confession.

So.

I've been keeping a secret from you. Just after the start of the New Year I reactivated my OK Cupid online dating account. (Yes, yes, the free one. Who's on the free one, you ask? Well I am, for starters.) Maybe it was the promise of the new year, maybe it was that little nagging voice saying "this time it will be different", maybe it was just overload on holiday season, but I decided, hey- why not? New year, new adventures.

So I started it back up again. (I had deactivated it for a few months, basically just hiding it from view.) After all, there must be smart, caring, talented, gorgeous, rich men who made it their New Year's Resolution to find that Special Someone on the free online dating site, right? (Shush, you, and let me have my fantasy world.) Anyhoo, started it up again in early Jan.

Morale level: high!

I received a few e-mails and amongst those from men old enough to be my father, foreign men who live half a world away, and "curious" women, I received a normal e-mail. Witty, nice, interesting, tall, employed... and when he asked for my phone number he mentioned that he would actually be calling to ask for a date, rather than the impersonal texting that has become the norm. Score.

Morale level: high!

And then I wait. A week. And then I get... a text. "I haven't forgotten about you." Excuse me? Is that a cop-out text from the man that doesn't text. I didn't dignify that with a response. A phone call comes the next day, and we set up a time to meet on Friday despite his hesitation to plan anything for the weekend. ("You know, because what if you're on a really bad blind date and you just wasted your weekend night when you'd rather be with your friends?") Reg flag #1. I hear from him on Friday and he lets me know that he started drinking with his buddies at 3:30 and he'll probably be "quite a few drinks ahead of me" by the time we meet. Red flag #2. Apparently I'm colorblind, because I agree to meet anyway. He is feelin' no pain by the time we meet at 7 p.m. and proceeds to tell me about a few blind dates he's been on where he just walked out because "He doesn't feel the need to waste his time". He also threw in some jewels like "I'm not the one with a biological clock ticking, you are" and "so this is all you're doing with your Friday night?" Well, sir, you are doing the same. He who lives in a glass house... Then proceeded to buy a bag of pretzels, eat the entire bag while continuing to talk about himself (without bothering to offer me one), and then, when I asked for the check, told me that he had a really good time and asked if I'd like to come back to his place. Um. No.

Morale level: low.

Never fear, I'd been e-mailing with another gentleman who is friendly, employed, seemingly interested, and a family man. A few e-mails back and forth and he asked me if I'd like to meet up. Looking at my schedule I realized that I could do A) the very next day (today), or B) Feb. 7th. He agreed to today and suggested my go-to place - spontaneous and he knows good beer - score.

Morale level: high!

It snowed today. It started about 3:00 and caught all of Denver off-guard. Granted, it was in the upper 60s this weekend, but it is January. In Colorado. He sends a text about 6 asking if we're still on. I respond with something fiercely witty (of course) about installing the snow tires on Raul and then the phone rings. "Was it supposed to snow today?" he asks. I don't know. What does it matter? It is snowing. "Is it supposed to get really bad?" he asks. I don't know. What does it matter? It is still well above freezing and it's not like we're driving over a mountain pass, here. It is just the I-25 overpass. He then says, "I just don't think there's any way I'll make it there by 6:30." Okay...  "We can do another night, right?" Right... Last time I checked it IS January and this IS Colorado, right? I'm not asking you to endanger your life here, princess, I'm just asking for a little effort.

Morale level: low.

So there you have it. It has been only three weeks and I'm ready to throw in the towel again. I know, I know, it is just two bad dates. You have to kiss a lot of frogs. You'll appreciate the good ones even more. Blah blah blah. But my bad date to good date ratio? Here, let me have Mr. Right tell you all about it. OH WAIT!

So. Tonight I will buy myself a beer from my fridge (left over from NYE) and enjoy not making awkward conversation. Here's to Breckenridge Brewery and freshly painted nails.

Morale level: high!

And this, just because it is funny:

MLK flashback

No, no deep philosophical thoughts about the history of Dr. MLK and his impact on today's society.

