!!!POST # 150!!!

Ladies and gentlemen of the internet, today marks a very special occasion.

Today we mark our 150th post!

And to celebrate...

...hmmm....

...I didn't think that far ahead....

...darn...

...Ummm... okay, I guess I'll have to get back to you on that one....

Don't put away your confetti and streamers yet, I'll figure this out.

In the meantime, let me tell you about my fourth of July weekend, because I know that Heather Loyola is dying to hear the whole story...

Wish I had a cookie...

So ummm... yeah... I worked all week and I really didn't think that I wanted to go home and fight the traffic to get there, etc. etc. so that is what I told my mom when she sent me an email to find out what my plans were for the weekend. I honestly had thought that I would just veg out with television marathons while Noah was at work and get some well deserved R & R.

I didn't tell her that after her second email, which explained how much she missed me, that I had decided to brave the traffic and arrive on their doorstep Friday afternoon.

I should have made a video of the expressions on their faces when I got there.

Priceless.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I got in touch with Sara and we made up some plans to meet in Lansing for breakfast. I arrived in Lansing about 10:30 in the morning and we met at a Cracker Barrel. I even got to meet her new boyfriend!! He seems like a good guy and he has my approval.

I saw some pretty interesting things on my way north by the way and I'm not just talking about the police officers or the lines on the road.

I made a Facebook post so that I wouldn't forget them all...

"Let's see, Bowling Green, car with mattress on top, that massive store with the bears, more mc donalds trucks than I care to count, Sean Cline with a beard, and now my friend Sara Lynn Wilkins! Less than two hours to go! — at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store."

So yeah, I drove past Bowling Green and it was weird not stopping there. I felt like I was coming back after being away for the weekend or the summer and that classes would start soon. I felt like a piece of me was left there and I also had a mini panic because I didn't have my books.

How could I possibly go to class without my books?

Closer to Toledo, I passed a very small car with a mattress on top and I thought that if the wind hit it just right the whole car would just flop over backward. They were probably having a rough time just steering in the first place but I got a kick out of watching them as I drove by. Poor people.

When I said "that massive store with the bears," I meant Cabela's and you can check out their website if you want. I will not provide a link because of their mountain of death that they call trophies...

I think that McDonald's decided to put a bunch of empty semi trucks on the roads just for the advertising. I mean it would be a waste of fuel but also it would be a cheap means of advertising. Then again, maybe it wouldn't be as cheap as I think it would be. There had to be like 1 truck for every 5 cars or something close to that. It made my stomach a little upset just seeing all of them....

Just before I went to exit to meet Sara, a man took a very long time to pass me, which caused me to look over at him. I had to do a double take because I swore that it was Uncle Sean, but he had a beard like Uncle Thom. I didn't stop laughing until I got to the restaurant.

So after breakfast, I hugged Sara and continued my drive North, singing at the top of my lungs....

I pulled into my parents' driveway around 1 in the afternoon, honking my horn and watching for someone to come out of the front door...

As I said before, their expressions were priceless...

We went to Mt. Pleasant for fireworks that night, hauling their new camper so that we could pre-show tailgate with pizza and our own toilet. Hooray for not needing to use the port-o-potty!!!

The fireworks were pretty good... I mean I liked them. Poor Jenny dog was shivering and panting in terror on my lap, but she didn't ruin the show for me.I guess that I was a little disappointed in the array of fireworks used for the show. There wasn't a great variety and I expected more of the fourth largest fireworks show in the state...

We didn't leave until well after midnight, all of us huddled around a citronella candle to keep the mosquitoes away, the boys telling nasty jokes...

There were burgers on the grill Saturday evening. Both Zac and Zeke had to work at the little ice cream shop that hired them both for some reason... just kidding, I'm glad they have jobs.

Then we built a campfire and toasted marshmallows and ate chocolate.... because we had cinnamon gram-crackers so I wasn't going to make a cinnamon smore... that would be like treason against smores or something...

I got up Sunday morning and packed up my car and said my good byes... I even had to wake up Zac who didn't even get out of bed to give me a hug or anything.

Two hours later, I arrived in Coldwater, Michigan to visit with my grandparents and extended family members that I haven't seen in a long while. I had lunch with them and visited for a little while before hitting the road again, back to Lima.

That in a nutshell, was my weekend...

It was way too short and I felt strange being back in Farwell. It was comforting to be back in my apartment when I got back. Something about being in my own space again... but it's just weird and hard to explain....

So I won't even try. Instead, I'll give you a video of a puppy who is afraid of a spoon.

ISN'T THIS ADORABLE?!

Now for the celebration part....

I've decided to post some pictures from all the things that have happened in 150 posts and the 5 years worth of blogging that I've done, in no particular order.

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It's hard to believe that so much has happened in five years. I count myself blessed for the adventures I've had and the friends that I have made. I hope that the next five years bring more adventures and more friends.

Thank you all for reading my ramblings and sticking with me for five whole years.

I love you all!

Blessed Be.

Reflections

This is coming from a bottle of wine or at least two thirds of it but I need to write it out. Just listen to me for a moment or keep reading I guess.

After some self-reflection, I want to write this apology out for everyone to read. I have not been a good friend or family member these last few years. I was chasing a black butterfly named adventure and it took me so far away from everyone I love and care about. The fun I had now feels like a mask for all the lonely days and nights when the people around me had no clue who I was.

Now here I sit, alone, in the dark, trying to figure out what I was chasing in the first place. I feel like I threw away everything I valued and it may be too late to get those relationships back. I feel like I've put myself in a hole that I dug for myself while I was chasing that black butterfly.

I'm so sorry to all those people I wasn't there for. I'm sorry that I was to focused to see that you needed me, and that I needed you to keep me grounded. I should have listened to you when you told me that things weren't going to pan out the way I want them to.

I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you were making happy memories. I know now how much I missed just from looking at the pictures of you and other people with smiles so bright they out shine the sun. Why couldn't I be there too?

I'm so sorry that I lost touch with those of you who live in different cities and time zones. I'm sorry that I stopped writing letters and that I put so little effort into our conversations when we did have them.

I'm sorry that I pretended to be someone I'm not. I'm sorry that I thought you wouldn't like me if I wasn't some big adventure type with loads of stories. I should have been up front with you and let you see the real me, the one who stays up late writing stories of lives made of fiction and will only exist on paper.

I feel like a lost child. I want to hide under the table and cry but I know that this is just the wine talking and I that I will suppress these words again tomorrow.

I know that I'm doing life wrong. I know I'm making mistakes. I just don't know how to make it better and live life with the same smiles I see all over Facebook.

Maybe I've had my time. Maybe this is as good as it gets. Maybe I need to just lie in the bed I've made and find a new happy.

To all those people who I love and care about, who are reading this terrible post, I hope that your lives are happy and I wish you nothing but the best no matter who your friends are or who you love.

Blessed Be

Growing Up Is Hard

I'm back world!

I never left but that's okay because you didn't know either way.

I have officially been working for the cafe for a month now and I'm still happy with it. I don't dread going in to work and I am really enjoying the company of the people I work with. They are good people and they make me happy.

Yay Friends!

In case some of these new friends are reading this for the first time, welcome to my blog. Read at your own peril or something like that. Don't worry it won't bite you.

It has been three weeks in the apartment and I am happy to say that I am settling in nicely. Noah on the other hand seems to like unpacking as much as he likes the idea of running ten miles in a thunderstorm...

We will eventually get this place in order though. It just takes a little motivation.

Motivation that I rarely have after working 8 hour shifts.

No, real world, stop. You're making me old!

So yeah, life is treating me alright. I'm working hard and paying the bills. Not much money left over for food when I'm done but we do what we can with what we have. which is why I bought a crock pot and damn it I'm excited to use it.

Though I've been thinking about this health food issue more lately.

Why is it that Americans in low income situations tend to be overweight?

It's because low income families can't afford the healthy food after they pay the bills and the parents or whoever is doing the cooking comes home exhausted after working long hours so they don't want to cook and "work" when they get home. That's why Mc Donald's and other fast food is getting their money. No one is cooking, it's cheap, and it's fast.

If we want to be a healthier nation, they are going to have to do something about poverty first.

I'm sorry, you know I'm not politically active and you know that I don't usually write stuff like this but being in this situation makes me think about these debates. Why are rich people, who have never gone hungry in their lives, deciding how much people should be allowed to have in food stamps or whatever other money they are getting from the government? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Speaking of rich people making decisions though, I'd like to share with you a news story that hit my home town this week.

Program and Personnel Cut From Northern Michigan School

Rumor has it that not only are they going to cut the Chinese Immersion program, but the one high school teacher that they want to lay-off is the Spanish teacher. The one man who made my high school career something memorable. The one man who inspired me to be who I am today. The one man working so hard to keep that school on par with the rest of the state and the nation.

Laying him off would be the biggest mistake they could ever make.

I'm appalled that they would do this. I'm appalled at what they have done to the program that I helped create, the program that was designed (if done as it was outlined) to bring in both students and government funding to the school district. In their world apparently, sports are more important than education. No wonder I was the first kid from Farwell to be an exchange student, no one else can see past the state of Michigan.

They don't see how they are going to crush down so many good things that could have happened for that group of kids in the immersion program. They don't realize what having a second language can do for someone, the opportunities that a bilingual has, because they just took that option away from those kids and I am very sorry that it came to that. I am very sorry that the school board is made of uncultured, small town, royalty who feel they need to keep the status-quo.

I could go on for a long time on this issue, but I won't bore you. Chime in with comments if you want though.

There is a group on Facebook now, which I created, for people interested in reading one of my novels and possibly giving me feedback. I don't have any restrictions on who can see the group but if you would like to be invited please let me know and I will add you to the list of members.

Okay, I think I'll just end on something new I want to start. Maybe you'll learn something new.

This day in history:

In 1943 in Argentina, Juan Peron took part in the military coup that overthrew Ramon Castillo. He is most know for his second wife Eva Duarte known as Evita. June 4, 1946 he began his first term as president.  He was elected two more times making him president until September 21, 1955 when he was overthrown.

Born on this day in 1738, George William Frederick, later known as George III, King of England. Early in his reign, Great Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War, making England the dominant European power in North America and India. His reign later lost the American colonies to the Revolutionary War and he could not defeat Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

As always,

Blessed Be

The Adventure Has Arrived!

Alright people,
Please make sure that seatbacks and tray tables are in their upright and locked position and carry-on luggage is stowed in the overhead locker or underneath a seat prior to takeoff.

This is going to be a good one.

I have an announcement to make but I'm not going to make it until I have no other options... I like to make you read or at least skim through the whole thing before you get to the juicy bits.

I'm having a good week. 

Yes, its only Wednesday but I can be optimistic.

I've been working hard and I'm having fun doing it. I'll get to that part, just hold your horses.

The sun is out, the heat is turned on and I think we may finally have the start of summer. 

I broke out the shorts today since it was 81 degrees or at least that was what my phone told me it was... It could be wrong. 

Either way it was hot out and I liked it!

On the television is Anthony Bourdain (my idol) and he's in Spain. I have it paused so that I don't miss the bullfight while I write this blog. It made me think of fun times with good friends and even better food. I met someone today who speaks Spanish and is hoping to get a group of people together who also speak Spanish. It could be lots of fun. I miss being able to let the Spanish roll off my tongue and honestly, I'm probably already getting rusty because of not using it in a while. 

I miss the pastelerias and cafes too. I miss being able to sit down with a cup of coffee at a table that looks out at a plaza with all the people gathering and socializing before me. Maybe doing a little socializing of my own... I miss European culture. I miss it a lot.

