Where Have All the Hours Gone?

There are so many work-related stories & things I'd love to tell you, but I promised myself this wouldn't become a forum for that, so I'll have to keep them to myself. Although, they do come out when I'm on the phone, so the next time we talk voice-to-voice, I'd love to tell you a few things. My job is definitely good for comedic material!

Over the past month, I've come to understand the feeling of "not enough hours in the day". I used to think it was a strange saying b/c we all start with the same amount of time each day; no one is allotted an extra half-hour or given a magical 25th hour...although some people manage to fit so much into their day that it might seem like they are. However, at the moment, I am not one of those people. Because right now, at 7:26 p.m., I've only been home for about 1/2 an hour, there are approximately 10 more things I'd like to do today & there are about 4 things I HAVE to do (such as showering & having dinner) before I can even get to the 10 I'd LIKE to do.

Now I don't mean for that to sound like a negative thing b/c that's not how I see it. Instead, I'm choosing to take it on as a challenge to myself. I know it's going to take some time to adjust to my new schedule & it will be a while after that before I can turn my personal goals into habits (quick useless trivia - it takes 21 days to make a habit stick), but I'll keep at it.

Writing on a more regular basis is definitely something that's high on my list of "to-aim-for" accomplishments. I don't feel guilty for not having written much lately, but I do feel sorry that I haven't been able to get to it more often. Each night I really want to, but by 9:30, I'm usually feeling pretty sleepy & always fall into "I'll do it tomorrow" mode. So to anyone out there who is reading this & has been wishing I would post a few more entries each week, I totally understand how you feel! I'VE been wishing the same thing & it's something I'm going to work on. Because I really do enjoy the time I spend sitting at the computer, writing a few things about my day or about the thoughts that are in my head.

I'm getting that sleepy feeling, so I'm going to wind it down. And tonight, when I put my head on the pillow & close my eyes, I'll have a smile on my face b/c I managed to fit in one more thing today than I did yesterday & that one thing was this posting.

Sweet dreams,
PortlandGirl

p.s. I'd like to take this last second to thank a very special reader of this blog. My Grandad has been sending me "fan mail" since I started writing in May & I just wanted to let him know that I love going to the mailbox each day just as much as he does & when I get to bring home one of his handwritten letters, it totally makes my day. I love you Ralph & Grandad. xoxoxoxoxox

Please Don't Turn the Channel

I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled programming.

xoxoxoxox
PortlandGirl

I'm Wearing a Turtleneck!

It's Sunday evening & there's a slight chill in the air. I can feel a breeze coming in through the window, but I'm not cold b/c I've got my hands wrapped around a mug of steaming tea. Well, technically, I had to put down my tea to type, but my fingers remain warm. This is the weather I've been waiting for! The kind where all you want to do is snuggle underneath a blanket on the couch while watching movies all day. The kind where you get the urge to make big batches of soup. The kind where you pull out your sweaters & fuzzy socks.

We've had constant summer for the past 4 years. That's what happens when you live in Florida. Now, initially, this sounds like it might be a nice idea...it did to me before we moved down there. But in reality (my reality anyway), being hot all the time sucks. The weather became too much of a good thing & too much of anything (even chocolate!) becomes a bad thing. I've since realized that in Florida, I really missed seeing summer turn into fall & winter into spring. I DIDN'T miss cold winters, slush & snow, but I did often wish for that feeling of coziness you get when you're tucked away in your house b/c it's too harsh to go outside.

I was thinking the other day that our move to Portland feels like we've come home & it just dawned on me that the reason for this is largely b/c of the trees & the weather. It feels very much like Oakville. It's like we've come full circle, but the circle ends in a new place. Does that even make sense?! How can a full circle end somewhere else? I guess what I'm trying to say is that Portland reminds me of growing up & that's a good thing. Portland seems to have come with a built-in familiarity that I wasn't expecting, but I am so happy to have found it!

And speaking of familiarity, we have now had our first guest & she came in the form of Meredith! She arrived on Thursday afternoon & left on Saturday morning, so it was a quick visit, but it was fantastic to see her. Thanks for making the trip Merd! Love you!

