Houston, We Have Internet!

I know it may seem that I dropped off of the blogging radar for a while, but it was only partially intentionally. The first two weeks of my blogging absence were because I didn't really have anything happy to write about, so I chose to write nothing at all. I spent those two weeks reading. I read 13 books in about 2 1/2 weeks. They're not long books, just a series that my mother and I both enjoy-- I read through again because the newest book in the series comes out on June 17. I did not intend to read them all that fast, but since it was a down period for me, I guess it worked out pretty well.
The third week of blogging absence was not intentional. My internet was not working for about a week. Stupid Charter. Why couldn't the cable go out? I don't use that NEARLY as much as the internet. Anyway, tonight when I came home and found it working again, it was the greatest reward. After spending 2 1/2 hours at the Fallon Fairgrounds for my nephew's graduation, I would have gone postal if I STILL did not have internet. After all, I have blog about the WORST graduation I've ever been to. I know this should be little surprise since the graduation was in Fallon. But I will save that story for later. For now it is time for bed.

Calling All Winewalkers.

So, as Laura posted on her blog a few weeks ago, some of us are planning to get together for the winewalk downtown next Saturday. This post is just to serve as a reminder. So if you are interested.
Who: Anyone who would like to go.
What: The Winewalk downtown
When: Saturday, May 17 at 2pm
Where: Downtown Reno
Why: Because it's fun!

I am proposing that anyone who would like to go should meet up at Starbucks across from the movie theater at 1:45pm so that we will be ready to start promptly at 2pm. This is just a suggestion, and if anyone has any opposition to this plan, please let me know. I look forward to seeing ya'll there!

Straight off the rack

So today I went shopping for a dress. I have an event this weekend that I will talk more about later-- but first, the dress. I bought a non-stretchy dress. With a zipper and everything. And it fit straight off of the rack. Now if you're a man, you probably don't really know, nor do you care what an amazing thing it is for me to find a dress that is not stretchy that fits me just the way it is. But for me, it is quite exciting as it is a new thing. In honor of the occasion, I may or may not have also purchased shoes that I don't need to go with the dress.
Now I'm sure you're still wondering, what IS the occasion. Okay, so you're probably not wondering, but I am going to tell you anyway.

As many of you know, when I was still a wee lad, and a student at UNR, I was a theatre minor. I performed in several plays at UNR and worked tech on a few more. This made me a member of "Nevada Repertory Company," which is celebrating their 35 year anniversary this year. All of the theatre department alumni were invited to attend a party in honor of the anniversary, and so I am going to the party with my uncle who was also involved with the UNR theatre department. I'm hoping to see some old friends, even though my life is now COMPLETELY different from what it was then.

I'm looking forward to introducing them to the more confident me, who doesn't find it necessary to drink herself into oblivion to feel comfortable around a group of friends. The me that I am now was just beginning to crack the shell back then. When my involvement with the department ended, I had been a Christian for about six months and was still figuring out what that meant in my life, and what that should look like. I was still going to all of the theatre parties and flirting unashamedly with the guys and drinking way more than a 5'2" girl should be able to consume. And then I was rolling out of bed after only a few hours of sleep, a little bit hung over, and made my way to church after brushing my teeth several times and popping a couple of pieces of gum in my mouth so that nobody would know that I'd been drinking all night.

As much as I miss theatre-- the performance, the light board, the people, I do not miss the person that I was back then.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Just What I Need

As many of you may have noticed, I slipped back into emo last weekend. I am glad to say that I have returned from the land of Emo where we all sit in the dark and cry, and I will no longer be sitting alone in the dark-- at least until my next weekend excursion to the land of Emo.
So last weekend, I was just brooding and moping and being such a jerk that I even skipped communion at church because I was just too tired of imposing and tired of working so hard to find someone who would take me as part of their group. I was so tired of butting in (though I know I'm always welcomed) where people were already settled in. It is awkward and uncomfortable to constantly be inviting yourself into a group, and while it gives the opportunity for getting to know a lot more people, it sometimes feels like to much like a chore. So since my heart was not right, I missed the opportunity to know a little bit more about someone else, and to celebrate our gift with someone new. Afterwards, I completely melted down. I know-- I really need to stop doing that. :)

Anyway, this weekend I was all set. I was prepared to go back out there and find somebody to share those few minutes with. And this week I had friends come and join me. I was blessed by the friends beside me. Right when I needed for things to feel a little more simple, my friends came in beside me and took away some of that burden. And during those few minute, I found out that one of my friends, whom I haven't spent time with for quite a while, is in a similar place of need to have someone come along side. We had lunch and talked about things that we've experienced spiritually since we last talked and decided that we are going to make a regular thing of this-- intentionally setting aside time to be involved in each other's lives, being available in the times of need when we're not quite sure who to call. This is going to be good. This is just what I need, right when I need it.