Instead... pictures of snowshoeing in the mountains, which is how true Coloradans celebrate MLK day. (Of course.) I'm not sure you realize just how much pre-planning goes into a mountain trip sans-smartphone. Finding a trail. Checking the snowfall. Finding the closest outdoor gear rental place that doesn't take you far out of the way. Google-mapping all of the above. Writing a long list of directions. Not knowing if you should go West or East on Highway 77 (when you think you actually should be going North). Pull out the atlas from the back seat. Ilana must copilot.

Really, it is a small miracle when we DO find the trailhead. Which is why we were determined to hike, even though it was THE WINDIEST DAY OF ALL TIME, and the snow cover was questionable at the trailhead. Nonetheless, we put on as many layers as possible, zipped up to our ears, strapped the snowshoes on our backpacks, and headed off. Leaning into the wind. Questioning just how crazy we must be.

Luckily, once on the trail the wind was blocked and it was actually quite nice. There was quite a bit of snow, but it was packed down enough to make the snowshoe rental a big waste of $12. But oh well!

We appreciate a well-marked trail!

The best part is, I didn't even tell them to pose. 

Brainard Lake is lookin' a little dry

Sarah, our resident Sherpa

Our hike took us through a couple of campgrounds (complete with bear boxes!). Judging by this campsite marker there was just a little snow...

... Right before the crazy wind blew our entire lunch off the picnic table and Sarah had to chase the Tupperware  You know, because of the bears. 

All of the trees were covered in this cool moss, even in the snow! 

Makin' our way back down, showshoes still packed away

Such a great hike with my CO favorites! And we almost made it up and down with no injuries, until that cursed postage stamp-sized patch of ice near the parking lot. And the one right after it. But we won't talk about that.

Much love from the Rockies!

sap, but true

I'm sitting here at work on my "lunch break", which actually means that I can put my phone on Do Not Disturb for one hour while I continue to answer e-mails, deal with course issues, respond to parents who think their daughter's housing conditions are "horrific and jail-like", AND I pop on to my personal Facebook account here and there. And I ran across this gem of "Advice To My Younger Self". The link to the whole article is on Huffington Post here. , but the part that resonated with me the most is her letter, below:

"Dear 21 Year Old Self,

As you leave college you will be thrown into the world without a life preserver, expected to swim upstream through challenges and hopes and dreams you never knew would come your way. I, your future self, want to tell you a little of what lies ahead so that in your darkest moments you will have hope that all is not lost.

You have been blessed with the most wonderful friends! I am happy to report that the ones you value most now will still be your closest friends in 10 years. You will come to understand that a man is not the answer to the fulfillment you seek. Your heart will be broken a few times and you will feel like you cannot survive the loss, but you will. In fact, you will not be married when you hit your 30s, but will be in a relationship you hope will eventually get there… after several years.

You will work at a really crappy job that you hate and then you will be unemployed for 13 months before landing your dream job. Your friends will get engaged, married, and then all have children at the same time, 10 in one year. Then they will have second children all at the same time. You will buy so many presents for other people’s showers, you will seriously consider pulling a Carrie Bradshaw and registering at Manolo Blahnik just for the hell of it. Some days you will feel like you are going insane and are so “behind schedule”. The timeline in your head is imaginary, it does not exist. You will turn into a crazy cat person who sends out Christmas cards with pictures of your cats in retaliation for all the Christmas cards you receive with babies on them.

You will go to Italy and love it so much that you decide to learn the language one day. Facebook will constantly make you wonder if something is wrong with you. Ignore it. You will lose a beloved grandparent. You will buy a house by yourself. You will miss the place you grew up so much and your heart will ache to go back there, but you will remain where your work has led you and visit often.

And through all of these situations when you question where your life is going and wonder if you made a big fat mistake, you will feel blessed by the love you have in your life. There will be moments when you stand looking out your kitchen window thinking back over the years and catch your breath at the treasures that exist in your life. You will deal with feelings of jealousy, depression, inadequacy, and hopelessness at times, but will emerge from each situation with resilience, a greater capacity to love, and the understanding that your story is your story and not anyone else’s. This knowledge, plus good friends to encourage you along the way, will bring you peace.

