Human nature showing me once again, that we really do celebrate each other

Bloggers of the world, unite.

I know I need to get moving, I have a lot to do today. But I read inspirational blog posts from some of my favorites, and my wheels start turning. I read funny ones and laugh hysterically. Sometimes I read sad ones even, where one has lost a friend....or a spouse, maybe a pet. I feel their emotions because they put thought to page so beautifully.

My Sunday thoughts are swirling, Fantasy Football (oh Brett Favre you better show me you're the QB I know you are and thank you for falling into my draft.....stay healthy k?). Dallas visitors in the form of lifelong friends, a favorite of mine. Scary movies-I love them. I always have Halloween and fall on the brain at the end of August. So ready for my favorite part of the year to begin. With Wednesday comes September, I'm gonna give it a hug.

In 4 months 2010 will come to a close. Has this been a productive year for you? I'd like to think it has been for me, but I'm not done yet. I don't know if my work is ever "done" per se, but it changes often. With college courses possibly in the works, my agenda is g r o w i n g. Talks of a cruise next July or August (I'm dying to make this happen), have a wedding to go to in November, spending Thanksgiving with family in Missouri.....a lot to look forward to.

I think having things to look forward to is necessary, but I also think it's important to be happy in the "now". Just be content wherever you may be. I'm an observer, sometimes I can get away with this without anyone noticing. I like to watch people interact with each other, especially when it's in celebration. There were two birthdays being celebrated simultaneously on either side of my friends and I, at the place we went to watch Houston beat Dallas last night. Let me rephrase, where we went to watch the Dallas Cowboys play football (smiling). The birthday girl, (and boy) were both glowing. Their friends were celebrating their life in a very large, loud fashion. And then of course, when it comes time for the live band to sing happy birthday to them, they become shy, but the rest of the crowd joins in as if we've all known each other for years. Yet, before last night, some of us had never seen each other.

Human nature showing me once again, that we really do celebrate each other.

Even if we've never met.

See you soon,
Tiffany

PS I'm celebrating YOU over breakfast, join me if you like fresh fruit and omelettes. Or.....I could make pancakes!

Ever have one of those days?

I won't give in, you should know this by now dear universe.
What a long week!
I hear friends ask sometimes, "ever have one of those days?" Well I had a whole week. But it's Sunday night, and I'm preparing for dreamland, smiling. Like I usually do.
My car has been sitting at the dealer since Thursday, the end result of a very large median getting in my way. Bent rim (and when I say bent I mean I do nothing halfway, it was crunched) shredded tire.....it was doing the gangster lean after this unfortunate event. Almost as if to say, man I'm tired, can I just rest on this one side? So two new tires, a new rim, new wheel, new hubcab and alignment later.....I receive word that I need a new strut too. Very nice. So there she sits until insurance does their assessment, write up, approval, etc. I am SO lucky I didn't get hurt, and that I have insurance.
But what I'm really grateful for is, friends. Who care so much about me that they hand their keys over and say, take mine. Drive, go do whatever you need to do. Or friends that have showed up every single day since the day this happened (last Wednesday) to take me to work or brunch over the weekend, or just getting together with friends. It's important that I'm there, if I can't make it there, they make it happen, this is the feeling I'm left with. Wouldn't trade that for the world.
They know I could die if I don't go to Starbucks. (yes I'm being dramatic) so they make sure I go to Starbucks.
I've talked about different kinds of love, this is definitely a very important one in Tiffany's world. Friend love.
My chosen family, second home.....
It seems silly to whine about cell phone issues, but I'm having serious ones that I'm still waiting on the replacement phone for. With the car incident, and a friend/coworker losing two family members this week, and perplexing cell phone occurrences, *forgetting my wallet in Starbucks.....I found myself at the culmination of a not so great week. Much unlike my normal existence. Remember that happy, smiling Tiffany that is around most of the time?
She's still here. You'll find her laughing at texts that friends send, or something funny she's just read on twitter (thank GOD for you tweethearts, I follow you for a very good reason), or singing while friends cover their ears, or writing in her journal on the patio.
I won't bash you again, Texas, for this ridiculous heat you keep bestowing on us, unsolicited. But this summer, has made me come to realize that August is my least favorite month of the year. 2010 made me pull out the map of the United States and really look at it, and wonder where I could live where I can enjoy all four seasons, especially fall. Go away August. Just gather your things and go. I'll see you next year, and would love it if you would come cooler, and in a nice shade of light blue. Please? I actually see green when I think of August and I don't know why, it really should be brown given the state of the lawns in my neighborhood. Sorry neighbors, I know you're trying. The flowers are lovely. Do you see months in certain colors? January is white for me. Probably equating that to growing up in Missouri where January is almost always covered in white snow. February is red. (Valentines Day maybe, not sure). October is orange for obvious reasons. My birthday month, March, is pink.

