Even more birds!

We have had some purple finches outside our window the past couple of days. They are pretty!

2014 Resolutions

Alright, these goals are sort of "the usual" ones I make every time. But I think it is good to keep goals present and to sort of "refresh" my commitment. I decided to divide these goals up into categories of self-improvement. These categories are:
1. Financial, 2. Physical, 3. Mental, 4. Interpersonal, and 5 Misc. Hobbies & Projects

1. Be financially conscientious. We have been really good with money, simply out of necessity. But I also want to make sure we are on the same page and are working toward similar goals and have similar expectations with our income and expenses.  My goal is to have a meeting about once a week or thereabouts to go over finances. This will include checking in with Justin on our financial goals. These include short-term, medium-term and long-term goals. 

2. Physical exercise. This can be running, (Couch to 5k app is going to help me with that), hiking, walking, "finishers" (crunchies, squats, push-ups, armstrongs, lunges, wall-sits, jumping jacks, etc.), Youtube videos of yoga/pilates/aerobics workouts, P90 DVDs, or simply cranking up some good music and dancing around the apartment. Not that I'm going to do ALL of these ALL the time, but that I have a lot of options. If I'm especially worn out, I can just do several rotations of finishers. If it is rainy or cold outside, I can do a DVD or Youtube tutorial, if I can't bring myself to follow directions after being at work all day, I'll dance! And as the weather improves I have more opportunities with running and hiking. Mostly my goal is to have an active lifestyle. It isn't to exercise. It is to be active. 

3. Mental exercise. This includes doing my logic puzzles (this will be easy, I do several almost every night before going to bed) and MAKING logic puzzles (not as easy and more time consuming, but fun).
This also includes reading. I have a bunch of text books and nonfiction books I want to read that have been sitting on my bookshelf for ages. I also want to read for fun. Mostly, I want less screen time and more book time. This is probably one of the most challenging things, because screen time means internet, and it is soooo easy to get sucked into the internet. (as I post this...on the internet).
Another mental goal is to continue learning and exercising Spanish. I have downloaded some apps and got a Spanish textbook, so I am hoping if I just take a few minutes every day to go over Spanish, I can keep up. 

Finally, my last mental exercise is...(don't laugh), learning my times tables. I am okay at these, but I never ever did get them down pat and I never had the motivation to. 

4. Interpersonal exercise. This is sort of my "don't be a flake" goal. I want to make sure I work to foster friendships. This includes inviting my acquaintances Mami & Jeff over for dinner and games, replying to emails, facebook messages, texts, letters, and postcards, and actively writing those, instead of just replying.

Within my interpersonal goals, I also want to be more present. (aka, less screen-time). I want to play board and card games with Justin, go on walks, cook together, and also hold our Finer Things Club meetings. (I'm planning a Sherlock themed one soon. Tea and biscuits, anyone?

5. My last goal is to work on my hobbies and projects. These include weaving on my mini-loom, making my logic puzzles (as mentioned earlier), making music videos, writing down memories, maintaining my scrapbook of ticket stubs and travel tickets, etc., blogging more regularly, transcribing/copying recipes from online recipes I like to recipe cards,  re-potting my plants, and finally, regularly organizing and reducing my possessions to only the items of essential or sentimental value. This last goal is really just to enjoy time away from the computer or television. 

Five big categories, but I'm feeling good about them!

"Voices of Hope"

"No one wants to be alone for the rest of their lives, and no one should."

So, I recently had a friend come out on Facebook, and I think that is very brave. I completely support that. What I find disturbing is that he has decided that he has two options. To either stay LDS or to act on his "same-sex attraction". He has chosen the former. Therefore, he is openly gay, but will never act on it. He posted this video:



I found this disturbing, heart breaking and angering.

On one hand, I suppose it is a choice. And if people think choosing their religion over love will make them happier, then whatever. Do what you want. Do what makes you happiest, I suppose.

On the other hand, I can't help but question why. Does anyone actually really want to be celibate and alone for the rest of their lives? This isn't about sex. This is about feeling loved for who you are and finding within yourself love for someone else. And, miraculously, having that love returned. Ultimately, isn't that what we all want?

My anger comes from the fact that the LDS church, in it's twisted sense of progress, (which in some ways, IS progress...I guess...) is basically moving from active discrimination to passive (but still quite active) discrimination. The church is kind of an expert at passive aggressive bullshit, so this isn't new.

Ugh. It makes me really angry and sad and sick. If I believed in a God, (SHE!) wouldn't give a shit who I loved, but would just be happy that through love I found true happiness. I wish that people didn't try to force love into a convenient neat little box with parameters that defined what is true love.

I hope in 20, 15, 10 or maybe even 5 (as if) years, the church will open it's eyes and realize that they are behind the times. They are wrong and embarrassingly so. Although I don't think the LDS church has even a fraction of an ounce of humility to ever admit that they were wrong or have ever been wrong. In addition to being passive aggressive experts they happen to also be historical revisionists extraordinaire.

Blah. I guess in the end it isn't that bad. It isn't like it is forcing anyone to do anything. It is more tolerant than previous stances. And if it is genuinely making people happy, then okay, go for it. But I wish that it was 100% tolerance. Not conditional tolerance. It isn't acceptance, it is a bargain. If you don't act on it, we'll accept you. Otherwise, you are not welcome.

It just feels like the church was told "Be progressive" and because it is so twisted and crippled with guilt issues and old farts, it came up with this cruel definition of progress.

BBC Merlin!

In a land of myth and a time of magic, the fate of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man. His name? Merlin.

Body Image

There used to just be days. Certain bad days that I felt fat, insecure, and uncomfortable. But these would happen usually when I was stressed or hormonal, around my period. These days would stand out to me.

But over time those "fat days" became more and more frequent. And today I had the realization that every single day I feel that way. Now the days that stand out are the days that I don't feel fat. Basically never.

Christmas Anticipation!

Yay! We are coming home for Christmas! I can't wait!!!

Birthday

Justin's birthday happens to be on Friday this year. And he just so happens to not have any classes on Fridays. Until recently, I didn't have a job, and so was looking forward to spending the whole day with him.

I just recently got a job and my work schedule is MWF. I will work Friday from 7am to 3:30pm. =(

It could be worse, but it still bums me out.

More birds!

Blue Jay

Cardinal

The importance of felines.

A Mimi without a kitty is no Mimi at all.

It sounds cheesy, but I feel more like myself when there are cats around. Maybe it is because I have never known life without them.

I feel like when Kitty died things changed.
And then when Mooch died things changed more.

 Something shifted and cats weren't this...spiritual or supernatural  type of presence in my life.

But nevertheless, I still feel "off" without one.

Sigh. There is your Mimi-fueled melodrama for the day.

Periods...