Denver Highlights

This weekend, we drove out to Denver to kick off my birthday week, because I hadn't celebrated my birthday at home since high school, even though it technically wasn't quite my birthday. Here's what made it a great trip:

*Doggie Drammamine
*GORP, sandwiches, and water bottles
*Rest areas with dog runs
*Walks around the lake
*Macy's and the Tattered Cover
*Cupcake wine
*Visits with grandmas, aunts, uncles, and cousins
*Ham gravy and chocolate cake
*Early presents
*iPods with 90s music

More Than A Job

As a senior in college, I was just as uncertain about the future as I was as a senior in high school. But my circumstances were different. When I graduated from high school, I knew I was ready for a new beginning, and I wanted to go out into the world and start over, meet new people, learn who I was. And thanks to some truly awesome friends, I did that in college, and we created wonderful memories. I’d just broken up with my first serious boyfriend, and felt overwhelmed by the thought of trying to start somewhere new, without the friends who had been there for me not matter what and become my Lincoln family. I didn’t think I’d be able to make friends if I moved, especially after my stint in D.C. the previous summer. And I found that resumes I’d sent out to my dream jobs were coming back unanswered.

So, I decided to take a job at a local publishing company when I was offered it the day before graduation. It was a logical decision—even though I knew nothing about technology, I could learn. And I would be able to write, stay in Lincoln with my friends, and support myself on my salary. I never expected that it would create such wonderful opportunities for me.

Even though I was hired as a writer, I started as a copy editor because they needed one temporarily, and it would give me the chance to learn about the magazines I’d be writing for. Within a week, I felt overwhelmed by the thought of trying to write, and so I took the easy way out and stuck with editing. But I’m glad I did. I’ve learned a lot these past few years, not just about technology, but working with people, communication, and editing and grammar.

I’ve also made some amazing friends, even though I never thought I would. Just like my college friends, they’ve been there for me through good and bad. They’ve supported me and encouraged me. (This blog would likely not even be here if it weren’t for them. Or have readers!) We can talk about our personal lives just as easily as we can about work (which we tend to do a lot, even in mixed company . . . sorry about that.) I told Nathan after our Christmas party that I think we’ve turned into a big crazy family that spouses have to marry into, with inside jokes and traditions of our own. I’m so grateful to have met such wonderful people, especially when I didn’t expect it, and that because we have gone above and beyond a co-worker relationship, we’ll still be close even when I’m not working here.

I’ve also gained something else valuable from my first job: Nathan. When I started, I wasn’t looking for a relationship with anyone, and I’m not sure Nathan was either. But we started talking, and then started hanging out, and then started dating, and it just evolved into a marriage.

And so, even though I am currently seeking other opportunities, this job was meant to be, because it was so much more. It has made me a grown up and set up the course of my life, I think, and I can’t wait to see what happens from here.

Looking Forward: 2011 Words

There are two ways to look at the start of a new year. The first is to treat it like it’s a chance for a fresh start, to make resolutions and try to stick to them. The other is to treat it as if nothing’s changed and keep doing what works for you.

I’ve always been a fan of the first way, and it’s not just New Year’s that I make resolutions. I make them in January, at the beginning of my no longer existent school year, really, whenever I can. But like most people, I never manage to stick to them. I do pretty well in the beginning, but gradually my motivation fades.

This year, I’m not going to make any resolutions. Instead, I’m going to choose words for the year (inspired by reverb10
and small notebook).

Last year’s word was change. As I talked about Sunday, this year was a big for me, and for us. I think, hope, that this year will give us a chance to experience our new normal, rather than creating it.

As for this year, I have a few words in mind.

Challenge. When I started searching for a new job, it was for many different reasons, the main one being that I wanted to make a difference. But it also had a lot to do with the fact that I no longer felt challenged by my current job, which led to boredom. And I realized that most of the decisions I’ve made in recent years have been safe, and it was time for a change. My new job is something that will take me completely out of my comfort zone, and the part-time work also means that I will be able to explore some of my other goals, such as this blog, my writing, and my etsy store. I have the opportunity to take a chance on myself, and while that is going to be a challenge, it’s a challenge that is worth it. And I look forward to seeing what will happen this year.

Focus. As I said above, I will be working part-time, giving me the chance to take a chance on myself and see what I’m capable of. However, this will definitely require me to focus on the goals I want to accomplish and take the steps to achieve them.  Focus also means that I want to really pay attention to the relationships that are important to me, to spend quality time with my friends, family, and husband. I think it’s easy to get lost in a work and home life rut, and I want to really spend quality time with people, especially those I won’t be seeing every day anymore.

Simplify. I want to simplify my life in several different ways. I want to pare down our stuff, stop buying more things I need, and work with what I have. I also want to simplify my emotions, spend less time angry or crabby, worrying, overthinking, and not let the small things bring me down.

So, there are my words for the year. I hope to update you on how I’m doing with keeping them in mind this year. So far, I’m doing pretty well with simplify—I’ve gotten rid of six things from my boxes that my mom brought home for me. But more on that later this month . . .

What are your words for the year? How would you sum up last year?

Looking Back: 2010 In Review

Before I talk about 2011, I want to show some of the highlights of 2010. It was a big year for us: We moved in together, got married, went to Europe for the first time (and experienced our first International flights), got a puppy, and made a lot of improvements to the house (even though we were forced into most of them!). We went to concerts and plays and visited Vegas and Denver. We've had friends and family members celebrate babies, engagements, and weddings, and we've enjoyed times with those dearest to us. Overall, a very good year, and I can't wait to see what 2011 brings.

