ennui

Isn't that pinteresting?

2012-01-29T18:49:00.002-06:00

I'm going to start blogging again. Today I'm going to write about Pinterest, and its impact on my life. It's unbelievably addicting, and I'm finding way too much stuff that I like to "pin"...but it's quite fun. I have tagged everything from long unders to recipes for sweets. I just hope I don't get too infatuated with it and end up wasting a bunch of my life looking up how to turn a pussy willow branch into a DIY centerpiece.

klepto cat

2011-02-23T15:08:00.001-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhRW4WmfrDA
this is a link to a youtube video about a klepto cat. the cat's name is dusty, and he has been stealing from the neighbors...everything from lingerie to towels to kids' toys. check out dusty's villianous acts!

it's alive

2010-11-05T12:04:00.002-05:00

the other day my bike tire quickly deflated as I rode around the drake neighborhood. I figured I had rolled over glass. When I had the tube replaced today, the bike shop guy showed me what it was that punctured the tire--what it looked like to me was a huge claw, most likely from a bigfoot or similar creature. the creature was, no doubt, roaming the streets of Des Moines after dark when his claw was either torn off when he stubbed his toe or less painfully and quite possibly, it fell off in a simple act of molting, etc...whatever happened, I hope I never come face-to-face with this beastly beast

you're fired

2010-09-10T15:45:00.002-05:00

I've decided there are some "friends" on facebook that I'd rather be without! Don't get me wrong, most of the people in my queue, especially family members, make updating well worth it, but a few people on my friend page don't belong there, don't need any information about me--what I did, what I'm doing, or what I'm going to do. So if you find yourself de-friended, you'll know why--either you're not trustworthy or I think you're just plain mean. No hard feelings!

scrapbook

2010-09-09T16:08:00.002-05:00

i like sorting through old pictures, putting them on cool paper, adding stickers, and sliding the finished product into the sleeve. every time i finish another page, I recall countless memories, and I'm reminded that life's been pretty sweet. The best part is...there are more pages to fill!

10

2010-09-08T18:06:00.002-05:00

for the last few years, i've been feeling great about my fitness level. i heard people warn about slowing metabolisms at 30, but I wasn't affected. then 31 hit--and now i'm fat! Ha! in reality i saw that jokingly. i know i'm not overweight, but I am fatter than i used to be last year. I don't like it--ten extra pounds makes me feel like a muffin middle. I'm going to lose these ten pounds--I vow to lose these ten pounds. summer is food time--ice cream season, the fair, and lots of vacation time. fall is time to slim and trim. spinning class will help. the des moines 1/2 marathon training will help. now i just need to stop eating so many treats. :/

L-O-S-T

2010-09-07T19:36:00.002-05:00

have you ever heard that saying, "not all who wander are lost"? well, i used to agree with that, but I'm thinking I'll go with, "i've been wandering way too long and yes, I'm lost"

I'm really digging my sabbatical from teaching--there are a few things I miss, and it did keep me busy. now, believe it or not, I almost have more free time than I know what to do with. If I had unlimited funds and could travel or go to shows every night, I'd relish the time off, but when your tied to a budget, it's easy to get tired of the "free" entertainment scene--I mean the trips to the library for kicks get old after while . ..I want to find something exciting but not too stressful. something that I care about--perhaps a cause that's near to my heart--but something that also pays the bills. I read today that $$ is a happiness factor--a huge deal, in fact, until a person reaches the magical $75,000 mark--after that it really doesn't make or break your smile. right now i'm a long way from that amount, so i guess i'll just keep "wandering" and hope for something wonderful to unveil itself in the future.

love

2010-09-05T16:25:00.002-05:00

How do you show love? lately, for whatever reason, I've been thinking about how people (and animals) show their love for one another. Some announce it, some send fancy cards, others show it in less obvious ways--a heart carved into a peanut butter sandwich, an inside joke, a bandaged wound. Some animals nuzzle their owners, give a friend quick brush or a sloppy lick. Love is meant to be shown. It's tenderness, it's patience, it's giving in once in a while, it's trusting rather than being suspicious; if these things aren't apparent in your interactions, you might want to search for some new, fresh ways to show your love.

mosquitos

2010-09-04T06:17:00.002-05:00

M enacing

O bnoxious

S curvy

Q uiescent

U nyielding

I mpartial

T hirsty

O dious

S avage

singed

2010-09-03T18:16:00.002-05:00

today Jacky got too close to a burning candle and signed off most of his left-side whiskers. I was so worried because I just read a book about how cats need their whiskers to feel and determine if they can fit through spaces. I did some research and found out that many cats have had similar accidents--a crazed child giving them a little trim, a haircut mishap--and I guess it's not a big deal. They will eventually grow back. In the meantime, I hope Jack doesn't start crashing into walls, or I may have to buy him a little kitty helmet.

cat toys

2010-09-02T18:07:00.003-05:00

those of you who know me, know how much I love my kitty boys. as I type Tony is hopping from my shoulders to the computer desk to the window. Now he's laying flat right in front of the screen. Can you say attention seeker?! Since the kitties are my only "kids," it is my duty to spoil them, and spoil them rotten. I buy too many toys, too many treats, and too many soft things for them to lay on, and I love every minute of it. As I type amazon.com is awaiting my credit card info to complete my purchase of the Cat-It Senses Massage Center with gum stimulator. I know they will love it, and what cat doesn't need a massage.

attention span

2010-09-01T18:06:00.002-05:00

I realized today why I get along so well with kids. ..it's because our attention spans are about the same! This year, rather than teaching, I'm working as a nanny. So far it's been great. I love it because the little 3-year-old that I'm around goes from one thing to the next--bing, bang, boom! He says, "Jayme, play toys" and five minutes later he says, "Jayme, watch Calliou" and we just move from one thing to the next. But every once in awhile, he finds something that really consumes his attention, and we'll just do that thing over and over--today I made the mistake of peeking through the window of his playhouse and asking him what he wanted to order, and we spent the better part of an hour pretending to order McDonald's meals from each other.

