Alien Probes to the Heart

Health:  Well I certainly haven't kept to my workout regimen quite like I had hoped to accomplish this year.  I have been busy with work and a silly book.  I can't put it down!  I say I'll only read for 15 minutes and an hour and 15 minutes later, I say "Just 15 more."  :) So typical!

Relationships: I am too happy to care about much more.  I had to laugh at my fiancee last night when I asked: "how did you feel when I said 'yes'?" His answer was somewhat like this: "I felt like fireworks and all sorts of magic.  And like some thing came down from the sky and picked me up and then did funny things with me heart."  All I could do was laugh!  "So basically, my answer was like an alien that abducted you and probed you?"  That boy makes me laugh :)

Career: One small step at a time in the direction that I want to go.  I think I am going to write some letters to a few of my favorite travel writers: Sam Brown and Rick Steves!

EVERYONE Knows Best

And I mean it.  EVERYONE...EVERY ONE! knows what is best for you when it comes to your relationship.  Last night, I got told how a husband and family can be wonderful anchor-blessings and to "go live in sin" (chuckle chuckle) for a year because, "what's the rush, do either of you have a terminal illness?" I have heard this and "move to be near him, so you can get to know him more" several times in the last few weeks.  I have no problem waiting.  I think my fiancee is going to be the one I want to marry a year from now.  However, I counter with "what's the slow up?" and "why the wait?"  There are things that are going to happen in our relationship that will test our resolve to stay with one another, whether or not I move down there and spend 3 months to a year at his side or marry him tomorrow.  Hell, I may be the problem starter one day and him the next.  I do have to say, the most interesting thing I have heard so far is: "when you say 'for better or worse,' it is your better and worse, not just his."  It was a way I had never thought about the phrase before, but it makes perfect sense.  While everyone is telling me to "slow down" has me thinking, it also brings perfect clarity to the fact that I still very much want to be married to this man.  What is so wrong with that?  Why do I have to "sit on it" or wait around for a golden ticket to appear one day and tell me "ok, he's the one; life will be an easy breeze with this guy"?   I have only seen my niece a handful of times, but I don't doubt that I love her very very much.  Take it, she's blood and absolutely adorable; however, I haven't had a single conversation with her, nor have I spent an extended period of time in her presence.  Does this make me hasty/rash/foolish for saying that I love her with every fiber of my being and will until the day I die? Yes, my fiancee and I have had BIG fights.  Yes, we have small things we say or do that can get on each other's nerves.  Does it mean that I am stopping loving him because of this? No.  When we get angry or upset, we sit down, usually in each others laps, face-to-face (when possible), and talk it out.  It is much harder over the phone and with 2000 miles in between, but we make it work. I know it won't be easy.  I know there are no guarantees in life either.  I could marry him and we'd live a wonderful, messy, full-of-love life together...or the opposite could happen.  Either of us could die in a car crash tomorrow (especially with the wonderful wintry mix/rain/thunderstorm/snow showers predicted for tomorrow).  Both of us want to only be married once and take the "to death do us part" vow very seriously.  Marriage isn't something casual for us.  I did get told to sit down and write MY ideals for a good spouse and a good life.  I will do this; it is good advice no matter what.  So if this happens to you, don't let it bog you down with resentment and tears and anger.  Most of the people saying it are only concerned for your welfare and your happiness.  You are something they care about and they don't want to see you hurt.  However, take what they say to mind, examine it, and come out with your own truth.  If you make each other want to be better people and that person is your idea of love, then don't doubt it because one,or even many voices have been asking: "what's the hurry?"

Did you find that on Craigslist?

So this last weekend I tested out using Craigslist.  I posted my bookcases, love seats, and now my books.  The books still have yet to go, so if you have a soft spot for books, check them out!  My bookcases were gone by the next day and I'm hopefully going to get my love seats sold this week.  I have someone interested that will pick them up sometime tomorrow or Thursday.  The process is relatively easy to do and, in some cases, quick.  I think I may have to take my books, one suitcase at a time, into Madison's Half-Price Books (It's going to be a sad day, but then I remember that they are just things and my future husband is worth so much more than 250+ books that I can probably find in a library, electronic or hard copy).   I am keeping a few books that are special to me because they are favorites, were given to me by someone special, or they hold a special memory.  Anyways, this is about Craigslist.  There are going to people that will try and low-ball you.  Hold out for someone that is willing to offer you the price you asked.  I'd say if it has been a week or more with no interest, than think about changing your price.  Overall, it is an easy way to sell your stuff.  PST: I had my large and scary dad stop over at just the time the first person came to pick up the bookcases; it's a good idea to have at least one other person with you and several people who know that someone from Craigslist is stopping by to pick stuff up.

