Oh, before I eat, I should probably share what is IN my soup!! :)
Though it may not be the cheapest soup, because there were so many left overs, it cost me very little today and will feed me all week. So I think it is a good deal!
I had celery, carrots, beans, noodles, spices and vegetable stock on hand. I bought some onion, potato and tomatoes. Together it makes a delicious meal!! :)
Ok so now I really need to go eat cause it looks so goooood!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
100 Posts?
Apparently my last post was my 100th... I should have made more of a hoopla about it! I just wasn't paying attention... :)
Anyway, this post is actually about how different this day is now than it was 5 hours ago!
This day started off lazy and slackerish. Because of the snow last night, Rachael and I waited to decide if we would go to church til this morning. I woke up when I would have to if we did, and saw that the roads were clear and that most of the snow had been washed away. I went back to bed. I was really really sleepy. A little later I texted Rachael and asked her if she wanted to go. She didn't particularly feel like it. That was all the encouragement I needed to go back to sleep.
I woke up at 2:30 pm. I was really thirsty, and I had clearly slept too much. I HATE that feeling. I regretted sleeping in immediately. Only three episodes away from finishing my current season of Smallville (a show I was watching a lot last quarter and just started watching again). I got breakfast and laid in bed and finish the season. It was a fun afternoon. It was a comfortable afternoon. It was a lazy afternoon.
As all of you guys have probably noticed, I am not the biggest fan of being lazy, largely because I am too often. At this point it was 5 pm, and I had done nothing. Even though I showered yesterday, I felt gross. I've noticed that this happens when I feel too lazy.
I hopped into the shower. Though I had wanted to go shopping this afternoon, it was starting to get dark. I was excited because I was going to make soup tonight. Though I've started to experiment with some foods, normally I save the time consuming deals for when I am cooking with someone else.
Once I got out of the shower, I was determined. I would change today from a lazy, gross day, into a good, productive day! I went to the store even though it was getting dark, and I bought all the food I needed for the next week a least. I even looked up a recipe online just to make sure there wasn't anything I should add to my soup (I wanted to follow my own recipe and not someone elses!). I got inspiration to add onion, a certain type of canned tomatoes and potatoes.
I got home from the store and started chopping up all my vegetables. I talked on the phone with Laura for over 30 minutes, something I haven't done in the while. Once I got all the veggies on the stove stewing away, I got laundry started. Then, I brought out all the dishes from my room and got the washer started. Just a few minutes ago, the timer said my soup should be ready for consumption. The veggies are a good texture, as are the noodles... I am excited!!!
So I figured I would just come on here and say that today I am giving myself a gold star for turning my day around! I have a LOT of lunches ready (saving money!), good cleaning going, and a delicious dinner made! So now I'm going to go eat, continue my cleaning and watch a movie on netflix.
Seems like a good Sunday to me! :)
(Besides the fact that I still skipped church and wasn't social.... :P)
Anyway, this post is actually about how different this day is now than it was 5 hours ago!
This day started off lazy and slackerish. Because of the snow last night, Rachael and I waited to decide if we would go to church til this morning. I woke up when I would have to if we did, and saw that the roads were clear and that most of the snow had been washed away. I went back to bed. I was really really sleepy. A little later I texted Rachael and asked her if she wanted to go. She didn't particularly feel like it. That was all the encouragement I needed to go back to sleep.
I woke up at 2:30 pm. I was really thirsty, and I had clearly slept too much. I HATE that feeling. I regretted sleeping in immediately. Only three episodes away from finishing my current season of Smallville (a show I was watching a lot last quarter and just started watching again). I got breakfast and laid in bed and finish the season. It was a fun afternoon. It was a comfortable afternoon. It was a lazy afternoon.
As all of you guys have probably noticed, I am not the biggest fan of being lazy, largely because I am too often. At this point it was 5 pm, and I had done nothing. Even though I showered yesterday, I felt gross. I've noticed that this happens when I feel too lazy.
I hopped into the shower. Though I had wanted to go shopping this afternoon, it was starting to get dark. I was excited because I was going to make soup tonight. Though I've started to experiment with some foods, normally I save the time consuming deals for when I am cooking with someone else.
Once I got out of the shower, I was determined. I would change today from a lazy, gross day, into a good, productive day! I went to the store even though it was getting dark, and I bought all the food I needed for the next week a least. I even looked up a recipe online just to make sure there wasn't anything I should add to my soup (I wanted to follow my own recipe and not someone elses!). I got inspiration to add onion, a certain type of canned tomatoes and potatoes.
I got home from the store and started chopping up all my vegetables. I talked on the phone with Laura for over 30 minutes, something I haven't done in the while. Once I got all the veggies on the stove stewing away, I got laundry started. Then, I brought out all the dishes from my room and got the washer started. Just a few minutes ago, the timer said my soup should be ready for consumption. The veggies are a good texture, as are the noodles... I am excited!!!
So I figured I would just come on here and say that today I am giving myself a gold star for turning my day around! I have a LOT of lunches ready (saving money!), good cleaning going, and a delicious dinner made! So now I'm going to go eat, continue my cleaning and watch a movie on netflix.
Seems like a good Sunday to me! :)
(Besides the fact that I still skipped church and wasn't social.... :P)
Monday, February 21, 2011
Presidents Day Weekend
Friday
To take full advantage of the long weekend, I decided to enjoy a trip to Edmonds! And enjoy it I did. Since my car was still parked in my folk's driveway, I got a ride down with Rachael. Lindsay hitched a ride as well, so in all it was an enjoyable drive down. I also noticed that it is much easier to pack when your room is completely clean and you know where everything is. If it weren't for my OCD and fear of forgetting things, I could get ready in a couple of minutes.
Saturday
Saturday morning I visited with my folks. We play a lot of cribbage when I am in town, and I love that! In the afternoon I went over to visit with Brad and Brittney, which was fun like always. I am constantly amazed at how intelligent, verbal and hilarious E is. I really need to go to Edmonds more often!! :)
Instead of driving downtown, I walked. It took about 50 minutes because I didn't rush down there. It was cold out, but I was fine in my warm coat and accessories. Brittney couldn't believe me though, I didn't realize before this weekend how cold she always is! When I walked over main street and saw the sound for the first time, I couldn't believe just how crisp it was. You could see every ridge of the Olympics, and the wind was making the water white cappy and gorgeous. Later on in the evening we took a drive down to the water and saw just how big the waves were! We also went on a little walk around downtown, and it was very nice! I ended up staying there visiting until late into the night. The perfect way to spend a Saturday night!
