Wikipedia is both a blessing and a bane to society. On the one hand, whenever I HAVE to find out who that actor was in that movie- Wikipedia is my best friend. On the other hand, somewhere on one of my friend's Facebook page is photo evidence that proves that you can edit just about any information you want, making Wikipedia a less than completely reliable source. Ultimately, I guess Wikipedia is a great way to get a general sense of what is going on but it doesn't give the entire in-depth picture.
Now, any person with a brain cell is going to do at least some research when they move to a new area, even if it's just to find the cheapest apartment or the most hip new night club. I did a LOT of research into the area when I came here. I wanted to find the best area to live, the most affordable place to live, the best beach to visit, the best whatever. I've been down here for almost five months now, and over the last month I have just started to get to the point where I am settled in enough to begin to slowing down a little bit and "enjoying the scenery," as it were. But as I begin to notice all the little things, I am starting to feel like I only know the "Wikipedia version" of my new hometown. I know all of the important things, but I didn't know the in-depth details (aka, how it affects me!)
For example, I knew Charleston, South Carolina is one humid place. I've heard about it, I've experienced it, and I'm anticipating it for the coming summer. I did not know that it would be nearly impossible to keep my normally straight hair from going completely out of control every time it is warm and humid (This last week has been really fun for me, hair wise...)
I knew the Charleston, SC area is called the Lowcountry because it is just about at sea level. I did not know that most of the Lowcountry area is basically a lot of swamp land that smells like...I'll just say sulfur. On the plus side, it only smells when it's warm, which is only 10 months out of the year.
I knew that according to stereotypes, people in the South drink sweet tea. I did not know that people drink it like it's water.
I knew that South Carolina is in the "Stroke Belt" because typical, traditional foods here are ones that can increase our risk of physical ailments. I did not know that the main food groups here, for natives anyways, include "Fried Meat, Fatty Meat that we can Fry Later, Vegetables we Can Fry, Key Lime Pie, and Sweet Tea." I exaggerate, a little, and I will admit that people down here have some awesome food, but it still amazes me. At Christmas, they had aisles of the store devoted to cooking oil.
I knew that Southerners are viewed as being friendlier than other parts of the country. I did not know that this meant people would randomly stop and talk with you wherever you go. It's quite fun.
I knew that region to region, there are distinct accents within the United States. I did not know that mine was so easily detected by others. (I don't understand how they knew! I don't have an accent!)
I know that it is past dinner time, but it is time to be done writing and time to start cooking my dinner. So, as with every Sunday, enjoy your evening, enjoy the day off tomorrow if you are so lucky, and ask yourself this question: If you were Kate Homonai, what professional sounding name would you give to your new copy writing business? (Then let me know...)
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
It's like Jekyll and Hyde, but not really
"Castle" is one of my favorite TV shows. It has drama and suspense, but it's usually not too intense or too dark. It's lighthearted and humorous, but not overly silly. The main character, while "smarmy" according to Katie, is a likeable character stuck in a sort of suspended adolescence that is endearing to most of us. Now, I very rarely take any deep, philosophical meaning from ANY television show. I prefer to get meaning in my life from my walk with God or wisdom given to me by my parents, family, and friends. (Yes, Henry family members, this includes you. You have passed on SOME wisdom and had a MOSTLY positive influence!) However, a few weeks ago, Nathan Fillion's character said something that stuck out to me. When talking about the influence money had on his life, he said it didn't change who he was, it just magnified what was already there. I thought about this in regards to my move from Ohio to South Carolina.
Oftentimes, it seems to me like I hear people say they want to make a big move in life in one way or another to "reinvent" themselves. Now, as I may have mentioned before, the driving force behind me moving to South Carolina was the fact that I wanted to experience warmth, sunshine, palmettos, and the beach just because I could. It was never my intent to become someone different, but nevertheless, when I heard this line I started thinking: Have I changed? Am I essentially the same person, just in different circumstances? Am I just over thinking this whole thing? (Always a safe bet to go with #3!) So I thought about it for all of two seconds and then promptly proceeded on to the next big thing in the day, whatever that was. Earlier this week though, I couldn't help but realize that there's probably a little of all three option going on in my life. Then I came up with the theory that there is an "Ohio Kate" and a "Carolina Kate."
