Just got a new tattoo...

My new tattoo got me thinking = I don't have many pictures of my tattoos.  Now I only have 6, but still - shouldn't I keep a record of how great they look now, compared to what they will look like when i'm 80?  So yesterday I got a new one, and here are 4/6 to share...

My Pochacco Tattoo

My forearm tattoos:   Hello Kitty Bow, an outline of WA state and a heart where I am from, and Vita Brevis (Life is Short)

other duties this week

So of course I decide to create an event that sounds super cool... let's make small aquariums fill them with some fun Medaille College Blue rocks and give folks a gold fish. Yup, that sounds great, everyone will love that!
 Things I didn't realize I would have to do:
 1. Goldfish are stinky and poop a lot
2. Goldfish food is equally stinky and I would need to make 50 packets of goldfish food
3. I needed to buy some stuff to make the water okay for the fish
4. I needed a large tank to hold the fish overnight - which we didn't have. So we improvised and just got an empty water bottle from the cooler and cut the top off.
5. That 5 fish would die over night and one more would bite the dust before the event.
6. I would be washing my hands a million times - wait correction - washing my hands up to my elbows because I was so grossed out.
7. For some reason I ordered 100 tanks and not 50?!? Will need to double check my bill.
8. I would have a meeting during the time of the event and my grads would have to run it and I wouldn't even see how excited the students were....

 But I was told the students loved it! Mission accomplished. Now if only I can get that fish smell out of my head.

Night before Italy and all through the house...

It's about 11:30 pm and I am tired but so excited for Italy that I am wake!!!! I feel like a kid about to go to Disney World for the first time. I love to travel and seeing new places, it's all so darn exciting and changes my worldview every time.

I am like some of my FB friends that only mention their children in their status, but about traveling. I can't help myself.

Let's think back the last two years about where I have been that I have never been before:

1. Baltimore, MD (2010)- Work Travel
2. Kansas City, MO (2010) - Work Travel
3. Beijing, China (2010)- Work Travel
4. Shannon, Ireland (2011)- Work Travel
5. Limerick, Ireland (2011)- Work Travel
6. Kilarney, Ireland (2011)- Work Travel
7. Blarney, Ireland (2011)- Work Travel
8. Dublin, Ireland (2011)- Work Travel
9. Somwhere in Wales (2011)- Work Travel
10. London, England (2011)- Work Travel
11. Paris, France (2011)
12. Juneau, Alaska (2011)
13. Sitka, Alaska (2011)
14. Ketchikan, Alaska (2011)
15. Sierra Vista, AZ (2011)
16. St. Louis, MO (2011) - Work Travel
17. St. Thomas, US Virgin Island (2011)
18. Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos (2011)
19. San Juan, Puerto Rico (2011)
20. Half Moon Cay, Holland America Private Island (2011)

Now to the next 10 days - 2012
21. Rome, Italy- Work Travel
22. Florence, Italy - Work Travel
23. Sorrento, Italy - Work Travel
24. Pompeii, Italy- Work Travel
25. Patras • Delphi, Greece- Work Travel
26. Athens, Greece- Work Travel

And for the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Cheery Blossom Festival
27. Washington DC- Work Travel

Traveling (whether for work, as it is my other duties as assigned or for fun) is like having children, it's expensive and it makes time go by fast...

OCD?!?

Okay, this is too much, the author that I have come to love - HP Mallory has started facebook pages for two of her characters. Seriously, amazing. It's like the reading has come to life. But here is where I start to question my OCD - if I know this, I might be on facebook all the time just checking out the discussions back and forth from the two characters. Super great, but does that just allow me to detach from reality even more then I already am when I read? When I read, I tend to get lost in the world I am reading. Does anyone else get super involved in their books? And spend A LOT OF time thinking about it all?

