A Peek at Karen's World

Smile

2012-05-25T12:50:00.001-07:00

It's funny how sometimes we don't notice our good moods until someone else points them out.

Does that happen to anyone else?

Just me?

Whatever.

It happened this morning.

My weekly therapy sessions with the Best Therapist Ever--

(No, not Dr. Phil.)

(Not Ben & Jerry either.)

--happen every Friday morning. Since January I've only missed one week and it was because I was at the cemetery saying good bye to my grandmother.

It's amazing how well you can get to know someone when you see them every week for four months. And that's the case with him. It's gotten to the point where I can anticipate what he's going to say about most things. Right down to exactly the way he will say it. And I'm pretty sure he'd say the same about me, too.

But this morning, something a little different happened.

I'd been talking about some of the downright sucky things that have happened lately:

Grandma

family drama

car wreck #1

car wreck #2

losing my debit card

changes in ward boundaries that put me in a different ward from most of my friends

(and my bishop)

finding out the other guy's car insurance won't cover wreck #2

shoulder injury

etc, etc, etc

There was a little bit of a lull in the conversation that usually indicates it's time to switch topics. So he asked me a fairly benign question.

"What are your thoughts lately on depression?"

I thought for a minute and then said, "Honestly, I haven't had much time to think about it. I've been too busy."

And then he pointed out that while I was describing all the lameness that has been the month of May, I had a smile on my face and never once acted like the sky was falling or my world was caving in.

"I don't think you've been too busy to think about depression," he said. "I think you're learning how to take things as they come. How to handle them. And you're doing it in a healthy way."

It's weird. I hadn't even noticed that I was smiling. Or that I had stopped wallowing.

It just came on so gradually that I never saw it until it was pointed out.

He went on to say that he noticed the difference as soon as I walked through the door this morning. Which is funny because it's not like this has been a spectacular week.

(Although I really am digging that Malibu...)

It looks like maybe it's finally happening. Maybe I've finally turned a corner on this latest round of depression. I know I'm not "cured" obviously. But getting better. And hopefully I can stay this way for awhile.

Have an awesome three-day weekend. I plan to spend it doing nothing responsible or boring. This girl's having some fun!

PS: Starting next Friday, I'm bringing back the Flashback Fridays link up for the summer. It's so much fun to go back and look at long-forgotten posts. I'd love it if you'd join in!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Instagram Wednesday: The Ride

2012-05-23T07:20:00.002-07:00

The rental car company didn't want to let me have a car since I sorta kinda don't have any credit cards and I had to report my debit car lost last week and am still waiting for the replacement.

I asked an English professor friend of mine if it's ironic that I couldn't get a rental car without my debit card when the reason I need a rental car is because I lost my debit card. He said it's not ironic, just bad luck.

(It's also kind of a long story that I'm going to tell just as soon as things get finished up with the insurance company.)

Anyway, some arrangements and approvals were made by the manager and I'm now cruising around town in a practically brand new Chevy Malibu. It's pretty and clean and roomy. And it doesn't get nearly as good of gas mileage as my dear Smurfette.

Oh well. It's temporary. And since I have to drive a substitute car, it may as well be something fun!

(Of course, the free upgrade didn't hurt.)

If you've got an Instragram/Wordless Wednesday/iPhone Photo or other photo-centric post today, link up and share!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Fair Karma, How Have I Offended Thee?

2012-05-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

You know that saying, "When it rains, it pours"?

I'm standing right in the middle of a flood.

It's been one hell of a month already and I'm more than a little nervous as I look at the calendar and realize there are still ten days left until June.

First there was my grandmother's passing. Which actually happened at the end of April, but the services and family drama came in May.

I was sideswiped on the freeway and the left side of my car was looking a little ugly and my mirror was destroyed.

My doctor decided to send me back to the orthopedic surgeon since my wrist and hand are getting worse instead of better. Apparently that shouldn't be happening more than a year after a fracture and surgery.

And then, last Thursday, this happened:

I'm not sure how much I can say since I'm in the middle of dealing with insurance companies and police reports and stuff.

But I will say that the other guy was a teenager and didn't have a license.

And my shoulder was slightly dislocated in the collision.

And part of that side panel is sitting on my tire, rendering my car undriveable.

As Melanie Jacobson said on Facebook, something has GOT to break my way soon. Because I honestly don't know how much more I can take.

And I really don't want to find out.

Be assured, I'm okay. I'm in pain and trying to deal with that and I'm unhappy about being temporarily without transportation, but really, it could have been so much worse. No one had to be carted away by ambulance and both vehicles were insured.

This just really sucks.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Instagram Wednesday: Sister Time

2012-05-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

I was trying to figure out what to post today.

And then I remembered that it's Wednesday. Which means it's Instagram Wednesday.

So I looked at all the threes of pictures I took this week on Instagram and thought, I really need to take more pictures.

Which seems to be a thought I have EVERY week.

One of these days I might actually start doing it...

Anyway. Saturday we had a family party at my aunt's house. A reunion type party. And it was awesome. Except you wouldn't know that by scrolling through my camera because I managed to not take a single photo of the awesomeness of my family.