"Carolina Kate" is nice to her neighbors. She is polite and talks to each one as they pass by the patio and she does her best to keep her area neat and doesn't want to be noisy. "Ohio Kate" is currently thinking about going outside and telling her neighbor's friends that actually walking to said neighbor's door and knocking on the door is just as effective as their obnoxious habit of honking at them from the parking lot. "Ohio Kate" also occasionally contemplates launching all of their beer bottle tops and cigarette butts back on to their patio.
"Ohio Kate" pretty much obeys traffic laws while driving. She most certainly NEVER runs a red light and will actually stop at a light that is just turning yellow, because that's the law. "Carolina Kate" joins thousands of other South Carolina drivers in their perpetual game of "chicken" with the traffic lights, which pretty much means that if you even THINK you can make it through the changing light, GO!!!!!!!!!! As a side note, if you ever travel through South Carolina, I would just like to make you aware of an unwritten law that I have just recently become aware of. Apparently, if you are behind the last car that was legally able to make it through the intersection, you also are allowed to go through the light, especially if you were tail-gaiting and pretended that your car is magnetically attracted to the car ahead of it.
"Carolina Kate" is pretty nice to her clients and co-workers. Challenges are described as learning experiences and even when people tell her dumb things she just smiles and nods. "Ohio Kate" has this INCREDIBLE sarcastic streak running through her. Find a baker named Ted and ask him how many times Kate ran her mouth and said something sarcastic to him or some of the other "managers" at Buehler's. I guarantee he would get a huge smile on his face and probably laugh. This week, "Ohio Kate" showed up to "Carolina Kate's" office. I don't think her co-workers knew what happened to her that day! (Note: As glad as I am that I am acting more professional, I miss this sarcastic side of me!)
"Carolina Kate" expresses her feelings in a nice way. She hasn't said "bless your heart," but she also doesn't respond to her mother's goading with an answer of "I hate you" like "Ohio Kate" did last night! "Carolina Kate" also thinks she has avoided using the word "damn" when frustrated, which is actually a pretty big step. "Ohio Kate's" co-worker Keri used to laugh at her while she was moving stuff around in the freezer at work, listening to her curse the bread flats and cabinets on a nightly basis.
So I guess it really is a mix of all three. I have changed a little, which makes complete sense. You can't move 681 miles away from home and not change. But, like the line from the show, changes in our lives usually just expose what was already there. And last but not least, the fact that I came up with an entire post about my two alter egos attests to the fact that I spent way too much time thinking about this topic.
Well, seeing as how this is a special Mid-Week Edition of my blog (sort of, depending on your definition of mid-week!), I have ruined my schedule for the evening and I must now return to bill paying and making my grocery list. See, some things never change! Sleep tight and have a good night everyone, and watch out for all the little holes the squirrels are digging in the yard as they try to find everything they buried last winter! (Seriously. They're everywhere.)
"Carolina Kate" is nice to her neighbors. She is polite and talks to each one as they pass by the patio and she does her best to keep her area neat and doesn't want to be noisy. "Ohio Kate" is currently thinking about going outside and telling her neighbor's friends that actually walking to said neighbor's door and knocking on the door is just as effective as their obnoxious habit of honking at them from the parking lot. "Ohio Kate" also occasionally contemplates launching all of their beer bottle tops and cigarette butts back on to their patio.
"Ohio Kate" pretty much obeys traffic laws while driving. She most certainly NEVER runs a red light and will actually stop at a light that is just turning yellow, because that's the law. "Carolina Kate" joins thousands of other South Carolina drivers in their perpetual game of "chicken" with the traffic lights, which pretty much means that if you even THINK you can make it through the changing light, GO!!!!!!!!!! As a side note, if you ever travel through South Carolina, I would just like to make you aware of an unwritten law that I have just recently become aware of. Apparently, if you are behind the last car that was legally able to make it through the intersection, you also are allowed to go through the light, especially if you were tail-gaiting and pretended that your car is magnetically attracted to the car ahead of it.