Which now leads me to my next train of thought - follow the ADHD thinking - as much as I am addicted to reading - why couldn't I write something myself. That way the story will always be going on. I need to take a creative writing course, to figure out how to start writing a story. But then does that lend itself to be lost in another world all the time?

Oh the complications!

The Hunger Games

I've been totally fascinated with my nook - but actually read a book (hard copy) that I had borrowed from my nook collaborator Sarah. If you haven't picked up Hunger Games for yourself, do! It was a very interesting read, a huge departure from my usual urban fantasy (vampires, fairies, were's etc.), but totally worth it. I can't wait until I get to the next book, which is currently on nook loan to Sarah.

But as I think about the book, I find myself in my own hunger games. How so you might ask, it's not like I have been dropped off at an arena and having to kill off the others to survive. But more so, that money has a such a control on my life. I LOVE TO SPEND IT - seriously, I have a strong addiction. But what if I were to go cold turkey as I am proposing for my 33rd?!? I feel like I should visit a shrink to help ease into this situation I am about to venture upon.

In preparation for my shopping hunger games - I bought a few things I know I am going to need. So yes, I might be starting off at a deficient - but at least there will be a few days, weeks, well more so hours - that I will have everything that I need. I also gave away things I don't really use, today I gave up 7 pairs of shoes. Pat on back - all went to good homes. I even gave up my wedding shoes, when would I have ever worn them again anyway?!?

Got it!

After some thought,for my 33rd year - I am going with not buying anything unless I have cash to pay for it. Which will be super duper hard for me, I love my credit cards, and I am pretty sure that my credit card companies love me!!!!

I am going to make my last day of plastic/line of credit my birthday.

I have a few exceptions:
1. Denese's wedding
2. birthday/christmas gifts - but I must pay for at least 50% cash and the rest will need to be paid within 3 paychecks.
3. extreme emergencies


So here are things that I will need to get used to:
1. no new purses or shoes (sad face)
2. probably not going to travel as much beside via work
3. no more OCD online shopping.
4. not getting fat, must be able to fit into my clothes

This is going to be tough, but rewarding. I am hopeful that this will also allow me to save some money and appreciate what I have.

Wish me luck!

Trying something new...

So I've decided that it is time for me to fulfill a quest, i.e. really a goal. I have 2 1/2 weeks until my 33rd birthday, starting my 33rd year might be a good time to start, but that doesn't give me much time. Some things that I've heard this weekend just that people have done is:
- not buying anything new for a year
- a month of only vegetarian meals
- taking a picture of yourself everyday for a set period of time
- taking a picture of something everyday

I could ask everyone what they gave up for lent and just to do that? It would have to be something I love - like Soda, Shopping, the internet, all my techie stuff, etc. But I suspect that would be the HARDEST thing ever.

Huh? What should it be?

1. I am already doing a bit of traveling this year
- San Fran in Late May
- Alaskan Cruise in June
- Italy/Greece in January
So not shopping would be terrible, no one would get any souvenirs. Though, Chris is with me through all these adventures - maybe he could buy the souvenirs?

2. Maybe I could give up junk food? I love junk food - chips, candy, cake, pie, etc.

3. No new shoes, purses, dresses - which I do buy quite a bit of.

4. I could do the how - only pay for things on my debit/cash? Pay days are often take all the money I make and pay bills. = this might be a good one, I'm keeping this as a top potential for my 33rd year.

5. I could buy something for $1 everyday without buying something more then 5 times? - i.e. a lottery ticket = and take a picture of that.

6. Maybe only eat stuff that is organic? Or locally? That would be super hard if you ever eat out, plus I don't think they make organic hot dogs do they?

7. Use the Bus for transportation to and from work - YIKES that would take an hour - which is usually a 15 minute ride

8. I could actually exercise towards a goal - i.e. get fit enough to actually do P90X and then actually do P90X.

9. work on being an extra on TV

10. Write a play

11. write a novella

12.. What Else? I need help!

By April 19th - a goal will be picked and started - help and stay tuned.