Speaking of Europe, I'm listening to Muse. They used to be my favorite and I haven't listened to them in a while. It makes me think of friends and high school... wow I'm old. Hayley, if you're reading this, I miss talking to you. I miss reading your poems and the parts of stories you wrote. I miss going to your shows too because you're an amazing musician!

Ok, ok, enough of the past, you want to know about the adventure.

Well too bad. 

You're going to have to keep reading.

Last weekend was pretty bittersweet. 

I was sad that I didn't get to go to Cassi's graduation like I wanted to. I had so hoped to be there to give her a big hug and tell her congratulations... oh and yell really loud when they read off her name. Someone had to be the one to embarrass her, but it wasn't me and I'm sorry that it wasn't.

That night in Lima was pretty awesome though.

Noah and I went to see one of our favorite "local" bands by the name of Lemon Sky. You can look them up on Facebook and YouTube if you're interested in good music. I know Zac has played them on his radio show. 

Anyway, they were playing at a little (and I really mean tiny) bar which is incidentally being torn down by the city of Lima... The city wants to tear down the historical old building and build something new in its place which means that the bar and the other shops and anyone who may have lived there have to leave.

Saturday night was the last night that Avalon Bar in the Square of downtown Lima was open. The owners are hoping to open in a new building but they haven't been able to find a suitable place to set up shop yet. 

Noah and I were there until close talking with the band members of Lemon Sky and the owners. All great people by the way. I really hope that they are able to make something from this sad business of tearing down history.

I guess that's America for you...

Last week I told everyone that Roger's Jewelers wanted to hire me. That wasn't a lie, so don't freak out. They did want to hire me but they didn't want me to start until the end of the month. It was kind of ridiculous. I was a little disappointed when I got the news. I was even frustrated with them because the store manager didn't call on the day she said she would and she didn't have a schedule made up when I finally did talk to her after calling the store a few times just to get through to her. I don't think they thought the whole hiring thing through to be honest.

So I turned them down, but I didn't do it right away. 

Friday morning, I got a call from a cafe in the downtown part of Lima. I had interviewed with them on Tuesday and I thought that it went over well. The call was one of the managers asking me if I would be interested in working for them full time starting Monday. After the disappointment of the jewelry store I was ecstatic about the opportunity to work at the cafe and even more so to have a full time job.

Monday morning at 6:30 am I started working for The Meeting Place. Click on the link if you want to know more about the place. It's pretty awesome and they serve really yummy foods and coffee drinks. Not to mention the baked goods and gluten-free products. I think there is a menu on their website so you don't have to take my word for it.

Today, they had me basically running the kitchen. I'm not as fast as the others but I got a lot of compliments and had a good go of it. I messed up a time or two but they weren't huge mistakes so I'm feeling pretty confident about what I'm doing. I'm determined to get better as I go and I'm excited to see where I can get to.

Monday afternoon, after I got out of work, Noah and I went to walk-through an apartment. We've been looking these past few weeks and were shocked by what landlords passed off as apartments. The places were not great and we were not happy. I think I posted before about someone getting to the one we actually did like before us too, so you can see the build up I'm making...

This apartment was clean though. It was decently spacious for a one bedroom apartment, there wasn't any water damage, the roof wasn't sagging, the floor was level, the appliances weren't scary, and there were a good amount of windows. 

We got an application form that night.

Today, we met with the landlady (who is very nice) and went over the application and answered some questions we had. After that was all done she had a few questions of her own then she offered us the place.

We close on Monday!!!

We have a place of our own!

I'm so excited that I sang all the way back.

We're both excited. It is going to make a great place for us and I think that I'm ready for the adventure of having my own place and not feeling awkward when I go cook one of my creations. 

We'll have to find a few pieces of furniture but it's garage sale season so our timing is pretty perfect. 

If  you have any of the following please let me know.

One small sofa/love seat 
One small dinning table and chairs
An entertainment center
A coffee table (optional)
Pots and Pans
Kitchen Utensils



So now you know the news and you are free to roam about as you please.

Wish me luck on my adventure, it's going to be interesting. 

That's for sure.





And as always,


Blessed Be