My corner of the institution

The Reading Challenge...

2019-01-11T10:22:00.001-06:00

Last year I was late to the party, but this year I am ready to go. One of my goals for 2019 (other than trying to write more) is to read more. I had forgotten how much fun reading was.

In the past 10 years, I've read 387 books. That doesn't seem very impressive, but for someone that loathed reading and book reports as a kid, this is a big deal.

I should note that the reason I didn't like reading and book reports was that I dislike being told what to read.

When I lived out west, I was a book junkie. I didn't have much else to do, so I submerged myself in brainless entertaining books like romcoms, humor, and other things that would just entertain me. I wasn't necessarily asking to be enriched.

I read mostly print books, and then I got a Kindle and started reading e-books. I loved the fact that I could just download any book I wanted and boom - start reading. However fun, it was expensive. I did Prime, I did the Kindle club stuff, and I even just straight out bought books. I also did Audible for the long car trips. But, after a while, I realized that my hobby was expensive.

So, I got a library card from the Dodge City library. I would go check out books and try a few new things, and I realized how much fun it was to make a library trip. The smell of old books, and the quiet bliss of browsing for a new adventure. As much as I traveled, it was hard to read sometimes. I used the library quite often, so when I made the move to Lawrence, I decided to visit the library and get a new card.

Best. Thing. Ever.

For a while, I took in the quiet bliss of visiting the library with my tote bag and browsing the beautiful new building that Lawrencians were so proud of. But, it got more difficult to go and many times I'd settle for books rather than really be excited to read. It led to my reading slump. Adding in a more active social life, reading just kind of took a back seat.

This is a beautiful building that has an incredible group of people staffed.

I don't remember when, but I eventually realized that the Lawrence Public Library had a mobile app. Not one to shy away from technology I decided to give Libby a try (that's the app). When they say "there's an app for that" boy, do they mean it! I signed up for Libby and the companion Hoopla, and my book reading is finally out of the slump.

Not only have the apps helped my reading slump, but GoodReads has also helped me. It tracks what I read, and allows me to share thoughts about books, and rate them so others can check that out. They also have the reading challenge, which is something I'm most excited about.

I started the 2018 challenge late but put in all the books I read over the year. I had 27 books and they were all audiobooks thanks to the library app! This year I went low and challenged myself to 10 books. I know, I know, go higher! I want to set achievable goals! Besides, I like going over my goal.

Not only am I challenging myself to "10 books" I'm also going to challenge myself to expand the type of books I read. I still love a great romcom, but I've started getting more into non-fiction and it's actually been quite interesting. So, I'd like to continue that - and I've also made a note to start reading books before I go see movies.

The best part of using the app (Libby isn't limited to Lawrence, several libraries across the country use this app and you can tie your card to it), is it automatically borrows items I've put holds on, and it will automatically return them for me, too. It shoots me an email when a new book I've selected or held is available. It's a little bit like Christmas morning sometimes!

If you'd like to follow along with what I'm reading, look me up on Good Reads or check out the homepage where my Good Reads books will show up with my rating on the right side of the blog.

Happy reading!

The toilet debacle...

2018-07-30T08:41:00.000-05:00

It was supposed to be an easy fix. Something that would take less than an hour to accomplish.

I should have known better.

When I was in the process of buying the house the inspection mentioned the wax seal on the mater bath toilet needed to be replaced. I asked the previous buyers to fix this by having a licensed plumber come in and take care of this. They balked at the licensed plumber part, so I compromised and allowed them to fix it themselves.

They weren't handy. Apparently.

On my second day of dwelling inhabiting the toilet started to move every time you sat down. It wobbled and scooted. Not ideal at 3 a.m. when you're half asleep. It'll wake you up when you feel like you're going to fall off. But, I dealt. The toilet was functioning, and I was careful, but I knew I needed to have it fixed.

Sidenote: I have a note card in my hallway with little projects I know need to be completed. I've marked some off, but the master toilet was first on the list. There are others on there, too.

I did some research and decided to try out a waxless seal. It was supposed to be less messy, and still pretty inexpensive. The reviews were great, and the installation seemed like a breeze, so I decided to purchase one. I took it home, and it sat in the chair until my Partner In Crime could come to help me with the project.

Another sidenote: As a farmer, the Partner In Crime is busy as crap from May to December. Patience is a virtue here if you need help. Especially with things that are like this...function, and not immediate. This is by no means a flaw, I just wanted to point this out as background information. I digress.

I was home after a minor post nasal/sinus procedure and decided to clean my bathroom since I felt like I needed to get up and move around. As I was working, I said to myself, "you know, I bet I could do that toilet thing by myself. Then I wouldn't have to bother the PIC with it. Then it's done, and I can also take credit for doing my first big home thing by myself."

No. I wasn't high on pain meds, but it sounds like it. I am pretty handy, but I just lack confidence. I thought maybe this was something I could do to boost my confidence. So I fired up Google and YouTube and decided I could do it.

I shut the water supply off. Drained the toilet, well most of it. Then I loosened the bolts and pulled the toilet up dumping the remaining water in the bowl all over the floor. Great start. I bolted across the house to my old towels and cleaned that up quickly, and then tried again and got the toilet off the base and moved over.

How. Gross. Is. That. Thing. On. The. Floor.

The YouTube lady told me to take a butter knife and remove the old wax ring. So I did. It solidified my reason behind trying the non-wax version because this was a mess. I got it all scraped off the floor, and I was looking at a clean-ish PVC ring down into the sewer hole.

I got this.

So I took my waxless ring out and read the instructions, watched a video, and then stopped.

Things weren't matching up. The way they wanted me to install this thing had my toilet facing the shower. Um. That's not going to work. I kept reading, but it just wasn't going to add up.

Damn. I was going to have to call in reinforcements.

Fast forward a couple of hours and PIC is working on getting the toilet put back, but it's not working. It's still wobbling. He's stumped. So, he does some brainstorming and we figure out the PVC thing is not secure, and the toilet won't sit. "Let's just go get some concrete bolts at ACE, and I'll bolt it to the floor, and that should work."

Off to ACE, we went, but on the way there his plumber buddy called us. "You can do exactly what you're going to do, but that non-wax ring won't ever set right. You'll just need to get a wax ring."

Damn. Well, I tried.

So we went to the store and picked up a new wax ring and four blue concrete bolts, and a bit for my drill that will go into concrete. When we got back home, my little drill was working pretty hard drilling into the concrete slab beneath my house, until it ran out of batteries. So, PIC went and got a better drill at his place and returned a few minutes later to finish the job. It's about 10 p.m. at this point, and I feel pretty sad this is taking so long.

The new drill works perfectly, and quickly, and then the bolts went in, and the wax ring went on the bottom, and I now have a non-moving toilet. It's pretty exciting.

We only lost one washer down the hole, and almost lost a screwdriver.