"Here's your fries and chicken nuggets. That'll be two dollars!"

"Thank you!"

i scream, you scream

2010-08-31T18:24:00.002-05:00

my sister Jilly and I have tested out some of des moines' ice cream hot spots the past few days. yesterday we had Snookies--a Beaverdale favorite! Snookies is known for finishing off each cone with an animal cracker. i've been in the mood for cones lately, so yesterday I had a twist cone with butterscotch dip. mmmm

today we hit up VanDee's ice cream shop in Johnston. VanDee's puts two little eyeballs on each of their cones. I figured I couldn't go wrong with another twist, but this time I choose to top it off with chocolate sprinkles.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

shopping is not my sport

2010-08-30T13:02:00.002-05:00

shopping is overrated. don't get me wrong--i love to go look at all of the cool stuff and frequently find things that I'd like to purchase, but overall shopping is not the sport for me.

Things I Dislike About Shopping:

1. Too many people.

2. Stale, closed-up environment that's especially nausea-inducing if you're anywhere near the waft zone of abercrombie's colognes.

3. The sales people are pushy and/or overbearing.

4. There are too many choices.

5. Trying on clothes is a necessary chore.

6. Well-placed Cinnabon shops are too tempting.

7. I always want the things I don't need.

8. There are far too many t-shirts that I need.

9. I can never find the things I'm looking for.

10. I'm not a junior and I'm not a misses.

don't blow it

2010-08-29T20:20:00.005-05:00

ok...so I almost blew it on the 2nd day of the challenge. I seem to get so preoccupied with this and that, and I forgot to sit down and blog at least two different times today. I'm a great multi-tasker by nature, but sometimes it's not such a blessing. People (including and especially me) try to do too many things at once. For instance, I started off for the kitchen to get a scissors to clip coupons tonight--I ended up walking out to the kitchen, deciding I needed to go to the bathroom, then changed into my pajamas, walked back out to the living room to scan the coupons, only to discover that I never got the scissors--ERRR! Lesson for today: Slow down, think about what you're doing, one thing at a time!

the 100 days start today

2010-08-28T17:53:00.002-05:00

I borrowed a book from the library called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It's supposed to help a person "generally have more fun." In my skimming--it's hard for me to read a book like this cover to cover--I've found that Rubin includes a plethora of ideas for simplifying life, embracing the moment, and living to ones potential. One of her suggestions is to launch a blog. well, i already have a blog, but I've let my posting slip considerably since i met facebook. I figured I'd give blogging another shot with the 100 day challenge--and try to post something everyday for the next 14.3 weeks.

big boys

2010-07-22T16:47:00.003-05:00

the boys are getting so big now. they are still as rambunctious as ever. they still love their mice, but they have new favorite toys too, like the catnip cigar and banana! they had their first spa day, and they came home all soft and fluffy!

walk

2010-04-09T14:03:00.000-05:00

tony and jack received harnesses for easter and have enjoyed taking a few early spring walks down the sidewalk. they are just like little doggies--sniffing and trotting along. jacky likes to dust himself in the dirt sometimes too by rolling around on his back and twisting from side-to-side...what a little stink?! i'm looking forward to taking them out later today because the weather is supposed to be phenomenal!

vacay

2010-03-10T19:04:00.002-06:00

we are getting ready to take the kitty boys on spring vacation to grandma and grandpa's house. I know a good time will be had by all! the food & toys & litter are all packed. Here we come!

boys

2010-02-14T17:29:00.003-06:00

these boys are little love muffins!

strrrrrretch!

2010-02-12T10:19:00.003-06:00

i love when my little kitties stretch and make themselves soooo big!

rosie is dead?!

2010-02-07T06:27:00.002-06:00

rosie the rat was found floating in the water dish this morning. Cause of death has not yet been determined, but foul play is suspected. DMPD hope an investigation will reveal the culprit of the heinous crime.

jack stepped in glue

2010-02-05T07:30:00.001-06:00

i'm trying some scrapbooking today, and jacky is really interested. he keeps trying to sniff and eat the scrapbook paste, but i've got my eyes on him. he did, however, step in glue. what a little rascal!

my poor little kitkat

2010-02-03T19:32:00.004-06:00

jill and i counted three separate pukey spots, and we think it was tone who got sick. i wish i knew what made him sick. it wasn't a hairball puke, i don't think, it was mostly watery with some whole chunks of dry food in it. ugh! i feel like a parent of a sick child, wanting to make him better right now. i just read that cats do this all the time if they eat too fast or too much, but I also read that the cat's food bowls should be cleaned everyday so bacteria doesn't grow in the dish. i rarely clean their dry food bowls; i just refill. :( i guess i've failed at fur motherhood today, but i'm not giving up. clean bowls from now on!

change my tune

2010-02-03T14:19:00.002-06:00

the blog fomerly known as ennui will now be called cat>tales. the cat is greater than the tale because without the cat, there'd be no story. my two little kitties jack and tony will be the stars of this revamped blog. i'm hoping their exciting adventures will capture the hearts of friends and strangers. welcome to the world of jacky and tone!

mom has lumberjack skills

2009-12-24T08:52:00.003-06:00

we thought we'd better make a fresh cut, so our tree could drink.. .

dad wasn't around to help and later he told us we didn't even use the most efficient saw for tree-cutting. we should've used a bow saw?!!

but my mom has mad lumberjack skills; she could make a fresh cut with a plastic knife

making christmas

2009-12-23T13:35:00.003-06:00

you know the song "making christmas" from the nightmare before christmas soundtrack?! if you do, hum it as you read this. jill and i have been baking treats--making christmas--while mom is out looking for a tree on dec. 23rd. haha! we agreed that we didn't have to have a tree this year .. .since mom had been up taking care of grandma, and dad was doing extra work around here to help fill in for mom while she was gone, and it was already practically christmas, so why put one up now, but then stinky bro said, "WHAAAAAT?" when mom told him we didn't have a tree, so i think now we are going to get one. and i'm actually happy about that because we pretty much always have a real tree, and it'll be cool even if it's only up for a few days

home for christmas

2009-12-21T10:27:00.002-06:00

i'm home for christmas, and i'm loving being with my family and the kitty boys . ..looking forward to lots of naps, ymca workouts, good food, football/basketball viewing, and more! home is the best!

