A Jenn Adventure: Things I'm Thankful For

Inspired by a friend's blog (Thanks, Chris!), I decided I should do a special "What I'm Thankful For" blog.  There's nothing "deep" in this post.  No revelations.  Just a simple list of things I'm thankful for.  Some are serious, some are silly but all are things I am thankful to have.  And because I am watching the Texas/A&M game I should say, some of these I had intended to put more thought into.  However, it's hard to thoughtfully blog and watch football at the same time.  ;-)

Things I'm Thankful For:

1.  Family.

I'm pretty fond of my family.  We have our quirks and our crazies but they are my family and they are always here when I need them, no matter the need.  I'm especially thankful for this guy:

Have I mentioned lately how awesome he is?  ;-)  Anyway, I never knew how lucky I was or how good I had it until I went to college.  Listening to other people talk about their immediate and and extended families, I began to realize I had something special.  We are all very close and we care a lot about each other... sometimes maybe a little too much but I'll take too much over too little any day.  I'm thankful for my family.

2.  Friends.

I have a pretty great group of friends.  I've always been the type of person who has less friends but deeper relationships with those people.  I like it that way.  And I'm incredibly grateful for each and every one of them.  Just like family, they are there when I need them.  They are fun, caring, talkative but quiet, silly but serious, crafty, intelligent, snarky, selfless... they dream up things like glitter cannons and accept people for what they are.  I love them, love them, love them.  I'm thankful for my friends.

3.  Pets.
Specifically, my pets.  I love my girls.  That's 100% apparent.  I wonder how people without pets cope.  Granted, I am single and live alone but still, pets have always been a part of my life and I can't imagine a day without them.  Ok, so I can imagine a day without them... I had several days in a row in college where I was not allowed a pet but you know what I mean.  You learn soooo much from having a pet.  There's the obvious "responsibility" lesson but it's so much more than that.  My girls have taught me patience, how to laugh at things that really aren't funny, how to laugh at things that are hysterical, how to ignore, how to clean black curtains, to find the fun in every little thing, how to snuggle, how to care, but most importantly... how to love unconditionally.  I know, technically, my parents taught me all of this stuff but having pets allowed me to practice it all, especially the curtain cleaning thing, and so much more.  I can make mistake after mistake with these girls and they will always love me in their little kitteh way.  And they can make mistake after mistake and I will always love them in my own little human way.  I'm thankful for pets.

4.  AC.
I'm hot.  All the time.  And I don't mean "h-o-t-t" hot, I mean my body temperature has to run at an abnormally high number because when most people are chilled I'm borderline sweaty.  *shrugs shoulders*  It's always been this way with me but as I've gotten older I've become more and more aware of it.  It's annoying.  And here I am in Texas where we have no water and 110 degree days 9 months out of the year.  Talk about annoying.  I dream of snow and 45 degree days on a daily basis.  Anyway, the point is, AC is NOT wasted on me.  I am thankful every day that I have a working AC with a digital thermostat.  Don't get me wrong, I love being outside and I totally miss the days of working as a "farm-hand" that one summer.  I love me some manual labor but I also love to come home to an "as cool as I want it" apt (which is usually around 74 degree, or less, when I'm home).  I'm thankful for AC.

5.  Fiction Books.

Being a librarian at heart, it's understandable that I'm thankful for books but I'm really thankful for fiction books. I've always been a reader but I read for entertainment.  I read to find myself in another world, another time, another emotion, another anything.  I love stories.  I love being able to imagine the story in my mind and dream up what the characters look like and how their voices sound.  Though, I've grown with the times and enjoy reading on my Kindle and listening to audio books I still enjoy the feel of the pages, the crack of the spine, the smell of a good book.  I'm thankful for fiction books.

6.  Running Shoes.

Like I've said before, I'm not a runner.  But I do enjoy running... especially when it's cold... and raining... and at night.  The feel of the shoes on my feet, the sound of the pat, pat, pat on the pavement.  The escape they give me from... well, life.  There's no need for thinking.  There's no need for analyzing.  Just run.  Just breathe.  Just be.  I'm thankful for my running shoes.   

7.  Pandora.
I'm not sure how I functioned before Pandora.  I lurve Pandora.  I love the Cake station, and the Jack Ingram station, and the Louis Armstrong station, and I could go on and on and on...  New music, old music, different music... it's all there!  Pandora = awesome.  Enough said.  I'm thankful for pandora.

8.  My iPod.
I have an iPod Touch and it's the best thing since sliced bread.  The music, the apps, the internet access... pandora... ;-)  I don't have a lot to say about my iPod... I'm just really happy I have it!  iPod, you are a convenience I'm thankful for.

9.  Fireplaces

I adore a cold night with a lit fireplace.  It's warm and cozy and safe.  I could curl up with a pillow and blanket in a big comfy chair and just stare at the flames.  So many winter nights at my Daddy's house were spent that way.  Long after the rest of the house had gone to bed, I was camped out in front of the fireplace, cuddled up reading a book.  Safe, safe, safe... I'm thankful for fireplaces.

10.  The Me I Used to Be.

Again, stolen from Chris' blog but it's so totally true.  Without the Me I Used to Be I wouldn't be the Me I Am Today.  I used to be very quiet.  I never spoke up.  I wasn't very sure of myself.  Which is all very funny because if you talked to anyone from when I was younger, I'm pretty sure they would say the compete opposite.  However, now I'm the exact opposite of what I used to be.  I'm striving for something in between.  Something a little less outspoken but not silent.  A little less emotional but not emotionless.  Just a better person.  A better Jenn.  The Me I Want to Be.  But in the meantime, I'm thankful for the Me I Used to Be.