"Carolina Kate" is pretty nice to her clients and co-workers. Challenges are described as learning experiences and even when people tell her dumb things she just smiles and nods. "Ohio Kate" has this INCREDIBLE sarcastic streak running through her. Find a baker named Ted and ask him how many times Kate ran her mouth and said something sarcastic to him or some of the other "managers" at Buehler's. I guarantee he would get a huge smile on his face and probably laugh. This week, "Ohio Kate" showed up to "Carolina Kate's" office. I don't think her co-workers knew what happened to her that day! (Note: As glad as I am that I am acting more professional, I miss this sarcastic side of me!)
"Carolina Kate" expresses her feelings in a nice way. She hasn't said "bless your heart," but she also doesn't respond to her mother's goading with an answer of "I hate you" like "Ohio Kate" did last night! "Carolina Kate" also thinks she has avoided using the word "damn" when frustrated, which is actually a pretty big step. "Ohio Kate's" co-worker Keri used to laugh at her while she was moving stuff around in the freezer at work, listening to her curse the bread flats and cabinets on a nightly basis.
So I guess it really is a mix of all three. I have changed a little, which makes complete sense. You can't move 681 miles away from home and not change. But, like the line from the show, changes in our lives usually just expose what was already there. And last but not least, the fact that I came up with an entire post about my two alter egos attests to the fact that I spent way too much time thinking about this topic.
Well, seeing as how this is a special Mid-Week Edition of my blog (sort of, depending on your definition of mid-week!), I have ruined my schedule for the evening and I must now return to bill paying and making my grocery list. See, some things never change! Sleep tight and have a good night everyone, and watch out for all the little holes the squirrels are digging in the yard as they try to find everything they buried last winter! (Seriously. They're everywhere.)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
It's all downhill from here...
Right now I am sitting in my mushroom chair on my patio, laptop on my lap, feet propped up, writing away. It's in the mid fifties, but with the sun shining directly on me I am very content in my t-shirt and capris. My contentment is complete as I gaze across the...well, the parking lot and the cigarette butts that my neighbor so lovingly throws over his patio railing. At least this time he didn't let them fall through the cracks of his patio onto my head. Never mind that, let's focus on the maple tree that is budding like crazy and the cute little chickadees that are perched in its branches. This is my Sunday afternoon almost every week and I love it. On the day set aside by most of the Western world as a day to rest, rest is exactly what I do and I enjoy every minute of it. But as I sit here, basking in the glow of the here and now, I can't help but let my pessimistic side shine through (well, only for the purposes of this story) and think about how it's all downhill from here. What do I mean? Well, consider the rest of my week from here!
Monday: I get up at 6:00 a.m. I am EXCITED to be up and starting a new week, one where I KNOW I will complete everything on my to-do list and life will be oh so rosy. The dog and I go for a walk and then after we get back I head to the apartment's mini-gym for a little while. I get ready for work, pack my lunch and head off to a wonderful day. I have enough energy to be perky and get really involved with all my client's cases and I go out of my way to take some of my other co-worker's work load so that all the clients can be seen in a timely manner. After work, the dog goes for another walk and then we both return to eat our dinners. Mine is always some homemade treat I prepared on the prior Saturday and froze so I would have a convenient meal available. At this point, I am proud of myself. With all of my super energy, I start cleaning the apartment. About an hour before bed I finish cleaning, I get my lunch and clothes ready for the next day. I head to bed with a book and read for about an hour before I drift off to sleep. I am proud of my accomplishments for the day.