haven't posted in forever..here's the update

2009-10-14T17:27:00.002-05:00

update! this is what's been happening in my life: i saw wicked with jilly and even though our seats were kinda far back, it was still amazingly awesome, jilly moved in with me (if you didn't know), so now i have a sister-roomie which is pretty cool :-) we are having a halloween party which will be the official grand opening of the fire pit. the fire pit is great. we have already used it a number of times and the s'mores have always been top notch. i'm completely loving my transition to middle school. the kids are super-independent and a little ornery. i love the schedule and the people i work with...i love being able to focus on one subject and put all my time and effort into that rather than having to teach a ton of different things and never have time to do any of it as well as i'd like. i'm still swimming and biking and running. i'm really enjoying mixing up the workouts, and i have a bunch of races coming up later this fall! guess that's it for now!

not listening

2009-10-02T13:29:00.001-05:00

we got new laptops at work, and instead of listening to the guy tell us how to run it, i'm working on my blog! i think that i can figure out how to run it on my own; right now i'd rather play! woooooo!

obsolete

2009-09-09T20:13:00.002-05:00

facebook is making my blog nearly obsolete because it's faster and more accessible than the blog. ..i still like to blog, but facebook is great!

mix tape

2009-08-23T13:33:00.002-05:00

it's funny how life resembles a mix tape (or CD or playlist). it can go from mellow, to hard core, to punkish in a matter of minutes. the highs and lows all work together to make one complete little package. finishing my triathlon, thinking about going back to school, my mom and sister visiting, my mom and sister having to leave, getting a new car, paying for the new car...it's good with bad, happy with sad...a mix tape.

big balls

2009-08-14T07:28:00.002-05:00

today i'm going to see big steer balls and big pig balls at the iowa state fair. then, i might eat some big cheese curds (aka cheese BALLS)

appropriate

2009-08-07T07:46:00.002-05:00

rainy, dreary, thundery day. how appropriate

my new favorite sport...

2009-08-06T09:44:00.002-05:00

is ping pong!!

new perspective

2009-07-28T11:06:00.004-05:00

i never imagined that i'd look forward to the home depot and menards ads as much as the target and toys 'r' us flyers, but they are thrilling! i'm excited about purchasing grown-up stuff like bath towels and flagpoles. you may be thinking, "she's changed. this girl who loved scooby doo and had a rainbow bright bedspread." no cause for concern...although i have a new appreciation for sensible adult decor, i couldn't help ordering wonder women address labels and hanging my spiderman figure from my ceiling fan! sacrificing the kid in you to grow up and be boring is just so overrated!

hat tipping

2009-07-14T12:08:00.002-05:00

i've never had this happen to me before, but in the last week, i've had two men tip their hats to me. one was a cowboy and one was a bicyclist with a baseball hat on. i think it's nice when men tip their hat for a lady.

this is #101

2009-07-11T09:17:00.004-05:00

this is my 101st post on ennui, and to commemorate surpassing the century mark, i'm making a list of 101 things that i love about life right now:

101. snail slime trails that glimmer in the sun

100. redbox $1 rentals

99. lemon-lime gatorade

98. little cousins

97. tweezers that grab really well

96. regina spektor

95. foosball

94. hot chocolate with skim milk and whipped cream

93. neosporin

92. my uncanny abilities to spit, farmer blow, and pee in the woods

91. secret clinical strength

90. digital cameras

89. yellow bananas

88. bicycles

87. asics 2030 running shoes

86. teen novels

85. chaco sandals

84. cascade dishwasher cubes

83. rolls of quarters

82. pitcher margaritas at dos rios

81. coasters

80. iowa state fair

79. the stick

78. badger football and basketball

77. hockey games

76. lanyards

75. direct deposit

74. sun

73. earl may glazed pottery

72. recycling

71. smoothies

70. corn on the cob

69. charcoal grill

68. champion c9 sports bras

67. architectural salvage

66. my white under armor hat

65. cheap sunglasses

64. phone calls from my brother and sister

63. facebook

62. text messages from mom and dad

61. grandparents loaning me money

60. smash t-shirts

59. calculators with good buttons

58. warm rain

57. swimming pools

56. lakes

55. diy home decorating books

54. core workouts

53. feeling comfortable running 10 miles

52. dm farmer's market

51. cinnamon rolls

50. dutch letters

49. jmacs italian sausage sandwiches

48. xxx vitamin water

47. cracklin' oat bran

46. toast

45. cereal

44. strong legs and arms

43. flowers

42. the new sculpture garden

41. coupons

40. crushed ice cubes

39. massages

38. race goodie bags

37. topper's pizza

36. hyvee frosting

35. clorox wipes

34. gift cards

33. itunes

32. clipart

31. stained glass

30. belts

29. dads who can fix anything

28. fresh paint smell

27. second chances

26. jumping curbs

25. rootbeer floats

24. patios

23. baby animals

22. groundhogs on the trail

21. 2-cycle oil

20. vocabulary

19. suduko

18. blankets that turn into pillows

17. open windows

16. shade trees

15. bauder's peppermint ice cream

14. live music

13. warm weather

12. sweat

11. scrambled eggs

10. picture frames

9. naps

8. short thunderstorms

7. waterparks

6. floating

5. pink

4. pajama bottoms

3. not showering as often

2. cough-laughing

1. short nails

thanks, god! I'm thankful for so many things!

little kid on a big bike

2009-07-10T17:23:00.002-05:00

when i was driving today i saw a tiny, jeans-wearin', buzz-cut boy riding a huge bike. it was so cute. i wonder how such a little person can balance such a big bike?!

fireworks

2009-07-03T08:18:00.003-05:00

last night i went to listen to the des moines symphony play patriotic music, and then, there were fireworks. it was pretty cool to see everyone craning their necks and smiling up at the sky.

