Introducing

I'm not saying I think you should all buy me presents. In fact, I feel kind of presumptuous for doing this. However, I created a wish list on Amazon.com to make knowing what I want for Christmas and other occasions easier for my family. It just seemed like it might be convenient to post it on my blog, so that's what I'm doing, as you can see if you look to the right. Once again, this is not a cry out for presents. However, if you browse it, perhaps you will see some things that you would like to have, as well.

And

I'm also joining NaBloPoMo, which stands for National Blog Posting Month. Actually, I just joined it, but I'm not planning on starting it until November 1st, so I can try to do it at the exact same time as Nanowrimo. We'll see if I make it with both or not.

Announcing . . .

So this year I'm doing something crazy. I joined Nanowrimo, which I believe stands for national novel writing month. What that means is that I committed myself to write a 150 novel during the month of November. I think that comes out to around 6 pages a day. I get to post this fabulous picture from the site, to show you I'm doing it. The reason I'm telling you is so that I will humiliate myself if I don't finish. Let's hope that's incentive enough to get me to follow through.

Doors

The other day one of my co-workers pointed out to me that I should be going to conferences and things for teaching certification purposes. *Groan!! That put me in reality-check land by reminding me that I can't stay at my job forever if I don't do the things the state says I should do to be able to continue to teach. And that reminded me that I don't want to do this forever - perhaps mostly for that reason. I don't know if it's because I'm scared or lazy or both or what, but now I'm reminded that I better get on it and figure out what to do with my life if teaching is not it.

When I graduated from school my plan was not to teach forever. I thought I would teach for a few years at a charter school while working on certification to work at a traditional school. Then I planned on working at a traditional school while in grad school for a higher degree in history. I'm not really sure if I had a plan for after that, other than maybe teaching at a college level or doing research or something, but it wasn't to be a high school teacher for the rest of my life. Actually, my dream was to do something philanthropic.

However, what to do next? Especially with a degree in history and the economy the way it is. Part of my beef with jobs that require you to do more than 40 hours a week is that I want to do other things after eight hours a day, like attend Institute classes, do service, and relax. Is that selfish? Probably, but I don't handle a lot of things at once very well. I feel bad for saying that I want time to do service because while that is very true, it's few and far between that I actually do it. I guess I want the opportunity, though, and I don't want to be so busy doing other things that I can't.

My question to you all, then, is this: What should I do with my life? Before you answer my question, I should probably tell you that I want (and probably need) something that is low stress. I don't want a job that takes a lot of chutzpah (my roommate helped me figure out that word - the one that came to my mind was vulgar) or involves a lot of responsibility (that goes back to the stress issue). I also need to be able to provide. Do those requirements and expectations not work together? Probably not, eh? If you have any ideas, though, please feel free to shoot them my way.

I was discussing my dilemma with Roommate earlier tonight, and she said something like, "Maybe we're going about this all wrong. Maybe we should be focusing on trying to get a husband more than trying to figure out a career." While there is nothing I would like better than a man to take care of me (and I would be totally okay with staying home and cleaning the house and making dinner), and while I feel very much at a loss as to what my options are career-wise, I feel even less able to secure a husband, so I think we're going to have to focus on the job question.

I hope that someday (the near future would be preferable) everything will make sense to me and I'll feel like I know what my course is. As was pointed out at church today (our topic this month is about the exact things I'm worried about - imagine that), the Lord's timetable is different than ours, so I need to be patient and try to put one foot in front of the other, for the time being. And Mom and Dad, don't get too worried about this - I will try to be responsible about it.

I Almost Forgot!

About the birthday - two things I forgot.

1. One of my coworkers and two of my roommates gave me flowers, which I LOVE, which means that I have "three! three bouquets of flowers - ah, ah, ah!"

2. One of my friends here, who I love, gave me the best, almost-most-painful gift for him that he could have given. Besides the box of cereal, which is his trademark gift, he also gave me . . . a HUG!!!! Whoa! That might not sound big, but for those of you who know him, you know it was. He does not like girls to touch him - unless he wants a piece of their pie, of course. I have joked around with him about it several times, but he has never permitted me to do it. Then, before he left my party the other night, he opened his arms for a hug.
"Are you serious?!!" I asked, rather incredulously, well, really incredulously probably.
"Well, yeah, but I'm sweaty," which was true. He had played racket ball before coming to the party.
I was uber surprised, but I definitely wasn't going to miss out on my chance, sweat or no sweat. And, I have to say, for a person so anti-hugs, he was pretty good at it, even in spite of his trying to not hold me and keeping his arms from touching me all the way. :)
I only regret not having a picture to prove it really happened.

Happy Birthday to Me!

It was my birthday Thursday - I'm definitely getting old. I am bad at being social and doing things with people, so I decided my birthday would finally be a good time to try to see a lot of people that I haven't done anything with for awhile. To start off the celebration, my siblings that live in my town took me out to Texas Roadhouse, where I had the most amazing steak ever. It was perfect - thin layer of grey meat on the outside, red on the inside. My compliments definitely to the chef. The hostess asked if it was any of our birthdays, so they found out early on. They made me sit on a saddle and everyone yelled "Yee-haw!" for me. My youngest brother wrote me a poem, which was really beautiful and made me cry. I also received a CD of cello music and Fiddler on the Roof from my siblings. When I got home, my roommates had the apartment nicely decorated and beautiful and clean. Many people came by for cake and ice cream, and I received some really nice cards. All in all, it was a nice birthday. I'm curious about what this next year will bring.

Riding the Storm

I need to study the gospel and get to bed soon, but I felt like writing a little first. It was my birthday yesterday - I am 28 years old now - wow! I will try to post on that in the next couple of days. My birthday made me reflect back to a year ago and where I was at. I don't think I was very well. Interestingly enough, this year's birthday found me much better than last years, but not all better. Baby steps, I guess, right? Well, maybe I already mentioned it before, but I've been told I might just have to ride out the storm for my entire life and just try to appreciate the good moments, whenever they may be. I guess that's what everyone has to do, though, right? We all have our different challenges.

On to a better subject - I am very excited about tomorrow and the next day because the next two days will be full of General Conference. I am really looking forward to it and hoping to receive some direction, which, if I'm listening with the Spirit, I have faith I will.