8 Random Facts

I was tagged by my friend Hollie to give 8 random facts/habits about myself. (Thanks Hollie for giving me a reason to blog again...more to come soon...I promise)

The Rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (**if you’re a non-blogger, you can email them!)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My eight random facts and/or habits:

1. In college I worked for a short time at a smoothie/tanning place (i know it's an interesting combo). Thanks to this job, I can make some great smoothies and actually make a smoothie every single day!

2. Puppets, bird and clowns give me the creeps (stephanie--i totally relate to your bird/clown phobia). I will refuse to be on a puppet ministry team EVER and my kids will not grow up watching the Muppets or Sesame Street.

3. I eat Cheerios pretty much every single morning for breakfast. I like other cereal so I'm not sure why I do this, but for some reason it seems to make the day go much better.

4. I have been Glenda the Good Witch twice in school musicals -- once in the 4th grade and then again my senior year of highschool. Both times I was really bitter because I wanted to be Dorothy.

5. I took piano lessons for 12 years....but don't play at all anymore (so sad right)!

6. I hate being late but I am late ALL the time. I think this goes back to my childhood....my mom is and always will be late to everything, but my Dad hates being late and would always be waiting anxiously for us go...anywhere.

7. I LOVE A&M football and really all college football. I grew up watching Aggie football faithfully every season and it has turned into sort of an obsession later in life. If there is a game on...I MUST watch it, and when I am on the road with my job, I actually track the game online or have friends text me scores as the game is going on....Seriously! I even read the newspaper and ESPN reviews online. Only a few people know this about me...I guess I think people will judge me since I am a girl and I have this obsession....

8. Saved the most random fact for last: I once helped George Bush play a practical joke on the former prime minister of Canada...and I have it all on DVD. I got Presidential cuff links as a "thank you". I think I will pass them down from generation to generation in my family along with the DVD and that will probably be my only claim to fame....Ha!

Since I don't have 8 people who even read my blog...I will tag Nichole

I'm going blind...or not

Have you ever done something so retarted that you have choice but to laugh at yourself? And then you laugh so much that you almost think the retarded thing you did was worth the embarassment you might suffer because in the end laughing at yourself was better.

Well, that pretty much how I feel right now.

I woke up this morning with blurry vision and really thought something was wrong with me. A few weeks ago, I was traveling on a work trip and had the same experience -- blurry vision that is just enough off to drive me crazy and make me wonder if I was developing a blind spot or have a tumor or something. While I was on my trip I thought maybe I had put my contacts in the wrong eye (one eye is worse than the other), but when I tried to swap them I realized they were right to begin with. I never figured out what was wrong and eventually the problem went away. That was four weeks ago today.

Today, when I put my contacts in I immediately noticed that my vision was blurry. It was worse this time. Rather than trying the obvious like I had in past (swapping out contacts), I began the self diagnosis. I've been taking this medication and one of the side effects listed as "serious" includes blurry vision and trouble wearing contacts. Yep...that was it. I just knew it.

Since I am going on a vacation in two days, I knew there was no time to delay! I called my doctor on the way in to work and left a message for the nurse explaining my problem and my self diagnosis. Later that day she called back to clarify (though she sounded really skeptical of my problem). She told me she'd talk to the doctor and get back to me. In the mean time I got impatient and also called my eye doctor. They sounded skeptical too (i don't know why) but I made an appointment anyway.

Finally, by the end of the day, I decided to skip my homegroup because the blurry vision started making me feel sick. I didn't give a lot of details to the homegroup, but being the awesome friends that they are, they actually prayed for me (and my tumor) -- I love them! So, at this point I have my homegroup praying for my healing. Everyone at work knows, not to mention two doctors who I've convinced need to treat me.

When I got home, I knew there was only one last thing to try. "What the heck...I'll just switch my contacts out," I thought. "I know that's not really the problem...I really have some sort of turmor or eye disease or bad reaction to medication....but I'll try it just in case. "

HMMM...what do you know? It worked! Perfect vision! I couldn't believe it. I was healed so quickly. I could have sworn that I tried that before I left home today, but who really knows.

So, to those who haven't found out yet -- I don't have a tumor. I am just incredibly RETARDED! I think my homegroup girls are getting a good laugh out of this one, and soon my co-workers will be laughing too. I am even laughing at myself. The only person who probably won't laugh is the doctor ...as soon as I call her tomorrow to cancel my emergency appointment!

Do you think they treat serious cases of stupidity mixed with a little drama?

Detours, Scenic Views and the road Yellowstone

One of the things I love most about my job is that it takes me to places I would never have gone on my own. Some of my favorite trips have been to the most unlikely places...like Portland, Oregon (still my fav to this day), or most recently Billing, MT.