Sunday
On Sunday morning I visited with my folks some more. Once again, we played cribbage. :)
In the afternoon Rachael and I went shopping at the mall. I was hoping to find any of a random list of clothes to buy. I was looking for rain boots, work boots, knee highs and leggings, skirts and slacks, nice blouses or accessories. Really, I was going to look at anything. Priority on my list was leggings because I own quite a few skirts, but in owning only one pair of leggings I can't get much variety. Rachael and I browsed around and I was able to find 4 different pairs of leggings that I like a lot, and they were each 5 dollars. I was very happy with this, because they were all the nicer quality than normal 5 dollar leggings.
Oh, and when I got home my parents made my favorite dinner: "Brian's Stirfry"! Though it is something that I make up here, it is better down there because they use all fresh vegetables (I find frozen vegetables to be cheaper and easier).
Anyway, that evening I babysat E. Once again, I can't believe how awesome that kid is! We danced around for awhile (she was very energetic), and she started to sing. The following conversation ensued:
"Amy, sing with me!"
"What should I sing? Your song or my own?"
"My song!"
"How will I know what to sing?"
She shrugged.
"I'll try!"
So I started singing (humming) a song that was similar to her, repeating the only line I could tell ("And the penguin loves YOU!").
"Um... I like my song more than yours."
"...Thanks E"
It was really cute. :) We then took care of her pretend pet spider for awhile. Apparently she knows her Mom is afraid of spiders, so she acts like a spider saying "Here comes the little spider!!", trying to scare her mother. This girl is just 2 and a half!! Yet so smart and funny.
Later on in the evening she started some music playing and danced some more. This time we were in her room, where a mirror hangs on the wall at her height. Every so often she would try out a new move in front of the mirror, so proud of her dance skills. I wish I had all night to write little anecdotes, but its hard to describe just how cute she is!
Anyways, once Brad and Brittney got home we ended up visiting into the late night again. They went and saw The Kings Speech for their date, the same movie my parents went and saw for their date. Both couples gave it rave reviews, so now I know I have to see it! :)
Monday
This morning I played cribbage with my folks again (noticing a pattern?). After a delicious lunch, I went over to BBE's (noticing another pattern?). I love showing up at their door because E's reaction is similar to Max's. When Max sees me after he hasn't for awhile he is all: "Oh my god oh my god oh my god run run run oh my god run run run run jump run run run". When E sees me she is all "Oh my gosh squeel jump jump jump run run run fall to the floor jump back up and try to open the door. Squeel!". I love it!! :)
I was a mean auntie today because I played my first "trick" on E. She was playing with a ball, telling me to get it, but getting it before I could. I told her "Hey look whats that?!" while pointing in the other direction. She would look away, and I'd steal the ball. After a couple of times, we explained the trick. She stopped falling for it, but I could tell the game wasn't as fun for her when it wasn't going her way (where she was tricking me and taking the ball before I could get it), so I felt guilty...
Besides that, the afternoon was great! We played lots of games and had lots of fun. After a yummy dinner I went home and.... played cribbage with my folks! :D Then I headed off towards B'ham....
I was nervous about the ride up because it was the first real trip for my car since its health issues. The car did great though, and the only problems were unrelated to my car. First off, about 10 minutes into the trip there was really hard hail. Though itself not dangerous or difficult to drive in, it made me nervous for awhile about what the weather would be like on the way up. Besides a few small patches with non rain (but not snow either), the weather wasn't too worrisome. The worst part of the trip is when the truck in front of me lost part of its load! Luckily it wasn't directly in front of me, just in the lane adjacent. It lost a big black bag of something, and it fell directly in front of the car next to me. That car successful avoided it, but I am really worried about everyone else who drives in that lane until it is cleared up....
When I got home I got a snack, unpacked, did some dishes and cuddled up for a TV show. Now that I finished my TV show and got a chance to talk to Anna, I really should get to bed. I just realized that with the 4 day week, I need to go into work earlier in the morning than I am used to. So thanks for listening to my ramble about the weekend, I hope everyone else had a good weekend too, and I will write again later!
To take full advantage of the long weekend, I decided to enjoy a trip to Edmonds! And enjoy it I did. Since my car was still parked in my folk's driveway, I got a ride down with Rachael. Lindsay hitched a ride as well, so in all it was an enjoyable drive down. I also noticed that it is much easier to pack when your room is completely clean and you know where everything is. If it weren't for my OCD and fear of forgetting things, I could get ready in a couple of minutes.
Saturday
Saturday morning I visited with my folks. We play a lot of cribbage when I am in town, and I love that! In the afternoon I went over to visit with Brad and Brittney, which was fun like always. I am constantly amazed at how intelligent, verbal and hilarious E is. I really need to go to Edmonds more often!! :)
Instead of driving downtown, I walked. It took about 50 minutes because I didn't rush down there. It was cold out, but I was fine in my warm coat and accessories. Brittney couldn't believe me though, I didn't realize before this weekend how cold she always is! When I walked over main street and saw the sound for the first time, I couldn't believe just how crisp it was. You could see every ridge of the Olympics, and the wind was making the water white cappy and gorgeous. Later on in the evening we took a drive down to the water and saw just how big the waves were! We also went on a little walk around downtown, and it was very nice! I ended up staying there visiting until late into the night. The perfect way to spend a Saturday night!
Sunday
On Sunday morning I visited with my folks some more. Once again, we played cribbage. :)
In the afternoon Rachael and I went shopping at the mall. I was hoping to find any of a random list of clothes to buy. I was looking for rain boots, work boots, knee highs and leggings, skirts and slacks, nice blouses or accessories. Really, I was going to look at anything. Priority on my list was leggings because I own quite a few skirts, but in owning only one pair of leggings I can't get much variety. Rachael and I browsed around and I was able to find 4 different pairs of leggings that I like a lot, and they were each 5 dollars. I was very happy with this, because they were all the nicer quality than normal 5 dollar leggings.