So here's the good news. Fantasy Football draft, coming soon to a theatre near moi, YAY!! Football season starts in less than 3 weeks, and brings NFL headlines such as these:
It's time to get Back To Football as the NFL begins its 91st season with a celebration in its special pregame show, "NFL Opening Kickoff 2010 Presented by EA Sports" -- 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday, Sept. 9. Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift are scheduled to perform.
Double YAY!

With September 1 brings my four favorite months of any year. The months ending in R, adore them, with October being my all time favorite.
In putting last week behind me, I'll move forward to what I am sure will be an awesome week. Even if I have to make insurance pay for the awesome. I WILL!

I hope your week is awesome too. Just like you.
See you soon,
Tiffany

PS I have a new (to me) place to take you for breakfast, Pete's Cafe. I found Jesus in those pancakes.

*a very nice, honest person turned my wallet in. #payingitforward

Will you come to my celebration party when I graduate?

“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance” Derek Bok

I'm really getting serious about taking some college courses. I've been thinking about this for a long time, a thought so easily shoved to the side when life gets busy with work, and play (very important) and the all of the things we have to do when we become adults. It's not necessarily a self confidence issue, that's blocking my view. It's more of the question, "dear GOD do I really want to write papers again?"
Well do I?

I asked myself this over and over. Then I had a conversation with my manager at work, who is taking classes right now. He said, "you understand that VZ will pay you money for this, right? Well, they'll pay a portion of the cost"

Isn't that kind of a no-brainer? I don't know that I have a goal in mind, other than to stretch my mind wider than I have in a long time, like a rubber-band. Hopefully not to the breaking point. A degree? Yes that is the obvious goal. Will I tie it into telecommunications? I think it's silly not to, that's what I've done for a long time. I love what I do, even when the possibility of RIFs (reduction in forces *shudder*) rolls around every six months. I keep rolling with them, I'm still employed. Has to be a good sign.

My life is going to change quite a bit if I do this, because I don't like to take on anything with a "halfway" attitude. If I do it, the work involved comes first. It has to, I'm paying for it. I'd love to just go to school full time, live that college life where one can actually do it in 4 years (or 2 depending upon your degree/goal) but I have a job that I won't give up. So this will take a little longer than most.

So..... this is me mulling it over. And making an appointment to see a counselor at a nearby College. And seeing the possibility of my name written down on an 8x14 piece of paper, framed in gold lettering, with my degree listed above it.

Can you see it?

When I whine about having papers to write and being brain-tired will you sympathize? Will you come to my celebration party when I graduate?

Have breakfast with me tomorrow and we'll talk about my options. You pick. (whisper, Cafe Brazil is SO good) no pressure......

See you soon,
Tiffany

Not half a man, a man and a half....

There's a man that I see every once in a while at work that has come and gone over the last ten years. He's a contractor, so we never know when he'll show up or how long he will stay.
He likes to talk, a very good conversationalist if you have time to listen, and today, I am so glad I took the time.
He began with, "hey did I ever tell you about my daughters Purple Heart Medal?"
I immediately thought, oh man. He lost his daughter. I was sad instantly. I stood with him for a few minutes, and said, "tell me about it".

He smiled and said, well she graduated high school this year. Because she volunteers uncountable hours to the ROTC program for young adults, they arranged for a cadet to come to her graduation ceremony, and present her with the Purple Heart.
I immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God she's still alive, and how cool is this?

I told him that was awesome, and really nice that they took the time to recognize her for her efforts, especially since her volunteer work, was all about recognizing them.
He told me that because of her, he too had become involved in volunteering. I asked, "In what capacity?"

"You know when you go to Wal-Mart, or the grocery story, and you see the ROTC members or civilians sitting behind a large banner on a table, with plenty pf pens available for you to either sign the banner, or, sign but also write a little note? That's what my daughter and I do, amongst other things".
He said that it was really easy to talk himself out of the time he gives, especially if it's raining, or the weekend has fantastic weather and he just wants to go have fun, etc. He paused and said, "but there's a young man that changed that for me".

"His name is Josh, he's 23 years old, and has prosthetic legs" he explained.
I thought to myself, yet another reminder of what I always say, "you have absolutely nothing in the world to complain about".