With Respect for the Woman You Will Be,
Your Future 30-Something Self"


Okay, so I'm not quite a 30-something yet, but it isn't far away. And she hit the nail on the head with so many of my recent thoughts. Maybe I've just been watching too much Sex and the City lately and eating too many Dove dark chocolates (which, by the way, have the note "Be your own Valentine" inside the foil wrapper. MAN those Dove marketing gurus KNOW THEIR AUDIENCE!), but I can't be the only one.

So for anyone else out there in the same place - eat those chocolates with no regrets, watch those sappy movies with no one rolling their eyes next to you, let yourself have a "woe is me moment" every once in a while, and then get up, look back on your life, look forward to your future, and count your blessings. You're not the only one. But you wouldn't know that, becasue it's not socially acceptable to post pictures of your Dove chocolates on Facebook. (yet)   :)

3 weeks 5 days!

Less than 4 weeks! I've added a new update here: http://www.youcaring.com/mission-trip-fundraiser/Be-The-Change/28616

One of the other volunteers on the team has a countdown started!

I'm official now :)

A bag full o' school supply kits that I'll be bringing along! It is H.E.A.V.Y. Anyone want to help me drag it through the airport(s)?

I can't say thank you enough for all of the love, support, and encouragement you have given me throughout my preparations for this trip! You are all a part of this journey, too - can you feel the excitement?!? Be The Change!

Two rodeos in one week?

Makes for a good week...

Another trip to the National Western Stock Show - this time to the Pro Rodeo!

The horses are all dressed up!

  I need to marry a cowboy...

"We were duped by the trick buffalo!" The One Arm Bandit entertainment bit was not quite anything that were were expecting...

Must be time for the bull riding

"Okay boys!"

 

 

Another fun Thursday night in the books! It was Sarah's first rodeo, and I'm not quite sure if she's a fan, yet. I think they both had better come to Burwell :)

Much love from the Rockies!

Ole!

Tonight was a first for me - my first Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza! Not just a Mexican Rodeo. Not just an Extravaganza. A Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza! And that it was.

I had originally planned to go ice skating with a friend on Sunday, but it was Midwest cold here this weekend, so I suggested plan B - the National Western Stock Show. I didn't expect him to agree, and I definitely didn't expect him to get tickets to the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza - surprisingly pleased on all accounts.

My first Mexican Rodeo sparked a lot of questions, such as...

Do rodeo sombreros have a different name?

Why did the Heartland Hoedowners never dance on barrels?

How DO those large hats stay on while on a bull?

Why is this man standing on his horse?

How do I steal one of these piglets? 

And finally... how is it that this llama is cooler than I'll ever be? Must be the bangs. 

Guess I'll have to do more investigation. Much love from the Rockies - Ole!

"Don't mind the typhoid medication in the fridge"... actually a sentence I used today at work after my appointment with a travel doctor this morning. I was very happy to learn that typhoid prevention comes in pill form - one less poke in the arm! I now have 3 vaccines down, two more to go, a box of typhoid pills in my fridge, and a prescription for malaria pills and traveler's diarrhea medication. Wow - I didn't realize it took so much work to be healthy enough to travel to India!

I don't really want to contract typhoid, though. Or malaria. Or anything, for that matter. So I suppose my arms can handle it

Fresh Air Recharge

One of the best things about Colorado? Bluebird days in the mountains. And good friends to share them with. 

First snowshoe hike of the season! I didn't know if there would be enough snow...

There was. 

Happy hiker - Sarah's first snowshoe trip ever! I think (hope!) I have a convert.

Not a bad view from the top

Success - we made it back down! We didn't even need our "survival" bike light, apple, and spoons. 

On a different note - my youngest niece turned 3 yesterday! We had a little pre-celebration when I was home for the holidays...

Happy Birthday, Abby-gab!

Cool necklace kit from Grammy and Papa

A blurry photo, but you can see here that of ALLL the toys at my parent's house, E was thrilled to carry around a paint can and roller. Both completely kid-safe, I'm sure :)

Then for Abigail's real birthday, check out this awesome cake that Lori made! Seriously Lori - you could sell these!!