Oh, and when I got home my parents made my favorite dinner: "Brian's Stirfry"! Though it is something that I make up here, it is better down there because they use all fresh vegetables (I find frozen vegetables to be cheaper and easier).
Anyway, that evening I babysat E. Once again, I can't believe how awesome that kid is! We danced around for awhile (she was very energetic), and she started to sing. The following conversation ensued:
"Amy, sing with me!"
"What should I sing? Your song or my own?"
"My song!"
"How will I know what to sing?"
She shrugged.
"I'll try!"
So I started singing (humming) a song that was similar to her, repeating the only line I could tell ("And the penguin loves YOU!").
"Um... I like my song more than yours."
"...Thanks E"
It was really cute. :) We then took care of her pretend pet spider for awhile. Apparently she knows her Mom is afraid of spiders, so she acts like a spider saying "Here comes the little spider!!", trying to scare her mother. This girl is just 2 and a half!! Yet so smart and funny.
Later on in the evening she started some music playing and danced some more. This time we were in her room, where a mirror hangs on the wall at her height. Every so often she would try out a new move in front of the mirror, so proud of her dance skills. I wish I had all night to write little anecdotes, but its hard to describe just how cute she is!
Anyways, once Brad and Brittney got home we ended up visiting into the late night again. They went and saw The Kings Speech for their date, the same movie my parents went and saw for their date. Both couples gave it rave reviews, so now I know I have to see it! :)
Monday
This morning I played cribbage with my folks again (noticing a pattern?). After a delicious lunch, I went over to BBE's (noticing another pattern?). I love showing up at their door because E's reaction is similar to Max's. When Max sees me after he hasn't for awhile he is all: "Oh my god oh my god oh my god run run run oh my god run run run run jump run run run". When E sees me she is all "Oh my gosh squeel jump jump jump run run run fall to the floor jump back up and try to open the door. Squeel!". I love it!! :)
I was a mean auntie today because I played my first "trick" on E. She was playing with a ball, telling me to get it, but getting it before I could. I told her "Hey look whats that?!" while pointing in the other direction. She would look away, and I'd steal the ball. After a couple of times, we explained the trick. She stopped falling for it, but I could tell the game wasn't as fun for her when it wasn't going her way (where she was tricking me and taking the ball before I could get it), so I felt guilty...
Besides that, the afternoon was great! We played lots of games and had lots of fun. After a yummy dinner I went home and.... played cribbage with my folks! :D Then I headed off towards B'ham....
I was nervous about the ride up because it was the first real trip for my car since its health issues. The car did great though, and the only problems were unrelated to my car. First off, about 10 minutes into the trip there was really hard hail. Though itself not dangerous or difficult to drive in, it made me nervous for awhile about what the weather would be like on the way up. Besides a few small patches with non rain (but not snow either), the weather wasn't too worrisome. The worst part of the trip is when the truck in front of me lost part of its load! Luckily it wasn't directly in front of me, just in the lane adjacent. It lost a big black bag of something, and it fell directly in front of the car next to me. That car successful avoided it, but I am really worried about everyone else who drives in that lane until it is cleared up....
When I got home I got a snack, unpacked, did some dishes and cuddled up for a TV show. Now that I finished my TV show and got a chance to talk to Anna, I really should get to bed. I just realized that with the 4 day week, I need to go into work earlier in the morning than I am used to. So thanks for listening to my ramble about the weekend, I hope everyone else had a good weekend too, and I will write again later!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Fancy Clothes and Fancy Food
Man, now that I stopped with the two accomplishments a day, I feel like I am getting more done! Though maybe that is just a warped memory thing, I am more easily able to forget the days where I do little...
Anyway, I wanted to share my coolest recent accomplishments...
From the title, you can probably gather that my accomplishments are on the subject of clothes and food. This week I have continued to wear nice skirts with leggings and shirts/sweaters! I have worn a different skirt each day! I have enjoyed trying to use long ignored clothes, plus it feels great to look good! Besides the wind, it has been a wondering trial period on fancy-ness!
In other news: I've tried new foods recently as well. Most notably: I have experimented twice in the last week or so with making tofu (YUM), Karisa and I made delicious greek style pitas (with homemade hummus!) last night, and tonight for dinner I made a hummus, avocado and grilled cheese sandwich (with a side of tator tots). Yum!!
Anyway, I wanted to share my coolest recent accomplishments...
From the title, you can probably gather that my accomplishments are on the subject of clothes and food. This week I have continued to wear nice skirts with leggings and shirts/sweaters! I have worn a different skirt each day! I have enjoyed trying to use long ignored clothes, plus it feels great to look good! Besides the wind, it has been a wondering trial period on fancy-ness!
In other news: I've tried new foods recently as well. Most notably: I have experimented twice in the last week or so with making tofu (YUM), Karisa and I made delicious greek style pitas (with homemade hummus!) last night, and tonight for dinner I made a hummus, avocado and grilled cheese sandwich (with a side of tator tots). Yum!!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Church
Ok, so this is the post that I have been alluding to. I apologize that I have probably made it sound very exciting, but I doubt that this will excite many beyond myself.
I have started going to church.
And yes, I am still an atheist.
Here is the story....
Long long ago, an idea started to form in my head. Always jealous of my religious friends - not for their beliefs, but their amazing access to friends, children, community and a place to think about their beliefs. I started to envision an atheist church - a place where people could discuss all the worlds religions. Partially as an anthropological study, partially to try and understand why these stories exist (what is the underlying theme that anyone can learn), and partially to examine what parts of religious history correspond to a more neutral approach to history, and what is more likely to be the result of folklore. Furthermore, the idea of understanding other religions seemed only logical in trying to understand those who follow those religions, and argue with them over certain ideas (only when necessary).
Therefore I imagined an institution of learning for those non-believers like me. Unlike a university or something similar, it would be much more church like because it is discussing that one certain subject - religion.
Furthermore, this church institution would offer its members access to like minded individuals, community, friends, child care, etc. One could partake in all the usual church activities like a bible study (with a different tone), classes about history and science, discussion of various moral issues, support groups, choir and youth groups, Sunday school and more.
Some of you may have heard me rant about this brilliant idea, that I loved to think about and expand. I have notes upon notes of all the possibilities for this church. However, it is very unrealistic that I would ever actually start anything like this, so I continued on with my life, nothing changed.
