not much

The not much to say post. (Also known as the most boring-post-that-also-doesn't-update-you-on-anything-interesting post.)

So....Let's just say that life got a little crazy, and while I was reading a lot of blogs, I just didn't get the time (read: even think about posting:) to post any of my own!

All this to say, I don't even really have time to be posting now.
How in the world is it 11:30? And how am I still awake? so tiredBut, and that's a pretty big but, I'm doing good, livin life, loving God. You know, the usual.

I thought I should document this rather pulling out my hair -er, wringing out wet towels- frustrating experience that happened recently. So living in a bitty townhouse, we have a tiny patio (read: square cement slab with dirt, mud, & spiderwebs) of a "backyard." As a result of the overpowering cobwebs perpetually spun hither and yon, we don't really go out there that much. I mean, we open the door to let fresh air in, we water our two withering plants on aforementioned slab, and occasionally I venture out to tackle the spiderwebs every so often.

Friday afternoon was such a time where I sojourned rather bravely. I realized quickly, that there was a bunch of crud all over the dirt/mud close to the spigot and a random pipe.  After closer inspection, I realized that it was bits of uncooked rice, eggshells, and grape tomato skins -all items I ran through the garbage disposal a few days earlier. Also, I noticed rather suddenly that it smelled quite foul by that area of yucky food-ness. (Note: the kitchen backs up to the exterior wall.)

Needless to say, I was rather flummoxed, (yes, I've been wanting to use that in a sentence for quite a while now:) and could not figure out how the food mysteriously ended up outside where it was. Upon closer inspection, I saw a cap/lid/stopper thing in the muddy food junk but I didn't want to touch it (due to all the mud), nor did I know what to do with it.

Fast forward to about four hours later when I was doing dishes in the kitchen that evening. (I know, exciting times- dishes on a Friday night?! I know, I know, I'm too much for you, sorry, but that is just the truth- plain and simple :)  I started rinsing a few things and washing a few pots & pans by hand in the sink. That was when I noticed the sink wasn't draining. Suddenly, I thought, "What if that water is going out the pipe outside where all that yuckiness is?" After turning off the faucet quickly, setting the pot down, whipping the door & screen open, I stuck my head out to find............. water rushing out of the pipe in the wall by the spigot!!!! After saying, "Ew, ew, yuck! Ew!" a few times, I realized that I should probably plug that baby up and stop doing the dishes so more disastrous drainage would not occur.
Theeennnn.....after debating on whether I should run the dishwasher or not due to the strangely acting pipes, I decided to try to have at least a few clean dishes and started the cycle.
After settling into Friends with the sis, I went to put something into the trash can that is next to the dishwasher in the kitchen. And that is where I stepped innnn........water! Ugh! I turned on the kitchen light and realized a HUGE puddle of water was all around the dishwasher and threatening to spread farther towards our table & chairs. I then stopped the washer and cleaned up the water (er, rather, threw a towel on the mess) and decided to deal with it in the morning. The maintenance guys don't work on the weekends at our complex, so we were in for a sink-less kitchen for a few days. Needless to say, my sis did NOT have the foresight to not make a huge mess whilst making banana bread and added even more dishes to the mess of our week's accumulation of dishes. Today came and went and we didn't have time to curb our catastrophe of dishes (read: I decided to go on strike against doing them). It was getting so bad that we had to wash any utensil we needed to eat with on yesterday & today. ugh. and double ugh.
Tonight, the sis finally got the motivation (after .quite.a.few. rather forceful hints) to tackle the mess. After plugging away and washing for awhile, I noticed that the there was, yep, you guessed it!....a HUGE puddle on the floor by the dishwasher/trashcan/table area all over again!
Ah!! So, tomorrow I'm putting in a work order as soon as I wake up & hopefully we'll get the problem solved. (And maybe, God would motivate the sis to do dishes more often? I'm still on strike :) )

I'll keep you posted, I know you're now waiting in anticipation to see what the darned problem is with our plumbing over here in So. Fresno!