(This is NOT the side of the family that stirred up all that drama around my grandmother's funeral a couple of weeks ago.)

So I don't really have any pictures of the reunion. Except this one. My sister hates it, but it makes me smile. I stole her phone and downloaded Instagram for her and made her sign up. And she pretty much loves it now. But I had to show her the ropes, so I took this quick pic of her:

And that's when I realized that Instagram needs some kind of red eye correcting option.

(Hey, Mark Zuckerberg. Now that you own Instagram, can you get working on that??)

So this is my big Instagram offering today. And if you'd like to follow my darling little sister, you can find her at epete32. If you're interested in following the frolicking summer adventures of a soon-to-be-college sophomore who is most decidedly NOT wild.

And if you have an Instagram/Wordless Wednesday/other photo-rific post to share, link up!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

In Memoriam: The Cancelled Shows of 2012

2012-05-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

The television landscape is going to look dramatically different this fall.

Last week, I received update after dreaded update as one series after another was axed by its network.

For an example of the bloodbath that happened in executive boardrooms, ABC is only keeping 7 shows. SEVEN. And four of them are comedies. That's a lot of prime time programming slots to fill.

Year after year, there's always a favorite or two that reach the end of the road. But there are many more that just don't perform to the expectations of the people that decisions about what we're going to watch.

This post is in memory of all the shows I loved this year that have, for one reason or another, aired their final episodes. It's a pretty sad list.

I mean, the list makes me sad. The shows themselves weren't sad. Mostly. Although some of them were sad in that sarcastic way that really means pathetic and awful.

Whatever. Okay. Here we go:

Awake, NBC

I only watched the first two episodes, but I liked where it was headed and thought I might catch up. I guess not.

The River, ABC

This series, from the ~~crazy~~ guy behind the Paranormal Activity movies was off to a very slow start. But after the first few episodes, I was really into it and I'm disappointed I never got to see the finale.

Terra Nova, Fox

Honestly, I watched this because it was the only thing on Mondays at 8pm that didn't bore or annoy me. But toward the end it started to get pretty good and I was actually hoping for a Season 2. Oh well.

Ringer, CW

Other than the fact that the characters never could decide whether to pronounce it "SioBhan" or "SioVhan", this was a pretty good series that had a lot of potential. Too bad.

CSI: Miami, CBS

I knew CBS was planning to cancel a CSI series this year, but I really didn't think it would be Miami. Which, coincidentally, was the only one I ever watched with any consistency. It's been a couple of seasons, but I used to watch it every week and always liked it. But now it's over. Crazy.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ABC

When it moved to Friday nights a few months ago, I knew its days were numbered. And it's certainly run its course. There are only so many stories you can tell. Especially when there are a heck of a lot of deserving families. But the best thing about this show wasn't the new houses and the fancy gadgets. It was that service was put into the prime time spotlight. And a lot of great causes and organizations got some deserved and needed attention.

GCB, ABC

I'm surprised and disappointed that GCB has been cancelled, and so quickly. While it wasn't without its issues, I kind of loved it. Funny and delightful and full of Kristin Chenoweth, I'm actually going to miss this show in the fall.

A Gifted Man, CBS

I knew it was unlikely this Patrick Wilson series would get a second season pickup, and it wasn't that big of a surprise. Although the premise was good and the cast was awesome, there were some pacing and writing problems that just never seemed to get worked out. I will definitely miss Patrick being on my TV every week, though.

Chuck, NBC

For five years, I was pleasantly surprised every time Chuck got renewed. One of the things that made it awesome was that the showrunners always expected early cancellation, so they held nothing back. Crazy storylines full of imagination and the most outrageous situations made this one of the...uh...funnest shows on TV. Plus, I pretty much love anything with Adam Baldwin in the cast. He makes everything better.

One Tree Hill, CW

I'm pretty sure I've seen every single episode of One Tree Hill ever. It had its ups and downs and I was one of those that thought the show would never survive once power couple Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Peyton (Hillary Burton) split. But it survived and thrived and ended when it needed to, but also left me wanting more. I loved the dialogue and the characters, but most of all I loved the town of Tree Hill. I want to live there.

Desperate Housewives, ABC

I remember when the promos first started airing for this new Teri Hatcher series. It looked bad. Really, really bad. On the night of the premier, there was nothing else on TV, so when Extreme Home Makeover was over and Desperate Housewives started, I didn't change the channel. And I'm so glad I didn't. For 8 years I laughed and cried and fretted and speculated and loved it. Even through the not-as-good years. And though I think this show has run its course and it is a good time to say good bye, I'm going to miss the ladies (and men) of Wisteria Lane and think of them fondly from time to time.

The network slashings were pretty extensive this year. Here is the complete (so far) list of series that were cancelled or otherwise brought to an end in the 2011-2012 season:

Alcatraz (Fox)
Allen Gregory (Fox)
Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC)
Awake (NBC)
Best Friends Forever (NBC)
Bent (NBC)
Breaking In (Fox)
Charlie’s Angels (ABC)
Chuck (NBC)
CSI: Miami (CBS)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
The Finder (Fox)
The Firm (NBC)
Free Agents (NBC)
GCB (ABC)
A Gifted Man (CBS)
H8R (CW)
Harry’s Law (NBC)
House (Fox)
I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox)
Man Up! (ABC)
Missing (ABC)
Napoleon Dynamite (Fox)
NYC 22 (CBS)
One Tree Hill (CW)
Pan Am (ABC)
The Playboy Club (NBC)
Prime Suspect (NBC)
Remodeled (CW)
Ringer (CW)
The River (ABC)
Rob (CBS)
The Secret Circle (CW)
Terra Nova (Fox)
Unforgettable (CBS)
Work It (ABC)

Which of your favorites won't be coming back? And which ones are you glad to see disappear?

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Checking In: Project 52, Week of May 14

2012-05-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

Wow.

It's been quite an eventful couple of weeks.

There was a certain choir concert that was a smashing success. Barely more than 24 hours later, my grandmother passed away.

That was accompanied by funeral arranging and family drama and then followed up by a week of doing nothing more than going to work, pajamas by 6pm and restless sleep full of nightmares and stress dreams.

All that to say, I haven't crossed anything off my Project 52 list in a while and I'm really feeling it.

I miss that feeling of accomplishment.

And since my over-scheduled life has suddenly become shockingly unscheduled, I have all the time in the world (after 4:30pm Monday-Friday) to take that list and knock out a few things. Things like attending a singles' event and riding in a hot air balloon. And writing. There will be lots and lots of writing.

Last week when I was looking over my empty calendar, I wondered what I could possibly do with all that free time. And then I pulled up my list and smiled.

I've decided to use this time as the gift it is. Time for me. Time to make some changes and rediscover my priorities. And to do some things that I want to do just because I want to do them.

Starting now.

How have you been doing on Project 52? I'm sure you have lots of progress to report, so link up and share!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

How to Schedule Posts with the New Blogger Interface

2012-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

A number of my blogging friends have complained that scheduled posts aren't working since Blogger switched to the new Interface a couple of weeks ago.

I was initially thrown off because I've been using the "new" interface since September and just thought everyone else had too.

Apparently, not so much.

Anyway, I've had months to figure out how it all works. I'll admit there was a bit of a learning curve, but I honestly love this interface so much more than the old one. At least now that I'm used to it.

So here's a quick tutorial to help you get those scheduled posts working the way they're supposed to. Because it's really not as intuitive as the good folks at Blogger seem to think it is. But it is also very simple. Once you figure it out.

First, you're in a new post. It looks kind of like this:

Except hopefully yours has more writing on it. Otherwise that will be a REALLY boring blog.

So you write your post and then you click "Schedule."

Which will give you something that looks like this:

I'm sure most of you have at least gotten to this step. So you choose the date and time you want your post to automatically publish. And then you click "Done."

Except that you're not actually done.

Which is where Blogger kind of got it a little bit wrong.

Nope. There's one more step.

I know what you're thinking.

You don't want to hit "Publish" because you don't want to publish the post right now. You want to schedule it.

And you're sort of right. Except that you're not. Because you DO want to Publish your post. At the date and time you scheduled it for on the sidebar.

So you click "Publish" and VOILA! You have successfully scheduled your post.

I hope that helps!

PS: I am catching up on all the posts I've missed in the last two-ish weeks. I started Monday with 420 unread posts. I'm not commenting on all of them, mostly because I feel like I'm late to the party or something. But I am reading every single last one of them. And I just wanted you to know.

PPS: Thank you for the warm thoughts and wishes and prayers for my family in light of my grandmother's passing. I love and appreciate each and every one of you.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

A Beautiful Sight

2012-05-09T07:55:00.001-07:00

It feels strangely disrespectful to write about anything besides my grandmother's passing right now, and there are plenty of things I have left to say on the topic. Some anecdotes about her disease. Some family drama that accompanied the funeral.

(Although my brother would prefer I didn't share that on the blog.)

(But he DID acknowledge that it's not libel if it's true, so there's that...)

Anyway, I tried to take several different photos throughout the week. The beautiful funeral flowers. The creepiness of watching them dig her grave 20 minutes before the internment.

(Yeah. That happened.)

But I decided to heck with all of that for now, because yesterday something Very Exciting happened in my house.

We have officially ditched Dish Network and are experiencing the joys of AT&T U-Verse.

The getting started wasn't without its own bits of drama. And the connection to the main TV is apparently not so awesome. But I'm loving it. On Demand. Watching one thing and recording another. Showtime. Which means Dexter.

It's a bright spot in a not-so-great week.

So did you take any pictures this week that made you smile? Link up and share!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Grandma

2012-05-08T11:30:00.003-07:00

The first moment when I really felt the routine was changed forever came this morning as I was getting ready for work.

It's Tuesday, you see. And every Tuesday morning for I-don't-remember-how-long I've been packing a bag to stay overnight at my mom's house. I go there after work to take care of my ailing grandmother so that my mom and step-dad can get out of the house for a few hours.

Only, this morning there was no bag to pack.

There will be no staying with Grandma tonight.