Until I saw the smallest of notes on a online community that I'm a part of. Someone wrote "Thanks so much for recommending UUs to me! I love it!" ... or something of the sort. I didn't bother to read the comments, or look back at their history to see why someone would recommend a church to them. Instead, the instance I saw that, I had to research the UUs.
Of course I had heard of them. I knew they were a liberal religion. I knew that they were pro-choice and pro-gay. I knew little more.
Apparently when I rambled to Rachael about my church, she suggested the UUs, noting the similarities. I at that time wasn't ready for just how liberal they are, and I was ignorant to what they truly are.
So, I googled the church. Looked at their beliefs. What kind of things they have sermons on. What their calender is filled with. What kind of groups they have. I read essays about various beliefs. I read essays about atheism in the UU church. I listened to sermon after sermon online. (I'm in love with the former Spokane UU's pastor...he is an amazing orator!) I was hooked! I loved everything that I read. It seemed so ideal, I couldn't believe it.
Everything matched the church I envisioned. The calender looked exactly how I wanted mine to look. Their core beliefs were so ridiculously basic and logical, I couldn't imagine not believing in them. Their goals (to help each other on our own paths to determining our beliefs) was completely reasonable. No longer was I as narrow minded as when I told Rachael "I don't want to go to a UU church, there's Christians there!". I now saw that the Christians I feared would not be at this church. And if anything, this church would help me not fear someone based on their religion. To separate the belief from the people I disagree with. Not to criticize someone just for their beliefs. I mean, afterall, I am well aware of the fact that I would find most Christian's beliefs to be comforting, and am disappointed at times that I just can't believe it, no matter how easy it would make things.
Furthermore, though I don't believe in a God, that doesn't mean that I don't want to think about what I do believe in. What do I believe on a more spiritual level?
So, on one hand I was thrilled - I found a place that could educate me in the way I want to be educated, but also help me think about things that you can't think about other places too easily. However, I also felt weird. I am an atheist. Why do I want to go to church? Isn't that just silly?
Because of this embarrassment, I stewed away with my thoughts for a few days, not sharing them. I kept reading, kept listening, kept googling. I looked at the same sites over and over, trying to find more information. I knew I couldn't find more online though, if I was serious about this, I had to tell someone and actually go to church.
So, I told Rachael. I was very surprised to hear that she was perfectly willing to go with me. She, too, was curious to see what church is like when you're not an impostor. So, we agreed to go the next Sunday.
As the day drew closer, I got nervous again. Why I am doing this?, I thought. Though there are atheists in the church, we probably don't normally randomly decide to go to church... Luckily I realized that I was just getting cold feet, and that I would never know unless I went myself. So, we went.
I was very pleasantly surprised! First off, everyone was extremely nice. The women at the door knew we were new, and offered us name tags. They told us where to go and smiled big. Rachael and I wondered down stairs, but everyone else was talking to each other, catching up from the week. So we went back upstairs, and sat in our seat. The church is also gorgeous! It was remodeled just a year ago, and it looks great.
UU church's have their fair share of rituals. That didn't make me laugh, or seem weird. Instead, it seemed very reasonable. Someone said welcome. We sang some songs. People could choose to walk up to the front and give announcements - some sad, some happy. Everyone read aloud the church's ideals (which are about being good and true, not religious in nature). They lit a candle, rang a bell (not in that order actually..). The hymns clearly come from a variety of backgrounds - some were modern, some had strong beats, some were clearly more religious and referenced a lord. In general, you could see it was a melting pots of songs, and perfectly described the church.
The sermon was great. One thing that I found interesting is that not only was God never mentioned, but the pastor also talked about being gay and referenced pop culture movies in his sermon. There was still a lesson to be learned, an idea to think about. (What is Enough?) It was an idea that made everyone think. Some more songs were song, everyone held hands and sang a closing song, and the service was over.
After church there was a newcomer's orientation (quite coincidentally), so Rachael and I chose to attend that. About 10 or 15 people gathered at the front to hear about the church, what kind of activities there are, and how to get involved. There will be a membership meeting in a week, but since I'll be out of town, I'd have to wait til spring at earliest.
Afterward Rachel and I discussed it, and I was pleased to hear that she had a similar impression as I. She enjoyed it, found it to be a comfortable place where interesting ideas were discussed. (Though I won't quote her or anything). I was also pleased t hear that she would be interested in going again.
So, today we went again. This time I decided to dress up (not mandatory, but fun), so I wore leggings, a skirt and a nice little sweater. Average to most, but as you all know me - it was fancy for me. Once again, the sermon didn't disappoint. Though we didn't really small talk with people while waiting for the service to start like last time, afterward a very nice woman gave us a tour. She showed us the whole building, introduced us to a lot of people, and was overall just very kind. The sermon this time was about Love (having to do with the holiday, of course). Once again it was interesting and thought provoqing. There was a different pastor this time, and she seemed more religious than the other pastor. She did reference God in her sermon, but only as an idea, not a specific being. Furthermore, I was grateful that she prefaced her mention of that viewpoint by saying: these are my beliefs, but you can interpret the idea as to match your beliefs. A very cool part of the church.
So... I've only gone twice, but I can say for certain that I enjoy going. I feel good waking up and doing something different than every other day of the week. I like dressing up. I like going and seeing all the nice people and hearing thought provoking sermons. I like coming home afterward with so much time left in the day and so much already accomplished. I really like going with Rachael (it is nice to have someone to talk to so you're not standing by yourself), but figure that once I have my car back up here I can go by myself on the days where she can't (which will hopefully be few and far between!).
I can imagine getting more involved, going to community dinners, joining the young adults group, volunteering with the kids. The only problem is that if I move away, I don't feel like it is a good idea to become a member of this church. I want to go, but I may save official membership and participation for the next town I live in.
Once again I realize that this post may not be interesting to you readers (which I just learned actually exist! Though that is no surprise to you...); but it is exciting to me so that is why it was the long awaited exciting piece of news to tell you. One thing that I really love is that the instead I saw "Unitarian Universalist", I had to google it. The instead I read it, I had to go. The instant I went, I had to go again. I feel like that is a very good sign. Since previously only Rachael and Laura knew of this, I am officially "outing" myself as a church goer.
I have found that it is much easier to join a pre-existing church than to create one myself.
I have started going to church.
And yes, I am still an atheist.
Here is the story....
Long long ago, an idea started to form in my head. Always jealous of my religious friends - not for their beliefs, but their amazing access to friends, children, community and a place to think about their beliefs. I started to envision an atheist church - a place where people could discuss all the worlds religions. Partially as an anthropological study, partially to try and understand why these stories exist (what is the underlying theme that anyone can learn), and partially to examine what parts of religious history correspond to a more neutral approach to history, and what is more likely to be the result of folklore. Furthermore, the idea of understanding other religions seemed only logical in trying to understand those who follow those religions, and argue with them over certain ideas (only when necessary).
Therefore I imagined an institution of learning for those non-believers like me. Unlike a university or something similar, it would be much more church like because it is discussing that one certain subject - religion.
Furthermore, this church institution would offer its members access to like minded individuals, community, friends, child care, etc. One could partake in all the usual church activities like a bible study (with a different tone), classes about history and science, discussion of various moral issues, support groups, choir and youth groups, Sunday school and more.
Some of you may have heard me rant about this brilliant idea, that I loved to think about and expand. I have notes upon notes of all the possibilities for this church. However, it is very unrealistic that I would ever actually start anything like this, so I continued on with my life, nothing changed.
Until I saw the smallest of notes on a online community that I'm a part of. Someone wrote "Thanks so much for recommending UUs to me! I love it!" ... or something of the sort. I didn't bother to read the comments, or look back at their history to see why someone would recommend a church to them. Instead, the instance I saw that, I had to research the UUs.
Of course I had heard of them. I knew they were a liberal religion. I knew that they were pro-choice and pro-gay. I knew little more.
Apparently when I rambled to Rachael about my church, she suggested the UUs, noting the similarities. I at that time wasn't ready for just how liberal they are, and I was ignorant to what they truly are.
So, I googled the church. Looked at their beliefs. What kind of things they have sermons on. What their calender is filled with. What kind of groups they have. I read essays about various beliefs. I read essays about atheism in the UU church. I listened to sermon after sermon online. (I'm in love with the former Spokane UU's pastor...he is an amazing orator!) I was hooked! I loved everything that I read. It seemed so ideal, I couldn't believe it.
Everything matched the church I envisioned. The calender looked exactly how I wanted mine to look. Their core beliefs were so ridiculously basic and logical, I couldn't imagine not believing in them. Their goals (to help each other on our own paths to determining our beliefs) was completely reasonable. No longer was I as narrow minded as when I told Rachael "I don't want to go to a UU church, there's Christians there!". I now saw that the Christians I feared would not be at this church. And if anything, this church would help me not fear someone based on their religion. To separate the belief from the people I disagree with. Not to criticize someone just for their beliefs. I mean, afterall, I am well aware of the fact that I would find most Christian's beliefs to be comforting, and am disappointed at times that I just can't believe it, no matter how easy it would make things.
Furthermore, though I don't believe in a God, that doesn't mean that I don't want to think about what I do believe in. What do I believe on a more spiritual level?
So, on one hand I was thrilled - I found a place that could educate me in the way I want to be educated, but also help me think about things that you can't think about other places too easily. However, I also felt weird. I am an atheist. Why do I want to go to church? Isn't that just silly?
Because of this embarrassment, I stewed away with my thoughts for a few days, not sharing them. I kept reading, kept listening, kept googling. I looked at the same sites over and over, trying to find more information. I knew I couldn't find more online though, if I was serious about this, I had to tell someone and actually go to church.
So, I told Rachael. I was very surprised to hear that she was perfectly willing to go with me. She, too, was curious to see what church is like when you're not an impostor. So, we agreed to go the next Sunday.
As the day drew closer, I got nervous again. Why I am doing this?, I thought. Though there are atheists in the church, we probably don't normally randomly decide to go to church... Luckily I realized that I was just getting cold feet, and that I would never know unless I went myself. So, we went.
I was very pleasantly surprised! First off, everyone was extremely nice. The women at the door knew we were new, and offered us name tags. They told us where to go and smiled big. Rachael and I wondered down stairs, but everyone else was talking to each other, catching up from the week. So we went back upstairs, and sat in our seat. The church is also gorgeous! It was remodeled just a year ago, and it looks great.
UU church's have their fair share of rituals. That didn't make me laugh, or seem weird. Instead, it seemed very reasonable. Someone said welcome. We sang some songs. People could choose to walk up to the front and give announcements - some sad, some happy. Everyone read aloud the church's ideals (which are about being good and true, not religious in nature). They lit a candle, rang a bell (not in that order actually..). The hymns clearly come from a variety of backgrounds - some were modern, some had strong beats, some were clearly more religious and referenced a lord. In general, you could see it was a melting pots of songs, and perfectly described the church.
The sermon was great. One thing that I found interesting is that not only was God never mentioned, but the pastor also talked about being gay and referenced pop culture movies in his sermon. There was still a lesson to be learned, an idea to think about. (What is Enough?) It was an idea that made everyone think. Some more songs were song, everyone held hands and sang a closing song, and the service was over.
After church there was a newcomer's orientation (quite coincidentally), so Rachael and I chose to attend that. About 10 or 15 people gathered at the front to hear about the church, what kind of activities there are, and how to get involved. There will be a membership meeting in a week, but since I'll be out of town, I'd have to wait til spring at earliest.
Afterward Rachel and I discussed it, and I was pleased to hear that she had a similar impression as I. She enjoyed it, found it to be a comfortable place where interesting ideas were discussed. (Though I won't quote her or anything). I was also pleased t hear that she would be interested in going again.
So, today we went again. This time I decided to dress up (not mandatory, but fun), so I wore leggings, a skirt and a nice little sweater. Average to most, but as you all know me - it was fancy for me. Once again, the sermon didn't disappoint. Though we didn't really small talk with people while waiting for the service to start like last time, afterward a very nice woman gave us a tour. She showed us the whole building, introduced us to a lot of people, and was overall just very kind. The sermon this time was about Love (having to do with the holiday, of course). Once again it was interesting and thought provoqing. There was a different pastor this time, and she seemed more religious than the other pastor. She did reference God in her sermon, but only as an idea, not a specific being. Furthermore, I was grateful that she prefaced her mention of that viewpoint by saying: these are my beliefs, but you can interpret the idea as to match your beliefs. A very cool part of the church.