48 hours

2009-06-29T20:33:00.002-05:00

i didn't shower for 48 hours. it was digusting and awesome at the same time!

tri

2009-06-27T19:08:00.002-05:00

it's decided. after watching the hyvee triathlon today, i've decided to learn how to swim better and become a triathlete. next year at this time, i hope to be finishing my first tri! yo

a stranger at the stoplight ruins my time travel

2009-06-26T21:52:00.002-05:00

tonight my bike was a time machine. i was riding on the trail after dark (but in the summer, after dark really isn't all that dark), and the lightning bug flares flew me back in time at warp speed. twenty years ago. i am 9. and i am outside catching lightning bugs and watching them light up my cupped hands. i hear the neighbors out in their yards chatting on lawn chairs, the smell of smoldering charcoal and kid mischief is in the air. maybe i am riding my bike up and down the street or shooting hoops in the garage spotlight. my skin is hot and sticky and mom is yelling for me to come on inside for the night and get my jammies on. my feet are all brown and grass stained from running around barefoot. i lay down on my pillow exhausted and even though it's 100 degrees in my bedroom, i pull a little bit of covers around me and close my eyes. peaceful. happy. and then this chick yells, "hey lady, i just want you to know that i can hardly see you" (yeah, i know i forgot my light) "just be careful" (yeah, yeah, i'm almost home) i know she was trying to be kind, helpful, a hero, but she totally wrecked my flashback. i want to go back to a time when i could ride my bike up and down oakland avenue without a light and no one tried to stop me or warn me that is was dangerous. i want to smell kid mischief on my skin at night.

cousins

2009-06-19T07:49:00.003-05:00

i'm usually kind of afraid of babies, but last night i met my favorite baby ever! his name is hudson, and he is my 2nd cousin (i think...the son of my cousin would be my 2nd cousin??!) anyway...he is the coolest baby i've ever held and his big sister is not really a baby anymore, but she is my favorite almost 2-year old. i will try to put up pics of them, so you can see first hand how awesome they are!

mimic

2009-06-13T10:10:00.001-05:00

i saw a caterpillar that looked like a stick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iHCjbsGMao&feature=related

under construction

2009-06-11T17:41:00.002-05:00

ennui is under construction because i've had writer's block.

my mind is busy thinking about class and house-buying.

and my summer is going way too fast already.

how do you do it, mom?!

2009-06-09T06:40:00.003-05:00

mom,

how do you get all the toothpaste out of the tube so well? i just squeeze it in the middle and crinkle up the tube, but you always folded it so neat, so the paste came right out, 'til the last squeeze.

mom,

how do you slide those sweatshirt and shorts drawstrings back into a garment after they come out in the wash? you do it so fast. i try and i just get frustrated and usually end of throwing the string away and going string-less.

mom,

how do you make perfect hamburger patties that never fall apart? mine have pieces that always chunk off and fall into the grill or turn to little charred pieces in the george foreman.

mom,

how do you fold clothes so tidily? from towels to unders, you can fold it to look like a professional folder did it. my towels are always folded in all different shapes and sizes. i just crumple up my unders and throw them in a drawer.

mom,

how can you paint my toenails without shaking and getting globby polish all over? i usually drip big globs all over and end up wiping it all off and going with bare nails, but if you help me, they look just right!

mom,

i love you. you are amazing. you are supermom!

finished!

2009-05-30T14:07:00.003-05:00

today was dam to dam. ..the best race ever. 12.4 miles. mostly downhill. good eats and drinks and music after. lovin' it!

it's very dangerous

2009-05-26T17:56:00.003-05:00

when jilly came to visit, we bought a mini-grill. assembly was required. in fact, it took two grills' parts and two girls, to put it together and get it lit! it was very dangerous! we love danger!

the birthday

2009-05-24T07:10:00.002-05:00

last night at 10:30, we decided we had better get jilly, birthday girl, a cake. she wanted marble. we went to hyvee and got her a 1/8 marble sheet cake with cute little red flowers (or she could've picked an ugly green fake-plasticy flower or clifford, so she picked wisely). we put 24 candles on it and she made a wish! she was happy! and we were full because we ate desserts all day and then we had cake right before bed. we are a little fatter today, but we are still happy! very happy! now we are going for a 10-mile run (jayme) and bike (jill) and then to swim class for 45 min. afterwards, we will probably have another piece of cake (or two).

roses and thorns

2009-05-21T18:28:00.004-05:00

a thorn to victoria's secret for getting all excited for their "10/$25" unders sale, and then offering the crappy choices of white, off-white, and nude. err!

a rose to drake university extension office employee chuck something-or-other for calling me back immediately and being so helpful and friendly.

a rose to plaza pub for the best pizza ever.

a thorn to the annoying teenagers in target who told me, "you can't bring a bike in the mall"

a rose to me for saying, "yes i can bring my bike in the mall" and walking away. ha!

why?

2009-05-21T04:45:00.005-05:00

it's 4:37am on thursday. why am i awake right now? why? i'm still yawning and sleepy. i want to sleep for like two more hours! i am a morning person but this is nuts.

oh, mini-wheats, i love you

2009-05-19T20:48:00.003-05:00

i love mini-wheats...they are sooo yummy. not the real mini-wheats, but the generic kind in a bag called frosted mini spooners! they have extra thick frosting and they are bite size and perfect. i remember the regular old mini wheats which were good but difficult because my mom had to break them apart for me until i grew up and could stab them into swallow-able pieces with my spoon but by that time all the frosting fell off. frosted mini spooners in a bag, however, never lose their frosting because they are so frosting-a-licious. read this...

http://mark.beihoffer.com/giant-mini-spooner

back together better!