I feel that for the last couple of years, but particularly the last year, my faith has been lackluster. It is there, but I've let dust settle and I haven't really taken any time to polish it so that it shines, so that it reflect the true brilliance of Jesus. I've just let it sit getting dull, maybe acknowledging it once or twice a week, but never really taking care of it. I've let it sit on the shelf gathering dust, but it's really time for me to clean off the dust, bust out the polish, and move it back to the place of honor where it belongs. It is not something that I took in once, and now I can stash it away, just to glance at it every once in a while. It should be constantly polished and displayed for all to see.

I'm sorry if my metaphor is a bit wishy-washy, but it makes perfect sense in my head. I can see a very clear picture in my head of this-- it kind of looks like a Faberge egg. I just pray that I can get things back to the way that they should be.

Good night and good luck!

Like He Owns the Place

So I was sitting on the couch, watching Desperate Housewives before bed (yes, go ahead and laugh if you must) and I went to the kitchen to get something. When I returned, my seat on the couch was no longer empty:

My Little Unimportant Rant

If you are a male, you can check out now, because I am now going to be ranting about TV Guide channel's Top 25 sexiest television men of all time.
I am appalled. I was certain that they were going to say that George Clooney was number one. I was not particularly happy about it, but I expected it so it wasn't a big deal. But that was not how it played out at all! No, they gave George Clooney the number 2 spot. And number one? Can you guess? TOM SELLECK???? WHAT??? And Johnny Depp is number 5? And the rest of the stars I would consider hot are not even on the list? WHAT?
So here are some people who were excluded who would be on MY list of the top 25 sexiest tv men of all time. I know that some of these are by no means the norm, but some I really am shocked that they were excluded. Keep in mind that some of these people are being included based on how they looked quite a long time ago when they actually were on television:

* Hugh Laurie (yes, I'm sure this one makes me mental, but that's okay)
* Christopher Meloni
* Pierce Brosnan
* Naveen Andrews (Come on, people, he's sexier than Josh Holloway and Matthew Fox combined and they were both on the list!)

These are just a few, and if I had more time, I could probably create an entirely new list of my own, but I suppose I will spare you all..

The things I don't say.

It's been quite a week. A lot of waiting for nothing. And a lot more social activity than I'm accustomed to, which has been FABULOUS. I have actually had to start using my planner. I used to be able to just remember everything I had to do, mostly because I either had nothing to do, or I only had things that happened at the same time every week... So this is what it's like to have a life.

Anyway, tonight I went to dinner with my friend Christina and we talked about a lot of nothing, and I actually shared with her some of the things I've had going on. Things I'm not ready to blog about, but things that I needed to talk to someone about. It was really good because I haven't talked to ANYONE about these things. So it was a good evening. Now I am watching Juno which is FABULOUS.

And tomorrow is going to be great. Bully's after work with some work friends. Then in the evening I am going to see Smart People with my friend Mary, which may lead to some more real conversations. I can hope.

Saturday will be a day of fun with another co-worker. We are going to the Wine Walk for her birthday, which should be a blast. Hopefully it's less crowded this time since it's not spring break.

The rest of the weekends activities are yet unplanned. I am hoping to make a trip to Windy Hill for some sunset photos with my new camera, but we shall see.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Ummmm... OOOPS!

Check this out, it's pretty flippin' funny!

Redneck Candid Camera

That's the show that I felt like I was on today when I went to dinner with my parents. So we are sitting at our table at a casino restaurant that shall remain nameless, and this man in an electric wheelchair comes in with two other men, both of whom were wearing beat up jeans and wife-beaters. The man was also accompanied by a dog. Now your first thought would be, "hmmm, guy in wheelchair, must be a service dog." But what you need to know about this dog is that it was a fat, black pug. Okay, so maybe the pug is his service dog... Whatever.

As the men proceed to settle in to their booth with the man in the wheelchair at the end of the table, the dog joins the other two men in the booth seat. WHAT? Service dogs don't sit on the booth seats at restaurants. All the while, people in the restaurant kept looking over at the dog, but nobody said anything. Their waitress acted like it was perfectly normal to have pudgy pug sitting at the table.

As the meal progressed, we watched all of the men playfully petting the pug, and the pug bouncing around on the booth seat. Exactly the type of behavior you would expect from someone's pet, and not from a service dog. Still everyone in the restaurant is looking over at this scene, and I can't look away because they are seated directly across from me.

Now you might think that this is the end, but unfortunately it is not. After the men were done eating they requested a takeout box, which they proceeded to put their leftovers in and place on the floor. Then they let the dog loose. They set him on the floor to eat the scraps from the takeout box, which the dog promptly devoured before wandering across the aisle in the restaurant, probably in search of more scraps. When the dog returned, the men dropped a few more French fries on the floor, which apparently appeased the dog because he/she did not wander off again.

It honestly would not have surprised me for some secret camera man to jump out from behind a tree, because the whole scene was just too hard to believe. I guess it really is true when people say that truth is stranger than fiction!

Jeni's First Digital Camera

Yes, it is sad, I know. I have been putting off buying a digital camera until I could afford the best. I still can't afford the best, but I got a really good deal on a decent camera, so I sucked it up and made the purchase. I have moved out of the obsolete world of film and here is the best take of ten at my first picture to post: