Dear Tiffany

I have random thoughts that come to me all day long, sometimes to the point of not being able to concentrate on the task at hand. If the old saying "An idle mind is the devils workshop" is true,  I am totally safe. I often say, "I wish I could turn my brain off!" but that statement is usually uttered during a very busy day at work, where I'm mentally juggling several "balls" at once.
Today a thought occurred to me. If I were going to send a letter to myself, either going back, or forward, in time, what would the letter say?
Dear 3 year old Tiffany, do NOT cut your bangs. Leave the scissors alone. You're getting your picture taken in a professional studio in just a few days, this is so not a good idea. As I type this I am contemplating calling my mom and apologizing for being so "adventurous". I believe my mom would replace adventurous with ornery, but I'll save that for the mom interview post. Yes, there is a picture of this "adventure" for proof, I will have to find that and show you some time.
Dear 7 year old Tiffany, tomorrow is picture day at school. You're going to forget, and wear a t-shirt with a Koala bear on it, and pull your hair back with a handkerchief bandana. Dear GOD don't do it. I beg you. Could you, at the very least, take the bandana off before you say cheese? If you think I'm posting that picture on the internet you're crazy. Wait. I apologize. You're mistaken, not crazy.
Dear 13 year old Tiffany, you cannot suck up vast amounts of water from the carpet with a Kirby vacuum. You have to use a wetvac for these things.
Dear 15 year old Tiffany, pay more attention in science class. Your being quiet is a good thing, yes, but ask questions, participate more, you will get a higher grade.
Dear 19 year old Tiffany, (and current Tiffany) listen to your mother. This encompasses everything, just do it.

Ah well. I could go on. If time travel were possible and we could go back and fix all of the times we went left when we were clearly supposed to turn right, that would make for a very clean slate wouldn't it? But a clean slate doesn't bring the life experience, which always brings not only the lesson, but the skill set to handle future occurrences. Attempting to go back might possibly bring an even bigger faux pas.
So, I'll step forward. Carrying those decisions I made with me. Then, when I see something resembling that left turn, guess which way I'm going to go this time.....

Tomorrow we're having a free pastry at Starbucks, on them. Don't forget to print out your coupon. What? You're not on the email list? Well, I know people in high places, stick with me. (But get on that list, just sayin)

Talk to you soon,
Tiffany

PS Before I forget, if you're picking me up for breakfast, and the pond with ducks in it is on your right, turn right into my complex, not left.

Girly Days

Yeah I know guys. I can see you rolling your eyes already. Just let me be a girl for one post okay? I've been pretty sick this week. Working from home is a beautiful thing anyway, but this week it came in rather handy. Test results not in yet, but suffice to say I've caught a very yucky virus. Worst I've ever had, and this is no exaggeration. I hardly ever get sick so that makes it worse. The medicine has me thinking clearly at about 50%, my emotions are completely out of whack, haven't eaten much so the energy level is very low, can only eat soft foods, it's just been one of those "I want my mom" weeks. The good news is, I've had so much sleep I don't know what to do with it, and I've had a chance to watch some of my favorite movies, for hours on end. It made me realize, wow, I really miss "girly days". When my sisters and I lived together in the same house, we had a lot of these. I loved them. Facials, painting fingernails and toenails, new hair-do's, sipping mimosa's......Okay I'm just kidding on the mimosa's part. That came AFTER we turned 21. I swear. And then of course, watching all the girly romantic chick flicks. (I just lost 85% of my male readers of this post) =).
As I type this, An Affair to Remember is playing. "And all I could say was, "hello"."
I've watched Nottinghill, "After all... I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her", You've Got Mail, "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?", Serendipity, "Well, if we're meant to meet again, we'll meet again. it's just not the right time now", PS I Love You, "P.S... Guess what?" oh I could go on. I'm not sure why I turn to these favorites when I'm not feeling well, or at home and having some extreme down time, but turn to them I do. I think it's because they remind me, on screen, of all the girly stuff. The hearts and flowers and romantic ideas, I like to wrap my arms around them. So much for that tough image, maybe not everyone will visit today and learn my secret.
So yeah. I love Stargazer Lilies. And romantic movies. And little things, the tiniest of things, like him remembering that I said I love bunnies, or looking up and realizing that who you have a crush on is staring at you....

Thanks for allowing me to be mushy today. And for those that know me well, thanks for being patient and understanding, it's been a long week. But tomorrow is Friday, it's supposed to be warm, and it will mark day 4 of medicine. Surely that's a recipe for the beginning of a very nice weekend.

I'll see you for breakfast Saturday maybe? There's always Sunday too. Brunch!
Until then, sleep well friend
Tiffany

Gonna riiiiise UP

Eddie Vedder has been talking (singing) to me all day. It's one of those days that begins slow, especially with the Daylight Savings Time kicking in, but builds momentum to an almost surreal feeling of "I think I could actually conquer every single thing that's wrong in this world today, BRING.IT"!!!!!

