something simple like pillows or hot showers.

There have been plenty of times in my life when I was in "survival mode" and could not indulge in a "personal inventory". I was just too exhausted. But I find myself now in a really great place in my life when I have time on my hands. I know, many of you (especially with children) are going, "What must THAT be like?" Well, Hubby's in school and he's a night owl so I do find myself with some evenings free. Hence, the blog.

So after a thorough review, I'm going to have to say, Socrates, you've gone a bit too far this time.

Where I Am on the Anal Scale

I just started a new job. I am an Administrative Assistant for a professor in an office that has been without a full time Administrative Assistant for quite awhile. So things are a little jumbled and confused around here and it apparently is my job to untangle the semi-chaotic mass of papers, files and miscellaneous stuff that is strewn about. And as I’m familiarizing myself with what kind of mess I’ve gotten into, I’ve discovered an enigma.

OK, picture yourself with a file in your hands. You’re opening it up in the “traditional way”, tab on the right-hand side. You expect to see the papers on the right-hand side and right side up, yes? No. At first I thought this was an isolated incident of someone being in a hurry, but as the week goes on, I’m recognizing a pattern here. Almost without exception, in every file in the office, the papers are upside-down.

At first, I was a little annoyed because every time I opened a file, I had to turn the papers around. It’s like walking into your house and suddenly realizing all the doorknobs are on the opposite side of the door. It throws you off a little!

But then I tried to reason with myself. Now, Mary, your way is not the only way. I’m sure this made sense to whoever did it at the time. So I think, maybe I need to adjust. You know, give it up and let it go. Maybe I could open up the files so the tab is on the left. Oh yes, this is probably what my predecessor was doing. Quirky, but OK, I can go along with it.

Until . . . I come across some student files with pictures taped inside. The papers are still, according to the “traditional method” upside-down, but the pictures are right-side-up. Now I really don’t get it. So when my Hubby comes in to have lunch with me, I show him the student files. He thinks I’m nuts. Certifiable. So it really gets me thinking about how anal I really am. I had no idea. (I’m not the most self-aware chick there ever was.) So where am I on the “Anal Scale?” I ask myself. Honestly, if I can write this much about the proper orientation of paper in a file folder, I must be at least a 7.

I used to think I was a somewhat laid-back kind of girl. Wow. Talk about an awakening. Or maybe this is just an isolated eccentricity. (I’m trying to comfort myself, work with me here.)