Leezel

You’ll find that a lot of my “happy” entries deal with how productive I am, or what I’ve tackled during the day. Today was no exception, but I am especially happy because it was Monday and I felt great getting these things done:

- e-mailed a potential financial planner
- looked at some patio furniture
- helped my husband obliterate the bougainvillea bush just in time for trash day
- prepared dinner (leftover baked bbq flavored chicken, cut up romaine with tomatoes, white rice)
- didn’t watch any TV (I usually only watch one hour: Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy)

It’s gonna be a great week, I can feel it!

I have noticed that this has become less of a chore, and more of a fun and fulfilling pasttime!
I have a friend who is hard to reach via any other way. She recently wrote me a note and I jumped with elation upon receiving it.
I wrote her back, along with some people I haven’t talked to in awhile. Since then, I have spent some evenings writing, and it’s been really fun!

I am honestly amazed that the “tangible photos” portion of this goal is complete! I have 5 years of photos that I’ve put in order (yes, that’s longer than I’ve been married), so it took some work compiling the pictures that were taken from 3 different cameras.
The photos are now in 3 different numbered boxes and need to be put in albums, which thankfully I have.
The next part of this goal will be to organize the digital files, which I don’t think will take me as long as it took to organize the tangible part, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for it!

Feeling a little tired, I continued organizing today. Wow, I really made strides! I put them all into chronological order and into a photo box where they will be transferred to an album. The only ones left are the ones that somehow didn’t fall into order when they got printed. I’ll have to look at the digital copies themselves to get dates. Sadly, there’s about 100 of those, but it’s a great feeling knowing that this will be complete soon.

I finished more of my Clin*que face moisturizing jars, you know, the gift with purchase tubs they give you with a twenty-something dollar purchase?, and now the jars are in the recycling bin. Yes! More stuff cleaned out!
I put “day moisturizer” on the to buy list, but decided to look at the stock I currently have in another room. Right in front of me was more of the same moisturizer I needed! Score!

1. Dogsitting for my parents.
2. Seeing about 10 people from high school that I actually like/can stand.
3. Packing an order to return.
4. Watering the gerber daisies.
5. Making a mid-day snack for my husband.
6. Almost done cleaning out the closet.

Wow, the plot is thickening, and I’m surprised at how much I’ve already read. I actually look forward to going to turning in early each night so that I can pick it up and start reading.

I picked Les Miserables up again after getting tired of my current read. I still have a looong way to go, and am enjoying the story so far.

Okay, I know how pompous this goal must make me come off to some of you, but it really does bother me when people use “literally” wrong.
Especailly if you’re using it wrong…again, as in J, my assistant (see previous entry).
This time he told me he wanted to go to storage because he was “literally running out of work.”

He wasn’t running, he was standing there.
Moreover, he wasn’t running out.
Finally, he wasn’t running out of work, or a grocery store, or Target.

He simply was running out of work, just not literally.

I had them collect 16 boxes this past week. The plan that I’m on allows us to store up to 120 boxes for $30.00/month. Not bad! I have so much more to store, and am loving this free space!

Today, I felt so unexplicably blessed. It’s not like anything crazy happened. I just know that even though God tests me sometimes, I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count my blessings. I am so thankful to be living the life I have, no matter how mundane, or ordinary it may seem. Today I felt blessed: to not have to wear a jacket, to be able to walk from my car to the parking lot, to be able to read and write, to be able to carry this baby I am carrying now.

My appointment is set for next Tuesday. It will be an all-day shoot since there will be 4 outfit changes and 4 production sets. I know I’m not in the best shape of my life, but there’s really no better time than the present! I’m so excited!

Saw E and H. I haven’t seen them in 3 years when they were still living in Newport Beach. They bought a home in Aliso Viejo and are living the good life! Good for them!

I’ve never been photoshopped, not even for my wedding photos. When the photographer showed me what he could “fix” you should have seen my face. It was more of disgust. I’m not judging either. I just think I look better as me, even on a bad day!

I have to admit that, after we have cleaned all we could, most of the stuff leftover is mine. Thankfully, the items are not “yesteryear” items I can’t bear to throw away. They’re mostly supplies and “creative muses” that really belong more in a studio. Paper, cardstock, magazines, chipboard, are all mediums that I work with, that just take up more space than we would like.
My husband and I have decided to put it in storage. The one I like best is a place that isn’t self-storage. They sell you crate-type boxes for $2.00 a piece, and stick a barcode on it. When you want the crate, they bring it right to your door. It will cost us about $30/month, about 2/3rds less than a self-storage unit.
I can’t wait to start.

I found someone on Craigslist who will come by the office after Thanksgiving to take all this used paper that we have accumulated at work! She says her son’s preschool is in dire need of art supplies. I am glad she can give it another life before it gets recycled.

I haven’t written the letter, but I did manage to tell my emotionally-constipated dad how proud I am of him. Seriously, this guy can be a grouch!
My husband and I took my parents out to dinner last night and I told everybody that if it weren’t for dad being a “lifer” in the Navy, I don’t know where we would be today. He was injured during his service and it enabled him to apply for a free, undergrad college education in the state of California for me and my sister, something I completely took for granted in my younger years (I was never too good in school, so I didn’t get into a UC, but could have, and should have taken complete advantage of this).
He was surprised and humbled at my words, and I could tell that he was close to tears as he felt as if his hard work came to some redemption.

I am mailing a hand-written card to my father-in-law along with a “composting for beginners” guide. He is a plum farmer in central California who was excited to hear the successes of my last “compost harvest.”

Oh, what am I going to do with an extra hour? The possibilities are endless!

I was ecstatic to receive my commission in the mail this past week! The next steps are: purchasing a surety bond, E&O insurance (not required) and then I’ll be going down to the county clerk’s office to be sworn in.