Such is the way of the world
You can never know
Just where to put all your faith
And how will it grow

Isn't that the truth? There's no guarantee that where you put your faith, it will then grow or return expected results.
I think they call that a "leap of faith", back to cliche land I go. But how true it is. I'm just now questioning what's worth the leap.

Gonna rise up
Burning back holes in dark memories
Gonna rise up
Turning mistakes into gold

But that "rise up" feeling is what I'm talking about, I've had it all day. It went MIA there for a bit, I was so happy to feel/see it again. I just read one of my favorite quotes from GoodReads (see bottom right side of blog)
"Tomorrow is fresh, with no mistakes in it." — L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables)
Even if there ARE some mistakes in it, I can turn them into gold. Tell me I can't, and I most definitely will.

Such is the passage of time
Too fast to fold
And suddenly swallowed by signs
Low and behold

Time flies, even when you feel as though its crawling. I received word from good friends that were kind enough to contact me in ways other than Facebook to let me know we lost a friend last week. I'm not holding many details, but just hearing the fact that she's gone was enough. When I got an email with just her name in the title, I knew before I opened it. She's gone too soon, if that doesnt bring ones perspective to a screeching halt I don't know what would. Suddenly those tragic things, those oh-so-important things, at the time, become transparent, a translucent clear color, almost immediately null and void.

Gonna rise up
Find my direction magnetically
Gonna rise up
Throw down my ace in the hole
 
I'm examining my magnet. I want to make sure it's attracting what it's supposed to, what is good for me. If it isn't I'm going to flip it over, I was obviously holding it incorrectly.  Then I'm going to use it like a compass, leading me on to some very promising days. How's that for a leap of faith?
 
Where is your compass leading you?
 
To my house for breakfast of course!
I'll see you soon friend,
Tiffany
 
PS The countdown to Hawaii is on. We'll discuss.

What you want, and what you need, there's a difference

Self satisfaction, where does it come from? I've been asking myself this question for several days. Obviously the answer is going to be different for everyone, we're all unique right? It seems to be a trend that we want what we can't have or what is hard to achieve. The impossible, is attractive in a lot of ways. I would like to know for sure, that I won't ever get so caught up in the unattainable, that I miss something lovely that's right in front of me.
Rarely do people take into account what they really need to be happy individually.
This can be applied to many things, career, possessions, relationships....
I have a friend that wants to keep climbing that corporate ladder, all the while complaining that the higher they go, the less fun their daily job becomes. I don't want to say that I don't have goals, and that my job is a perfect existence (we'll save that for another post, I can ramble on about it) but I'm happy for the most part, right where I am. Does this appear complacent? I'm not sure that I care if it does, I'm happy in what I'm doing. I'm good at what I do. Now feel free to ask me about this again soon as work is absolutely insane right now, not enough people to do the work. Yet another trend I hear.
I know a few people that are never quite satisfied with what they have regarding their possessions. That 52 inch flat screen isn't quiiiiiite big enough, lets get a new 62 inch. That brand new vehicle is so nice but I really want that one -------------->. Cell phones and furniture and laptops and jewelry and ......you get my point. Don't misunderstand, I am all for having nice things. But I don't want them to own me, I would rather own them, within reason. I also don't want them to define me. I would much rather be defined by what I say and do.

I think being happy requires knowing yourself. Sounds simple doesn't it? I've found that it isn't at times. But if you don't know you, how can anyone else know you?
I always tell my close friends that I wish for them, their every desire. I really mean that when I say it. But what I want to add, but don't, is:  as long as your every desire is good for you, and something that won't hurt you.
I think there is a “stereotypical dream” that we have regarding what we think our lives should look like and be. I can only hope that we all are paying attention when new and unexpected opportunities for happiness present themselves and not discard them because they don’t look like the stereotype we have envisioned for ourselves. There is an unfortunate idea that society and culture should dictate what our lives are supposed to look like. The result is a lot of unhappy people who got exactly what they "wanted".
 
I really do want you to have exactly what you want out of life. Just think about what you really want, and no matter what it looks like, go for it like there is no tomorrow.

I will too.

