The Past 24 Hours

The past 24 hours have been prone to much hilarity. I couldn't resist sharing it with someone :)

Right at the end of the day yesterday I had to follow up with a Spanish customer that had a question that customer services wasn’t able to answer. After looking at the name I clarified with my boss, Olga, who is Hispanic, that the woman's name, Alvira, should be pronounced “Alv-EE-ra” instead of “Alv-EYE-ra” and then joked for a little bit about how white/midwestern I’d come off if I called her that. I made sure Olga was going to be in her office for a few minutes in case I called this woman and there was to big of a language barrier to communicate. So I dialed the number and had my schpeal all ready for when she answered. I knew what questions I needed to ask and I knew how I was going to solve her problems. We had 15 minutes of the work day left and I was going to end it on a good note.

But a man answered the phone, “Bueno?” and totally threw off my game. There were so many things wrong with that greeting — it was a man when I was expecting a woman (it was 2:30 California time...why wasn't he at work?!), and it was “Bueno” instead of “Hello.” I got so flustered I couldn’t even manage to introduce myself or what department I was calling from. I just said, “Hi...is Alv-EYE-ra there?” (DANG IT!) He said something in Spanish that I think would have had a question mark at the end of it had it been in English so I started again. “Is Alv-EE-ra there?” hoping he just didn’t know who I was asking for since I pronounced it wrong. He flew through another line of rapid-fire Spanish so I squeaked out, “un momento, por favor,” put him on hold and (still flustered) yelled back to Olga, “We’ve got a real Spanish speaker here!” You know...as opposed to the ungenuine Spanish speakers...?

It was bad. Olga laughed me to scorns after.

I stopped off at Walmart to pick up a prescription on my way home from an Arbonne party last night. My right hand had about 35 different creams on it so I was grateful to see that their claim to be 100% natural was accurate because I was not looking forward to explaining an allergic-reaction-ified hand to the pharmacist while just trying to get what I came for. I won't go into a lot of details, but when asked if I had "any questions for the pharmacist about this prescription" I innocently said that I had one or two so I was sent over to the next window for a "consultation." I waited a few minutes and was then presented with the opportunity to ask my questions...to a 30-some-year-old attractive pharmacist. Awesome. We both avoided eye contact while he gave me my answers. I walked away and immediately got on the phone with my mom to freak out.

I went to bed last night without anything else traumatic happening, but within the first 10 minutes of being at work today I got made fun of. On my walk to the elevator I walked past a man who works at the other end of the hall. He said, "I can see your long underwear," referring to the incredibly stylish white leggings I was wearing under my red dress. And he continued, "And they're high waters....you need to buy some that fit you better," referring to the fact that the incredibly stylish white leggings were capri style. Fortunately I had been walking with a friend who was able to defend my honor and produce a comeback faster than I was able to.

All that to say, I indulged myself with a hot chocolate as I attempted to re-start my work day on the right foot :)

Fighting a Split Personality

Last night I was reminded of one of the biggest things I hate about myself. Sometimes it's good to take an honest look at areas of weakness or insecurity.

James River put on another fabulous women's rally last night. The graphics were amazing, the decor was amazing, the Price is Right game was amazing...I left the volunteer rally on Wednesday night ready, willing, and able to walk right up to strangers the night of the rally, give them a hug, and invited them to be my best friend. Something drastic happened by the time Friday night rolled around. As I walked into the auditorium fear began to creep over me. In my haste to get there on time I had forgotten to pre-arrange a "buddy" to hang out with all night. And now that I was all the way there, I couldn't go home now. James River has been my home church for over 3 year now. By now I should be the confident one that seeks out girls to be-friend — but instead, I find myself constantly waiting for someone to be-friend me.

The ease of conversing, joking around and flat-out being obnoxious with my friends, relatives, and co-workers is essentially non-existent the minute I am out-numbered by unfamiliar people. And by essentially non-existent, I mean deer-in-the-headlights. It frustrates me when I find myself turning down opportunities because I don't think that I can handle them.

It's time for my split personality to be re-joined. I am determined to conquer my fear of being outgoing. I am determined to participate in the activities I want to without being afraid of doing them alone. I am determined to initiate conversations...and to sit by strangers...and to make friends :)

Simple Pleasures

Today was a day of simple pleasures :) From the minute I woke up until minute I started writing this blog I had one simple pleasure after another. Call me easily amused.

Cinnamon and brown sugar coffee cake and hazelnut coffee with cream for breakfast.

New neighbors moving in next door.

Excursion to the mall with the husband in search of a new outfit for Thanksgiving.

Chinese plate for two in the food court.

Lots of time for talking in the car.

Short nap.

Painting for Christmas presents.

Homemade personal pan deep dish pizzas.

Two episodes of "The Community" online.

Blogging.

Simple pleasures. Finding joy. Being grateful. Enjoying life. Striving to grow from day to day. Excited about what's next.