In the very early morning of Sunday, April 29, my grandmother took her final breath and quietly left this world to move onto the next.

After nearly five years of hospice and four days of round-the-clock care, my mother and I were at her bedside when it happened. It was a peaceful, perfect moment and I will forever be grateful to have been there.

We've waited for this a long time. Grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer's some 12 years ago. That's a disease fraught with challenges (and occasional hilarity) and watching my grandmother go through the span of the disease was difficult. Often painful. And I have prayed countless times for the end of her entrapment in a useless body. Prayed for her happy reunion with my grandfather, who also died of Alzheimer's in 2003.

We've waited for this for a long time.

But then the time came.

At her funeral on Thursday, my brother Marc said it best, I think. This outcome was eventual. We knew it would happen. But the finality came so quickly that we were all left in a bit of shock. And sadness.

I'm happy that my grandmother's suffering has ended. That she has moved on. And I have faith that she is surrounded by family and friends who have gone before her.

But I miss her.

And I miss our routine.

And I look forward to the day when I will see her again.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

What a Week...

2012-05-02T08:30:00.001-07:00

I thought it might be fun to start using Instagram Wednesdays as a way to chronicle life from week to week.

Except then I realized I don't use it THAT much. Plus my life is kinda boring.

So I don't know. But here's a little bit of what happened in my world this week:

I was sideswiped on the freeway. That's not just a reflection.

The whole side of my car is banged up.

I joined OCMCO earlier this year and our Spring concert was Friday night.

It was awesome and we sounded amazing.

In spite of me, rather than because of me.

I house sat for my friend Stacey and got to hang out with her dog.

Who could resist this face? It's, like, not even fair how cute he is.

My friend Shawna is moving away this weekend (sad face!) and

we had a farewell for her the other night. It got pretty wild and I

finally figured out how to cover up that ugly scar of mine.

Honestly, there was a LOT more to my week than this, but I'm not really ready to talk about it yet. These are just the highlights. If you can call having your car smashed on a freeway and realizing you were inches from being seriously maimed a "highlight."

So what have you been up to this week? Any fun photos to share?? Link up!

Also, if you're on Instagram and Emily and I aren't following you yet, please leave us your name and we'll look for you.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

WXYZ

2012-05-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

So I didn't quite make it through to the end of the A to Z Challenge. It's been a whirlwind of a few days.

Or maybe more of a tornado.

To those of you that have come along because of the Challenge, I look forward to getting to know you better and finally having some time to get around to your blogs.

I was reminded yesterday that I never announced the winner of my Luffa Giveaway.

The winner was #2, CodynStacey!

I'm sorry you couldn't all be winners, of course. Someday when I'm a billionaire, I'll have the most amazing blog giveaway in the history of ever. But for now, congratulations to Stacey. No need to send me your address. I'm pretty sure I've got it somewhere...

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Vicious

2012-04-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

It was brought to my attention last week that a lot of folks don't know what Instagram is. My apologies for assuming that everyone knew about it.

In a nutshell, Instagram is a free app for iPhone and Android users that lets you take photos with your phone, add fun filters and then share them. It's along the lines of Twitter or Facebook, except you're sharing photos instead of status updates.

I'm really having a great time with it. Totally addicting.

And this being Instagram Wednesday, as well as "V" Day on the A to Z Challenge, I took this pic last night of my mom's...uh...vicious Australian something-or-other Hound-of-some-sort, Patches:

Yes, she's a fearsome one. I particularly like the glowing eye of Satan she's got going on there.

Do you have an Instagram Wednesday/Wordless Wednesday/Other Photo post to share? Link up!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Ultimate Marvel Marathon

2012-04-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, I am.

My ticket is purchased. My vacation day is arranged.

Next Thursday, I'm spending the whole day at the movies.

And I can't wait.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Still Tired

2012-04-23T00:30:00.000-07:00

I've been tired for as long as I can remember.

And the answer has always been pretty much the same.

You're too busy.

Slow down.

Take a break once in awhile.

You know what? I've done that.

When I look at the schedule I was keeping a year or so ago with meetings and visitings and an endless stream of phone calls and responsibilities, sometimes I wonder how I ever managed.

Up at 5am and out of the house by 6 (on the days I was on time). Working all day, helping students, running from one meeting to another and commuting. On the days when I did nothing but get up, go to work and come home, I was out of the house a minimum of 12 hours.

Okay, that part hasn't really changed.

But most days I didn't go straight home. Because I had Job's Daughters and church activities and went to the gym and helped out with Grandma and hardly ever saw my bed before midnight. Even on the weekends I was frequently out of the house from early until late and was lucky to even get a Sunday nap.

And little by little, so many of those things that kept me so busy have disappeared.

My Job's Daughters bethel was closed down.

I was released from my church calling.

My friends started having babies left and right.

These days, the only things keeping me away from home besides my job are my choir (which performs this Friday and then is over for the summer) and Grandma-sitting once a week. Which basically involves feeding Grandma dinner and then sitting around watching TV and being attacked by puppies all night.

Yeah, that's a rough gig.

Here's the thing.

I'm still exhausted.

Every bit as exhausted as when I was busy.