Breakfast tomorrow should be omelets I think, a variety of whatever we want, mixed in one pan. Just like life.
Until then,
Tiffany

"This is MY dream...I decide what happens in it" Alice In Wonderland

Oh the anticipation of this movie. I was thinking what I almost always think, while waiting for a movie to premiere; "Please.....don't let me down, I so want this to be handled well"

It had me from the opening scene, and kept my attention all the way through until the end. I turned to a friend, during the first scene after she falls through the "hole" and said: "I want to go there".
Of course I do. When life becomes overwhelming who wouldn't want to go to a magical place of make believe (or is it?) and learn what their purpose is, as Alice does?
Filled with fabulous quotes this movie is, but the one that stuck with me the most? The title of this post. "This is MY dream, I decide what happens in it". -Alice
I keep repeating that to myself. It's so true. "I" decide. At least I should. Sometimes I allow others to make decisions for me, probably that easy going, don't rock the boat attitude I apply to a lot of situations. But I'm loving this thought, it seems to fit how I'm feeling lately. I really do decide, when I want to. And I should be the decision maker, it's my dream, right?
The amazing 3-D graphics, colorful, attention grabbing scenes, quotes I wanted to text to myself right then and there so I wouldn't forget, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter,  not looking like anything Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter with her HUGE heart shaped head and tiny body as the Queen of Hearts ("Off with their heads!!"), I could make this a very long paragraph about the things that stood out while watching the movie unfold. Some of you know how much I love bunnies. When the long eared, waistcoat wearing rabbit appears, almost from the beginning, tapping his watch and then scampering away, I immediately felt that softspot for these adorable creatures. The blue caterpillar, with his dry, almost sarcastic wit, showing his brilliance with just a few words for Alice when she needs them the most. The Cheshire cat, with his wicked grin, and magical, smoky appearances, and vibrant blue stripes, I loved him. The "tweedles", tweedle dee and tweedle dum, made me laugh out loud with their "bumbling" along, dumbness very apparent. Anne Hathaway as the White Queen was slightly odd to me in that her costume was white, almost eathereal, yet her eye makeup and nails were dark black. Still obvious, though,  that she is the "good" sister, reminded me of Glenda the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz.
I wasn't sure what Tim Burton would do with this movie, but I could tell quickly that it was definitely going to be original, given that Alice is 19, not a small child like we see in the 1951 original version. She's on the cusp of a possible engagement, that she didn't choose mind you, when the rabbit distracts her and of course, she follows him to see what's going on. I don't want to spell out every scene of this movie because you may not have seen it yet. So I won't.
Just go to the nearest theatre, grab your free 3-D glasses, and have a seat. It's an awesome ride.

The last thing I see before the credits roll? A gorgeous, blue butterfly, flitting across the scene. I told you that blue caterpillar was brilliant.

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast" -Alice.

Tiffany does too, Alice.

Fighting Fires is Dangerous Business

And so is turning off the water when your kitchen is flooding when the washer breaks. Without warning. I said, this is SO getting blogged.
So it's Thursday and I have a very busy next 3 days planned, it's Oscar weekend people! I'm the paparazzi at an Oscar party (you don't think I'm making that up do you?) Alice In Wonderland opens tomorrow, I have to empty the kitchen and bathrooms for new floors, appliances, and cabinets. Saturday I have to help a good friend get READY for the Oscar party. Then I have to get ME ready for said Oscar party Sunday.
Work is crazy, doubled work, same small team, I don't need to go on......
I come home and decide it's time to get laundry done so I don't have to mess with it over the weekend. Do yoga while the first load is washing. I notice that the sound of running water that usually stops once the washer starts the "washing" is still going, I don't think too much about it. The rinse cycle starts and I'm still doing yoga but still hearing that water sound, so I push pause and walk in the kitchen to see, a flood. I'm not kidding. Water is seeping out from under the washer, snaking its way toward my kitchen rug I have laying in between the stove and kitchen sink. I grab that and put it up, and go investigate to see what in the hell is going on. The water isn't shutting off. AT ALL. I turn the washing machine off. Water still going.
Um.
I attempt to turn the blue knobs off that are behind the washer. Yeah you know how this ends. I can't get them turned at all. I try wrapping my hand in a towel to no avail. Now panic is beginning to set in.
I call the apartment complex office and get to the emergency maintenance line. The "answering service" is who I speak with, explain the situation and am told that maintenance would be paged immediately.
I go back into the kitchen and realize I've probably got about 5 minutes before the washer fills so full that its going to overflow. I use a pitcher to get some of the water out and dump it in the kitchen sink. Getting the wet clothes out  was loads of fun let me tell you. Those now reside in the bathtub, as do the rest of the clothes that were sorted by colors and whites, and are now completely soaked by the flooding water.
I call the emergency maintenance line again, good news, I knew to press zero right away this time, progress!
In giving the 2nd person an update of , "its going to be like the 2nd sinking of the titanic very soon if they don't hurry" I don't feel very confident that maintenance has a sense of urgency.
Still removing water from the washer, I realize that I have to call for other help, like. NOW.
"911 what's the address of your emergency?"
"I don't know if this is what you would classify as an emergency but my kitchen is flooding and I can't get the water shut off" (Bear in mind my neighbor who would save the world if he could, is not home right now)
"No problem, I'll send the fire department"