The Wise Man's Fear

I am currently wrapped up in Kvothe and The Wise Man's Fear.  It is an excellent book.   An excellently LONG book, as well.  I am on page 675 and still have over 300 pages to go.  Is it worth it, yes.  Yes it SO is worth it.  It has been called "the book of the year."  It is an excellent book that is the chronicling of Kvothe's life.  He is someone with a very interesting history: filled with hardships, evil, fairies, "magics," music, death, love, and always surprises!  Worth the lengthy read since this is book 2 of the series and book one is nearly as long.   Also, book 2 is apparently going to leave me in eager anticipation of the yet to be released book 3!  I have to give the book high marks too; the author, Patrick Rothfuss, is from my dad's Alma Mater (UW-Stevens Point).  It could have a high rank easily on awesome story quality alone though.  Read and enjoy my friends! I am going to get back to reading myself. :)

Welcome to the Suck: Vampire Academy

My sister and I went out to the cinema for Valentine's day.  We went and saw Vampire Academy.  I know, the trailers look terrible, but I loved the books.  I had to at least give it a try! Demetrius was a lot different from what I had imagined, but he worked.  So the movie is about two teens that are vampires.  There are three kinds of Vampires: royal, guardians, and evil undead. Rose is a guard and Lissa is her best friend and the royal she is sworn to protect.  They had escaped the Vampire Academy, but were brought back into the academy.  There they try to unravel the mystery of who is bullying Lissa.  It turns out to be far worse than a case of high school bullying!  Can Rose save the day?  I guess we'll just have to get to the next movie, if it ever gets made!  I mean, there are like 5 books to the series.  I liked it enough that I'd want to see another movie made in the story.

Hitched

Health:  I am just about 2 pounds away from reaching 40 pounds lost!  I got to try some new yoga: aerial!  It was so much fun!  It was also really intense. It worked all your muscles hard and was fun while you did it!  I did leave with the souvenir of bruises in my armpits and on the back of my knees.  It was pretty amazing to feel floor poses with the addition of the silks.  There were some times when it would be like: "oh, that's how that is supposed to feel.  That is AWESOME!"

Relationships: Exciting news!  I got engaged and am planning on getting married this summer.  My family is marriage shy after my sister's marriage went sour.  So no one seems to be happy for me, only full of reservations.  My family is oh so very "we'll talk about it behind closed doors to everyone but you."   Then my brother called to tell me not to get married, just move in with him for a year; be around him and get to know him more than phone calls and brief visits.  This I know would infuriate my mother.  So I am getting go slow and live like a married couple, just don't actually sign the piece of paper.  All I can say to that is, my sister's husband was someone she was around constantly before she married him; it still went bad.  I really appreciate that he's the one that has the guts to say what everyone has been thinking and wanting to say.  It took a lot of guts to say something against what he knows I want, but thinks is in my best interest.  

Career:  I am really excited into looking into travel writing as a career.  It combines all the things I love; it would be the perfect job for me!

Olympics

I have only been able to get glimpses of the games.  The best part is, of course, the figure skating.  I really enjoyed the opening ceremony.  The graphics and dancing was superb!  Sometimes I'd get a little head rush from the moving dancers and moving graphics, but it was also spectacular.  Too bad Russia couldn't get the rest of it's act together.  While I do see why some people are poo poo-ing the people posting things about how bad conditions are in Sochi (that's what Russian citizens deal with all the time); I think we have to give them some grief.  "About 120 million Chinese did not have access to an improved source of water supply," and yet they cleaned up for it's Olympics.   I am just assuming this, since I wasn't actually there.  Either they supplied everyone with bottled water, or they had their city ready for the Olympics.
 Lack of being ready has gotten more press than the actual games and the athletes. To me, that just isn't right.  They worked darn hard to get there and compete, and their own social media postings of poor/weird conditions is getting more attention.  I guess I just have to say, I'm sorry Russians living with poor living conditions like that all the time.  People in charge, what have you been doing?  With all that money and all of those 7 years!

Congrats Olympians!  Best of luck to you.

Coco - NUT

Yay!  I got to test out a new recipe this weekend. I tried making Coconut Lime Chicken Soup.  You can find the recipe on the link!  It was super yummy!  I had a 13.5 ounce can of coconut milk and I used stock instead of broth.  It tasted amazing, it just turned out more like a casserole or rice covered with sauce and meat added.  What I mean by that, it was way thicker than a soup.  It had 1.5 ounces less of coconut milk than the recipe called for, so I understand.  I liked mine thicker.  I just served it up with some good rolls.  And as I am writing this, I am thinking a picture is worth all of those confusing words/phrases.  Anyways, it is a recipe worth trying for yourself.  It has a spicy kick to it, so it adds a little more warmth that all of us freezing need!  I like the addition of cinnamon, it gives it a bit of a sweet smell.

Travel More/Blog More/Learn More/Try More

I am trying to decide if this is a scam or not.  I am still watching the nearly half-hour long video that goes along with the "Open Audition: Travel Writers." Oh Lord, I hope this is true.  This would be my favorite job of all time!  Then again, I can only think that people completely scared of planes would not like to get paid to travel and write about it.
Ugh.  I am waiting for the video to tell me exactly how much it is going to cost me to attend one of these people's conferences.  I have to admit it, one of the ladies I know does travel writing. I should definitely ask her some questions.  Especially because she has experience doing what I would love to do!  I love travel, writing, museums, and trying new things.  I hope this is something I can get into because I don't think you could wipe the smile off my face if this was my job!  I don't think I can stand my desk job anymore.

Here's Hoping for Never Land!

Travel More/Write and Blog More/Learn More/Try New Things More  - my goals in
life!

Samatahiti

So I finally got around to making this video!  I love it!! :)  I hope you do to and want to plan your trip with Samatahiti tomorrow.  Seriously, I know you do!  This snow is killing us slowly!  My spirit yearns for warm Puerto Rican beaches!  I'll even take a sea urchin or jelly fish sting!  Ok...no I'm over it.  Just enjoy the video!