Top pictures: Our wedding; the Colosseum; Little House On The Prairie: The Musical. Bottom pictures: Shelby; Las Vegas trip; our family at the end of 2010

 

Making A Difference

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do / With your one wild and precious life.”
-Mary Oliver’s “The Summer Day”

I’ve talked before about my list of things I want to do before I die, and you’ve gotten a brief preview of what is on it and what I’ve  been able to check off in the six-ish years since I made it. So far, as you've learned, I’ve milked a cow, visited one of the homes of Laura Ingalls Wilder (so that one is only partly done, really), and donated my hair to Locks of Love. But today, I want to talk about what I think is the most important goal on the list, which is make a difference.

I like to think that it’s easy to make a difference to someone, somehow in everyday life, and that it’s the small gestures that really matter, so I’ve hopefully accomplished this goal sometime in my adult life. But I find that some goals on my list actually become bigger goals, that I’m not satisfied when I technically accomplish them.

Take, for example, my goal of having something I’ve written published. Technically, I’ve done this—I wrote an article for my college newspaper plus a letter to the editor, had articles published in magazines I’ve interned with as well as the one I currently edit for, and maybe even this blog counts as being “published,” depending on your definition. But this is something I keep on the list, because I find I want to aim for something bigger.

My “make a difference” goal is like this—even if I feel like I’ve done it already, I want it to be bigger. And I want it to be something I do and feel in my everyday life. Before I started my full-time grown up job, I worked in the nonprofit industry as a communications intern. And I loved it. I loved learning about people and writing about their reasons for creating scholarships and donating money to specific causes. I felt like I became a part of their journey of making a difference, even if I was only writing a press release.

 

And that is why I’m excited to announce that 2011 will bring big changes for me, as I’ve accepted a new job in development, and I will be working on workplace campaigns to raise money for health-related charities. While I am sad to leave my friends at my current job, I am really thankful that I found an opportunity to get back into nonprofit.

A Nook!

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and enjoyed your time with friends and family. We had a very relaxing and ate way too much good food. I even successfully tackled Ropa Vieja, the hardest recipe I've tried to date. (Though it was much easier than it looked once I got started.) It's only 364 more days until the next Christmas, but I'm excited to go back to pre-holiday life and start off a new year.

At our wedding, my brother and sister, best man and maid of honor, respectively, gave a toast, which encompassed the top 10 reasons I would be a good wife. It was very nice and funny and sweet. One of the reasons they gave was that if you ever wondered what to give me for a present, you could just pick out a book. And it's true. I imagine that for every Christmas, birthday, etc., I've gotten some kind of book or B&N gift certificate. And this year was no exception. I got several good cookbooks, a sewing book, and The Power Of Now, all of which perfectly complement my interests now. But, I also got an eReader, the Barnes and Noble Nook Color, to be specific.

I have had mixed feelings about eReaders and the impact they have on reading ever since they first came out and wasn't sure I would enjoy reading on one. Of course, I am often envious of people who have them on planes, because I would be able to have all of the books I'd ever want on one device, rather than packing them all in my suitcase and carry on bag. And it would be better than buying them in the airport bookstore.

In my current job, we have done some articles on eReaders, so I am familiar with the features and what to look for when shopping for one. Personally, I find them to be rather similar; the main features to look for are e-ink, screen size, color vs. black and white, format compatibility, etc. I personally like the Nook because it's from B&N, and uses that bookstore, in addition to having a good-sized screen and providing a clear picture. You might also consider connectivity options. Personally, I don't need 3G, because I have a smartphone for the Internet, and I wouldn't want to be able to buy books wherever I want. With the Wi-Fi, I'll be able to access the Internet when I need to buy books and then turn it off to save the battery life. However, if you want to b able to access bookstores and the Internet in more places, you'll want  And if you need something more full-featured, it does have a nice browser, the capability to play music, and a Pandora app.

I'm going to give it a week of reading before I write anything on the actual reading experience, but if you want a technological perspective, check out this one on CNET, the site I trust most.

Merry, Merry

It’s Christmas Eve Eve, and I’m home from work taking care of Shelby after she got spayed yesterday. She was very tired yesterday, but seems to be back to her normal self today.

Before I take a holiday break, I wanted to share some of my favorite Christmas traditions. Growing up, I had many good Christmases with friends and family. On the Christmases we’ve spent at home, we wake up early to find presents in Santa wrapping paper, and as we got older codes to figure out. We’d have breakfast and open more presents and spend the day doing whatever. Sometimes we’d go to movies, or spend time with family or neighbors.

We’ve also spent Christmases away from home, in Key West and Nebraska.  We’d have Cuban food and enjoy the nice weather and spend time with family. A couple years ago I spent Christmas with my grandma in Ogallala. It was the two of us and it was so good to spend time with her when I was older. We talked and went to a movie and spent valuable time together.

This year, Nathan and I are celebrating Christmas Eve by having breakfast with a friend and going to church. We’ll have Cuban food and open presents. On Christmas we’ll be going over to Nathan’s grandma with Shelby and maybe catch a movie.
I wanted to make sure our first Christmas was special, and that we’d take the time to start traditions that we’d have together. But then I realized, after thinking back on my favorite memories, that it’s not about having the same traditions every year, but being together. So our first Christmas will be memorable no matter what.

I wish you and your family the same—that you have a holiday full of love and making memories.