Oh my god they're going to roll firetrucks for this. Guilt is settling in, but I'm standing in 3 inches of water so....
This is how the City of Coppell rolls, no pun intended. If your cat gets stuck in a tree they roll 3 firetrucks and one patrol car along with 9 professionals to save the day. *I love living in Coppell.
I live very close to the police station and fire station (hey friends!) so less than two minutes later I hear the sounds of, what I thought was, one firetruck.
I race to the door, to see a firetruck parked sideways right outside my door, and 3 firemen headed my way. They wasted no time at all getting to my kitchen to shut the water off. He said, you must have loosened it for me.....as I cringe when he shuts it off with one twist. *sigh
I look back over towards the door to see 5 more firemen enter my living room. Trying to keep my mouth from hanging open I weakly asked, "um so, how many trucks did you roll for this?"
"Oh only two, no big deal. We're gonna get you all fixed up" Sinking slowly down on the couch I reply with "gulp. okay."
Two shopvacs and 8 firemen later, I've got a full house, we have enough people to play cards or rearrange all of the furniture, whatever. I'm sitting there watching them like, I seriously can't believe this is happening. And these people are the friendliest guys on the planet. And extremely funny. Very sociable even above the din of what sounds like a new house being built. Have you heard two shopvacs going at once?
One of the guys says Um Tiff we can come over for coffee, you don't have to flood your house, just sayin.
OMG he even says just sayin like I do. We're bff's ya'll.
Then the electricity goes out.
All of this shopvac activity blew a fuse. Now I'm sitting in the dark with 8 firemen. People, I couldn't make this up if I tried. 8 flashlights come on at once. I think I now know what it's like to get ready to walk the stage at an event such as the Oscars. Preparedness. These guys are doin it right.
They get the lights back on, and continue with their quest of saving my home. Still talking to me like I've known them for years. "So....I hope I'm not keeping you from a real fire emergency". "Nah, we were just waiting for you to call"
Right after the 2nd shopvac is turned off, maintenance shows. What timing, you're just so eloquent. *sigh again.
So maintenance guy speaks with lead firemen guy, and the others are wrapping things up. I show them to the door, politely thanking them profusely for their efforts. We make plans to meet at Starbucks sometime, we're now tight, and it's right down the street and all.
Lead firemen guy lets me know that I did the right thing in calling. It was only then that I exhaled and let go of the guilt for bothering them. "It's no bother, we're here to help you" he says.
Maintenance guy number two shows, and they now begin emptying the washer to take it away, "you deserve a new one" they say. Well thank you.

As I write this I am now 8 friends richer, have wet carpet, fans blowing, a very clean kitchen floor, a bathtub full of wet clothes, a new washer on the way, and a new blog post ending in 3....2......1

To the City of Coppell fire department, I thank you.

When I have breakfast with them, you can come along. Maybe their story will be even better than mine.
Until then, sleep well friend
Tiffany

May I borrow a pen?

I love pens. No seriously. I LOVE PENS. As in I must have at least 25 within reach when I'm working. I don't know what this is, I just like cool pens and I like to know that I can grab one, at a moments notice, and write my name. Or write down what my manager just said so I don't forget my assigned task. What do they call those, an "opportunity"?

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” -Charles R.Swindoll

My sister once told me, "If my name is going on it, I want it to be right" (hi Melissa, I listened) She's absolutely right. When you're given a task, do you give it 100%? It's not always easy to do that, I'm well aware. If you work on something, giving it your all, your signature goes on that finished product. I don't know too many people that would want their signature to be written down on something mediocre. You want that signature to dazzle! Hey look what I did, isn't this awesome?

I got a new pink pen. Today I wrote my name with it, and then stared at my handwriting. It's evolved some from grade school, then on to high school and beyond.....but I still noticed that I've been making my capital T's like that for as long as I can remember. My signature, is part of me. Part of my "brand". Sometimes when I'm on the phone I doodle, almost always beginning with my signature, written with FLAIR like I'm a movie star giving her autograph. I wonder if doctors feel that way when they write out prescriptions, I don't know about you but I can never read them. I got one once that looked like a flat line on the heart rate monitor, I was thinking, well that's not a good sign, good grief.

Your signature doesn't always have to be your name written with a pen on a piece of paper. It can come from collaboration. When giving input during a staff meeting at the office, I am placing my signature on my ideas and handing them over to the rest of the team, verbally.
When asked my opinion on what color my cousins wedding should be, I offered my advice, signing it with "Tiffany" before handing it to her, through text of course.
Your ideas are your signature in a way I think. Your choices, how you spend your free time, even who you spend your time with. Your outlook on a day to day basis, begins and ends with your signature.

When you sign on the dotted line, be proud of it. Whatever it may be.

Breakfast with Tiffany is extremely early tomorrow, I have to be at the office when the birds start chirping. If you want to sleep in and join me next time, I understand.
Until then,
Tiffany

PS Can I have your autograph?