So... I've only gone twice, but I can say for certain that I enjoy going. I feel good waking up and doing something different than every other day of the week. I like dressing up. I like going and seeing all the nice people and hearing thought provoking sermons. I like coming home afterward with so much time left in the day and so much already accomplished. I really like going with Rachael (it is nice to have someone to talk to so you're not standing by yourself), but figure that once I have my car back up here I can go by myself on the days where she can't (which will hopefully be few and far between!).
I can imagine getting more involved, going to community dinners, joining the young adults group, volunteering with the kids. The only problem is that if I move away, I don't feel like it is a good idea to become a member of this church. I want to go, but I may save official membership and participation for the next town I live in.
Once again I realize that this post may not be interesting to you readers (which I just learned actually exist! Though that is no surprise to you...); but it is exciting to me so that is why it was the long awaited exciting piece of news to tell you. One thing that I really love is that the instead I saw "Unitarian Universalist", I had to google it. The instead I read it, I had to go. The instant I went, I had to go again. I feel like that is a very good sign. Since previously only Rachael and Laura knew of this, I am officially "outing" myself as a church goer.
I have found that it is much easier to join a pre-existing church than to create one myself.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
My room! (courtesy of my phone)
Sorry that the photos aren't amazing quality, they're from my 5 year old phone. Above you can see that I made my bookshelf nice and pretty! Unfortunately, my bookshelf has been a storage area for quite awhile. It stored books, but it also stored many random papers and notebooks. I much prefer this style. Much more conducive to reading!
Here is the angle from my closet. I have a small little table next to my door. I brought my dresser out of my closet and into my room. I did this for two reasons: one, I did not have enough space in my closet to hang up shirts; and two, I had more free space in my room than in my actual closet (floor space wise). I didn't really glorify everything up for the photo, but as you can see, my chair is clean in the corner with a couple of pillows and a nice warm sweater. This is where I am sitting right now. Love it! I plan on using this area as much as possible, and I hope to buy some light bulbs so I can actually use the lamp above my head. (Hidden secret: I have always had a box of extra linen. Tired of seeing the brown of a box, I stuffed them all behind the chair. You can't see them, and they are easily accessible!!)
My bed is another thing that I didn't try to make pretty. Because it is blurry, it actually looks like there are more things on it than there are. I have a few items of clothes still to be put away. Since I am now below the window, I figure it will be colder at night. Therefore, I have piled all of my blankets onto my bed. Therefore it won't really look made, even when it is. I blame this as the primary reason that the bed looks messy. On other news: as you can see, this bed being in a different spot is one of the primary changes in this room. Obviously, everything in the last photo was in a new spot as well, but the bed is really what makes the room. It was very heavy to move, and I got my work out for the night! (I even let myself skip my nightly workout routine!)
Also - see how you can see the storage underneath? In the past you haven't been able to see that, because the drawers are smaller than my bed, I would just hide them more. However, in an effort to make my closet prettier, I took out two large foam pads that were stored visably, and stuck them under my bed in back. Also, I rolled up my rug and stuff that back behind my drawers. There are also a couple of little storage boxes back there. Nicely hidden, if I say so myself! :)
And this is my closet! Probably the most impressive feat of all! Besides moving all my furniture maybe... It has been my goal to gut my closet and clear it as much as possible. It all started when I moved in here and didn't set up my bed right away (hoping to get a full or queen). Unable to use storage underneath my bed, everywhere else in my room because extra loaded. Even when I made my bed and put storage underneath, the "damage" to the closet was already done. Even when I cleaned my room (which I have multiple times while living here), the whole room would get cared for except the closet - I would just shut the closet doors. Part of the problem was having my dresser in there. It was a nice idea at first, and did make my room seem bigger, but I needed the space in my closet, not in my room. Normally my hamper would fit nicely on the floor next to my keyboard and DVDs. It is extremely spacious! There are two boxes on top, and one of them is even empty!! I also have my strobe light (why? I don't know), my Edmonds suitcase (my travelling ones are hidden in the secret left part of the closet) and a clear box with all my yarn and knitting stuff. Yes, I definitely like this arrangement!
And lastly, here is my window! I have a couple extra (and unnecessary) things on my window sil (ie peanut butter), but the point of this photo is to show the lights! I have lights, and figured why own them if I don't use them? So I put them up around my window and mirror. Mood lighting, I figure.... And if I don't like them or never turn them on, I figure I can just put them back in storage or get rid of them.
So there you have it, a visual representation of my room! I think I have to do more laundry now. Though, I'm getting kind of sick from the strong smell of my candle, and from all my dust allergies (sneezing a LOT today), so I'm getting really tempted to take a break from the laundry and resume it again tomorrow. Anyway, I still have you tell you something exciting, so hopefully I'll come back here again and do that!
Cleaning Cont.
I actually woke up and continued cleaning! Even though I didn't get to bed until about 5 am, I woke up at 10 or 11. I had an amazing night sleep too! I had been entertaining the idea of rearranging my room for a few weeks now, and the last couple of nights I had had the desire to sleep somewhere else. Not in that same one spot where I spend so much of my time. It was so refreshing last night to sleep in a new spot. Even though I hadn't even had a chance to change my sheets or anything, it still felt like a "new" bed.
I continued to clean out (completely and thoroughly!!!!) my closet, finished putting everything under my bed, cleaned and vacuumed the floor, put ALL of my books away and went through all of random junk stashes. I still have a few odds and ends that I can't get rid of, so I still have a couple of junk stashes, but they are smaller and more hidden, so it is ok with me! In addition, while cleaning I found long ignored decorations, so I added a bit to my room.
I still haven't taken out the garbage, and it is currently sitting outside my door (luckily there is room in the hall that I can put stuff outside my door without it getting in Rachael's way). It is still soooo windy that I plan on waiting til tomorrow. If it is still windy and rainy, then I will take it out, but I figure I'll see if it could be nicer out. I mean, it isn't a long walk necessarily, but it may take a couple of runs and it is on the other side of the property.
I still have a few surfaces to clean (just a little on my old bedside table, bookshelf and desk). They should be really easy, so I will do them soon. I am also running the washer and dryer all day long, and putting away/giving away clothes as they come out of the dryer. It breaks up the chore of figuring that out! Though I wouldn't necessarily call it a chore, because I am still in a pro cleaning mode.