2009-05-16T18:43:00.003-05:00

2009-05-15T22:09:00.000-05:00

my clothes are in the school drier

2009-05-13T07:44:00.003-05:00

today i came into work and it was lightly sprinkling, and i was so glad i made it in before the downpour! but then i realized that my keys to my room were in the car, so i had to run out in hail and pelting rain and thunder and lightning to retrieve them. i was soaked to the bone. luckily, i had another set of clothes here at school! my original outfit is drying in the nurse's office drier...i feel like a kid who spilled or had an accident...just waiting for my clothes to get done!

yawn!

2009-05-07T11:37:00.002-05:00

today is another gray, gloomy day. i've been getting plenty of quality sleep as far as i can tell, but i'm just tired. yawning..and my eyes want to close. c'mon summer vacation!

my bike just took a shower

2009-05-02T10:36:00.004-05:00

i got my bike dirty...really dirty.

then i gave him a shower and now he's all clean. but my shower is a mud pit.

also check out the chocolate dipped bike shoes. ha!

baseball day!

2009-05-01T11:54:00.004-05:00

today was baseball day at morris elementary! check out these little sluggers!

promises

2009-04-30T16:32:00.002-05:00

Remember when you were little and someone didn't come through, and you'd whine something like, "you promised" or "you broke your promise" ?? or when you were on the other end of it, and you'd promise something to someone that you knew you couldn't keep??

do you think people imagine they've been promised something when the other person didn't really promise at all?

do you think people promise and truly mean it or do they just make and break promises like it's no big deal?

i'm not sure, but promising is kind of a weird, imperfect thing.

"You made me promises, promises

Knowing I'd believe

Promises, promises

You knew you'd never keep"

--Promises lyrics by Naked Eyes

"We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot"

--Abraham Lincoln

call me forrest, forrest gump

2009-04-28T08:04:00.003-05:00

i like to run. in the rain. in the morning. at night. with my sister. after i eat. before i eat. doing errands. getting to work. alone. in the mud. through water. on trails. on roads. with no music. in the sun. in shorts. with layers on. with a friend. up hills. delivering papers.

running is magic. if i'm tired, running doesn't make me any more tired; it actually peps me up. if i'm mad or sad, running makes me happy. if i'm happy, running makes me happier. i hope i can run until i'm 90.

thanks for calling earl may, how can i help you?

2009-04-25T14:26:00.005-05:00

yesterday and today i was a planting fool. ..potting plants for mom, grandma, and aunt shirley. my PT work at earl may has helped me blossom into a gardening guru (hah, not quite, but it sure was fun to make something pretty!)

old lady

2009-04-20T11:54:00.003-05:00

today i feel old. my bones are stiff and creaky, and the bottoms of my feet hurt. ugh. i want to go home after work and rest my feet in a ice bucket and watch a movie, but first i have to run 6 miles. i hope my poor, broken down body can handle it!

texting saved my life

2009-04-15T07:58:00.004-05:00

last night i was sitting at a red light, and i vibrated. text. i reached in my pocket to check my phone and figured since i was waiting for the light to change, i might as well respond right then and there. because i was texting, i didn't see the light change to green and immediately zoom through on my way. my green go reaction was slightly interrupted by my texting. and it's a good thing because someone flew through a waaay red light, and if i wouldn't have been looking at my phone and instead, speedily accelerating on green, i would have been side-swiped by a super speedy, very large, white SUV. (not good). i guess sometimes, texting in the car pays off!

run for the egg

2009-04-12T09:37:00.004-05:00

yesterday i ran a race to win an egg. i got 2nd place, and got a sa-weet hand-painted emu egg for a trophy! isn't it pretty?!

meet goron

2009-04-06T16:46:00.003-05:00

this is goron. he's my new ceramic snail, but he has feelings too. i bought him at earl may nursery & garden center, where i work PT. when i came to work on saturday, goron (his name wasn't goron then) was lying sideways on the counter with one large antennae missing. it was very sad. i tried to glue the antennae on with super glue, but goron (his name still wasn't goron then either) needed intensive care. i left him overnight and he threw-up once because of the severe pain, but on sunday i got some super strength adhesive (say it like, "ad-heeeees-ive") and performed the first-ever surgery of this kind (snail antennae reconstructive surgery). the surgery was successful. instead of putting goron (his name was still not goron) back on the shelves to be sold, i decided to purchase him for 50% off (his disability resulted in a discount). goron (now his name was goron) and i bonded during his life-changing experience...i'm glad i could be there for him during his recovery. when the weather warms up, he told me he'd like to sit on the patio next to my flowerpot, so he can tan his milky skin. for now he's sitting inside next to the coffee table, so he can watch tv.

chickening out

2009-03-29T14:02:00.004-05:00

so, i decided about a month ago that i was going to join the peace corps and move to costa rica. i filled out all the paperwork and applied...i waited ...with high hopes of changing the world and my life. about a week ago i got a packet from the peace corps. i've passed the initial screening and just need to fill out a few more things and sign up for an interview with a recruiter...however, that packet terrified me. it talked about saying goodbye to loved ones and civilization as i know it, and preparing to spend 2+ years with strangers who don't speak the language i do and may not have phones, computers, or electricity. i chickened out. i don't want to say goodbye to my loved ones. i think i might try to find a service opportunity that's a little less intense.

my favorite sister

2009-03-24T19:32:00.003-05:00

my sister is one of the coolest people i know. i have known this for a very long time, but she amazes me more and more everyday. she is smart and funny. she can cook and she's not afraid to try new things. she is super creative and she can take pictures that look like postcards. when i was sick on vacation she took care of me. when i had to drive on the left side of the road she told me to watch it when i got too close to the curb. sometimes it seems like she's the big sister! i tell her, "you're my favorite sister" and she says, "i'm your only sister" and i say, "your still my FAVORITE sister"