Tuesday: I get up at 6:00 a.m. I sigh heavily as I stretch and get ready for my morning walk with the dog. We walk, then I exercise. He eats while I prepare for work. I eat my breakfast, but decide that I don't feel like cleaning the dishes before I leave, so they sit in the sink until I return. I head to work, arriving on time. I get my water bottle and client roster sheets ready and then sit at my desk, scrolling through my new e-mail with mild disinterest. By the time my first client makes it through, I'm bored and ready to get started. I don't make it a point to seek out extra work, but will occasionally pick up an extra chart as I see fit. I spend my lunch hour reading, trying to learn more about whatever topic is interesting to me at the moment. By five I am ready to go, so I take off as soon as I have double-checked all of my work for the day. Once I get home, the dog and I walk again, I eat a quick dinner and straighten up the apartment before heading off to Genesis, a college/career age get-together/worship service in North Charleston. When I get home, I set up everything for Wednesday, watch Castle, and then head off to bed. I read only for about a half hour tonight. I am sleepy.
Wednesday: I get up at 6:00 a.m. And re-set the alarm for 6:30. The dog and I go for a walk and then I get ready for work. I move slower than a turtle most mornings, and Wednesdays are even worse. By the time I have to leave, my breakfast is in Tupperware containers so I can eat it when I get to work. I teach class on Wednesday, so I run around like a crazy person, trying to make sure everything goes off without a hitch (which it almost never does!) I spend the morning explaining the virtues of waiting to start jar foods or encouraging people to use whole grain products. Normally I eat lunch in the office, but on Wednesday I sit in my car, enjoying the radio and people watching. I almost always drag myself back to lunch a little late, since I know I have forty-five minutes to kill after I get back. I get through the rest of the day and then head home after I talk to my favorite receptionist for a little bit. I feed the dog, hurry him through the walk and speed off to church. After church I come home and fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. I usually try to write a little each day, but by Wednesday I count updating my Facebook status as meeting my writing goal.
Thursday: How did it get to be 7:00? Hurry up dog, I don't have all day! Quick shower, half dry my hair, pack lunch and grab an apple for a breakfast of champions. Take a look at my schedule and groan at the number of clients. Groan as each client comes through with either a 1.)Low iron score. 2.) Diet that includes choking hazards. 3.) Daily of intake of sweet tea that is so high I have no clue how sugar and tea isn't seeping out through their pores. I shut the door to my office and turn off the light when I eat lunch so it looks like I'm not there just so that no one bugs me. I get through the rest of the day as quickly as I can and run out the door around 5:00. If I was nice, I may have picked up a chart from my co-workers schedule, but usually not. I head home and half-heartedly walk the dog. I eat cereal for dinner because everything else takes too long to prepare. I take a look at my budget for the week and pay the bills. At that point, it's 8:00 and sounding like a great time to go to sleep. Who cares if it would be a good idea to vacuum the floor? Who cares if all my dishes are piled up around the sink? Not me!
Friday: I sit in bed, arguing with myself about when I really NEED to get up and if I really NEED to wash my hair. (The answer to that question is always yes. I look like I washed my hair in grease if I don't!!) The dog whines at me until I start moving. Again, I move like a turtle until it's time to leave. I never have a lunch packed and the only reason I'm dressed and ready to go is because I get to dress in jeans and just about everything in my wardrobe goes well with jeans. If I had to coordinate with a pair of my dress slacks, there's no way I'd ever be able to make it to work in time. When I get to work, there is always someone who is "sick" and needs to take a day off. I think it's very convenient to be "sick" when it's seventy and sunny, but then again, I'm just a grinch! I spend the rest of the day talking to myself (a side effect of being stressed out by picking up another co-workers schedule in addition to mine.) and lunch is usually drastically shortened, resulting in a trip to the Subway across the street. Each week I promise myself I'll give up Subway for Lent. I make it to the end of the day with no less than four special formula changes that are incorrectly prescribed, resulting in games of phone tag with the doctor's office staff. This is in addition to the parents who are standing at the door telling me, "You HAVE to fix it. Otherwise I won't have formula and my baby will go hungry." Yeah. Fun times at my job! Normally I double check all of my work, but on Fridays I shut everything down at 5:00 p.m. and leave before anything else comes up. I head to the grocery store and walk through the aisles zombie-style, picking up food for the next week. Remember those dinners I made the week before? They come in handy at this point. Without them I'd never eat on Fridays. Any effort more than hitting two buttons to start a microwave would just be too much! After dinner I sit at the table in a comatose fashion, catching up on my favorite comedies on Hulu. I never pay attention to when I go to bed on Fridays, I just know that it's never very late. Oh well. I am an adult, and I can do whatever I want now!!!