"Josh walked up to my table one Saturday morning, and thanked me for what I'm doing"

My coworker, as I mentioned, is a great conversationalist. He asked him about his life. He didn't come right out and ask what happened to him, he just gently eased him into the telling of his story. Josh didn't give many details. He was riding with several people in a large vehicle (I can't be specific on the make because he didn't mention it) that was unfortunately bombed. Josh was the only one that was hurt severely. After talking for well over an hour, Josh shared that after the accident, he had been in a very dark place for a while. Thoughts of taking his own life surfaced many times, to the point of his parents staying with him around the clock for several months, to make sure he didn't follow through with that unfortunate idea. He said he felt like half a man.

He teared up when he told me that he said to Josh, "You are not half a man. You are a man and a half. And I thank you for every single thing you did, and are doing, to support this country we live in"

Josh shook my friends hand, and my friend hugged him. Like a Dad hugs his own son. He ended up meeting Josh's parents that day, and even got Josh's phone number. That was over a year ago, he talks to Josh once a week, (he lives on the east coast now) and also speaks with Josh's parents every so often.

Josh tells him that he doesn't have to call if he doesn't want to.
He smiled at me and said, I will call him every week until I am no longer here. He thinks I'm helping him. But what he doesn't know, is he's inspiring me.

I hope you have inspiration in your life, every day.

Love,
Tiffany
 
PS "Taking Texas to Our Injured Troops" is the campaign my coworker is involved with. A retired country music producer that is now employed with KSCS Radio 96.3 in Dallas developed the idea, and ran with it.
Rather then embed the video on you tube, I will provide the URL : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH7AY3Arzao

Put the silly back in your life if it's gone missing, okay?

I woke up laughing, is that weird? I don't know what in the world I was dreaming about last night, sometimes my dreams are so vivid, but this one is elusive. Bits and pieces I grasp, then poof! Just like that they're gone. It's just been one of this silly days so far, and I've had work to do. Cleaning carpets does not make one laugh, at least I don't think it does. Running errands, even when they begin with a morning visit to my Starbucks peeps, do not make one laugh. Well, the barista does, he's hilarious. But still.
"Hey Tiffany"....."yes?"....."wouldn't it be totally cool to have a potbelly pig for a pet?"
I died laughing because he's so r a n d o m. (Plus I think he knows I'm easy when it comes to making someone laugh) Oh and fyi, I think potbelly pigs are adorable but I don't want to have one living in my home. He would only watch Babe Pig in the City and then get bored if I wanted to watch some other movie, and also I don't speak pig. I reallllly want to be fluent in other languages, but I have to get French down before I move on to pig or something other exotic farm animal language. I have my standards.
Also, what if in the small chance I ever wanted a BLT for breakfast. You see my predicament there I'm sure.

So I've decided to embrace todays silliness. What better way to kick off the NFL season eh?
Hall of Fame, then pre-season, then let the real games begin. I am SO excited we're almost there!!
I'm meeting friends to watch the game tonight, these people keep me in stitches every time I'm with them so I have a feeling I'm taking the "silly" all the way to bedtime with me, I'll tuck it in, sing it a lullabye, and we'll go to sleep, gearing up for Monday.
Have you laughed out loud today?

The next time we meet for breakfast, I'll make you laugh out loud. It's good for you, and it goes well with eggs and toast. Especially well with coffee. Put the silly back in your life if it's gone missing, okay?

In total adoration,
Tiffany

The more things change, the more they stay the same......

I don't like change. I've discussed this with you before. I'm getting a lot better with the idea behind change though. It usually brings 'better'. I enjoy running into an old friend, or hearing from one with a phone call, and hearing in their voice, that even though circumstances in their lives may have changed since we last spoke, they are still the same person. I depend on that I guess. If you were awesome then, please be awesome now......is what I'm wishing for.
I've reconnected with a few friends in social media that have known me forever. I always love hearing that I'm exactly the same. It's not so much when they say "you look exactly the same!" (although that is really nice to hear) but when they say, "your smile lights up the room just like it always did", or "you make me laugh until my stomach hurts just like you always have". I sit back and think, see? Some things not changing are a very good thing.
One good thing that change can bring is personal growth. When I observe someone growing into themselves, becoming comfortable in their own skin, and saying mature things, making mature decisions, I smile like you wouldn't believe. It's a "feelgood" for sure, for me, and quite possibly why I'm attempting to do some of these things as well.
When someone isn't comfortable in their own skin, it makes me uncomfortable. Likewise, those around them. I feel bad for them, and often think, what can I do to help. Can I talk them into loving themselves in some way? Of course I can't. But I can talk to them, and listen. The listen is more important than the talking. I call true friendship "free therapy", and I'm extremely grateful for my free therapists.
My mom told me once that I couldn't save the world. She didn't mean it in a bad way, she said that because she cares about me. She sees me, at times, taking some things on that may become cumbersome in the long run, and she wants me to be happy. Light. Not carrying too much of a heavy load. It's that whole "weight of the world on your shoulders" idea. No one wants to see someone they care about carrying a heavy load, it's tiring.
I've given advice before where I've explained that what my friend is telling me about, is a "monkey on their back" and it's best to let it go. I'm a firm believer in this.