.. . and she is

i'm baaaack and tanner than ever

2009-03-22T20:42:00.003-05:00

i haven't posted anything for a very long time, so i figured it was time to freshen up the blog. update: i lived through the worst stomach flu i've ever had in 29 years of life, vacat on grand cayman with my favorite sister was great...i learned how to barter, snorkel, drive on the wrong side of the road, and other fantastic things. i also got a nice tan. life is good.

a story about a bra

2009-03-07T07:29:00.004-06:00

the last few days have been spectacular by iowa standards (60s and 70s in early march is pretty sweet), so i took advantage of the warm weather and rode my bike to work. yesterday i got halfway and remembered that i didn't bring a clean, regular bra with me. it wouldn't have been a big deal. i could have worn my sweaty sports bra all day, but it just didn't sound too comfortable, so i stopped at walgreens (ha) and bought a bra for $9.99. i didn't have much of a choice (34A isn't a hugely popular size), so i grabbed the white one (haha). i brought it up to the register and thankfully, my favorite morning, old lady cashier was working. i laughed and told her that i forgot to pack my bra, so i had to buy one. she said i shouldn't bother, she had stopped wearing a bra long ago (even though her mom said she'd have black eyes before long and she said she told her mom she wasn't "big enough" for that to happen.. .too much information from her.) i whipped out my debit card, stuffed the bra in my backpack, and rode off. it was no victoria's secret body by victoria ipex wireless, but it was not bad for $9.99.

finishing the box

2009-03-04T10:34:00.002-06:00

i love it when i finish a box of cereal because that means i get to buy another new kind. i go through cereals pretty quick (especially mini-wheats and cinnamon toast crunch), and it always brings me joy to empty the last bit into my morning breakfast bowl!

i hate miss anderson

2009-03-03T12:45:00.002-06:00

a week ago carl gave me the best teacher award (see below), but today he hates me. he told me so. my feelings are not hurt; i'm just so confused. haha!

do you play the game?

2009-03-01T16:09:00.003-06:00

has anyone ever said to you, "you just gotta play the game" or "i'm just playing the game"?sometimes it's fun to play the game. because you work hard and sweat and enjoy yourself. you have to think quick and overcome obstacles. but sometimes it's not fun to play the game. when the game is jumping through hoops, going through the motions, and making things look or feel one way when they're really not that way at all.

i can read. i can write. i like donuts.

2009-02-28T10:07:00.002-06:00

today i had weird thoughts while i was laying in the tanning bed. i was thinking about how i learned to tie my shoes. i don't even remember how i learned, but now i'm really fast at it. i also don't really remember learning to read. i remember pretending to read books that i had memorized but couldn't really read and all of a sudden i was reading. puzzling. and sorry to bring up donuts again, but i truly love them. i wake up thinking about them (mostly just on saturday mornings). today i treated myself to two donuts after shoveling snow and they looked like this:

climb

2009-02-23T08:04:00.004-06:00

on sunday i participated in the 801 Grand Power Climb for a 3rd time. it's "a vertical stair climb consisting of 41 floors, 85 flights of stairs, and nearly 1,000 steps to the top of 801 Grand Avenue." it was awesome! like always, i was dreading it and hoping to beat my previous year's time, but once i finished and found out that i bettered my last year's finish by 10 seconds, i was sooo happy! yeah!

a big anniversary

2009-02-22T17:01:00.002-06:00

crack open a bottle of celebratory champagne . ..i've spent 30,000 miles with my 023 SIP corolla.

a little bad is good

2009-02-21T19:44:00.004-06:00

i haven't felt like myself lately. it's like i'm looking at the world in slow motion with dark, blurry glasses on, and my stomach/appetite is messed up. nothing sounds good (except fresh pineapple). and everything "routine and regular" to me now feels foreign. i tried to trick myself back to normal by having pizza and a butterfinger easter egg for dinner. i'm feeling pretty good right now, so i hope my night of bad but good eating will propel me out of my bizarro-jayme funk.

today

2009-02-20T19:32:00.003-06:00

today i loved being a teacher because my kids were awesome. they finished their non-fiction reports, so we had a major celebration with cheese and crackers and fake "wine" in fancy glasses. they read their reports to an audience and you wouldn't believe how many parents and grandparents and siblings showed up. it was soooo cool! they were so good...attentive and patient and only got a little bit antsy towards the very end. today i loved being a teacher.

i mostly love the part that involves working with the kids...earlier this week we talked about the peanut butter contamination when we should've been doing reading (oops), but you know what...they love school. they all do. even the kids that pretend that they don't love it, and that's what's cool. if i could just teach those kids and do cool stuff with them and skip all the meetings and rules and curriculum and standards, i would absolutely love my job. unfortunately, everyone is trying to ruin all the fun for the kids and teachers. they think they're doing "what's best for the kids" but really, they have no clue. they make rules from their comfy office chairs and have never been in a classroom to see what kids "really need" kids NEED to talk about peanut butter contamination and warts and weird, interesting stuff that peaks their curiousity and then they WILL read and write and all that other stuff...because they want to not because they're chained to their desks and ordered to.

very good therapy

2009-02-17T07:42:00.007-06:00

if i couldn't go out and run and bike and sweat i'd probably be fat or crazy or addicted to something worse than cinnamon rolls, but luckily i realized long ago that exercising is the ultimate form of therapy and it's free!
“The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea” --Isak Dinesen

test my midi-chlorians

2009-02-15T12:35:00.002-06:00

i finally figured out what i want to be when i grow up! after watching star wars for 3+ hours yesterday, i have decided to become a jedi knight. test my midi-chlorians if you don't believe me. strong with me, the force is.