Saturday: Ok, it's not fair to say that the entire week goes down hill after Sunday. On Saturdays I wake up around 10:00, which is just wonderful, for everyone but the dog who is a little more than ready to be outside. When I head out of my bedroom to the rest of the apartment, I am appalled at the lack of organization. My shoes are all piled in front of the door, instead of in the shoe holder. Papers from work are everywhere, as are the grocery bags from last night. Somehow the dish situation has gotten out of control and they are now spread out all over the counter instead of in the dishwasher or the cabinet. I desperately need to vacuum the floors and the trash should have been taken out last night. If anyone came over to my apartment right now I would be mortified. But you know what? Saturdays are for fun. I eat brunch, watch Hulu, take a nap, shop or go to the park, eat dinner, and have a good old time watching movies, talking with friends or writing in the evenings. I guess my week is more like a fun roller coaster!
Well, as much as I love writing and as much as I love basking in the sun, it is time for my other Sunday afternoon task: Laundry. This isn't so bad either. In addition to getting my clothes all clean, it's a great way to meet interesting people as someone always wants to talk. Last week I ended up watching the first half of the Super Bowl while I was waiting for my clothes. Watching the game with me was the elderly Korean lady who owns the place and a man from Lebanon. We had a great time. The lady knew what all the penalties meant, the man from Lebanon knew what "forward progress" meant and explained it to us a few times, I had the downs and yardage figured out, and between the three of us we made sense of the game. We also had a great discussion about the commercials.
As always, have a great evening and remember- The only thing more obnoxious than a dog who is hungry is a dog that has to go outside NOW!!!
Thursday: How did it get to be 7:00? Hurry up dog, I don't have all day! Quick shower, half dry my hair, pack lunch and grab an apple for a breakfast of champions. Take a look at my schedule and groan at the number of clients. Groan as each client comes through with either a 1.)Low iron score. 2.) Diet that includes choking hazards. 3.) Daily of intake of sweet tea that is so high I have no clue how sugar and tea isn't seeping out through their pores. I shut the door to my office and turn off the light when I eat lunch so it looks like I'm not there just so that no one bugs me. I get through the rest of the day as quickly as I can and run out the door around 5:00. If I was nice, I may have picked up a chart from my co-workers schedule, but usually not. I head home and half-heartedly walk the dog. I eat cereal for dinner because everything else takes too long to prepare. I take a look at my budget for the week and pay the bills. At that point, it's 8:00 and sounding like a great time to go to sleep. Who cares if it would be a good idea to vacuum the floor? Who cares if all my dishes are piled up around the sink? Not me!
Friday: I sit in bed, arguing with myself about when I really NEED to get up and if I really NEED to wash my hair. (The answer to that question is always yes. I look like I washed my hair in grease if I don't!!) The dog whines at me until I start moving. Again, I move like a turtle until it's time to leave. I never have a lunch packed and the only reason I'm dressed and ready to go is because I get to dress in jeans and just about everything in my wardrobe goes well with jeans. If I had to coordinate with a pair of my dress slacks, there's no way I'd ever be able to make it to work in time. When I get to work, there is always someone who is "sick" and needs to take a day off. I think it's very convenient to be "sick" when it's seventy and sunny, but then again, I'm just a grinch! I spend the rest of the day talking to myself (a side effect of being stressed out by picking up another co-workers schedule in addition to mine.) and lunch is usually drastically shortened, resulting in a trip to the Subway across the street. Each week I promise myself I'll give up Subway for Lent. I make it to the end of the day with no less than four special formula changes that are incorrectly prescribed, resulting in games of phone tag with the doctor's office staff. This is in addition to the parents who are standing at the door telling me, "You HAVE to fix it. Otherwise I won't have formula and my baby will go hungry." Yeah. Fun times at my job! Normally I double check all of my work, but on Fridays I shut everything down at 5:00 p.m. and leave before anything else comes up. I head to the grocery store and walk through the aisles zombie-style, picking up food for the next week. Remember those dinners I made the week before? They come in handy at this point. Without them I'd never eat on Fridays. Any effort more than hitting two buttons to start a microwave would just be too much! After dinner I sit at the table in a comatose fashion, catching up on my favorite comedies on Hulu. I never pay attention to when I go to bed on Fridays, I just know that it's never very late. Oh well. I am an adult, and I can do whatever I want now!!!
Saturday: Ok, it's not fair to say that the entire week goes down hill after Sunday. On Saturdays I wake up around 10:00, which is just wonderful, for everyone but the dog who is a little more than ready to be outside. When I head out of my bedroom to the rest of the apartment, I am appalled at the lack of organization. My shoes are all piled in front of the door, instead of in the shoe holder. Papers from work are everywhere, as are the grocery bags from last night. Somehow the dish situation has gotten out of control and they are now spread out all over the counter instead of in the dishwasher or the cabinet. I desperately need to vacuum the floors and the trash should have been taken out last night. If anyone came over to my apartment right now I would be mortified. But you know what? Saturdays are for fun. I eat brunch, watch Hulu, take a nap, shop or go to the park, eat dinner, and have a good old time watching movies, talking with friends or writing in the evenings. I guess my week is more like a fun roller coaster!
Well, as much as I love writing and as much as I love basking in the sun, it is time for my other Sunday afternoon task: Laundry. This isn't so bad either. In addition to getting my clothes all clean, it's a great way to meet interesting people as someone always wants to talk. Last week I ended up watching the first half of the Super Bowl while I was waiting for my clothes. Watching the game with me was the elderly Korean lady who owns the place and a man from Lebanon. We had a great time. The lady knew what all the penalties meant, the man from Lebanon knew what "forward progress" meant and explained it to us a few times, I had the downs and yardage figured out, and between the three of us we made sense of the game. We also had a great discussion about the commercials.
As always, have a great evening and remember- The only thing more obnoxious than a dog who is hungry is a dog that has to go outside NOW!!!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
When you can't focus for more than twenty seconds.
Usually when I start writing a blog post, I have a story in mind and can type it out in under twenty minutes. Then I proof read the post and make additions or corrections as needed and voila (or viola if you belong to a certain side of my family!), I have fulfilled my posting quota for the week. The time I spend writing is one of the very few times in my week where I can remain completely focused on only one task. And that may have something to do with the fact that even though I am technically only working on one task, I have to keep reaching to other parts of my brain to pull out synonyms for basic words so it sounds like I am intelligent, humorous quips to keep the story mildly interesting and not seem like endless drivel about my life, and maintaining a constant edit on the story so everything flows together properly. However, over the last week I seemed to have lost all ability to piece together a single story. I had a great topic to write about last week regarding ridiculous things people have told me. By mid-week I had an incredibly inspiring story about how great my new church family is. Last night I had a great topic about how I had a great Saturday night, even though if I had asked a stranger to guess my age just by hearing what made me evening complete, they would have said I was 50.
So why have I been so unfocused these last few days? Your guess is as good as mine. Personally, I think I have been letting myself daydream too much. Letting my mind wander is a good way to relax, but then it runs off and it takes me forever to get myself back in the groove of focusing on reality. So with my unfocused mindset today, I have little more to offer than a potpourri of thoughts, highlights of the past week if you will. All of them could have been great stories in and of themselves, but my attention span to the story was limited to about a paragraph's worth each and every time I tried to write a post. Enjoy!