One of my favorite children's book illustrators (and graphic artists) is Mary Engelbreit. I love her whimsical view of the world and how she expresses herself through her drawings combined with her words. Here is how she views change:
~ If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~ Mary Engelbreit
Can I get an amen?

So, I'm still on that archeological dig through my soul. I'm finding all kinds of things in there. Some I am keeping, others are being discarded. Maybe I should have a garage sale!

Meet me for breakfast tomorrow, Mimi's Cafe has the best mimosas. It's still Breakfast at Tiffanys if I'm with you. Plus I need help in getting a game plan in place for saving the world. Mom, I really can.

Love,
Tiffany

Caution: Step Up

I keep noticing this writing, painted on the step that leads from the parking garage where I work, into the building. "Caution: Step Up"
My first thought was, I wish life decisions had painted signs on them so we could be warned of impending danger or mistakes, unfortunate choices, etc.
I started paying attention to signs.
No left hand turn.
If it's against the law to turn left at this intersection, obviously most of us will never turn left. Therefore keeping us safe, and driving straight ahead to our destination.
STOP.
I don't know about you but I've needed this sign before, outside of the traffic arena. Just slow the car down, and stop. Wait your turn. When it's clear, put your foot on the gas pedal, and drive.
Slippery When Wet.
*shoutout to Bon Jovi here, loved this album.
This one is telling us that we can drive on this road, but if the road gets wet, it can turn slippery and may become very dangerous. I can relate this to many things, but recently, getting into conversations I don't want to participate in.
Railroad Crossing.
It's very possible that a train will come through at any moment. Also, if you don't reduce speed when going over these tracks, you could tear your alignment up, and would then need car repairs done. This would tie in with Proceed With Caution. The sign is plain as day, it's up to us to pay attention and obey traffic rules right?
One Way.
Have you ever turned down a one way street the WRONG way? Yikes! I have, and it scared the hell out of me. I was able to recover quickly, being in a city I didn't know that well. I've never made this mistake again, so far. *knock on wood.
Do Not Enter.
This is just an absolute. There is no wiggle room for this one. Simply do not enter. Period.
*Insert name of Destination City* 31 miles......
If you have perserverance, i.e. commitment, hard work, patience, endurance....you will reach your destination. It would be cool to know how much longer we had to drive to get there.
Speed Limit 60
If we go too fast, several things can happen. One is, we'll get pulled over and be ticketed and then have to pay exorbitant prices for that misfortune. Another is, we will miss so much along the way. Go the limit.....and see everything around you. Life is crazy awesome, so many things to see. I don't want to miss any of them!

I told a friend once that he couldn't see how great his world could actually be, because he was standing on the bottom rung of his life ladder. In order to see out, and above, he needed to step up one rung. Then step up again. Suddenly the view becomes clearer, so he can now see what fabulous things are in store.
When life delivers blows that hurt, it is completely understood why we should use,

"Caution", but then it is important that we "Step Up".

I'm stepping up every day. It's quite a view and I'm scared of heights people! I gripped the inside wall of the Eiffel Tower for over 30 minutes before I was able to inch away from it, to see the breathtaking view of Paris.
And what.a.view.it.was.

Definitely should have a french themed breakfast today. They are very simple, I learned when I visited. Croissants, boiled eggs, fromage (cheese) of all different varieties, espresso, juice.......baguettes sticking out of woven baskets.
Je vous verrai bientôt,
Tiffany

PS Wear something French, oui?

I think in the ordinary, one can find the....extraordinary

In which, I discuss, the dating world, again.....

It's not really playing right now, the song, but I am hearing strains of "I can't make you love me.....if you don't.....I can't make your heart feel.....something it won't"

In talking with a friend about "trying too hard", a lot of things were mulled over.

At what point do we learn that the most important thing in the world, is to be ourselves?
 
At my friends request, I watched American Beauty over the weekend, for the first time. Gasp! I know. I observed lives unfold in a richly dark humor, hypocritical, deep yet light at times, hot mess filled with a thousand rose petals kind of way......
 