I cannot thank PIC enough for coming to fix my toilet, and bailing me out (like normal) when I think I can do something of that caliber when clearly I needed help. However, I learned a lot, and that's what is essential.

I'm definitely a "show me, and I can figure it out" for next time person.

So, the next time I need to tear a toilet out, I'll have it entirely under control.

Sharing is caring...

2018-07-26T14:07:00.000-05:00

I have awesome friends.

It's something I missed for those five years I was out in Dodge City. Having your best peeps in the same town as you are and have all the fun that comes with that. Don't get me wrong, I had some great friends in Dodge, but it just feels a little different here in Lawrence. Maybe it's because I'm home most of the time now, and not on the road so much. And, I've never worked with these friends. That I think is something different, too.

I have a pretty small core group of peeps in my circle here in Lawrence. They are affectionately known as my LFK Framily.

One of those framily members is Gal Pal.

Gal Pal and I are both homeowners now. We are both on the other side of 35. Neither of us has time for B.S., we're both single and looking for the man of our dreams, both professional, both have been in careers for about 15 to 20 years, and we have a lot of other stuff in common. The one thing we both share is a wealth of knowledge of being self-sufficient and independent.

We're fierce that way.

Having another friend in my boat, in the same town, who also just bought a house has advantages. One of those advantages is problem solving and resources.

One activity we've done as new homeowners is project night. So what is project night? It's food and accountability. We eat dinner, and then set out to conquer projects.

For example. I needed to work on a house plan, as in, what is my timeline for future projects. What kind of budgets will I need? When do I need to think about these things? GP required to work on listing items for sale on Facebook. She kept procrastinating, and so did I.

Project night was born.

I did my thing. GP did hers. All in the comfort of her new place after a delicious dinner. She lent me her internet to research, and I gave her a few vocabulary words. The goal was tackling these projects, and we did! When they were done, I went home. Feeling better about where I was and what I had accomplished with this new endeavor.

It was accountability. It was a friend not letting you get distracted. "Hey, keep working," was the attitude of the night. It worked like a charm.

We occasionally have these project nights. We also have work nights when resources are needed that the other may have. I have a ladder. Gal Pal had floodlights to change. No need for her to purchase a ladder if I have one. We have a few items that are fair game in the "homeowners co-op" as we call them.

Need something? Let's see who has it before I go buy it. It's very similar to sharing amongst neighbors, but we're just a short drive across town.

Homeownership (and life for that matter) can be a challenge at times and even overwhelming, but with the right support system, you can accomplish anything.

It took me a long time to learn that.

Backyard friend...

2018-07-23T13:43:00.000-05:00

I hate snakes. Hate. Them. They creep me out and I can honestly say I have a genuine fear of them. Not sure where I got that (cough...my entire family....cough).

I was out watering my patio plants one evening and as I went to shut the water off I encountered my first sighting of home ownership.

ACK! I froze. There it was. Small. With his beady little head up at attention. He was lying at the base of the house close to the faucet where I needed to be.

Damnit.

I had a choice. Let the water run. Or buck it up and turn the water off.

Damnit.

I didn't want to go near there, but it was tiny. I ran. I shut it off quick and then ran to the house. Locked the door. And didn't go back out for two days. The plants could just be thirsty.

When I got in I sent a text to my Partner In Crime (PIC) and others. I got about the responses I was expecting.

"If it was lighter outside I'd make you come to town with a spade and kill this slithery demon."

"That snake is more afraid of you than you are at him."

"Wrong. Oh, and thanks, Grandma. That's not what I wanted to hear."

I'd put snake repellent down, but I'm afraid I'll trap it inside the privacy fence. And, NOBODY wants that.

I did, however, get me some tools from sis in case it comes back. I have a rake, a snow shovel, and a shovel.

A rake? A snow shovel? I thought the same thing, but sis had a great theory.

Chop it in two, rake it onto the snow shovel, and dispose of it.

Of course, I can't see myself doing it. I'd likely be watching the PIC out my window. With all the doors locked. Until I know he's gotten rid of it.

The work bench...

2018-07-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

The finished product.

Every home needs a workbench. A place to do projects and a place to store cheap hand tools.

I have one now.

Thanks, Dad.

Sidenote: This was indeed a Pinterest project. The Partner In Crime didn't shoot this one down, but I thought this would be a great project for Dad and me to work on when they came for Mother's Day weekend.

So, how did we do it? We had a rough plan, made about thirty minutes prior. Mom kept asking me if we had a plan, and I kept answering with "we'll find something on Pinterest that morning."

Mom wanted a plan. So, sitting at breakfast we made a plan. After we thought we had what we wanted we stopped off at the Restore in Lawrence first. Believe it or not, that table in the photo is an old door. We gathered all the materials we'd need at the restore (minus the pegboard) and it cost $16 and some change.

We had to hit up a hardware store for the pegboard, and that was $20 (more than the rest of the project combined).

With our restored materials in hand, we went to work and put the door on hinges so that it pops up when I want to work, and will fold down when I'm not using it and need some space. We also put all my tools up, and I got a circular saw that used to belong to my great grandpa. Dad left it with me because it just sits at home, "just don't saw your fingers off."

Check.

Now, I have all the room I need to do as many ridiculous Pinterest projects I want.

Trust me, I saw it on Pinterest...

2018-07-16T10:36:00.000-05:00

I have a pinning problem.

Pinterest causes grandiose ideas. These ideas often get a questioning eye raise from my Partner In Crime.

But, he's really nice about it. And, by that I mean he doesn't make me feel crazy or stupid. In fact, I usually see the error of my ways or the reality of the situation after bouncing these ideas off him.

A conversation usually goes like this:

Me: "I saw this thing on Pinterest..."

PIC: I get the look. It's a look that says, "how can we diffuse this down to not a good idea." Without actually saying that said idea is the "dumbest thing he's ever heard of."

Me: "What? I'm serious. It looks easy."

PIC: The head nod of acknowledgment that means, let's really think about this.

This is where I explain the idea.

Me: "I saw this thing in this garage that they did to hide their furnace and water heater from the outside when the door is open. It's like a temp wall and then they put a fancy treatment on it and it made it pretty."

PIC: "I wouldn't."

Me: "Well, that was fast."

PIC: "It's not a good idea. You shouldn't really block it."

Me: "There's room. It would just be behind the wall."

PIC: "What if you need to put a vehicle on this side, or something else?"

Me: Damn. He's right. "Fine, but, what about..."

PIC: "How about focusing on another part of the house?"

Me: "Oh, I have a board for every part of my house."

This is why we're friends. And, why it's crucial to have a Partner In Crime that doesn't judge you for crazy ideas but instead veers you away from making a huge mistake.

The kind of mistake he'll likely have to help me fix.

I did a pretty big thing...

2018-07-12T09:43:00.000-05:00

I decided to do a pretty big thing. I bought a house.

Why not keep renting? Because I live in a hip college town and mortgages are cheaper than renting. Sad, but true. And, well, I guess I needed a challenge.