I surprised myself Wednesday in three ways: 1.) I went to my church's prayer service, and enjoyed it. 2.) I walked up to the first person I saw, introduced myself, and asked her what to expect for the evening. Strangely, I was completely comfortable doing that. 3.) As I was leaving, I ran into a woman that I have known for three weeks and said "hi" to just as many times. She offered to take me to an authentic Greek restaurant for lunch later in the week. I agreed, I ate Greek food with a relative stranger, and had a great time.
I filed my taxes this week. While this is one of those "certainties" of life that we all deal with, the sad part was the fact that I had a great time doing them and actually read all of the specific instructions for each line, mostly for fun.
There is no radio station in Charleston devoted to my favorite music genre, which is a terrible sin and probably why God has been smiting us with ice storms and freakishly cold weather here in the Lowcountry. So, rather than accept this terrible fate, I found Pandora, created an account and set up a station devoted to my favorite music. Now I can sing along to the likes of The Turtles, Three Dog Night, and The Dave Clark Five at all hours of the day. That's right people, I proudly listen to oldies even though most of the songs were written 10-20 years prior to my birth!
I have decided that I am going to have a career as a writer someday soon and buy a home on Sullivan's Island. Never mind the fact that I have only recently begun my career as a nutritionist (for which I spent four years training!) and "making it" as a writer is a hard road to follow. Also never mind the fact that I give a huge portion of my first paycheck of the month to pay for rent, which is one of the lowest rates for a nicer apartment in this area while an abode on Sullivan's Island typically averages in the $700,000 range, and is significantly more if you want to live on the coast.
I questioned the sanity of mankind as I sat and listened to a conversation about having a child under the "new" astrological signs. Forget the fighting in Egypt, how it is affecting Egyptians and the possible implications for the rest of the world. Forget the fact that Medicaid is under some serious cutbacks here in SC and a lot of people who will lose out have no idea what is going on and have no support system to help them deal with this. Yep, it is so much more fun to figure out what sign your child will be born under so you can know ahead of time how much trouble they're going to bring to your life. By the way, upon an investigation lasting thirty seconds and involving the reading of one Yahoo! Answers question, I will apparently forever be in combat with my former self and I am going to have terrific mood swings for the rest of my life, seeing as how my "old" sign and my "new" sign don't like each other. This is all according to El Crispador, the user providing the "best answer" for that particular question.
Well, I just now realized that I have spent the last hour or so staring at a tree at the end of my building, wondering how long I would have to sit here before I noticed any considerable growth coming from the buds on the branches. That was after I looked through several funny Scrubs videos all because I wanted to post just one on my mom's Facebook page and before I noticed how dirty my laptop is and started contemplating when and how I should clean it. There is little hope for my ability to concentrate for the rest of today.
Have a wonderful night, enjoy the Super Bowl ( I just now remembered it was today!) and have a good time making fun of The Black-Eyed Peas halftime show. I am heading out to a thrift store, followed by my trip to the laundromat, which I am actually eagerly anticipating!
So why have I been so unfocused these last few days? Your guess is as good as mine. Personally, I think I have been letting myself daydream too much. Letting my mind wander is a good way to relax, but then it runs off and it takes me forever to get myself back in the groove of focusing on reality. So with my unfocused mindset today, I have little more to offer than a potpourri of thoughts, highlights of the past week if you will. All of them could have been great stories in and of themselves, but my attention span to the story was limited to about a paragraph's worth each and every time I tried to write a post. Enjoy!
I surprised myself Wednesday in three ways: 1.) I went to my church's prayer service, and enjoyed it. 2.) I walked up to the first person I saw, introduced myself, and asked her what to expect for the evening. Strangely, I was completely comfortable doing that. 3.) As I was leaving, I ran into a woman that I have known for three weeks and said "hi" to just as many times. She offered to take me to an authentic Greek restaurant for lunch later in the week. I agreed, I ate Greek food with a relative stranger, and had a great time.
I filed my taxes this week. While this is one of those "certainties" of life that we all deal with, the sad part was the fact that I had a great time doing them and actually read all of the specific instructions for each line, mostly for fun.