I go to sleep and wake up feeling as though I've had no rest at all. I take naps on the weekends. I relax. I rest. I read. I do all sorts of restful things and yet I feel just as exhausted as I did when I was running from one place to the next with hardly a break in between.

And this isn't lazy, I've-been-sitting-around-and-now-I-have-no-motivation tired. It's not groggy, I've-been-sleeping-too-much-and-now-my-brain-doesn't-remember-how-to-function tired.

I'm just tired.

All the time.

Yes, I've tried exercise. That makes it worse.

Yes, I've been improving my diet. Which makes me feel better in some ways, I'll admit. But it's done nothing for my energy level.

I'm at a loss here.

All I know is that this just can't go on. Because I feel like I'm starting to lose it.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Rascal Flatts: Changed

2012-04-20T13:21:00.001-07:00

I used to listen almost exclusively to country music.

Much to the chagrin of my brother, a few friends, and everyone who was forced to ride in my car.

Over the years, my tastes in nearly everything have evolved, as they do with most people and I've gradually found myself listening to country music much less frequently. Or almost never, if I'm being completely honest.

Somewhere along the way, the fun melodies and great lyrics of my favorites from the 90s gave way to cheesy lines from singers that looked and sounded all alike.

But one band I've always liked is Rascal Flatts.

Which is why, when I got the chance to review their latest album, CHANGED, I was excited. I've always enjoyed their sound that is somewhere between country and pop and reminds me of the music I used to love in high school.

When the CD arrived in the mail, I hurried to listen to it although I was suddenly a little apprehensive as I almost always am the first time I listen to new music from a performer I already love. What if this isn't as good as the last? What if their sound has changed? What if this album isn't any good?

My concerns were immediately banished, though. I LOVE this album.

Do I love every single track? Almost. There's one I really could do without, although it's exactly the type of song that will become a hit single and repeated listenings will have me singing along eventually. But one track out of 15 is pretty darned good because I really do love the rest.

I wanted to share one of the songs from the new album, but they don't seem to have any official videos yet and I just didn't feel like posting a fan video. So I'm not going to. Sorry.

But just know that if you like Rascal Flatts, or if you don't hate country music, you will enjoy CHANGED. It's a great mix of upbeat rhythms and slow ballads and exactly the kind of new music I was looking for without even knowing it.

**My thanks to the One2One Network for providing a copy of the CD for review. No other compensation was received and if I really didn't like this CD I would have said so.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Quake

2012-04-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

"There's going to be an earthquake tomorrow," I told my mom.

She was in the small kitchen of our suburban house, preparing dinner. I was a 10-year-old 6th grader who had never experienced an earthquake before and, therefore, had no idea what I was talking about.

Perhaps we had recently had an earthquake drill at school. Or maybe we had been talking about safety and preparedness.

For some reason, earthquakes were on my mind and so I stood there, my bare feet on the linoleum, and insisted that there would be an earthquake the next day. When my mom asked where that had come from, I simply told her I could feel it in the floor.

Because that should have been perfectly obvious.

She shrugged her shoulders and finished cooking dinner. To her credit, she didn't even look at me like I was crazy. Because my mom loves me.

The next morning, I got on the bus for school because it was just an average Thursday. Everything seemed normal until the bus arrived and chaos had broken out at the middle school. Students and teachers were running everywhere, screaming as if the zombie apocalypse had already started. I didn't want to get off the bus for fear of being attacked by zombies or trampled from the crowds of 7th and 8th graders. Plus I'm pretty sure we had a math test that day that I hadn't studied for. There were a lot of reasons to stay on the bus.

We didn't end up having a math test that day, but not because of zombies. It was because of the earthquake.

That I had predicted the day before.

And I STILL didn't know what an earthquake felt like because I'd been on a big, clunky bus instead of panicking with my classmates.

I know. Totally lame.

So I went off to my class all pouty because I had missed all the excitement and because the buildings hadn't even fallen down like they had ~~promised~~ ~~threatened~~ warned us could happen in all those earthquake drills we'd been having since kindergarten.

But we didn't have to take that dreaded math test, so the day wasn't a total loss.

My teacher did an admirable job of keeping everyone calm. Everyone else, I mean. I was already plenty calm because I'd already known we were going to have an earthquake anyway.

The bell rang and school officially started, but, of course, all anyone could talk about was the fact that WE HAD ALMOST BEEN KILLED by all the buildings that didn't collapse and the gigantic hole that hadn't opened up in the middle of the baseball field.

Mr. Benson tried to get us to focus on school work when all of a sudden we were all on a big roller coaster and the floor started moving up and down.

It was awesome.

And apparently I was experiencing my first earthquake.

Although it was technically an aftershock.

Still, it was awesome.

But then I started thinking about my cat, Fluffy, who was at home all alone and probably getting smooshed by our roof that had most likely fallen down on top of her. So even though I was excited about finally knowing why we had to hide under our desks when the ground started shaking, I was sad because I knew I'd have to go home that afternoon and search through a pile of rubble to find my dead cat.