A few weeks ago, I went to Billings, MT to work a conference. I try to make the most of all of my work travels and I just couldn't be that close to the largest national park in the US without seeing some of it for myself. So I arranged my flight to stay over a few days after the conference with the plan of going to Yellowstone. At first a few friends from work that were familiar with the area were planning to go with me! (GREAT...because sadly, I have no idea what you do at a national park.) But, when their plans changed, I decided to just go it alone...and honestly it was one of the best trips I've had!

Did I mention, I had no idea what to do at Yellowstone? Thankfully the national park service has a great website to help plan your trip and provide lots of helpful tips:

1. many people die every year at Yellowstone (great!!) 2. for your safety stay 20 yards away from bison and 100 yards away from bears (thanks for the tip)! 3. Do not feed the animals (got it) 4. No cell phone service (in case you are attacked by a bear there is no way to call for help)

I'm kind of nervous about my solo trip at this point but it sounds like a fun adventure! I can't wait to get away from my busy life for a few days...I NEED to get away for a few days. So, I got a car and booked a lodge at the north entrance of the park and planned my route. No turning back now! I only had a day to see the sights so I got up early on Sunday morning and began my journey! Here's some of the highlights:

A River Runs Through It

One of the locals told me about a scenic route from Billings to the edge of Yellowstone. It was amazing!! There's a river that runs along most of the highway so I drove with the windows down so I could hear it roaring. (I think "A River Runs Through It" was actually filmed around there but there were no Brad sightings.)

I got about 60 miles down the road before I came to Beartooth pass...and it was closed. I had to turn around and go back to the closest city for new directions! Oh well...it was a beautiful drive so I didn't mind the long detour...all part of the adventure.

With new directions, I headed down the "All American Highway/Chief Joseph Scenic Highway" to get to the east entrance of Yellowstone. If you ever go to Montana, I would highly recommend this route! It's a little out of the way but it's THE most beautiful drive you will ever take (I think it is actually rated that way in some travel magazine).

The best views of the drive.

This is where the toothless man let me borrow his binoculars :)

I love how the scenery changes!

5 hours later....finally to Yellowstone!

1st stop -- Buffalo! I think I am closer than 20ft but they don't seem to mind.

More river runs through it! I am completely captivated by the rivers.

Big horn sheep...I think

Tower Falls and the canyon it runs through!

Mammoth Hot Springs and the last stop before the lodge.

After 9 hours in the car, I am ready to head to get some food and sleep (FYI not many places to eat along the way...or go to the bathroom!) The Absaroka Lodge (as known on the internet) AKA Absaroka Motel. Not quite as rustic as I had hoped but at least it had a balcony overlooking the river. I'm exhausted so I fall quickly to sleep to the sound of the rushing river!

The sun starts to rise around 5:30am in Montana, so I didn't want to miss it. I woke up early and decided to head back into the park before leaving for the airport.

Elk eating breakfast!

Sunrise...amazing! I am too captivated to leave, so I decide to head down to the Norris Geyeser Basin.

I think I was one of the only people in the basin that early in the morning and it was freezing. I can't explain how tiny I felt in the middle of this basin but it was beautiful. The pictures don't do justice. God has a sense of humor because I'm not quite sure the purpose of the geyers other than to blow stinky water/steam into the air. I think I smelled like sulphur the rest of the day (I feel bad for the people sitting next to me on the plane)!

At this point I am running late to get back to the airport so I have race back through Yellowstone...no time to stop for pictures!

I was so sad to leave. I did not want to come back the land of tall buildings, busy highways, and busy schedules. I don't think I had enough time to detox from my need to be busy doing something. It's so hard to just "be still" before the Lord, because I always want to be doing something for him (maybe that's just my pride). I thought this trip would be a great way to escape all that busyness but instead I was busy driving from one landmark to the other trying to see as much as I could. While it was amazing and definitely soul nourishing, I never really stopped to be still. I guess the art of stillness isn't about escaping the busyness after all...it's about being still before the Lord in the midst of the chaos. Maybe where I am isn't the issue. Maybe the issue is really the state of my heart. Lord, help me to learn the art of stillness!

2nd Chances!

Ta daa!!! After much encouraging from my friend Stephanie, I finally started a blog...or should I say re-started a blog. I actually started a blog two years ago when I moved to Dallas as a way to keep up with my friends back home, but.....i quickly forgot i had even created a blog and after about 3 sentences it all ended. (Seriously, if you want to check out the old blog for a little laugh www.awiman.blogspot.com)

I'm all about 2nd chances (i won't get into the spiritual metaphor right now), so here is my official 2nd chance to make something of the blog world. I really can't believe it and already have bets going with myself as to how long this will last! The original plan was to begin the blog in Montana during my two-day adventure in Yellowstone (you need something really exciting to write about in my first blog...right?). But, for some reason being on a computer in the middle of God's AMAZING creation just didn't seem right. So, although sitting in my living room isn't quite as exciting as sitting at the top of a mountain, it will have to do.

So....welcome to my world! Let's all pray this blog doesn't go down like the first!