Adventure

There's something about packing up my belongings to move that stirs in me a desire to hit the road, stop at little hole-in-the-wall restaurants and make conversation with folks at gas stations. I'm sure my parents could explain it -- or at least give a few stories of how I've been like this since I was a kid -- but I'm not sure I even care to have a reason for why I'm the way I am. I have a healthy sense of adventure and it's what makes life so thrilling and full. (I have hypothesis, though, that it's my dad's happy-go-lucky attitude paired with my mom's practicality that I've inherited that keep me floating yet grounded.)

As I write tonight, I'm surrounded by boxes (full, empty and broken down), packing paper, tape, recycling, a giveaway bag and a complete mess. Despite -- or perhaps because of -- it all my mind keeps wandering to the thought that I need to get out of town. I don't necessarily need to be moving across the country again, but that's the norm that's been drilled into my head when I move.

This current move is local, just down the street, actually. By my past moving standards this one is dinky. I want to start piling things in my car and drive it up the hill to the new place, not pile it in the corner of the living room and wait for the moving truck to arrive on Monday evening to drive it up the hill. I'm impatient. Packing is reserved for moving long distances.

So I battle my mind screaming at me to get out of town, strike out on the road, have an adventure! And reason calmly saying that this move is an adventure. It's the first time I'll be moving into a real apartment complex. There will be neighbors to become friends with, a fitness center to conquer, a pool to relax near and management to avoid (just kidding!).

It's a perspective shift that I'm trying to come to grips with so that I don't find myself constantly bouncing around the country my entire life. Adventure is in the big and little things. It's not just moving to a new city and testing yourself to see how well you adapt to starting over.

Adventure is meeting a friend for late-night coffee and conversation, then sitting outside the shop an hour after its closed and you're both cold and tired. It's hiking alone on a trail with signs at the start warning you about the wildlife. (I will NOT do that again.) It's spending a day downtown by yourself exploring a new part of the city. It's hanging out with a new friend and her kids, giving her a chance to be "real" and yourself permission to be authentic. It's offering your free time for a non-profit that will stretch you beyond what you think you can handle.

Every day is an adventure if I decide to live it that way.

great view

There is an outstanding view of Mt. Ranier that still makes me smile every time I see it -- the view from the parking lot in the Issaquah Fred Meyer. I've told many of you about it but have only been able to share it with a few of my friends outside of Issaquah. It's one of those views that you need everything to line up for you: clear day, not too sunny, the right time, remembering to look in that direction (oposite the door). But today I'm happy to treat you all to it! Here's a shot I took tonight...first time it's been visible for awhile because of the winter clouds and fog. Enjoy!

check out the closer view in the inset

Also, Jasmine being naughty when she thinks I wasn't looking. Yes, that's the dishwasher!

a new feature on the blog

It has taken a while for me to figure this one out but........you can now subscribe to my blog via email or RSS feed! Everytime that I update here you'll either get an email in your inbox or a new posting in your RSS feed. Here's to more motivation for me to blog regularly!

recoup'ing

Last week was the start of the process of better health for me. You see, when I was younger I had a number of bad sunburns in the summer. My parents did a good job of keeping me well blocked when I was a kid (except when our luggage got lost), but I haven't always been the best at the same task as a teenager and now as an adult. All this to say that I've had some suspicious moles pop up or change over the past number of years. So with seven moles removed in five years (two of them pre-cancerous), I should be the poster child for annual skin check-ups. Sadly, it had been about two years since I last went in for an appointment and I was overdue.

So last week I made an appointment for a full body check (yeah, always a joy...) and the doctor found two moles that she decided to biopsy. One was so small I didn't even know I had it (way to go doc!) and the other was one that had actually be biopsied before but the pigment grew back (sad). This brings us up to yesterday and my appointment to have them removed.

Thankfully I was cool as a cucumber before the appointment -- I have a tendency to get anxious with these things. But when I got into the operating room they had mixed my charts up with someone else! To their credit, it was with another patient named Heather (different last name) getting a very similar prodecure done. So everything is going fine: they give me a few shots of numbing stuff, remove the super small mole, get started on the second, larger one. Then I begin to feel a little light-headed. And hot. And clammy. And I had to say something. They were great -- flipped me over, gave me a cold washcloth and bottle of water, and let me rest. A few minutes later I'm feeling much better and ready to finish this thing. Not sure what happened (I probably wasn't breathing), but I'm feeling better.

Now it's all about keeping the areas clean, being careful with the stitches and taking a break from the gym for a few days. Next week the story continues...stiches removed Wednesday - yay!

A fresh start with a fresh month

I've realized I'm not a great blogger. I love reading other people's but have a truly difficult time keeping my own current. So in an effort to bring you up to speed - the highlights from the last four months:

- Marianne moved out.

- Marianne moved back in. (To clarify, she house sat for two weeks and went on vacation for one week.)

- I organized a family conference. Yes, a family conference. I was single at the time. I'm still single.

- I went back to Fargo for Thanksgiving and introduced my parents to Macy's after Thanksgiving Day sale. They thanked me.

- The Gospel According to Scrooge performances went well. I made a return performance as Angel #2.

- Marianne successfully planned a surprise birthday party for me. It got snowed out. Twice.

- Five lightbulbs burned out in the apartment.

- I began teaching Marianne all things snow, including driving, snow shoveling and the joy of children's playground equipment in the snow. (Check out the video below.)

- I enjoyed a l-o-n-g vacation in Vermont over Christmas and New Years. Thanks Continental Airlines!

- My aunt said, "2008 wasn't great, but 2009 will be fine." I didn't believe her when I came home from Vermont to find a tree branch had shattered my back car windshield.

- Got the window fixed and test drove the new 2009 M6. It's nice!

- I got a great deal on a flight and rental car in Connecticut. Seriously, who can beat $189 roundtrip with taxes?!?!

- I hosted my first small group at the apartment. We had fun!

- A new rug for the living room was delivered today!

Gas prices

Thought my dad would get a kick out of me posting this...an email I received from him today. :-)

"Update from this weekend today I bought gas for work at $2.99 then on the way home another station is lower$2.92 at the flying J Love you lots have a good week DAD"

Too bad the last time I bought gas here it was $3.69...granted that was on September 28. I love not driving much!

Poo Poo Point

Yes! I finally climbed Poo Poo Point! Check out the two pictures here and come back later for more from my regular camera. What a view!















Proof I was up there!