Long story short, I did not have the clarity to write all of that at this time of day so, sorry if it is rather jumbly.... jumbled? Did I just make up a word? Oh no, this isn't going to a good place.
I'll
be
done :)

since

Since I'm tired of studying for my medical terminology midterm....
.....tired of studying the different body cavities, positions, planes, anatomy & pathology of the urinary, nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems....
  SO here is a lovely song that played after a fave: Forever Love.
Here it is: Unpredictable by Francesca Battistelli.
She has such good perspective and wisdom in her lyrics!

Got my thoughts
I got my words
Got this head full of answers
Got You wrapped up
Got You under control
See my future like the past behind me
I think I know where You’re leading
Don’t need no questions
Don’t need no rocking the boat

But I just forget all the mystery
I just forget who You are

(Chorus)
When I know that I know
What You have down the road
When I’m sure that
I’ve figured You out
Help me see that I’m small
That I can’t know it all
‘Cause You’re so unpredictable
‘Cause You’re so unpredictable

You said the foolish
Would shame the wise
To put my faith
In what’s beyond my eyes
And to believe You
I have to come as a child

So help me to rest in the mystery
Of what I can’t understand

Can’t wrap my mind around You
Can’t put You in a box
Can’t keep You safely contained
You’re gonna move the way
You wanna move today
Just let me follow along

it's that time of year....

I received this e-mail earlier today:
"I want to start my Christmas shopping. Can I get your list?
-Mom"

Funny I should get that! I just found something I want to ask for :)

jewelry stand
felt!
polaroid camera/magnets
Brooke Fraser cd
brandon heath cd
iMac? :)

A Follow-Up

And because I didn't post any pictures of pumpkin loveliness a few posts back.......

Here's a little something to tide every Fall-lover over for awhile.
Or at least until we get some of our own :)

And, I simply cannot believe that at this time last year it Fall was in full force
.........................and I was making tons of these amazing muffins once a week.
sigh
I miss Fall :)

A little bit of this.....

Just doing a little blog hopping, and window shopping, and craft dreaming, and eye-candying  :)

Here are a few of my fave's from this morning's jaunt:

I can picture myself making Quite A Few of these for a wedding or shower or party someday : )

I want to make one of these. ASAP. not sure where I would put it though- maybe on a cute little shelf, over my desk? Yes. That sounds good.

Dreaming about making something that looks a little like this.....

Also, I woke up wanting to go to a yardsale. Or a thrift store. Or to a craft store.
I want to get my bargain hunting/crafting/DIY-ing on!!

Speaking of all the above things, here is a good blog that incorporates reusing for DIY-ing!    Under The Sycamore

Another good note, I can feel a little nip in the air....I think it's about time to make my first batch of pumpkin spice muffins!
(Maybe that's just the AC in my apt. though. It is 100+ degrees outside. in October.)


And lastly, my mom messaged me saying she couldn't sleep one night. She turned on the tv, watched jimmy fallon, and saw this little clip!


Time to go!
I'm meeting a friend for a late lunch @ Panera after she gets off work.
I want to surprise her & visit her at work first though :)
Soooo..........off I go!

Pumpkin & other unrelated things

Apparently there was a pumpkin shortage last year.

Which explains why there was hardly ever any cans on the shelf after, say, October 5th.

Which also happens to be when I made my first batch of pumpkin spice muffins.
and second, and third, and fourth, and fifteenth, and seventeenth.....:)

It was quite tragic to walk to the certain part of the baking aisle and see an empty shelf.
Seriously, sometimes I would just stand there and stare for awhile.
Willing some cans to appear.


This year I was stocked up before fall began (on Wednesday:) and I don't plan on running into that problem again!
It's like buying chapstick- you can never have too much. And you never know when you'll need it!



And onto other unrelated things.
I have been horribly addicted to procrastination lately. Mainly by watching some show online to avoid doing homework.
Ugh. It is not fun.
I am definitely working this one out with God's help.

Secondly, I have been having weird technological problems lately.
Like the internet not working at my apartment ALL WEEK (until yesterday).
And being unable to open up documents posted online for my class via BlackBoard.
And not understanding the Mac computers I use at school sometimes.