I looked for a good six months, and finally found one I liked that I thought I could afford. This may very well be my "forever" home because I really loathe moving and this process was somewhat stressful.

It involved a quick exodus from my college town apartment. Staying with a friend for a month, and storage unit Tetris.

I can't say enough about my realtor. They were fabulous and helped so much. Hannah (particularly) talked me off a ledge more than once and made me feel like I was making the right choice.

In March 2018 I took possession of my very own tiny piece of North Lawrence.

Oh, and I watched the Money Pit on Netflix. Probably not smart. Not smart at all.

I can now pronounce you...

2018-07-10T15:36:00.000-05:00

Here's the proof!

I didn't join the Universal Life Church, but I am an ordained minister.

That means I can now legally perform weddings in Kansas.

I may be offering up my services in North Lawrence soon. It may be a good way to make some side cash. Hey, God wants us to be creative and thrifty - and, this is one more step to being more well rounded.

It really only took a click of a button. Now, I can order the starter pack ($40).

Crazy, but true. And, you can do it too.

Picture Me in St. Lucia...

2018-07-09T09:27:00.000-05:00

Discovering travel has been a fun thing for me. I like using my passport and wish I could do it more often. However, my bank account has other ideas.

"Oh, you want to travel? Where would you like to go? Your options are work and home."

When my Canadian said she was getting married. In St. Lucia. I was excited. I'd never been there, and it would be a nice sunny vacay during the cold February that was likely coming in Kansas. I started planning and saving, and all the things. And then I abruptly stopped.

Why do you have to have a plan? I asked myself. Stop being typical. Do things that push you.

So I did.

The first thing I did was take a photo class. I had planned to do this activity solo, but everybody told me I'd be kidnapped or sex trafficked. So, I persuaded my travel buddy (the Partner In Crime) to go along with me and I don't think this was exactly his idea of a good time - but he was a great sport about it and I appreciated the "safety in numbers" aspect.

It was a great experience. Kirk picked us up at the hotel and we saw the island. Almost the entire island. Kirk was not only fun but hands-on. He is the master of inclusion and made everybody feel like a pro before the day was over. Not only was Kirk a great leader, the people we met on the tour were great. We met a St. Lucian lawyer and a couple from Minnesota.

We started at Serenity Park in downtown Castries and had about a 90-minute photo class (a nap for my partner in crime), and then we got to start the fun stuff. We took photos of boats and cruise ships in Castries Harbor, and then we traveled downtown to shoot the busy streets near the bustling city center before going into the 100-year-old Roman Catholic Cathedral.

Up next was my favorite part of traveling. Food. Kirk took us to a local eatery, The Hardest Hard Restaurant. It was much like a local dive in Lawrence with a diverse group of patrons. Kirk told us this place was the place average Joe's go, but also a popular place for executives and government ministers. It was delicious! The local fare is fresh seasonings and marinated meats. And, a weird fruity flowery drink that was surprisingly awesome.

The Marigot Bay Ferry was next. It was just a little old boat we got in and went to the inside of the bay. This bay was known for hurricane cover - as many boats come into the bay during the season because of the unique shape and location of the bay.

We wrapped up the day visiting an old banana plantation and enjoying the beauty of the island. It was a blast, and I'm so glad I took the leap and did something unconventional.

I should do that more often!

Here are some of the photos from the photo tour

Five Things We Learned on Youth Tour

2018-07-05T08:35:00.000-05:00

As the 2018 Youth Tour wrapped I reflected on the experience I had the year before as a chaperone for the Kansas delegation. It was something I'll remember for a long time to come and honestly can say I can't wait to see what some of these kiddos go on to do.

The below post was something I wrote for work publications, so I thought I would share it here, as well. Brent is a co-worker at FreeState as the Director of IT - and one fun dude!

Five Things We Learned on Youth Tour

By Sarah Farlee and Brent Edgecomb
2017 Youth Tour Chaperones

When we started our adventure in Topeka with these 40 delegates, we will have to admit there were a few fleeting moments of "what did we do?"

FreeState Youth Tour participants. What a week!
Edgecomb, Williams, Staatz, Farlee

We had both been to Washington, D.C. before, but not with precious cargo like this in tow. We can honestly say that this was a trip that taught us a lot about ourselves, too. Here are the five things we learned while chaperoning.

1. Sleep is overrated Being a chaperone means running on fumes at times, but so do the delegates. It was far more fun to chat away at bed checks than it was just to hit the hay at the end of the night. That's when you got to learn about their personalities and answer questions about life and truly get to know these young leaders. Besides, the bus rides were ideal for catching a cat nap.

2. Kansas Hawaii delegates can rock a dance floor There were multiple opportunities for delegates to “bust a move” and they did just that. Not only did they enjoy a riverboat dinner and dance cruise they also learned how to dance 18th-century style. Some delegates brought it to the dance floor, and others showed their moves all. Week. Long.

3. You can’t stump the Senator Our delegates were fortunate enough to meet five of the six elected representatives in Washington, D.C. A uniquely engaging meeting involved Senator Jerry Moran. Delegates were encouraged to try to "stump the senator" geographically. We had zero places he had not heard of, and the visitation rate to these locations was about 95 percent. We don't know who had more fun during that meeting, the delegates or the senator?

4. Pentagon Trivia Every delegate should be able to tell you how many bathrooms are in the Pentagon. Answer? 284. Every day we passed the Pentagon and every day we shared odd facts or basic trivia about the iconic building. By the way, there are no elevators in the Pentagon, and it is 17.5 miles long, but only takes minutes to get from one side to the other due to the intricately designed corridors and some slick engineering.

5. You do form bonds. We met kids interested in politics, science and engineering, music, and so much more. We didn't expect to form the bonds we did with some of the delegates but now can honestly say we're rooting for each one of these delegates as they begin to navigate life. The decisions they'll be making over the next year will shape their lives for the future, and it's so exciting to see what some of these kids go out and do.

Cooperatives across the state shared their best young members with us, and we’re fortunate for that opportunity. We’d like to say thank you to those cooperatives for sharing your young leaders with us for a week. The Youth Tour is a trip of a lifetime for those selected to attend this journey, but we never expected that to be true for chaperones, too.

Check out our photo galleries!

Hiatus...

2018-07-03T07:58:00.001-05:00

I went on a hiatus. So, what's happened in the two years since I posted last?

I went on a vacation. To an island. For a wedding (not mine). I bought a house.

That's about it.

I'll be returning to writing soon. Now that I have this house I'll likely have things to write about.

Happy reading!

Looking at 2016...

2016-01-12T14:15:00.000-06:00

The first full week of the New Year has past and the rest of the year is out the windshield. It's time to decide what kind of goals to set and how to go about achieving them to become a better human.

Resolutions are a waste of time. Nobody follows those things. If everybody I knew followed them all my friends would be thin, live in castles and have the kind of relationships most people dream about. However, nobody keeps resolutions. I myself am just as guilty.