Of course, the epicenter was miles away and the only collapse at our house was a pile of clothes that had been perched precariously on the edge of a chair. It took awhile to find the cat, though. Because apparently she was, in fact, a fraidy cat and scared of everything. She was hiding under the bed, which is really not a good place to hide in an earthquake, but she hadn't been to all those preparedness lectures I'd had to go to, so I couldn't really be mad at her for not knowing that.

Thankfully, we all survived the day, which was a good thing. Except I'm pretty sure I freaked out my mom by turning out to be psychic.

Too bad. We totally could have cashed in on that psychic stuff.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Photos are Fun!

2012-04-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Remember awhile back when I was all like "I need to take more pictures" and I promised I was going to try to do more of that?

Well, Instagram made it a little bit easier last week when they finally decided to stop discriminating against Android users and making their app available for those of us that are using non-iPhones because our wireless carriers waited too long to start making the iPhone an option.

And I downloaded it within about 10 seconds of finding out that Instagram was available for Android. Like, had to go online because I downloaded it before it was even available in the Android Market.

(Which reminds me: Why did they rename the Android Market "Google Play"? That's kind of a dumb name if you ask me, which obviously no one did or it wouldn't have been called that.)

Anyway, about 10 seconds after I downloaded Instagram, my good friend Emily asked if I want to start co-hosting her weekly Instagram Wednesdays blog hop. And I thought, heck yes I do!

And so, Emily and I are now co-hosting this weekly blog hop and this is my first official post.

I shared this photo yesterday on Instagram and immediately realized something:

The flash on my phone camera is really bright.

Also, I apparently need to clean the fingerprints off my Nook once in awhile cuz that looks nasty.

Oh, and this book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened by The Bloggess? One of the funniest things I've read in a very, very long time. Or possibly ever. In fact, I downloaded it at 8am yesterday morning and will probably have finished reading it before you finish reading this post. I've read some unputdownable books in my time, but this is the book they invented that word for. Seriously.

You need to read it. As long as you're okay with swearing and taxidermy and vaginas.

And the whole second half of this post officially has nothing to do with Instagram Wednesdays. Oh well! I'm actually writing this late Tuesday night and I am medicated and really want to get back to finishing Jenny's book.

Wanna play along?

Link up your Instagram/iPhone/Wordless Wednesday post below!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Orange Groves

2012-04-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

The blossoms erupted overnight.

One day, there was nothing but a sea of green. The next, tiny white buds had appeared everywhere.

I rolled down the window, inhaling deeply from the scent of orange blossoms that filled the air. And I smiled.

It's funny. I live in Orange County, a place once renowned for miles of orange groves and trees that stretched nearly to the shore. But I never see them near home. Not anymore. Now my neighborhood is surrounded by neighborhoods. And an occasional shopping center. And Disneyland.

But I drive 60 miles east every day to get to work. And every morning, as I climb the last hill before arriving on campus, I pass acres of orange groves. Beautiful, fragrant and abundant.

Yesterday afternoon, I stopped and bought a bag of oranges from a man sitting on the side of the road. For $2 he handed me a bag so heavy I nearly couldn't lift it. This morning, I peeled one and took a bite. It was the sweetest, most perfect orange I've ever eaten.

There are just some things you can't buy in a store.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Netflix

2012-04-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

I joined Netflix in 2006 after my brother ~~harassed~~ convinced me that it was super awesome.

Within minutes of receiving my first disc, I decided it WAS indeed super awesome. Maybe even the Best Thing Ever.

A whole new world of home entertainment had been opened up to me. Thousands of movies available with just a click of the mouse and a day or two of waiting by the mailbox.

Over the years, I've watched hundreds of movies through Netflix. Both online and getting discs in the mail. I was annoyed last year when they raised the fees so high, but I wasn't upset enough to cancel my membership or anything over it. It's still a pretty darned good deal.

Except that I am just not watching DVDs that often anymore. It's to the point where I often have a Netflix movie for a couple of weeks before I get around to it.

Yet, I just can't seem to quit Netflix. I love it so.

Which is why I made the goal to watch 30 Netflix movies this year. I'm trying to convince myself that it's still worth it. And if I can't get around to watching 30 movies in the whole year, then it's just not worth it anymore. Especially not when Redbox has become so ubiquitous and convenient.

But Netflix has documentaries and TV shows and movies you can't find anywhere.

I love it.

Or rather, I love the idea of it.

I'm still working on remembering how much I love it.

Because this is getting to be expensive.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Movies I Can't Wait For...

2012-04-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

I love movies. I think y'all know that by now.

And summer movie season is one of my very favorite things.

So here are a few movies that have me counting the DAYS until summer vacation:

MAY:

Marvel Studios: May 4, 2012

Warner Bros: May 11, 2012

Columbia Picutres: May 25, 2012

JUNE:

Universal Pictures: June 1, 2012

20th Century Fox: June 8, 2012

New Line Cinema: June 15, 2012

20th Century Fox: June 22, 2012

JULY:

Warner Bros: July 20, 2012

As far as I'm concerned, summer blockbuster season ends with The Dark Knight Rises. After that, nothing else really matters.