Thirdly, I set up a skype account today and talked to a friend at school!
I wanted to sign with my friend Omar for a long time and after giving up on a few other programs, I downloaded skype on a compy at school & then was able to talk to him right.then.and.there!
It was soo cool!
He helped me out a lot by getting some good practice in (I used a TON of signs that I have been learning & relearning in classes) by talking for a long time. He also corrected me a few times (oopsy) and then taught me a few new signs (and some ones I learned a loong time ago but forgot).


Fourthly, I canNOT believe Fall is here & it actually felt like Fall on Wednesday!
Although, being the Valley, it was above 100 degrees today. Which is rather fitting- because usually the weather around the time of the Kern County fair is really nasty (read, hot, dry, & especially dusty: ie. dusty @ the fair grounds). oh, and the KC fair started last week and I actually wanted to go.
I cannot remember the last time I went to a fair. Or saw the little animals. Or wouldn't mind battling the crowds.
Awhile ago, a friend told me that she is becoming increasingly aware of the fact that she is more introverted than she realized. I think that I'm more exhausted by crowds than I ever realized.

Fifthly, I am loving my job.
God seriously blessed me and hooked me up with a great job where I get to use my natural talents and skills to bring out better writing skills in other students. It is very rewarding, sometimes draining, yet quite unique.
I cannot even remember getting the job (even though it hasn't been that long:) because it was always a smooth transition. I think that doing this job at my last college I am attending has taught me a lot and I have definitely learned how to be a MUCH better, professional, and effective tutor. I think I had the right tools to learn from at my previous tutoring position, but I matured, was prepared, and was ready to learn more at this second position.

Sixthly, I am sporadically reading a lot of blogs lately.
I got kind of burned out on reading them every.single.day towards the end of the summer so after a nice break (during which school completely freaked me out & threw me for a loop), I am now slowly revisiting a few I grew to love.

Seventhly, I am slowly but surely starting to like mac's more than pc's.
They are readily available at school, have nicer features, and I am definitely learning a ton about them every time I use one.

8thly, I have a cold.
I'm actually surprised I didn't get sick sooner.
Because, really, no sleep, no food, and a TON of stress does not make for a healthy, perky, and joyful Grace.
We all know she's a night owl and not super into morning-y type things.
Like waking up. Being outside before the sun. or Getting ready super fast/early.
However, we did not know that she is now a 'in bed before 11 is awesome!' type of gal.
And ugh.
I don't really ever sneeze unless I'm sick.
(strange, I know. it's actually a good predictor for when I get sick.)
And who knew being sick would be an easy excuse for avoiding homework and watching a whole disk of Friends?!
And I'm now drinking water
like there's no tomorrow.
Or like it's going out of style.
Or.....well, I can't think of another cliche.

9thly, I am surrounded by, engulfed by, and my head is swarming with words! language! learning!
I didn't realize until a few days ago that I work with, think of, and study words and language nearly every day of the week. ASL, English language acquisition, rules of English, punctuation, reading the newspaper. It's everywhere.
(And I'm loving it :)



10thly, I am now making up number-y sounding words!
Yep, the time has come to go to bed, close my eyes, and rest my aching head.
I told myself I wanted to make it to 9 o'clock and darn it, my clock says 9:34 so I think it's time to sign off!
As I said before, I'm sick and my head is super full of gunk and congestion.
Now is the time to (try to) swallow some NyQuil and start dreaming!
G'night all!


And 11thly, I miss my button for my /? keyboard :(
poor thing bit the dust when a curtain rod fell on it 2 years ago :(

All the time....

It's all about priorities isn't it?

Lately I have been.....

reading, studying, and thinking a ton,
watching way too many shows online (cutting back on that),
checking FB waay too addictively (on a FB fast right now),
enjoying precious chunks of time with friends I don't get to see often,
needing tons of sleep,
working, studying, and doing lots,
not checking the blogs I like quite as tenaciously,
not shopping nearly as much,
not stalking/creeping on people as much (via blogs & FB)<
reading my Bible much, MUCH more!
.....learning about life, people, myself, and God.

And you know what?
When it comes down to that last line, I'm pretty sure some of my proactive steps at prioritizing my life has been much more healthy lately. Good, right?!

Living, loving, and learning.
Yep, I think I'm on a good track to spiritual healthiness.

God is good, all the time.
All the time, God is good.