an admission

2009-02-12T07:01:00.002-06:00

i woke up this morning at 4:15am. i was jittery. empty. i tried to rollover and fall back asleep, but after tossing and turning for another 45 minutes, i finally gave in and stumbled into the shower. i should have been refreshed by the warm water, but i couldn't think of anything besides breakfast. i considered cereal. pb toast? maybe a banana? no. none of those things would do. i had to have an iowa bakery cinnamon roll. my obsession led me to call the store at 5:57..."you open at 6 or 7?" i asked imploringly. "6:30," the voice answered. that wouldn't do. it was 6, and i was ready for my roll. now. i tried to distract my mind. read the paper. watched a few minutes of the news. stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few items. but i couldn't take it anymore. i stopped in the bakery parking lot at 6:26. i left my car running; headlights on. the light beams pleading as they reflected into the dark store, "please turn on the open sign, please!" 6:27... 6:28... 6:29. .. 6:30. c'mon it's 6:30..it's really, officially 6:30...the radio guy just said, "it's now 6:30" why aren't you opening? my stomach is cramping. i...have...to....get...a...roll. that thick cinnamon, gooey, sweet frosting, warm squishy dough. open, for goodness sakes. at 6:31 i walk up to the door, so i'm sure to be first in line (now other possibly insane customers have arrived to get their morning fix). the owner unlatches the door, and i push through...he nods and backs away as i practically plow him over. i need this roll. as i grab milk, a lady scoots past me. noooo! she can't do that. i glare out the corners of my eyes, and she knows. "go ahead, you were here first," she assures me. and i do. i take my coupon and milk and money to the counter. the roll is in my hands! "go," my brain and stomach yell in unison, "run to the car and chow down." no disappointments. oh, that roll is sooooo good!

my name is jayme anderson, and i'm a cinnamon roll-aholic

the river. a deep and powerful metaphor

2009-02-10T07:12:00.006-06:00

when i ride across the rainbow-lit bridge at gray's lake and look at the modest but electric des moines skyline, i feel like i belong here. des moines feels like home.

but when i look at the ice-jammed, swirling, black water in the raccoon river, i can't help but think that i'm like that river. always moving and churning, stumbling over rocks, swirling and back-tracking.. .on my bike ride this morning i had no less than 20 ideas running through my head. about five of those ideas were great, and i was doing everything i could to hold onto them so i might do something cool with them. but that's really hard when the other 15 things are worrisome, impulsive, and just plain stupid, trying to inch their way in and bully the good plans so they all run away and only the rotten thoughts remain.

the river is always thinking it's going someplace. free and flowing, in control. rivers are funny because THEY ARE going somewhere, but at the same time, they're mostly corralled by the banks and really never change course or go anywhere at all.. .dreaming big but failing to see those dreams amount to anything.

sometimes the waters try to jump the banks and flood out over everything...impulsive, and sometimes they might sneakily try to send a little channel off in another direction to see what's going on over yonder, but interest in the new adventure is often forgotten and the channel usually dries up over time... short attention-span.

the river will sweep things up and do things it doesn't mean to do when it's running fast and out of control...over-emotional .. sometimes it grabs good stuff and sometimes it grabs toxic garbage. it can carry things for many miles without really getting tired, but it's also been known to slide unwanted tote up onto the banks and beaches after while.

the river is almost always cold. the cold can be refreshing on warm, rosy days, but on some days, the cold is just plain miserable.

the river is a sign of life, it can clean things and move things. people can drink it (though i wouldn't advise drinking the raccoon water) :-) and play in it. it splashes and spits and ices over and melts. it's always active...sometimes quick and deliberate, sometimes rushing and pushy, on the verge of flood stage, and sometimes it even slows down, just rolling and enjoying the scenery, and that's how i like it best.

my night prayer

2009-02-09T19:57:00.006-06:00

dear jesus,

as i lay down, calm my wild.

and thank you for the temps so mild,

for fresh air and the big, bright moon,

and please bring spring and summer soon.

watchin' me, guardin' me every day...

even when i forget to pray.

you help me walk, and bike, and run,

and give me some patience to get work done.

erasing every thing made black,

and i can never pay you back...

but thank you for today!

did you know??

2009-02-09T06:13:00.002-06:00

did you know that sheep, when tossed in the air, in a fashion similar to cats, can somehow land on their feet (hooves)!? i know this because when i kicked little black sheep off my bed last night, this is how i found him in the morning! what a talented little guy! and so happy! just look at that smile!

it's time!

2009-02-08T06:46:00.003-06:00

i'm getting the beast bike out for the first time this year. we are going to church! hopefully i won't get my dress pants too messy. the beast has fenders, so that should help a little! haha!

signs

2009-02-06T11:39:00.002-06:00

lately i've started to notice signs of spring. the days are getting a little longer, the snow is melting down to nothing in many places, and the mornings have been getting pink a little sooner. i don't feel quite as much like a hibernating bear and i'm ready to take my bike in for a tune-up and drop my YMCA membership until next winter! am i jumping the gun?? i hope not. are the fantastic temperatures in 50s just a tease?? i hope not. was the groundhog wrong about 6 more weeks of winter?? i hope so!! c'mon spring!

my wings

2009-02-05T20:02:00.003-06:00

a little 4th grader i had in class last year made me wings. she told me that she wore them yesterday and now wanted me to see what it felt like to "have wings for a day" .. .her name is adell and she is one of the coolest kids i've ever known. she is creative and smart and has a good imagination. for a young girl, she's already been through a lot...her younger sister died at the beginning of the school year from a brain tumor. it was very sad, but adell still manages to put on a smile and she certainly makes the people around her smile too!

national carrot cake day

2009-02-03T17:09:00.006-06:00

when i talked to my mom today, she told me that is was national carrot cake day...

hear ye, hear ye,

one and all, run to your nearest grocery store or bake shop and grab a piece of spicy, cream-cheesy, moist, and delicious carrot cake. take advantage of your one and only chance to indulge and truly feel good about it...eating carrot cake today is your duty as US citizen. eat carrot cake today as an unbridled display of truth, justice, and the american way. i highly recommend palmer's deli carrot cake. it's not too big. it's super-frosted and only costs $1.86 a piece. i could've eaten two, but i resisted my gluttonous urge

jack bauer for president

2009-02-03T06:17:00.002-06:00

24 is a great show! i haven't missed a season! i'm always worried that the new season won't compare to the good old days in seasons 1 and 2, but i've never been disappointed. last night's episode was not super-exciting, but some episodes are just like that...more about conveying part of the story and less about the action. i like the action ones best...sometimes i actually squeal out loud while i'm on the couch watching because the suspense is more than i can handle! aaaAAhHHhhh!