This year I've decided to focus on principles instead of actual goals.

Where did this come from? Good question. A week ago I could have cared less about goals and probably would have said, "yeah, those. I'll get to that in a week, or two."

I received an email from a friend that had me thinking. She said, "maybe if things were more in our language we could adult better."

Our language is similar. Once we achieve a goal we often relish for a moment in the accomplishment, and then can be caught emailing each other saying, "well now what the eff do we do?" We are guilty of conquering a peak, and then plateauing through the rest of the days. So, how do we avoid the plateau?

The basis of her email was to share a twist on how to set yourself up for achieving the real successes. The success that comes from being better than you were yesterday. So over my salad at lunch, I decided to take some of the steps in the email to see how this would shake down.

The first step was to time yourself for three minutes and write down all the highlights of the year. I got out my trusty purple pen and post-it notes, tapped my phone timer, and started to write. I had things like South Africa, a new job, new town, new friends, yadda, yadda, yadda. When the three minutes were up I started to evaluate it. I was actually surprised at some of the things that made my list. These were mostly the things that brought joy to my life. The list was full of fun stuff I'd done. Boy, I've had some fun lately!

Then I moved to step two but skipped it because I didn't have a friend close and no time to email. I made sure to pretend I was a couple people in my mind - and believe or not, I added a few things at their 'prompting'.

Next was step three (look for a pattern) and four (notice what gives you pure joy). I did notice a pattern. Then thought to myself, "why haven't I been doing these things more?" There were a lot of things on this list that have contributed to my ability to chill and relax. I was able to evaluate what exactly I needed to do in order to feel good about moving forward in 2016.

I tackled the last step. Step five. Choose five things you want to focus on. Only five. I was to use the list I'd made and the observations of my analysis and choose just five things that I could focus on as I work to be the best me I can be.

My five things are simple. Relationships (new and old), creative outlets, adventure, playing, and engaging my faith. They were all things that brought me joy last year, and as I continue to develop as a person I hope they will continue to bring me joy. To be rewarded you have to do things and focus on things that actual light you up, or spark a passion in you. Granted, not every day is sunshine and roses, but having something to focus on may help get through those days that are just hard.

The world can be a horrible place, and if we all decided to be better than we were yesterday maybe the world wouldn't suck so much. Attitude is everything and I have to make a conscious effort to pick my attitude. Happy is hard work.

I may not be able to change the world, but I can change my world.

What a year...

2015-12-30T12:17:00.000-06:00

As 2015 closes I think of what a year it's been.

It's been full of change. It's been full of adventure. It's been full of life.

Last January when I was staring down another year of marginal happiness I set a goal for myself. I was going to do better. I was becoming a miserable human and I needed a change. I knew it. My family knew it. My friends knew it. What I didn't know is if I would have the ability, or courage to make the changes I knew I desperately needed.

I am a firm believer that some things happen for reasons out of your control. I think opportunities come when you are ready to embrace them, and when the time is right. I think people are put in your life to make you better, to teach you lessons you can't learn on your own, and to help navigate life. Because life, is harder than it looks. There are no mulligans. Sometimes you have to do scary shit and just leap, and hope somebody is there to catch you.

This past year was pretty big. I took my first trip to a foreign country and I redirected my career path. I put these together because they happened at about the same time, and it all kind of fell together. I had an epiphany on the top of a South African mountain as I was staring out into the vast ocean, standing next to a dear friend. I got some of the best advice. It was simple. It was profound. It put things into perspective.

"You just have to do it. Just make that list and start checking things off."

I started making that list a few days later over the Atlantic Ocean.

I started checking things off the day after we got back. The first item on the list was my job.

I really did enjoy my job, and the people I worked with. However, I knew if I didn't leave I never would. My first sign that maybe it was time to make the change was getting a job offer four hours after I'd left an interview. I remember talking to my best friend. Trying to talk it out. Trying to figure out what was the best path. I was comfortable where I was. I was at the top of the food chain. I had worked hard, sacrificed, poured my heart and soul into projects, and was trying to navigate changes I was unsure about. Would I wake up in five years and regret not making the change? Was I getting enough reward for what I was putting in?

"You know what you want to do," she said. "You've known even before you got here."

She was right. I just needed my person to tell me I wasn't crazy.

So I took a leap of faith. I made a change.

It's been good. It's been life changing.

I've started checking things off my list. I've embraced life in a whole new way. People have noticed. Not every day has been perfect. There have been times I've really struggled in this new phase of life. However, with a new grasp on my faith and a support system I'm able to navigate even the hard stuff. I just have to remember that it'll be OK.

I don't have to be perfect today, I just have to be better than I was yesterday.

I'm where I am supposed to be, and I haven't felt that way in a long time.

Happy Thanksgiving...

2015-11-25T08:21:00.002-06:00

As we prepare for the holiday of gluttony and putting the fun in dysfunctional families let's take a moment to have a few chuckles.

Here are some of my favorite holiday funnies.

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the family, friends, and food. And, if you're like my family enjoy the laughs and constant ribbing of one another.

If you're one of the crazy folks that partakes in Black Friday - have a safe trip to Wal-Mart. Perhaps pack a knife, or a can of mace. Those deals wait for nobody.

Dang it! Do better marketing people...

2015-10-22T13:26:00.002-05:00

There isn't much I get in a tizzy about anymore. Except fear-based marketing.

That sh*t gets my blood boiling. (Just ask me about that chain establishment that shall not be named).

I'm a marketing professional that takes offense to using fear-based marketing to sell a product. It's wrong, and it gives the impression that marketers care about nothing other than pushing a product. That just isn't the case. What happened to educating, promoting, and engaging customers? That's how you market a product! It is ultimately how you sustain sales, as well. Not to mention it's ethical.

Since when did marketing people become the poster children for trust issues in the consumer marketplace?

This week I got fired up when Subway joined the ranks of places I won't be supporting anymore. So, why do I care what they do? Why should anybody care? It's a sandwich, settle down.

Here's a newsflash. All ingredients are safe. What happened to doing a little research? If they'd done some research they'd know that it is illegal to market food animals with antibiotic residue present. That means that no meat has antibiotics present. None. Zero. Zilch. Nadda. I guarantee that lettuce you're eating because it's "healthier" is far more dangerous than that slab of processed meat.

You should also be paying attention if your livelihood revolves around agriculture because Subway just took a big shot at farmers and ranchers across the country. This type of marketing can also spark regulations that hinder farming operations, and in the long run can force that five-dollar footlong into a 10-dollar six inch. Eggs are a great example of how regulations have increased the input costs of raising chickens, and that cost has to be passed on to the consumer. That potentially could happen across the board, especially if consumer demands dictate operating regulations. This type of marketing (the type with no research or knowledge) moves the needle.

The Subway marketing campaign scares the average consumer into buying their sandwiches and that makes me mad.