There is a scene where Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley) and Angela (Mena Suvari) are yelling at each other. Obviously Angela is a very pretty girl, see above.
She says, "well at least I'm not ugly"
His reply, "yes you are. And you're boring and you're totally ordinary and you know it"
 
Throughout the whole movie Angela is constantly talking about the effect she has on men, and how many men she has had sex with, bragging about her conquests with the idea that everyone should care about nothing at that moment other than what she is saying. I knew from the beginning that she was probably a virgin.
The most physically attractive person can often be the most insecure.
 
The thing is, if someone tries really hard to be someone they are not, just so the person they are interested in will like them, how long can they keep that facade going? And how tiring would that be? Eventually, the differences will surface, or even more tragic, they lose their identity altogether. In American Beauty, Ricky had zero interest in Angela. He was intrigued by Jane (Thora Birch) who seemed to have depth to her. I don't want to say she's not attractive by any means. She just has a different look than Mena.
 
A good friend was venting to me about the fact that it's hard for him to meet women. Single....and 42, he's not really wanting to meet his soulmate in a bar, he says. I said, then don't go to a bar. Go do the things you really like doing, then when you meet a woman doing that very same thing, you already have something in common. "It was so much easier in my twenties" he said.
Well that may be true. But it doesn't have to be hard I don't think. It just depends on several things that have a hand in it.....circumstances, choices, geography, and a little bit of fate come to mind.
 
American Beauty. My definition of being ordinary, a phrase I've used often in describing myself, has suddenly taken a new shine to it. I think in the ordinary, one can find the....extraordinary.
 
Extraordinary breakfasts have denver omelettes in them......join me.
See you friend,
Tiffany
 
PS I must mention Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening being ridiculous awesome in this movie. Incredible acting.....Chris Cooper as well. Allison Janney didn't say much, but played that role like she always has in the past, so believable you think the character is a real person outside of the movie.

Heart Shaped Thoughts

Love is the best four letter word ever written. I wish I could write a love story. I don't know if I'm talented enough to bring my characters to life in an amazing, can't put the book down, kind of way. But I have dialogue coming to me in my head all of the time. I've been having heart shaped thoughts lately.

.........A man and woman are sitting in a restaurant, meeting for the first time in fifteen years. When I say meeting for the first time, I mean, they've never met in person before. They became friends the old fashioned way. Writing to each other, and talking on the phone. With geographical distance, separate lives, different careers being unfortunate obstacles, they eventually uncrossed the paths that were crossed some time ago.
Now they sit across from each other, each in wonder of this thought, "I can't believe I'm looking you in the eye. For the first time ever" They didn't plan to meet, or be in the same city at the same time. Fate placed them there. The conversation flows as easily as it did during their first one. Laughter ensues just like it did as they got to know each other, with them sharing similar senses of humor. Toward the end of the evening, when it is clearly time to go, the woman is overcome with this thought; "if I don't tell him now, after all of this time, I may never get the chance again". She brings up a favorite movie, one they discussed so many times. A line from the movie states, "he knew I loved him enough, to bear the not knowing". She explains that this quote, was how she felt when she walked away from him so long ago. She came to understand that she couldn't hold his hand while he walked down his own path. Him falling in love with someone else, inevitable.
She told him......."The thing is, I've loved you since the day I realized it"

I was thinking about all of my favorite romantic movie quotes.
Runaway Bride
"Look, I guarantee there'll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you're the only one for me"
You've Got Mail
"Yeah. I would have asked for your number, and I wouldn't have been able to wait twenty-four hours before calling you and saying, "Hey, how about... oh, how about some coffee or, you know, drinks or dinner or a movie... for as long as we both shall live?"

An Affair to Remember
"There must be something between us, even if it's only an ocean"

The Notebook
"So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, for ever, you and me, every day"

Bed of Roses
"Every now and then, um, everybody's entitled to too much perfection"

My own quotes:
"The other half of me who thinks things through with the first word being, "Us", rather than "I"

Quotes from others
".....the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life." regarding Soulmates, Elizabeth Gilbert

Song lyrics
Ryan Huston "Daydreams"
will you save me, and I'll save you....will you love me.... like I'll love you.....will you need me..... like I'll need you...
Taylor Swift "Love Story"
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess.....it's a love story, baby just say....yes"

Had enough of my heart shaped thoughts? =)

I mentally just heard you ask, "but wait. What does he say after she tells him that she has loved him all along?"
Visit for breakfast, maybe you can give me ideas on how you think it should end.....

See you soon!
Tiffany