more evidence

2009-02-01T10:51:00.002-06:00

don't drink the water

2009-01-31T06:32:00.002-06:00

woohooo! talk about an adrenaline rush! the polar plunge was definitely worth the 2 cans of progresso soup and a small can of green beans! plus, i found a dollar laying on the ground on the way back to my car, so really, i made money! it was stinging and cold and .. .awesome! check out the video link below, i'm the girl in the red hat and blue swim suit who jumps in early at the very end!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TFZdTHj1w8

To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can. --Sydney Smith

takin' the plunge

2009-01-27T19:45:00.003-06:00

i've signed up to do the des moines winter games polar plunge on friday night at exactly 6:17pm. i think it's crazy, but it's on my bucket list, and i feel i'd better do it sooner rather than later. i simply have to donate 3 canned food items and i'm guaranteed the chance to jump in a freezing cold pond wearing nothing but my swimsuit. it's a good deal.

jump in a freezing cold lake to celebrate the new year...check!

stream of consciousness..

2009-01-26T18:46:00.006-06:00

i'm just going to type everything that i'm thinking of at the moment, so you can get a glimpse into my busy brain that i'm stuck listening to every second of everyday..even while i sleep. i wish sometimes i could just turn it off for a little bit just for a moment's reprieve..
24 is on tonight, i'm excited to be going on spring break, will the guy at the video duplication store fix my powerpoint presentation dvd that he messed up or will all my work go down the drain, i wish i had a big cupcake, i hope i can wake up tomorrow and get to the Y to lift and bike at 5:30am, or will i feel too sluggish, school stinks right now...i had another stupid meeting today, i really like this old sweatshirt i'm wearing right now but i wonder if i should i change into my jams and brush my teeth before or after 24? and i wonder what will happen to the FBI agent that was getting buried alive last episode? and i wonder if my new coat will get delivered tomorrow?. i hope i can stay awake for the show because i'm already kind of tired. i really want to find a middle school position for next year because i think it'd be a good challenge for me. bondurant school district in iowa might go to a 4-day school week next year...no mondays, but teachers still might have to go on mondays anyway.

warm up the bus

2009-01-25T08:36:00.002-06:00

well, season's over for the sts 8th grade girls. we grew a lot over the last few months, but we just couldn't get in the habit of winning.. . do they still make little girls that like to hang out in the driveway and shoot baskets and practice doing "moves" in the rain and get muddy ball imprints all over the nice, white garage door?! (wink, Dad). .. .it was a fun season. i learned a lot, and the girls really did make some marked improvements, but none of them want to be a star...they are completely satisfied with mediocrity. maybe there's a star out in her driveway right now, shooting hoops in the snow with a ball that's half flat from the frigid air?! i'm going to find that girl. and recruit her.

they're magically delicious

2009-01-23T20:08:00.002-06:00

at the dog house, there was a brand new box of lucky charms. i opened it and ate it. all. normally, i wouldn't buy lucky charms for myself (unless i had a coupon) because i love cereals full of nuts and grains, but i have to say that i've completely enjoyed the marshmallowy awesomeness...the l-charms truly are magically delicious. i think i may be part leprechaun!

peesca and dogs wearing shirts...what's this world coming to?!

2009-01-21T20:02:00.003-06:00

if you've ever ordered something on the internet or tried to post a comment on a blog, then you'll know about peesca. peesca is one of those made up words that are all slanted and blurry looking and you have to decipher it and type it in the box before you can proceed with whatever you are trying to do on the computer. peesca is just plain weird.

i'm dogsitting, and riggs the dog is wearing a t-shirt. he looks like a goof. he's wearing a shirt because he hurt his leg, and the shirt is supposed to prevent him from licking the wound on his leg. a dog wearing a shirt is just plain weird.

ps. the photo is not riggs (he was being lazy and wouldn't stand up for me to take a pic to post), however, this IS a dog, and he IS wearing a shirt. hmmm.

a big, fat W

2009-01-19T10:06:00.003-06:00

last night the 8th grade STS girl's basketball team played tough defense, holding top-ranked st. pius to only 11 points. despite our shabby offense and an overabundance of turnovers, we squeezed out a big, fat W, winning by 2 points in the final seconds of the game! yes!

s Moines ublic rary

2009-01-16T20:45:00.003-06:00

if (and that's a big IF) i was a juvenile deliquent, i would definitely kipe* one of these letters. evidently some thieving hooligans already had the same idea.

*to kipe is to snatch

a couple days off

2009-01-16T12:44:00.002-06:00

usually i workout almost everyday, but this last week i took 3 days off from working out. i was feeling really lethargic and had alot to do, and it's been really cold, so i thought it'd be a good time to take a break. taking breaks from running, biking, etc. is really hard for me...i'm glad, i guess, because i'd rather be addicted to working out than addicted to the sitting on the couch and eating mcdonald's and pizza hut and drinking 2 liters of pop everyday. i've realized, however, that as much as i love to get sweaty and tired, it's probably good to take a break once in awhile/and that i won't gain 10 lbs. by taking rest days. now i'm ready to go again, and i'm hoping my muscles will be appreciative of the rest and ready to work hard!

b-b-b-b-bitter c-c-c-c-cold

2009-01-13T08:14:00.002-06:00

iowa winters are: arctic, below freezing, below zero, biting, blasting, bleak, boreal, brisk, chilly, cool, crisp, cutting, frigid, frosty, frozen, glacial, icy, inclement, intense, nippy, numbing, penetrating, piercing, polar, raw, severe, sharp, shivery, Siberian, sleety, snappy, snowy, stinging, wintry. this weather is absurd. i need a ticket to the tropics!