denial

In all reality, this is not the first post I have written called "denial". In all reality, it probably won't be the last either. The first was a response to the past week in which I really decided that most of the world lives in denial. It was illustrated by points taken from recent film (ie THE BUCKET LIST and HE'S JUST NOT IN TO YOU) and recent experiences from my life and the lives around me, but then reality hit me. MY BEDROOM LOOKS LIKE A NUCLEAR TORNADO HIT IT!!! I realized it is because I have partially finished projects ALL over the room. It is literally ridiculous. This is the conclusion that I have come to. If my mother were to see it, she would ground me. In the spirit of my mother (because I do love her), I have officially grounded myself until my bedroom looks like a real person lives there. If that entails re-arranging furniture, so be it. Something has got to change. Denial is no longer acceptable. I am embracing reality.

the never ending awkwardness...

remember larry? he's married now. (way to keep the commitment!) his wife came with him to his appointment today. (yay for the happy couple!) now, as the receptionist, i do a lot of "filtering". management doesn't always want to to talk to EVERY patient that walks in. i was a bit surprised when larry's wife stephanie (name once again altered for hippa compliance) walked right up to me and asked to speak with the office manager. i asked her what it was in regard to and she told me that she had heard that we were hiring and was interested in applying for a job. REALLY!!! can my life get any more awkward? oh wait...shouldn't have asked that question. i just cursed myself. someday i'll learn, right? i'm pretty sure that this is some higher power's way of keeping me humble. yay me. i'll learn someday.

Factoids...

1) I don't like fish, but I do like sushi.
2) I was on the Math Team in high school.
3) I love Utah sunrises and Nebraska sunsets.
4) I graduated from college in English and did not read another book for 3 years.
5) I tend to over analyze things…to the point that my father (the straight-faced courtroom attorney) told me that I suck the fun out of things.
6) I hated everything about the great outdoors until I was 18.
7) I never wanted to learn Spanish.
8) I am perpetually lazy.
9) I write with my left hand to make myself stay awake.
10) Currently, my greatest fear is chronic pain.
11) I have worn the same pajamas since 2002. LOVE SCRUBS!!!
12) I am totally and completely fascinated by the human body-but not enough to study medicine.
13) Since I graduated from college my attention span has decreased exponentially.
14) I run without music.
15) I have a memory bank full of useless trivia.
16) I am a copy artist. I rarely have an original idea.
17) I don’t drink soda and don’t really eat candy-my body hates me when I do.
18) I have a freakish memory.
19) I knew who Frank Sinatra was before I knew who Tom Cruise was.
20) In 3rd grade I was voted most studious.
21) I broke the same elbow twice in less than one year.
22) I’d rather sleep than eat—but the more tired I am, the more I fight going to sleep.
23) I have paid for one hair cut in the past 6 years.
24) I have plans to see the Pacific and Atlantic coasts before Mother’s Day.
25) I have no idea who is playing in the Super Bowl.

I have to quit answering questions...

I was at work one day and one of our patients requested to speak with me. I was in the back, but I came out the following conversation ensued. (Names have been changed for HIPPA compliance.)
Larry: I have to preface this by "I'm getting married."
Me: Really? Congratulation! That's so exciting!
Larry: But I just have to know-are you married?
Me: No.
Larry: Engaged?
Me: No.
Larry: Dating someone?
Me: No-contentedly single.
Larry: I saw you wearing a ring...
(I wore a ring once. It was April Fool's Day.)
Me: No, I don't wear jewelry. -showing my hands for proof-
Larry: Well, I just want you to know-I think you are a beautiful woman and I love your personality. And I really wanted to ask you out once, but I couldn't get the guts to do it.
Me: (What the junk?!?) Oh.
Larry: I have to know. If I had asked you out, would you have said yes?
Me: I don't know Larry. I was kind of dating someone there for a while. It depends on where things were with that.
Larry: Oh...okay.
Now. Adding a little more detail to the story, Larry is 41. I...am not. To quote our dear friend Charlie Brown, "GOOD GRIEF!"-how the devil do I get myself into these things? I know-it really isn't my fault. Sometimes things just happen. (yay for opportunities for learning and growth.) But this is my concern, THE MAN WAS ENGAGED!!! Is there no commitment in that?!? Seriously now...some are concerned by lack of importance that people are placing on marriage and the home and family. Frankly, after this experience (and others-Larry isn't the only offender) I'm not surprised. Until people value their word and the commitments that they have made, there will always be a reason for concern. But in the mean time...we know that I'm amused to say the least.

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.
Virginia Satir

this weeks goals

1) get a better attitude about cold and sleet.
2) find a GOOD recipe for minestrone.
3) run 4 days this week.
4) finish alice in wonderland.
5) keep a clean space on my floor.

tribute to my nephew.

Thanks to my nephew, I am currently baby-sitting for the first time since I was 16 years old. That was a while ago. Luckily, we have an understanding. I'll be the cool aunt as long as he behaves himself. So far...it's working out perfectly. He's sleeping his little heart out and I still have all my hair. (He has entered the "grabby" phase. I forgot and wore it half down.) Babies have quite the talent for creating nostalgia and pensiveness in peoples lives and I will freely admit I am not immuned to it all. When I'm with him, I want to secure my title as 'the coolest and favorite aunt' so I'm always planning things for us to do and things I'll get to teach him. I think I've got dinosaurs in the bag (three years at Dinosaur National Monument will educate anybody.) Books? I'm all over it! Recently, however, I have realized that there is a huge deficiency in my "cool aunt" knowledge. The whole super-hero bit?...well, let's just say I have some work to do on that one. I remember playing "concentration" at a family reunion and getting burned by my cousin in the "super hero" category. I'm sorry, but more than Adam West's original BATMAN with the POW! BAM! and WHACK!-I'm kind of uneducated. Frankly, it never really interested me. For some reason, the past 6 months I have been fascinated by them. I think it all stems from THE DARK KNIGHT, but I don't really know for sure. Coincidentally, I still haven't seen it, but have every intention to do so. In my over-analyst way of doing things, I have recently decided that there has to be more them than fictional characters trying to save the world in body suits and tights. I then set out to find a deeper meaning and I will gladly report that I did find one. (These theories are based purely on my recent viewing of BATMAN BEGINS and SPIDERMAN.)
*Of what use is a super hero without a villain?
Spiderman was considered a menace to society until the Green Goblin showed up. Batman never took on all petty thieves of Gotham City by himself, he only stepped in when there was a REAL threat.
*As of late, one of my favorite thoughts/concepts is that "any idiot can survive a catastrophe, but it takes a real man to survive the day-to-day." Now, don't think that I don't appreciate a good super hero, because I do, but I wonder what they themselves think of it. For example, when given the opportunity, Spiderman refused MJ because he was concerned for her wellness. Rachel refused Batman for the similar reasoning.
Really...I'm currently fascinated. Nephew and I have a lot of learning to do. I do understand that there are 2 uncles in the family that may very well take over the super-hero education,but frankly, I like learning myself. I think it's good for me. And super-heroes amuse me.