Another advantage to cleaning is finding long forgotten treasures. I had a whole bag of books in my closet that I found, and so I can now read more! Plus I found some more arts and crafts, and am currently (except for this brief break to write) coloring in a coloring book. Love it!!! My laptop also has its own, really easily accessible location, so I am less tempted to use it in bed like I have in the past (when my room was messy, on my lap in bed was the second safest spot for it - second only to its storage area, which wasn't accessible). Needless to say, I am using my whole room right now and it feels great!
Ok, I'm going to get back to drawing. After a bit of that I'm going to need to clean a bit more, and so I'll come here and write more after that. Woot! This is amazing! I love having a clean room. :)
I continued to clean out (completely and thoroughly!!!!) my closet, finished putting everything under my bed, cleaned and vacuumed the floor, put ALL of my books away and went through all of random junk stashes. I still have a few odds and ends that I can't get rid of, so I still have a couple of junk stashes, but they are smaller and more hidden, so it is ok with me! In addition, while cleaning I found long ignored decorations, so I added a bit to my room.
I still haven't taken out the garbage, and it is currently sitting outside my door (luckily there is room in the hall that I can put stuff outside my door without it getting in Rachael's way). It is still soooo windy that I plan on waiting til tomorrow. If it is still windy and rainy, then I will take it out, but I figure I'll see if it could be nicer out. I mean, it isn't a long walk necessarily, but it may take a couple of runs and it is on the other side of the property.
I still have a few surfaces to clean (just a little on my old bedside table, bookshelf and desk). They should be really easy, so I will do them soon. I am also running the washer and dryer all day long, and putting away/giving away clothes as they come out of the dryer. It breaks up the chore of figuring that out! Though I wouldn't necessarily call it a chore, because I am still in a pro cleaning mode.
Another advantage to cleaning is finding long forgotten treasures. I had a whole bag of books in my closet that I found, and so I can now read more! Plus I found some more arts and crafts, and am currently (except for this brief break to write) coloring in a coloring book. Love it!!! My laptop also has its own, really easily accessible location, so I am less tempted to use it in bed like I have in the past (when my room was messy, on my lap in bed was the second safest spot for it - second only to its storage area, which wasn't accessible). Needless to say, I am using my whole room right now and it feels great!
Ok, I'm going to get back to drawing. After a bit of that I'm going to need to clean a bit more, and so I'll come here and write more after that. Woot! This is amazing! I love having a clean room. :)
Cleaning
I'm actually in the process of doing it!!
I've been wanting to clean for a long time. Whenever I start, I never get further then cleaning the floor a bit, taking all the dishes out and doing a load or two of laundry (just enough so I can wear clothes to work). This would be great if my room was cleaner to start off with.
Not only am I actually cleaning right now, I also rearranged my room. I felt this necessary for two reasons: I am feeling like I am in a rut, and I want a change. Plus, cleaning and rearranging have always gone together well for me because as I move things, I clean them.
It is almost 4 am, and though I feel completely awake still, I should probably stop soon for the night. I've already woken Rachael up twice! The first time I just put a couple of dishes into the dishwasher and started it. Normally that wouldn't be enough to wake her or make her come out of her room, but she was worried that I was putting away the dirty dishes that were in the washer, instead of starting the load. The second time I woke her was because there was a crazy ladybug in my room. Have I mentioned on here before my crazy fear of ladybugs? They fly funny so I don't like them. Anyway, after fluttering around, this lady bug was chilling on the floor, so I caught it in a jar I had in my room. The kind hearted person I am, I wanted to let it free and not kill it. I opened the back door to let it go, and it was sooooooo windy out there! There was a major gust right as I opened the door, and all of the doors in the apartment banged. (Oops!!) Rachael came out again, worried what the noise was. It's good she did though, because the front door unlocked, and I wouldn't have checked it, so she was able to get up and lock it. The fact that it was unlocked makes me more worried about the weird, haunting like sounds I heard earlier.... (probably from the wind)....
Plus, at the current moment I have a lot of clothes to clean and garbage to take out, neither of these activities which are good for 4am. (Don't want to wake up Rachael again either... I'm such a bad roommate! ;) ) I could keep going on other stuff, but I have a process to how I clean, and right now I am at the phase where I want to take as much out of this room as I can, so I can better see how it will be. Though I've done some organizing stuff (like my dresser), my bookshelf is still a mess, as is my former nightstand.
So my plan tomorrow is to wake up, do dishes, start laundry, take out garbage, clean and organize some more. Once Rachael wakes up, I'll vacuum. I'm excited, and I really just hope that I stay in this cleaning mode (oh so necessary for actually getting any cleaning done).
Oh... and if you didn't notice, I gave up on the 2 accomplishments a day for February. I realized just how difficult it is for me to remember to come onto here every day. Though it is good for me to have the mentality of doing more things, that is counterbalanced by forcing me to spend extra time on the interwebs....
I do have something really fun to tell you guys about, so I'll have to do that on break tomorrow! :)
I've been wanting to clean for a long time. Whenever I start, I never get further then cleaning the floor a bit, taking all the dishes out and doing a load or two of laundry (just enough so I can wear clothes to work). This would be great if my room was cleaner to start off with.
Not only am I actually cleaning right now, I also rearranged my room. I felt this necessary for two reasons: I am feeling like I am in a rut, and I want a change. Plus, cleaning and rearranging have always gone together well for me because as I move things, I clean them.
It is almost 4 am, and though I feel completely awake still, I should probably stop soon for the night. I've already woken Rachael up twice! The first time I just put a couple of dishes into the dishwasher and started it. Normally that wouldn't be enough to wake her or make her come out of her room, but she was worried that I was putting away the dirty dishes that were in the washer, instead of starting the load. The second time I woke her was because there was a crazy ladybug in my room. Have I mentioned on here before my crazy fear of ladybugs? They fly funny so I don't like them. Anyway, after fluttering around, this lady bug was chilling on the floor, so I caught it in a jar I had in my room. The kind hearted person I am, I wanted to let it free and not kill it. I opened the back door to let it go, and it was sooooooo windy out there! There was a major gust right as I opened the door, and all of the doors in the apartment banged. (Oops!!) Rachael came out again, worried what the noise was. It's good she did though, because the front door unlocked, and I wouldn't have checked it, so she was able to get up and lock it. The fact that it was unlocked makes me more worried about the weird, haunting like sounds I heard earlier.... (probably from the wind)....