A Lily Adventure: Rediscovering Old Toys

I caught Lily chasing her tail the other morning at, like, 3 a.m. She was on top of my printer running around in circles. This is a funny and very impressive thing...

For starters, I haven't seen her chase her tail in ages. I guess she's rediscovered it because I've caught her chasing her tail at least 3 other times since the printer incident. Like I said in the beginning, it is by far the coolest toy she has... Anyway, it was funny to see her doing this again. It was not so funny that it was 3 a.m.-ish.

Secondly, did I mention she was on top of the printer/scanner?

Printer/Scanner/Copier...

She's literally the size of the printer! Let me show you...

How in the world she was able to chase her tail and stay on top of that thing is beyond me. Yes, technically, she is a cat but have you met her??? Have read any other posts on this blog??? Exhibit A: Mom needs a new phone. There is nothing cat-like or graceful about any of Lily's movements. I swear she's something of a SkippyJon Jones in that she thinks she's a dog. Really, I think she thinks she's a dog. Needless to say, it was impressive she was able to stay on top of the printer the entire time.

Since then, I've also caught her chasing her tail on top of the Nintendo game bin... Yeah, Nintendo game bin. What? I was a kid of the 80's!

She's also chased her tail on top of me at 6 a.m... she was soon relocated to the floor when that fun started. Anyway, I'm glad she's rediscovered a cherished toy. She may be an adult but it's nice to see her kitten self appear again... even if it's at 3 a.m.

A Jenn Adventure: Changes, they are a plenty!

Hellooooooooooooooo, Party People!!! Uh huh... I know... we can address my uncharacteristically quietness later. Right now, it's time for an update so let's just get down to business, shall we?

Top 5 changes in 2011:

1. I quit my job. Yeah, I said it. I QUIT my job. We won't discuss exactly why I quit, but I will say, I wasn't happy anymore. I loved the job, itself, and the majority of the people I worked with but there were certain things I just couldn't handle anymore. I had become a very angry, jaded, and bitter person. I'm not an angry, jaded, or bitter person. So, after 6 professional years, 2 years as an intern, and 1 year as a volunteer... I hightailed it outta there! I sound happy about that. My soul is very happy but when I think about it (and I try not to) it makes me very sad...

2. I got a new job! I hang out with THIS DUDE...

... all day long! It's awesome. He's such a stinkin' happy baby. I lucked out. For those that don't know, G is my nephew and he's awesome. Seriously... he's AWESOME!! We read stories and play and go to storytime and send Mom pictures of our cuteness and sit outside to watch the wildlife and sing songs and count our fingers and much, much, more. Yes, I let him nap too! He's a cool little dude and I love being able to watch him grow. I wish his momma could stay home with him like this but I'm also super glad I get to spend so much time with him. People say my sister is lucky that her precious boy gets to stay home with family instead of going to daycare but really... I'm the lucky one.

3. I moved! That's not that big of a deal. I tend to move quite a bit. However, I was in my last apt for about 3 years... that's pretty good for me! Anyway, the girls and I moved from south Austin to north Austin and I love it. I'm conveniently located 5-10 minutes from my "new" place of employment. I did it on purpose. Mainly because I knew that the fam would be visiting at least once a month to see G-Man and I had no desire to spend that much time in my car in one weekend in Austin. But let me be clear... had management not raised my rent, I wouldn't have moved. Moving is a female dog. I don't just move to move anymore. That was a college thing... Anyway, I (heart) my new apartment. It's old and cute and in an AWESOME neighborhood. I can go running at 11 p.m. and not have to worry about getting jumped. In fact, I left my car window rolled down the other night with my Maui Jim sunglasses in the front seat and they were STILL there they next morning. And my car insurance went down. Woot!

4. I started running. I know, some of you are saying, "Jenn, you are already a runner... You are a triathlete!" First, I hope you are using those terms, "runner" and "triathlete" very loosely. I was never a "runner" and I never called myself a "triathlete". I just went running because no one was forcing me too and I could walk whenever I darnwell felt like it. And if I chose to NOT run up that hill I could give that hill the finger and turn around! And I do triathlons for FUN. I compete with myself and myself only. But at some point, life happened and I fell off the wagon... hard. Like rock bottom hard. I stopped running, I stopped biking, I stopped swimming, I stopped going to the gym, I stopped Hula-ing, I stopped everything but work, class, work, class, and laying on my couch. For the past 5 weeks, I've been running 3 days a week. And 2 weeks ago I started back with Hula once a week. Next week... the GYM and some WEIGHTS!!!. Soon I'll need to add back in my bike and swim workouts. In 2012, I will get back to triathlons.

5. I have my soul back. For the first time, in a long time, I'm happy. I'm still trying to get my lost life back but I'm getting there. Slowly, but surely.

Top 3 Things I Want to Change Before 11:59 p.m. on December 31st, 2011:

1. Apparently, I'm a "once a year" blogger. I want to start blogging regularly so I'm shooting for once week. If nothing else, I will blog once a month.

2. I will not quit working out. I tend to do really well at working out for a while and then sort of stop. No more.

3. I will finish craft projects. I have about 3 projects I've started and walked away from that I desperately want to finish. I. Will. Finish.

Considering there's not a lot of time left in 2011, I don't want to over do it. I think these three things are sufficient. ;-) I promise I will "see" you all again next week, if not sooner. Posts don't have to be crazy long or epic entries... at least this is what I'm reminding myself so I'll continue this. And how about one more sweet, sweet picture of my little friend?

xoxo,

jennifree