What they've done is target consumers with gimmicks. Average Joe consumer may not be aware of this law, but they're thinking: "I'm eating at Subway because their sandwiches are safe and they don't have antibiotic laced meat."

Sounds ridiculous, but that's where we are in the world. We've managed to pull consumers in so many different directions with so much information they don't even know what or who to believe anymore. That's the sad part.

I encourage my agriculture industry friends to have a conversation with someone about food. They don't know what they don't know. It's part of our job to educate. We have to promote ourselves, and we have to engage our customers. We have to do our part to trim up the information gap.

The reality is, no matter where you chose to eat, it is safe. Your food is safe. The U.S. has the safest, most abundant food supply on the planet.

Instead of scaring people into buying your sandwich, how about educating them into buying it by assuring them the ingredients you're putting on the bread are safe, reliable, abundant, and healthy. And, grown by farmers and ranchers who care about the products they raise. Because, you know, that's the actual truth.

Dang it, marketing people. Do better.

In the meantime, head over to Jimmy John's. They have better sandwiches anyway.

Puffs and stuff...

2015-09-10T15:00:00.000-05:00

Living in Lawrence has given me an opportunity to be adventurous. I'm not typically one to step outside my comfort zone, but new friends in a new place have pushed me to do that. So far, so good. I think everybody needs that once in a while.

I know I did.

I've had a lot of new adventures lately, but the newest was taking a cooking class at The Merc. It's a local grocery cooperative that has a gigantic variety of all-natural, organic, and all that stuff I usually scoff at. However, it does provide a great place for those to shop who choose (or are forced) to eat differently than I do. At The Merc there is an emphasis on local. On their website you can get information from farm to fork. This is something that has become more important to consumers, and places like The Merc helped pioneer this concept.

From a marketing perspective it was interesting. I roamed the aisles and found things I've never heard of before. It expanded my horizons, and I'll be honest here, it proved to me that people will pay big bucks for words. But, I digress. At The Merc you can grind your own peanut (or any nut) butter, and you can get a wide variety of allergy free foods, vegetarian options, and yes, grass fed butter. That kind of made me scratch my head a little, but where there is a market - there's a product.

To each his own.

The Merc not only focuses on local, and healthy food options, but they focus on outreach and education. This is what is great about this little store around the corner from my apartment. They offer several classes throughout the month, and they have a great facility for hosting these classes. Last night was my first go at a cooking class and the subject was "puffs and stuff - the art of the cream puff."

That's right. I learned to make cream puffs - the right way. And, using grass fed butter.

A chef or instructor stands at the front of the class while we all sit at tables that are set like dinner. They demonstrate and you can ask questions, as they walk through the steps giving tips and tricks to the perfect dish. The best part is the tasting! They hand out samples of everything they make, and you can taste as they cook.

We learned how to make a savory cheese puff that wasn't filled, we learned to make the traditional puffs with Bavarian cream and chocolate Bavarian cream filling. She walked us through the steps to making the perfect filling, and the perfect whipped cream. She also showed us how to make swan puffs.

Sidenote: They don't allow photos during the class, so I didn't get any, so you'll have to use your imagination.

We learned the proper way to make chocolate ganache, and that adding 2 tablespoons of coconut oil will give it a hard shell when it hits something cold. Other tips included substitutions. Using different types of milk, or substitutions for milk for dairy allergies. I did learn that cream puff dough is a lot more forgiving than I thought. It's kind of hard to screw up, and if you do - it's fixable.

Other things I learned:

Cream puffs are great for rustic weddings (according to some lady in the back).
Grass-fed butter is just "fantastic" and tastes "so fresh" (um, I couldn't taste the difference).
Dark chocolate above 75 percent is terrible, and you should avoid it.
Throwing in some coffee to dark chocolate desserts enhances flavor.
A vanilla bean is really the best way to flavor. (I'll just head out to my garden and get some...)
If you "must" use imitation vanilla, double the amount because it's just alcohol anyway.
Parmesan cheese is "so much fresher" when you grate it (dried Kraft shouldn't exist).
Soy milk curdles most things and is terrible to cook with.
Coconut milk in a can is "so nice."

I did legitimately learn a few things, and laughed a couple of times at the absurd questions that came from the room, but my first cooking class was well worth the $18 fee. I had a new experience. I think I'll try another one sometime.

I hear they're making crepes in November!

Sassy, and a little smartassy...

2015-08-21T09:27:00.000-05:00

I've been slacking on the blog, but in my defense I've been too busy to really think about it.

That's a good thing.

I'm feeling a little sassy and smartassy today, and there isn't a better way to start the weekend than laughing. So, here are a few fun shares I've seen on social media this week that have made me laugh, chuckle, snicker, and share with friends.

Crystal Light Wildberry Energy usually hits the spot.

Luckily we didn't see this in Africa!

Wouldn't that be nice, though.

Word, Forrest. Word.

I'm over adulting.

Grave disappointment.

This happens more often than you'd think.

Every. Single. Time.

Maybe I shouldn't have ordered that stuff from Amazon at 3 a.m....

I'll miss summer, but bring on hoodies!

Kaboom!

2015-07-06T09:18:00.002-05:00

The Walker Family Fourth Celebration 2015.

The Fourth of July is a great holiday. It's about more than homemade ice cream, grilled meat, and chocolate cake, but that's what we typcially remember. Oh, and of course a family who likes to blow stuff up.

The Walker family typically has a lot of laughs when we can all get together for this explosive holiday, and this year was no different.

I'm not sure what it is about explosives, but it's something that tends to bring our family together, and man do we laugh.

Things overheard during our celebration:

"Morgan, your hair is on fire."
"Jake, get back from there." (this phrase was repeated several times throughout the night).
"Where is my child?"
"A benefit if a big family, somebody has an eye on your kid."
"Yes. I really peed on it."
"Aunt Vic is the best cheerleader." (those yells and hollas of encouragement after a successful explosion make all the difference).
"Grandma threw it!" (and they wonder where we get it?)

The best quote if the night, "they would sell them if they were legal."

The best quote goes with the highlight of the night, and that was the sparkler bomb that was built with tedious TLC, and carefully wrapping a wad of sparklers with tape into a solid object resembling a cone with a fuse.

I have no idea how it worked, but it was pretty awesome.

I hope everyone was able to celebrate the holiday like we did; with good food, family, and explosive fun.

Photo class, assignment No. 2...

2015-06-23T10:33:00.003-05:00

Week two.

On my short trip back home this past weekend for Father's Day I was able to take the camera to get a few shots for my photo class. The assignment was to play with the automatic modes of our cameras, and shoot life.

I am not a big fan of automatic modes on the camera I've learned. I just don't like the lack of control and creative freedom. I know, where did this come from? Well, I've never had a camera this nice to work with. I feel like the automatic modes are kind of a waste of camera. I want to be able to adjust things and make a photo tell a story, and not be "just an image."