I know there are a few big movies that didn't make this list. Like The Amazing Spider-Man. That's not because I forgot about them. It's because I still haven't decided how I feel about them. Especially Spider-Man. I thought the Tobey Maguire movies were just fine. Well, except that third one, which I prefer to pretend never existed.

The thing is, there are some spectacularly great writers and filmmakers out there with amazing and original stories. I'm sick of the studios remaking the same things over and over again instead of giving us something new to fall in love with.

Except Batman. I'm really glad the studios greenlit that one...

So which movies are YOU excited to see??

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Luffa Farm

2012-04-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that part of my Spring Break included a tour at the Luffa Farm.

I've been driving past The Luffa Farm for years whenever visiting the grandparents or staying at their house, but I hadn't ever stopped to see what it was all about.

But over Spring Break, I was looking for interesting things to do and decided that I would finally pay them a visit.

This particular farm is one of very few of its kind and has been in operation for about twenty years, offering free tours to passersby.

How can you say no to a free tour?

I was greeted in the parking lot by a very nice young man named Joseph--

(At least, I *think* it was Joseph, but it's been a month now and I'm not entirely sure. It might very well be Andy or Thomas or...well, I'm just going to keep calling him Joseph.)

--who welcomed me warmly and started the tour by showing me the difference between regular, hard, itchy, dry luffas, and the ones grown right here at the Luffa Farm.

You could already see the difference by looking at them, but when I took them in my hands, I audibly gasped.

The luffas grown here were soft. And nice. And didn't feel like they would scrape off three layers of skin in one fell swoop.

I couldn't wait to see how they were grown.

So when Joseph took me into the greenhouse, I was shocked.

Did you know luffas aren't actually sponges and don't come from the ocean?

They are gourds that grow on vines. In dirt.

Luffas grow from seeds, and these particular plants all come from Egyptian luffa seeds and the plants will continue to bloom and produce all year long.

The young gourds start out green, and gradually turn brown as they dry and become ready to be harvested.

When harvested, the crispy outer shell is removed to reveal the webbed "sponge" underneath.

It's quite a process, but what is left is a luffa that is soft and luxurious and leaves your skin feeling awesome.

I know, because I bought one.

Joseph also mentioned that because they are gourds, luffas are also edible, and that they are actually eaten in some countries. But he doesn't recommend it. I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, but that sounds...um...not like anything I'm anxious to experience.

I'm so glad I finally checked out the Luffa Farm, and I can't wait to go back in the summer when the vines are so full they actually bend the fences.

And you know what?

I am in the mood for a giveaway.

When I bought my very own luffa, I bought a little something for one of you, too.

The winner of this giveaway will receive a pack of two facial luffas from the "best of the crop."

You are going to love them.

To win, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me the very worst product you've ever used on your skin.

Okay, fine. You only have to leave a comment. I'll count everyone who does. But I'd really love it if you'd share some of your worst product stories because I know we ALL have them. And sharing is fun.

This giveaway will stay open until next Friday, April 20th at 11:59 PDT. And then I'll announce the winner sometime shortly after that. Good luck!

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Kind

2012-04-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

One afternoon in 6th grade, a visitor came to our class to do some sort of life-is-wonderful self-esteem building type activity. I don't really remember much of what we did. But I do remember one point in the presentation where she told us each to take a minute to think up a word that described us, but that also started with the first letter of our first name.

I drew a blank.

The only word I could think of was 'kangaroo' which wasn't an adjective and only described my propensity for wanting to punch people sometimes.

(Mostly my brother Marc when I couldn't convince him to do the dishes for me.)

(I know. I had a troubled childhood. Why do you think I'm in therapy?)

I was stuck and starting to panic. The stranger was going around the room asking my classmates for their words. They were coming up with things like Joyful and Happy and Good at Sports. I had nothing. I couldn't think of a single word in the entire dictionary that started with K. Besides Kangaroo.

It was almost my turn. In desperation, I looked around at the kids nearest me.

"I can't think of a word!" I whisper-yelled.

"Kind," Justin whispered back.

Justin and I had sort of been friends in 5th grade. Rather, he was nice after school on the bus and when walking home. But in 6th grade he constantly harassed me and often made me cry angry, ugly tears.

On this occasion, he made me cry in relief and gratitude.

I reported my word, "Kind," and was heaped with praise by the self-esteem lady and I silently thanked Justin for bailing me out.

It was an interesting moment. This boy who had become a nemesis, and who would become more and more so over the next two years of junior high, was, for just an instant, a friend again. A kind and thoughtful person who saved me from embarrassment and paid me a compliment at the same time.

He was kind.

I've reflected on that situation many times over the years. A situation in which I learned a valuable lesson about kindness. About helping someone, regardless of personal feelings. I'm not always kind, but I'm trying to be better every day. I hope that one day, 'kind' will be the first word people think of when they think of me.

It's much better than kangaroo.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Justice

2012-04-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

In the wake of Trayvon Martin's death, people have taken to the streets and social media outlets to declare their rage over the injustice of it all. From the fact he was shot in the first place to the fact that George Zimmerman, the shooter, has yet to be arrested and charged with murder.