Christmas Flashbacks

In preparation for my 20 minute drive home from church last night I spent a little extra time in the parking lot rummaging through my old CDs to find something I hadn't listened to in a while. With all of Springfield thinking Christmas is right around the corner I've been in more of a festive mood these past few days. (This festive mood is immediately dashed when I look out my front window at the inflatable snowman that watches me from the neighbor's yard across the street. For the sake of neighborhood peace I will not disclose my true feelings about said snowman.) I choose The Wonders of Christmas, the rehearsal CD for my home church's Christmas production from 2002. After I got over the shock of realizing that 2002 was in fact 7 years ago, I popped the CD in and set off.

For my family, Christmas and Easter productions were as big of a deal as our bedtimes (um...). Dad sang in the choir, mom played violin in the orchestra, and Jennie and I were in the kids and then youth choir. As I listened to the rehearsal CD I was flooded with memories with each new song that came on. I could still hear Romalee Droba singing "Grown-up Christmas List," my aunt Kelle singing "Let's Celebrate," and Melissa Saice singing an awesome arrangement of "O, Holy Night." Also on the CD was a swing version of "Silent Night" that our youth ensemble sang. It was that youth ensemble that taught me how to not only sing and snap at the same time, but sing, snap, and "groove" a bit. I must admit that I inherited my dad's stiffness when it comes to movement. While I've gotten better as I've grown up, I'm definitely not signing up for the James River dance ministry anytime soon.

I think it's so important to have good memories to look back on. They make for a rich life. I look back on my past and smile...a lot. What are you doing to ensure you are making good memories?

Just Call Me "Blogger"

The time has come for me to become...a blogger. While I wish I could had finished that sentence with something more like, "pageant queen", "avid jogger", or "the next Darlene Zschech (substituting her cool accent for over-exaggerated 'o's since I'm from Minnesooota)", I do think that blogging will be good for me. I would love to take more time to reflect on the things in my life...and share with you all of the funny parts too :)

I'd love to come up with a cool theme for my blog titles, like how the show Friends would always title them, "The One Where/With ____ ____ ____". Or like how the show Community transforms their episode titles into college courses; "101: Introduction to Statistics."

But...since I'm not remotely cool my titles will most likely relate to the content of the blog. Sorry to be so normal :)

Here goes nothin'.

I've been thinking a lot about dreams lately. Not necessarily the dreams you dream at night, but the dreams that God lays on your heart. Mine, I'm pretty sure, are impossible for me to achieve. I think they are more of a cruel glimpse of what my life COULD be if I could evolve and reincarnate several times first. Either that or I have an exhausting period of growth before me. Since I don't believe in reincarnation and I DO believe in a big God, I'm guessing it's probably the latter.

The reason why dreams can feel so impossible to achieve is because we can't see beyond where we are now. I can't see beyond what my job title says I am, what my income level is, what my fears and insecurities are, and what the most likely five year plan is like for this next phase of my life. We think of how much would have to change and how much we'd have to grow to achieve those dreams and we get tired....we sit down in front of the TV to drown our sorrows in Everybody Loves Raymond re-runs and a milkshake and we stop asking God for his best.

Communicating

I wanted to be an elementary school teacher my entire life. While that was momentarily interrupted by a random desire to be an archeologist in Egypt when I was in 4th grade, I seriously saw myself my whole life growing up to be a teacher. I believe with all my heart that this is why my sister is smarter than I am :) I spent so many years in our basement "school" giving her spelling tests, drilling her with flashcards, and having her fill out unused worksheets from the previous school year that the student did indeed surpass the teacher. I got my first taste of graphic design my senior year of high school and fell in love with my new career path.

Part of my dreams are to someday do more teaching — I think I am becoming an excellent written communicator, but I would love to continue developing my verbal communication and public speaking skills (I say this now but I reserve the right to deny this upon being presented an opportunity to put this in to practice on the grounds of being TERRIFIED).

Pro Bono Work

While I am by no means setting the bar for the graphic design world, I would love to get to the point where I can choose one non-profit client a month and do a free project for them. I give of my time through volunteering in the baby nursery every Sunday and of my money through tithing, but don't currently have an outlet to give of my talents (if you can call them that).

I have a heart to reach out to Christian and other non-profit organizations whose incredibly important messages are being overpowered by more visually appealing and impressive pieces from companies whose messages do not bear the same importance. And the small, local church — I would love to come alongside them and bless them with something to give them even more pride in what they do.

Missions/Philanthropy

My heart has just recently felt a fraction of what God feels for the poor and unreached people overseas. We are currently sponsors for a little boy in Haiti named Steeve. He's 6 years old, is wearing a Batman t-shirt in his photo, and he loves to draw. To think of what a significant difference our $35 a month will make in his life is so humbling. It's only $35....yet it will make all the difference for him.

And if I weren't so weak and scrawny and allergic to intense sun (true fact guys, true fact) I would be carrying my shovel and leading the crew to dig a water well in Africa to meet the basic needs of those tribes before we can meet their spiritual needs. This is why I am so thankful for the body of believers — because the ones who are called to go need people like us who are called to help them get there. And if I could possibly help design the print pieces to promote them in their endeavors, all the better.

So those are the ones that have made the biggest impression on my heart lately. This blogging thing could be kinda fun :) It could be a way for me to track and look back on the different opportunities God gives me over these next few months and years.