I've Created a Monster!

When my husband and I first lived together, it was college. We put the furniture where it made sense, and didn't think about it for the rest of the year. Then we moved out here, and found this amazing apartment, with room for everything. The only problem: I got pregnant and started nesting. We have had our furniture in just about every possible combination... or so I keep telling myself. It slowed down for a little while, and I thought we had created a good space.

And then, out of the blue, Michael suggests moving the furniture. I thought it was weird, but we went with it. And then we were good again. Until Michael suggested another change. And then another. And then he starts bringing wall art in (which are finally now off the walls and gone). But now, I don't need to suggest to change furniture, because he's going to get the itch before me!

Today, Michael found a new tv stand that he just had to have. So we spent some time moving the heaviest tv I've ever lifted, so that our tv could go on the new stand, and Katherine's tv is on the old stand. But to put that stand in her room, we had to rearrange the furniture in her room. So that was an hour of stress that was completely optional. And we're also working on moving shelves around to better hold all our stuff.

I know that I started the furniture circus when I was nesting, but somehow I instilled in him that change is necessary for our aparment frequently, when it's not. Sometimes it's nice to just let it be for awhile. But will Michael let it be? No. I've created a monster... an interior design monster!

Greed

The world is getting greedier and greedier! There's the obvious ones that we all see: banks, millionaires, wall street, etc. But what about the everyday people?

Recently I saw an example on cable television, when an agent was willing to give up part of their commission to help get their client a fully furnished apartment. But then the client didn't want it unless they also got a flat-screen tv. Of course, it didn't happen. Couldn't the person be grateful for what they were getting?

At work, we try to give our clients the absolute lowest deal possible, sacrificing part of the commission sometimes. And yet, we still have clients, who have been loyal for years, complaining that we're not giving them enough. We're giving them too much! We have to make a living as well. But the whiny, greedy people just keep demanding more. They know that they're getting the absolute best deal possible. They are. But they're so selfish, they keep asking for more. Why? Why can't they be happy with what they're getting? Why do they have to keep asking for more?

According to Proverbs 15:27: "A greedy man brings trouble to his family." What these people don't realize is that they will end up miserable. If someone buys a cruise from my company, and then complains that they wanted more, which we don't give them, then they will not be able to fully enjoy their trip. It won't be the positive experience they want their vacation to be. In their miserable attitude, they will blame their unhappiness on us, when in reality it is their own greed and unsatisfied heart that makes them miserable.

Be grateful with what you have! If you can afford to take a cruise, then enjoy the cruise for what it is, and don't demand extras that you don't need. If someone else is providing you with a service, thank them. Appreciate the work they are doing for you.

Claim Your Community!

I am so tired of people, especially in my generation, denying church! Religion has become a bad word. It is taboo to belong to the now evil structure of "organized religion." And I realize that some leaders of different Christian groups have abused their power, but how did that turn into an entire religion being bad? {As a note, I'm saying religion, but the only religion really organized into a hierarchy is Christianity. Other religions have some structure, but not to the extent Christianity does.}

Spiritual is the new catchphrase. If you believe in a higher power, you fit in the classification of spiritual. That is the LAZIEST copout I have ever heard! Being spiritual cannot be measured. Most people that I meet who only qualify themselves as spiritual do not have an ongoing relationship with God/Creator/Divine. They believe when questioned, but don't do anything with or about it. A person who has a personal relationship with God can be qualified as spiritual. A person who believes but does not apply it to their every day life is NOT spiritual, but lazy.

I personally believe religion is a powerful, amazing thing. Every Sunday, I get to be with a group of people who share mostly similar beliefs. And when there are disagreements over beliefs, we still love and accept each other. We are a community; a family. If I get stuck in the day-to-day, on Sunday I can reconnect with my spirituality at church. Group worship is such an amazing way to feel the love of God in our hearts, and you can't get that if you're just "spiritual."

To those who claim Spirituality as their religion, I ask you this: How does your relationship with the Divine manifest in your everyday life?

I belong to the Community of Christ, and I'm proud of it!

Stuck In The Middle

I've been put in the most uncomfortable situation at work. The person who got me into the company just quit. She accused my boss of illegal activities. Personally, I analyzed the situation completely differently, and would never have come to the conclusion that my friend did. But there were mistakes made, and I've been trying to fix them so that they never happen again. But if I'm fixing human errors, and my frient quit over what she believed were illegal activities, what happens when my solutions prove there was nothing illegal? I am, of course, dilligently watching for errors that could not be errors, in which case I would excuse myself as well. But I really don't see that happening. There were a lot of stupid things that happened, and I'm now fixing them. What happens when I see my friend, week after week, and I'm emplyed and she's not? I don't know. I do not like being stuck in the middle.

Rock of Annoying!

Okay, so I've got sucked in to the whole reality dating shows - not all of them, but some. About halfway through the second season of Rock of Love, I started watching. And I was so excited when Bret ended up with a normal person. But that didn't last, like all reality relationships, so I was kind of excited to watch the third season. There were some FREAKS! But eventually they got the boot. The final show was last night, with a fairly normal girl, and another girl (Taya) that was just slightly off. Taya was annoying. They kept saying that the normal girl was in a funk, but Taya's funks were strange. Every elimination was the same: Taya slightly tilted her head down, looked at the floor, and had the face that said, "I'm sad and pathetic. Since you haven't already declared me the winner, I'm going to stand here and pout." And it wasn't even an attractive or sexy pout. Blah! Then last night, even after she realized that she had won, and Bret Michaels was choosing her, she still looked annoyingly pathetic. Not attractive at all. How he could choose her is beyond me. Why couldn't he pick a normal girl? Taya is lame, pathetic, and annoying. And if they have a fourth season of Rock of Love, serves him right for picking her. Blah!

Let's Play Spot the Sexism: Round 1

Is there anything more frustrating than to watch outright sexism, and have nobody be called on it? Granted, it was fictional. But come on!

Allow me to explain:
I watched Trust Me tonight (cable show on TNT). I pretty much love this show, although the only women as main characters completely annoy me. The overall boss, Denise, is a bitch. She's constantly trying to fire the lover who jilted her so many years ago. Sarah's going through a lot of personal issues, but mostly her behavior of what she thinks works in an office setting is just off. Anyway, they were shooting a hair commercial with a director named Yan. The entire sequence was full of Yan making a women's hair commercial about a man! First, the story wouldn't be relevant unless they showed the man's face. Then, it was stupid unless they showed the man's story, too. The person who created the commercial was a woman. The person representing the hair product company was a woman. The commercial was about one woman's story. The intended audience was women. The male director wanted to bring all the focus onto the man that was barely in the commercial. In the end, he would only deal with the male advertising boss. He said that either the creator of the commercial (woman) had to get off HIS set, or he'd leave. But NOBODY called him on the fact that he was being a sexist pig. They labeled his behavior as "trying to be an artist."

I was just sitting, staring at the tv, flabbergasted. How come no one is yelling in this guy's face that he's way out of line, or introducing him to the ways of the 21st century? But again, this is television. So... WHAT ARE THE WRITERS, DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS THINKING?!? Where are the women in this process? Grrrrrr!

My Baby

Do you see this angel? This was my baby on her first birthday, reading a card from her family.