Plus, at the current moment I have a lot of clothes to clean and garbage to take out, neither of these activities which are good for 4am. (Don't want to wake up Rachael again either... I'm such a bad roommate! ;) ) I could keep going on other stuff, but I have a process to how I clean, and right now I am at the phase where I want to take as much out of this room as I can, so I can better see how it will be. Though I've done some organizing stuff (like my dresser), my bookshelf is still a mess, as is my former nightstand.
So my plan tomorrow is to wake up, do dishes, start laundry, take out garbage, clean and organize some more. Once Rachael wakes up, I'll vacuum. I'm excited, and I really just hope that I stay in this cleaning mode (oh so necessary for actually getting any cleaning done).
Oh... and if you didn't notice, I gave up on the 2 accomplishments a day for February. I realized just how difficult it is for me to remember to come onto here every day. Though it is good for me to have the mentality of doing more things, that is counterbalanced by forcing me to spend extra time on the interwebs....
I do have something really fun to tell you guys about, so I'll have to do that on break tomorrow! :)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
2.3-2.5
So I haven't been on here in awhile. Let me see if I can remember what I did these last few days....
2.3
1. I went to bed early instead of getting on the computer to write a blog post. This is probably a good thing.
2. I was going to get together with a friend to help her study for a french test. I figured since I don't have to take the test myself (since I am just sitting in the class for fun), the least I could do is study for it. But she cancelled.... I still get an A for effort, though.
2.4
1. Really, all I did was read Pride and Prejudice all night long. :)
2. Seriously, not sure if I did much else... :/
2.5
1. I finished Pride and Prejudice! I LOVE that book.
2. I did some chores... but not much. I was going to get together for dinner and a movie with a French friend, but she had to cancel on me too. If this keeps happening, I'll start to get worried.
So no, I wasn't very productive the last few days. I did something good today though! I'll tell you about it in a bit. First I feel like playing sims or some other frivolous activity. :)
2.3
1. I went to bed early instead of getting on the computer to write a blog post. This is probably a good thing.
2. I was going to get together with a friend to help her study for a french test. I figured since I don't have to take the test myself (since I am just sitting in the class for fun), the least I could do is study for it. But she cancelled.... I still get an A for effort, though.
2.4
1. Really, all I did was read Pride and Prejudice all night long. :)
2. Seriously, not sure if I did much else... :/
2.5
1. I finished Pride and Prejudice! I LOVE that book.
2. I did some chores... but not much. I was going to get together for dinner and a movie with a French friend, but she had to cancel on me too. If this keeps happening, I'll start to get worried.
So no, I wasn't very productive the last few days. I did something good today though! I'll tell you about it in a bit. First I feel like playing sims or some other frivolous activity. :)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
2.2
So... two things that I have done today. Unfortunately, today has been a lazy day.... And I had a lot of plans about what I could do tonight, but didn't end up getting them done. Since I've been reading so much, I had to catch up on two TV shows then try and learn about what is going on in Egypt. In my defense, after I eat dinner, I really only have 3 - 4 hours before bedtime..... but that is a lame excuse because that defense is the exact reason I made up this game. So....
1. Does learning about what is going on in Egypt count? I mean... I know very little about Egypt's past or present... so I had a lot of learning to do. Though of course I still know next to nothing. It's kind of like I am still in school! But I'm just trying not to be ignorant, which means maybe this should be an "ordinary" activity and not count.
2. Does doing laundry count? I'm not sure because it is only one thing on a long list of chores I was supposed to do tonight. Laundry's the one I can't ignore because I can't go to work naked!!
2. Just in case that one didn't count, I walked to work this morning instead of rode the bus! Oh wait... that was just because I was running late and missed it.
1. Does learning about what is going on in Egypt count? I mean... I know very little about Egypt's past or present... so I had a lot of learning to do. Though of course I still know next to nothing. It's kind of like I am still in school! But I'm just trying not to be ignorant, which means maybe this should be an "ordinary" activity and not count.
2. Does doing laundry count? I'm not sure because it is only one thing on a long list of chores I was supposed to do tonight. Laundry's the one I can't ignore because I can't go to work naked!!
2. Just in case that one didn't count, I walked to work this morning instead of rode the bus! Oh wait... that was just because I was running late and missed it.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
2.1
Hey.
So, I was thinking.... I'm going to try a game. I'm not sure how well it will work. I have a tendency to forget about games. But that's OK, its an experiment!
Since it is the 2nd month of the year, I thought I would write 2 eventful things that happened that day. Be it a delicious meal I made, some social activity in which I partook, a good activity that is out of the ordinary or a good exercise I tried out... I will chronicle it here. Or at least try to. Lets see if this even lasts a day.
So... today I:
1. Ate boomers with Rachael! Doesn't count as a culinary creation on my part, but it has been awhile since I've eaten boomers. It is still delicious! Plus this doubles as a social activity. Though it is still just one bullet point.
2. I read Pride and Prejudice! While this isn't out of the ordinary per se, since I have read it many times before, I do not count reading to be an ordinary activity. If I were to spend one full day reading, and another watching a really long movie, I would feel more accomplished on reading day.
So, I was thinking.... I'm going to try a game. I'm not sure how well it will work. I have a tendency to forget about games. But that's OK, its an experiment!
Since it is the 2nd month of the year, I thought I would write 2 eventful things that happened that day. Be it a delicious meal I made, some social activity in which I partook, a good activity that is out of the ordinary or a good exercise I tried out... I will chronicle it here. Or at least try to. Lets see if this even lasts a day.
So... today I:
1. Ate boomers with Rachael! Doesn't count as a culinary creation on my part, but it has been awhile since I've eaten boomers. It is still delicious! Plus this doubles as a social activity. Though it is still just one bullet point.
2. I read Pride and Prejudice! While this isn't out of the ordinary per se, since I have read it many times before, I do not count reading to be an ordinary activity. If I were to spend one full day reading, and another watching a really long movie, I would feel more accomplished on reading day.
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