Most of us have heard the story about the self-appointed neighborhood watch commander who chased down the 17-year-old boy and shot him, despite being told by a 9-1-1 operator to stay back. And most of us have heard the 9-1-1 recording where Zimmerman seems to have gone after the boy because of his race.

(Though, mysteriously, some of that racism talk seemed to let up after it was revealed that Zimmerman was not, in fact, white.)

Within a week of the first reports, the Trayvon Martin shooting became a national news story and everyone was talking about it. Everyone wanted justice. Because we all knew what happened. It was obvious that the police down in Florida had screwed it all up and let a killer go free.

(Wouldn't be the first time Florida has been accused of screwing something up.)

Rallies. Public outcry. Tweets by the millions.

And then Spike Lee (and a bunch of others) tweeted out an address so that people could let George Zimmerman know what they think of what he did.

Unfortunately, it was the wrong address and some poor old couple with a son whose name was *almost* George Zimmerman suddenly found themselves abandoning their home and sleeping in a hotel when reporters and protesters started ringing their doorbell.

It was around that time that I started to wonder what the heck was going on.

The District Attorney's office was investigating. And the Grand Jury might be looking into it, too.

George Zimmerman wasn't off the hook yet.

So why was everyone acting like he'd gotten away with murder?

And then it turned out that NBC had made a tiny editing mistake when they shared the 9-1-1 tape that "proved" Zimmerman's racism.

In the first version, Zimmerman apparently told the 9-1-1 operator: "This guy looks like he's up to no good...He looks black."

Only, it actually went more like this:

Zimmerman: "This guy looks like he's up to no good. Or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about."
Dispatcher: "OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?"
Zimmerman: "He looks black."

Obviously, NBC says they didn't mean anything by it and that it was just a mistake. But I know firsthand about the types of "mistakes" NBC makes when "reporting" the "news."

The problem now is that no one really knows what happened but everyone thinks they do.

And it's all suspicious, I'll grant you.

I'm not trying to say George Zimmerman was a hero here, or even that this was a tragic accident.

I'm saying that I don't know what happened because I wasn't there and I haven't interviewed any witnesses.

I'm saying that we need to step back and breathe a minute and let the District Attorney do his job.

We have a legal system in this country for a reason. Is it perfect? Of course not. No system run by men (and women) could ever be perfect. Sometimes the guilty are set free and sometimes the innocent are condemned. But most of the time, the system works pretty well. And it's the best we've got.

We can't be walking around as a bunch of vigilantes, exacting vengeance based on the partial truths and half statements from people who may or may not have been there. We can't be a society that sends out an address we think is real (whether it is or isn't) and encouraging people to do with that information how they see fit.

We need to give the system a chance to work. To give justice a chance to prevail.

Trayvon Martin deserves justice.

But George Zimmerman deserves justice, too.

I don't say that because I care about George Zimmerman. Honestly, I don't. I'll probably never meet him or anyone who knows him. But I do care about my friends. I care about my family. And if we allow average citizens to punish him, then the same can happen to anyone.

Every time we pledge allegiance to the flag, we are pledging allegiance to a country that believes in "justice for all."

I hope we can all remember that. Otherwise, we are lost.

UPDATED: George Zimmerman was charged today with second degree murder. Are you happy now?

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Instagram

2012-04-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

I wasn't avoiding it.

After all, Emily has been talking about it forever. And when she loves something that much, it's likely that I will love it too.

I just had to wait patiently until it was available on Android.

Which happened last week.

Yes, friends. I am now using Instagram.

And though, so far, I am barely using it more than Pinterest--

(Which is to say not a lot...)

--I kind of get what all the fuss is about. It's fun. It's easy. And it's much more tempting to remember to snap a quick photo when I'm out and about and see funny/adorable/strange things that demand attention.

Like I said, I'm just getting started. I think I've shared a grand total of zero-nine photos to date. But it's fun. And I'm glad it's on Android now.

Here are some of the pictures I've taken so far:

TOTALLY exciting, right? Can't wait to see more? Well, now you can follow me there, too. I'm KarenMPeterson. Cuz I'm super creative and stuff.

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!

Happenings, Project 52 Style

2012-04-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Greetings, friends!

I know I've been TERRIBLE with the Project 52 updates these past few weeks. Totally unreliable.

(If you're new here and don't know what this Project 52 thing is about, this link will help you.)

And I am not even going to apologize for it.

What can I say? I've been busy doing stuff. Living. Having...well, attempting to have fun and get out there and enjoy.

(It's a work in progress.)

While I haven't yet finished anything else from my list, I have been working away at it. And I'm pretty pleased with my progress. I'm doing all right at giving up soda a couple of days a week. I'm near the halfway point on my Disney excursions. And I'm working hard at convincing my brother to spend a day with me at the movies.

Oh, and I made it to my first Angels game of the season. One down, nine to go.

The Angels won. It was beautiful.

So how are you doing on Project 52 this week? Link up below and share!

(This linky is open for Project 52 participants only. Any links unrelated to Project 52 will be deleted. Thanks!)

You are awesome. And if you share this post, you'll be even awesomer!