Let's hope next week I can get some shots that allow me a little more freedom with the camera. The biggest challenge is deciding what to shoot!

I posted just a few images from my week two assignment on the photo class page.

Back to class...

2015-06-19T14:00:00.000-05:00

Downtown at the Lawrence Arts Center. (photo from LAC)

One of the things I have discovered about Lawrence is there are so many things to do. You can just think of something random, and chances are you can find a group, person, or place that will help you do it.

My first "thing to do" is photography class at the Lawrence Arts Center.

The things you can do are endless. They have classes, camps, activities, and showings from local artists. My instructor for the class is a well-known Lawrence photographer who has done freelance work for several magazines, the University of Kansas, and some individual projects. She has been a great teacher because she is laid back, encouraging, and hands-on.

I am on week three of nine and I will post some of my assignments here on the blog. They'll be on the photography class page.

The first week we were instructed to bring in three of our favorite photos, and mine were all from South Africa! We showed them in class and we talked about them all before moving on to the weekly lesson. The second assignment is to take photos of life. So, let's hope this weekend I can get some assignment worthy shots at the farm.

Adventures in home furnishings...

2015-06-11T08:39:00.002-05:00

Ta da! I did it all by myself.

My apartment is starting to look like somebody actually lives there. It only took about 45 days to get things accomplished.

Don't judge.

I had socializing to do, concerts to enjoy, work to go to, and more important things on the burners. I wasn't in any big hurry to get things hung up, bought, and moved around. This week I had some time so I decided to just bite the bullet and get things accomplished.

My first project was framing the prints I ordered after my South Africa trip. I ordered these prints and didn't even consider size. I just wanted something that was different. Little did I know that framing these things would be a project all in itself. I had drawn out my gallery, decided what I wanted and then ordered prints, and started thinking about what I wanted to do with the frames. Did I want them all to match? Coordinate? Maybe contrast? So many things to think about, so I went to Pinterest and was overwhelmed with ideas.

This little project came to a screeching halt when I strolled into a chain store specializing in home furnishings and framing. I went to the custom framing counter because I was having a hard time finding frames for the odd sizes I had purchased. As I showed him the sizes he started to estimate the cost. "It's going to be about 12 hundred."

"Dollars?" I asked (it slipped out). Good Lord, were the frames made of elephant tusk or gold?

"Um, yes," he looked at me like I was a fool thinking I could get it any cheaper. "That's with the 60 percent discount we're offering this week."

"Oh, OK. Well, that is something I'm going to have to consider, but thanks for the estimate," I ran like hell from that store.

I started doing some research and then kicked myself for not researching these things before purchasing the prints. Why didn't I just get standard sizes? Because, well, that would have been easy. And Pinterest said this was a great contrast of sizes. Pinterest - 358 Sarah - 2. Pinterest is a horribly amazing thing, but it steers me in the wrong direction 88 percent of the time.

The standard sizes I could frame I went ahead and got frames for. They were on sale, and I liked them. The odd ball seven laid on the floor for another 25 days. Then I had a random thought. I could build them! I headed to a craft store (but not on a Sunday) and picked up the type of frames you build. I selected the right sizes, got the hardware, and then headed to a home improvement store for some faux glass. What the custom framing guy was going to do for about $1200 I managed to do for under $200.

Problem solved on the framing, but I still didn't have a table or chairs. How was I supposed to invite people over if I don't have places for them to sit? It's not like we're 8-years-old anymore and can sit on the floor for a few hours. We're old. Nobody would be able to walk for the rest of the week. I digress.

The research started. I made a trip over to the gigantic furniture store in Kansas City and browsed around looking for things I liked, and could maybe afford. Out of thousands of options I narrowed it down to about six things that fit my budget and style. I had two tables picked out, and four couches I could tolerate. My budget can only tolerate one larger purchase at a time, so I opted to go the cheap route first and get the dining table.

I want to toss out here that picking furniture is harder than picking a mate. Seriously. I have been eyeing furniture since April 26 and yesterday I finally made a decision. Picking furniture is not something you take lightly. This piece has to be with you damn near forever so you have to be selective. It has to fit. You have to like it. There is a lot of anxiety involved in this level of commitment. It was horrifying! And of course, I wasn't sure I made the right choice.

Hauled it in one piece at a time.

I saved myself $80 by driving the 24 minutes over to the gigantic furniture superstore and went through their warehouse area to pick up my new table. I didn't even have to get out of the truck. It was amazing. I signed my paper and was back on my way home.

The table had come out in a box and that meant assembly was going to be required (I figured this may be the case prior, but wasn't sure). I figured I could handle this, but I'll admit I was a little bit nervous. I wasn't as worried about putting it together as I was getting the box inside. I was solo and I was contemplating what I could use like a dolly. My vacuum cleaner maybe? How about my computer chair? I didn't want to have to send out an SOS because I'm a big girl and I can do stuff on my own, so I just thought harder.

How do you solve this problem? You open the box in the bed of your pickup and you take it out of the box and carry it in piece by piece. It actually worked out pretty well because then I was near the trash once I was ready to pitch the box. Once I got everything inside I started to read the instructions and within about two hours I had my table and benches put together. I even had to use their little stick tool because the hex bit I had for the electric screwdriver was too small, and the other Allen wrenches I had were no different than what they sent.

It took two nights worth of projects, but my dining room is finally looking like somebody resides there. It's feeling a little bit more like home. The next thing on the list is an upgraded couch, and maybe an actual end table that is not a TV tray.

Now that I live where my friends live there is a better chance of visitors. That means I actually have to keep the place up and looking decent. This is not a problem I had for the past five years, but I think it's a good problem to have!

Farm girl flexible...

2015-05-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, or something like that.

Dinner plans, weekend plans, event plans, and work plans never seem to go just the way you have in your head. Being a farm kid has helped me deal with the fact that life is not easy, it's full of surprises and in order to survive you better adapt. This has flowed over into my professional life. It's helped me in my personal life. I've learned to just accept, and not expect sometimes.

I'm farm girl flexible.

I should probably copyright that term.

I would like to go on the record and say that being farm girl flexible is not at all code for doormat. I am a harmonizer. This is something I've recently discovered, and written about. I like to fix things, and I like to make people comfortable and happy. I strive to be supportive, even if I can be stubborn and a ~~slight~~ control freak. I do this by adapting, and being as flexible as possible. That's just my nature. I get paid to do it! (I know, crazy).

What exactly is being farm girl flexible? Here goes. It's my explanation, somewhat. I've pulled examples from those women in my life who epitomize farm girl flexible, and I've even tossed in a few of my own examples.

No matter what flies at you, it's manageable.
Multitasking is an art. How does one develop this trait without having children? Just work in the field or harvest crops. Or, work with your dad and grandfather. When you're manning a tractor there are about nine things going on at once. You have to first of all, adjust the radio, because who can concentrate in dead silence? Then you have to pay attention to where you're driving, how the implement behind you is pulling, is it dragging, is it plugging, is it doing what it's supposed to do? Are you driving on the right edge, are you going straight? If any of these things goes wrong it could be catastrophic. It's a lot like having four or five programs open on your computer all at once. I feel bad for kids/wives who run tractors with auto steer. How do you stay awake when the tractor drives itself?