Must run & get some dinner. Will try to post again sooner rather than later.
xoxoxoxoxo
PortlandGirl

Let's do Lunch

Since heading back to work, I've been reacquainting myself with the notion of packing a lunch each night to be ready to grab out of the fridge on my way out the door the following morning. The only problem with this is that my purse is practically bursting at the seams with everything that goes in it now...work-related gear, wallet, cell phones (yes, plural, b/c the girl who's not a big fan of cell phones now has 2 of them), PDA, water bottle, Dr. Pepper lip balm (I think THIS is what's taking up so much space), plus my food for the day, which usually consists of a sandwich, an apple, grapes, some veggies, a few snack bags of trail mix or nuts & a granola bar. Wow. That was a long sentence.

For the past few days, I've been trying to come up with a solution for my weighty-purse dilemma. We've already got a few insulated, soft-sided cooler bags, but they're fairly utilitarian-looking & I think my lunch deserves a more stylish outfit. I wish I still had my Snoopy lunchbox from 4th grade...it was my favorite. Who was the loser who made up the rule that lunchboxes should not be carried by anyone older than 10? (Dado...you are the exception to this rule & that's b/c YOU rule) I think everyone's day would improve immensely if we all walked around carrying brightly-colored, cartoon-covered lunchboxes. It would certainly make me smile.

I just realized earlier this evening that I've had the answer to my problem for the last year. Let me backtrack...last October, I noticed an ad on the back of a Lean Cuisine frozen dinner for an extremely cute insulated lunch tote. I had to have it! I hopped right onto their website to place my order, only to find that I was too late. They were all sold out. However, I did some research & found out that the lunch totes would be available again in September of 2006, so I made a mental note to snag one for myself. Then, I promptly forgot my mental note until a few hours ago when it suddenly dawned on me that it was indeed September of 2006 & my lunch tote was out there, waiting for me to order it!

So, I've just placed my order for a polka-dot lunch tote & I can't wait for it to arrive. If anyone else out there needs such a tote, I would urge you to check out www.leancuisine.com so you can get one too. The main reason I'm passing this along is b/c aside from being so cute, half of the cost of the bag (only $10, which includes shipping) goes to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. It's a good thing from all angles! But remember, they're only available for a limited time. And I'm warning you...if you see one, you're going to want one!

I'm going to go make my lunch for tomorrow now. Anyone want to trade sandwiches with me?

Later,
PortlandGirl

I'm Still Alive!

I haven't been here in a while b/c I got my ass kicked by work last week! Don't get me wrong...it was a fantastic ass kicking b/c I had a great first week. I'm just finding it hard to get back into work mode after being off for the past 7 months. Seven months! That's crazy.

On the plus side of being rather exhausted, I've been sleeping VERY well.

I said I wasn't going to talk about work directly & I'm not, but indirectly, I work with some cool people. And when I say "some", I mean everyone. I'm really enjoying getting to know all of them. I'm also loving the fact that I'm getting to know my way around here SO well. I've been driving all over the place!

I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed at all of the information flying my way, but I know that will calm down in a few weeks. It happens to me EVERY time I begin a new job. I get anxious & impatient with myself for not knowing everything right away. Actually, I was just remembering the other day that it used to happen to me in high school too. During September, when we'd return for a new school year, I'd get that "uncomfortable" feeling I've spoken about before. September was a time for new schedules, new classmates, new teachers, new new new new new! Looking back, I realize that the feeling was likely an aversion to change, or at least an aversion to abrupt change. I guess I'm more of an "ease into it" kind of person.

And whaddya' know? It's September...time for change!

And so, in the spirit of learning, for this "school year", I'm going to embrace all of the changes & own them rather than letting them own me. I'm going to relax & go with the flow. Because I know everything will even out shortly. And in the meantime, there are always new school supplies to buy.

Hope you've all had a WONDERFUL summer & that your school year is a good one too. I'm just hoping I don't get Miss Slingerland as a teacher again.

Happy Labor Day!
PortlandGirl