Planning, what exactly is that?
There is no planning when you farm. You can sort of plan, but know that the minute something else pops up the farm trumps your plans. Planning meals also falls into this category. Farm gals know the best foods to prepare are dishes that are just as good reheated as fresh. Eight times out of 10 they'll eat it from the fridge or a foil covered plate in a warm oven. Food is fuel, so it's important to prep the right stuff. You have to be flexible when it comes to planning around them, or waiting on them. When they say, "I'll be home between 7 p.m. and midnight," this translates into: I can't do what you asked me to do or what I said I would do, but if you could leave me some food before you go to bed I'll see you tomorrow and we'll do it all over again. Flexible gals do whatever, and they don't bitch about it.

Directional diva.
Farm girls often have to run things to the field, run to the parts store, or help move equipment. This can often mean with little, if no direction. "Go to that field that I call north 40 and bring the box of filters and don't forget the rubber seals". A farm girl not only gets the right filters, but gets extra seals, and can likely drive to the ambiguous location - with her eyes closed.

Ability to read sign language.
There are two aspects of this. One is the sign language used in close proximity. Like, when farm girls are backing up equipment and farmer is flapping his arms and hands like a mime in distress, the flexible ones just take a breath and pay close attention. Nine times out of 10 there are no incidents, unless you count calling that farmer every name in the book under your breath. The other scenario is sign language in distant proximity. When you're on one side of the yard or field and he's on the other. Reading body language is essential. If farmer is jumping up and down and throwing his hat, proceed with caution. When he's just standing there trying to get your attention, move that direction because he obviously needs something.

Sleep is a recommendation, not necessarily a guarantee.
During peak seasons there is no such thing as sleep. Farm girls have the uncanny ability to store beauty sleep, much like squirrels store nuts. We can go days on four to five (or less) hours of sleep because when they're needed they show up. No matter what time it is. The really good farm girls can catch a nap standing up at the stove while stirring gravy for even a few moments.

They pray, they have faith, and they support.
Farm girls are the backbone of all great operations. The farm and family come first, they come second. They pray for rain, they pray for no rain. They pray for safety, they pray for bin busters. They pray for the troubled soul of their farmer who worries about everything, and can control nothing. They have faith that God will provide. They have faith everything will be OK, no matter how bleak it looks. They support their farmer, and they keep their family together. Because they know sometimes in the middle of harvest a good laugh, a good meal, or a good shoulder is all the family needs to make it through.

Behind every farmer is a wife, a daughter, a mother, or a somebody who will ride on the tractor seat arm just to be there. They will climb in a pickup to check fields, or semi truck headed to the elevator just for the few stolen moments. They recognize when things aren't going well. They listen. They celebrate when things turn out better than anticipated. They get up in the middle of the night to welcome a baby calf in their kitchen during a bitterly cold night or snowstorm. They take a sandwich out to the tractor at 10 p.m. They move equipment in the dark. They empathize with their farmer as he drags a tired body into the house after a 16 hour day. Some farm gals do all this, and still work a 40 hour week.

They don't demand, they just do. They do it because they want to. They realize that "it's not all about you".

That's being farm girl flexible.

Just say it already...

2015-05-15T09:35:00.000-05:00

Communication is the key to success, and demise, of all relationships. All. Of. Them.

No exceptions.

You may have to communicate with a boss, coworker, family member, or spouse. If you can't communicate effectively nobody's needs are met, and nobody is happy - or one person is happy while the other person limps along because they think everybody else is happy. It all depends on your personality, how you communicate, and how you want to be communicated with.

It's all very, very fascinating to me. People, personalities, and what makes people tick.

I consider myself an excellent reader of people. Most of the time. Although, there are some people who are like reading an encyclopedia. I just can't comprehend all the stuff coming at me, and I either close the book or stay up and read all night and feel like I got absolutely nowhere.

I recently had a sit down meeting at a pizza place with the pastor of a church I've started to attend in this new journey of renewed faith, and being Catholist (a hybrid Catholic Methodist). He's about my age, and we have some things in common. He emailed me and asked to meet for a slice and a pint. There was beer, so I was there. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I decided to go with one of my new mantras in life, "just roll with it".

The meeting of the minds was insightful, and educational. I'm in marketing, so we talked about communication, a lot. I've been through leadership training, so we talked about personalities and how they communicate. We talked about corporate business environments and how things all tie together. We started talking about me, and how I communicate, and how I handle my job in marketing and public relations.

The guy knew me all of an hour (I think I've had maybe one previous conversation with him), and he had me pegged. In fact he was so spot on, I almost called a mutual friend and asked if he'd debriefed the pastor.

Then I realized he's an expert in assessing communication. We had been talking for an hour and he had me all figured out. Here I thought I was so observant in others, I never once thought about how others perceived my personality and communication style.

He deciphered that I was a harmonizer. Check.

I dislike conflict. It makes me uncomfortable to be around people who are upset and unhappy with a situation. I am a nurturer. I want to fix things. I bottle up how I feel. Check, check, check, check, and big ol' check.

"You have to tell people what you need or what you want, they can't read your mind, or the subtle hints you drop - because you do that, don't you?"

"Um, yes."

Guilty!

Then we went into how I process those emotions. I bottle things up because I get angry about feeling not good enough for situations, and all of those little insecurities that seep into your life. You may try really hard to fight those things off, but you don't. They get in.

"You probably need to feel appreciated in ways other than people saying thank you?" Damn it. This guy was good. "You like hugs?"

Ha! WRONG! I got him!

"Actually, I'm not a big hugger. I've gotten much better, but there must be a level of trust there and a level of 'you're on the cleared list to invade my personal space'".

He looked surprised, "That's really uncharacteristic of a harmonious personality."

"I don't do things the characteristic way," I smiled.

"Deep down you like hugs though," he said with a grin.

I was deflated. He saw through me! "Maybe." I wasn't going to admit defeat!

"You just use that as a defense mechanism so you don't have to feel rejected when you come across a non hugger, or someone that may not want to hug you."

Ack! "Mayyyyyyybeeeeeee," I was laughing at this point.

He was so right.

"I bet you've had stomach issues your whole life, too?"

"Seriously dude, did somebody write a book I don't know about?" I said with a laugh.

"It's usually spot on," he said. "Even if you try to be something you aren't, the real you comes out. You can be a hybrid of more than one, sure, but there is always a dominant that comes out."

Apparently that dominant is out more than I thought. There is no doubt I am an introverted extrovert, I am loyal to a fault, I have many acquaintances (some very good acquaintances that are dear to me), but when it comes down to it I can count my core group on one hand. They are in my circle of trust. They know me well because I allow them to. That one core group I would go to the end of the world for.

My meeting turned into an uplifting therapy session, and it was well worth the $16 for pizza and beer. It may have been the cheapest therapy session ever! It was refreshing to have a conversation about professional struggles I've had in the past few years, and my quest to avoid them as I start my new chapter. It was great to talk about goals for myself, my new lease on life, and how I wanted to start changing to be a better me. I want to be a better friend, daughter, sister, co-worker, and all of the things I am everyday.

In all seriousness, the meeting has reaffirmed to me that things happen for reasons, and God really does put people in your life when you need them. I've been blessed with some pretty special people, and as I discovered last last night they all were given to me at times when I needed them.

I just didn't always know I needed them at the time.

It's official. Never say never...

2015-05-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

You should never say never. Ever. Because it will, indeed, bite you in the ass.

Case in point.

Lawrence, Kansas.

Oh, Lawrence. We go way, way back.

Some people may not know this, but as a sophomore in high school I was pretty decent at track. The University of Kansas had expressed interest because I had a contact in the program. That means I could have very well been on the track team at KU had I stayed with it, stayed decent at it, and really wanted to. Instead, I got to be about 17 and thought boys were more important, and that I was just over it. I don't regret that, but sometimes I wonder.

This track deal provided me my first impression of Lawrence. Mom and Dad signed up sis and I to participate in the Sunflower State games. I remember staying at my Great Uncle and Aunt's place in Topeka the night before and we drove over early the next morning. We went. We threw some stuff at Memorial Stadium. We picked up our medals, and we left. It was July so we probably didn't have time to mess around. There was hay to bale, or wheat ground to work.

Fast forward a summer and I was on my way back to Lawrence. This time I was a delegate from Republic County participating in Sunflower Girls State. This time I was actually going to be on the KU campus and I could get a feel for it and to see if I was interested at all in KU.

My week at Girls State was the best worst week of my life.

I say that because this was the first time I'd ever been away from home more than 48 hours. It was the first time I was on my own. (Granted, I had my friends Stephanie and Liz, but we were separated and it was horrid). I was thrust into a "city" with girls I had absolutely nothing in common with. I was a farmer's daughter. I was not the daughter of an orthopedic surgeon, or an optometrist (she had 10 pairs of glasses that she could match with her clothes), and my Dad wasn't running for a prominent office in the Kansas state government. I was a fish out of water. I remember writing a letter every day to my friend Josh back in Republic. Every. Single. Day. In fact, at home his step-mom put them in order for him by postmark date so when he returned from Boys State in Manhattan he could read them.

"Man, you really hated it," he said to me after we had finally reconnected after our week away from home.

"Yes. Yes I did," I nodded. "I've never felt like more of an outsider in my life (I was 16)."

That feeling. That experience. It was defining. "I'm never going to KU. Not doing it. I hate it." This also translates into my weird feelings toward Lawrence. "It's just weird there. Never happening."

Fast forward three years and I'm now a wildcat living in Manhattan. Lawrence is the anti-Christ. Why would you venture to chickenhawk land when you have a perfectly good Aggieville right in front of you. I remember a group of sorority sisters going to some coyote bar to see a band. I did not go with said group. "I'm never going to Lawrence. Are you kidding me?"

Another few years flies by and I now have a career, and I contemplated a move to Eastern Kansas. Where would be a good fit? Where is the most central location? Where do we already have staff with the company I was with?

Lawrence.

"I'm not digging the Lawrence idea. I don't think I want to live there."

If you've noticed, I've changed my tune from never to, "I don't think I want..." because by now I've learned that never is a horrid word. If I said, "I don't think I want..." then it was like saying never, but I actually wasn't saying it, so it couldn't bite me in the ass.

It's official. I now claim living in Lawrence.

How'd that work out for me?

I took a new job in a small town north of Lawrence. "It's not Lawrence. It'll be fine," I said to myself. "You won't have to live in Lawrence."

Then I came to the harsh realization as I was searching for housing options, and there were none. "I have to live in Lawrence."

I'll be honest. It's not that bad. I've been out and about a couple of times. There are more options than I know what to do with. I signed up for a photography class. I found a park to walk in. I have options when shopping for groceries. I'm thirty minutes from sis. I'm closer to home. I have friends here. My commute is a short 22 minutes.

I said never. It bit me, but maybe it didn't break the skin. Maybe. Just, maybe, I found a great place to call home.

A day at the SPA, sorta...

2015-05-12T09:07:00.000-05:00

It's starting to look like an office.

A routine has started at the new gig. I've been here all of 12 days and I'm starting to feel like I know what I'm doing. Sort of.

The meeting requests have started flowing in and my work schedule is filling up fast. There are lunches and meet and greets set up, and I have already started planning activities and events. In fact, I got to use a real bakery to order breakfast pastries. A legitimate bakery! They have cute boxes and everything! I was more excited about this than I should have been, but when all you've had is Dillon's for the past five years it's the little things that make your day. Ordering seven dozen yummy treats from an actual pastry chef, did indeed, make my day.

The part of a new gig that is sometimes the most difficult is getting to know new coworkers, or learning names and faces - especially when you don't see everyone every day. I couldn't begin to name all the linemen, but I can tell you everybody that works in the front office. Just don't give me a pop quiz any time soon.

Overall, I'd say the early transition period has gone really well.

The folks here at my new gig are very nice. They greet you, they want to chit chat and they genuinely enjoy working with each other. This morning I had a great laugh to myself after my encounter.

My day starts with a trip to the break room, a packet of energy drink mix, and a plastic water bottle. I have done this 10 out of my 12 days at the office, the same thing every day. I am a creature of habit.

I get to the office. I put my stuff in the cupboard. I grab a drink mix packet from my desk drawer. I grab my tall water bottle. I walk to the break room. I dump the mix into the bottle. I fill said bottle with water. I shake. I wipe it off because the container is not 100 percent leak proof. I walk back to my office with pink water. I pour it over the ice I bring in my insulated Christmas tumbler. I begin my day.

Today was the first day anybody really asked me any questions about my routine.

"Do you go to the spa?" I was asked in the break room this morning.

"I have been to one," I answered. I felt this was kind of a random question for 7:10 a.m., but I smiled and answered.

"I love the spa, but I just don't get to one as much as I should," they answered. "I've never gotten a water bottle from one though, you must have hit up the right one!" It took me a minute and I was really, really confused. She walked out the door and I followed, still confused, but I didn't want to say anything because I don't know anybody well enough yet to be myself (snarky).

I sat down and poured my pink drink into the glass, and it hit me.

On the side of my water bottle in big green letters. NC SPA.

Just roll with it.

The North Carolina Sod Producers Association. This water bottle isn't from a spa, it was part of a random KARL Christmas gift.

I laughed again to myself, and just rolled with it.

Any day that starts with a laugh (and blog material) is going to be a good one (or at least has greater potential).