There is no radio station in Charleston devoted to my favorite music genre, which is a terrible sin and probably why God has been smiting us with ice storms and freakishly cold weather here in the Lowcountry. So, rather than accept this terrible fate, I found Pandora, created an account and set up a station devoted to my favorite music. Now I can sing along to the likes of The Turtles, Three Dog Night, and The Dave Clark Five at all hours of the day. That's right people, I proudly listen to oldies even though most of the songs were written 10-20 years prior to my birth!
I have decided that I am going to have a career as a writer someday soon and buy a home on Sullivan's Island. Never mind the fact that I have only recently begun my career as a nutritionist (for which I spent four years training!) and "making it" as a writer is a hard road to follow. Also never mind the fact that I give a huge portion of my first paycheck of the month to pay for rent, which is one of the lowest rates for a nicer apartment in this area while an abode on Sullivan's Island typically averages in the $700,000 range, and is significantly more if you want to live on the coast.
I questioned the sanity of mankind as I sat and listened to a conversation about having a child under the "new" astrological signs. Forget the fighting in Egypt, how it is affecting Egyptians and the possible implications for the rest of the world. Forget the fact that Medicaid is under some serious cutbacks here in SC and a lot of people who will lose out have no idea what is going on and have no support system to help them deal with this. Yep, it is so much more fun to figure out what sign your child will be born under so you can know ahead of time how much trouble they're going to bring to your life. By the way, upon an investigation lasting thirty seconds and involving the reading of one Yahoo! Answers question, I will apparently forever be in combat with my former self and I am going to have terrific mood swings for the rest of my life, seeing as how my "old" sign and my "new" sign don't like each other. This is all according to El Crispador, the user providing the "best answer" for that particular question.
Well, I just now realized that I have spent the last hour or so staring at a tree at the end of my building, wondering how long I would have to sit here before I noticed any considerable growth coming from the buds on the branches. That was after I looked through several funny Scrubs videos all because I wanted to post just one on my mom's Facebook page and before I noticed how dirty my laptop is and started contemplating when and how I should clean it. There is little hope for my ability to concentrate for the rest of today.
Have a wonderful night, enjoy the Super Bowl ( I just now remembered it was today!) and have a good time making fun of The Black-Eyed Peas halftime show. I am heading out to a thrift store, followed by my trip to the laundromat, which I am actually eagerly anticipating!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The least compelling reason in the world: Because I could
Wednesday is my day to teach class at the clinic. Sometimes it is a busy day with full waiting rooms, multiple special formulas to deal with, angry clients, and topics of conversations that bring up all the crazy (and sometimes dangerous) things people do with and for their children. Other days are slow and I'm stuck lecturing on the evils of drinking a gallon of juice a day to three or four people in a room and wishing time would move a little faster so I could shuffle them out of the room.
This last Wednesday was one of those slow class days. My last class of the morning had just ended and I decided to participate in my clinic's favorite "quiet clinic time" game: talking. This particular day I had a question for a visiting program director who was working at our clinic, covering for a co-worker on leave. We finished discussing my question, then moved on to other random topics that really had nothing to do with anything. Towards the end of her time together, she asked me a question I've grown used to: Why did you move here? The simple answer is, I found a job here. Straight out of college I found a job and there was no way I was turning down full-time employment with a decent salary and more benefits than I'd find anywhere else in my field with my "level of experience." (aka I just graduated and I spent all my time in college working at a bakery!)
She dug a little deeper than most: Why did you want to move here though? Why did you move down here with no family, no friends, no roommate? She took me a little by surprise. Most people moved on to different topics when I said I moved here for work. I had to think for a second, because I didn't have an answer. After two seconds of stalling, I answered her with the only thing I could think of: Because I could. Why not? I could only move up in life! (A sarcastically funny statement born from the fact that I lived in the basement of my house for the last five years I lived at home. Literally the only move I could make was moving "up" from the basement level of the house! )
In all honesty, that is the entire reason I wanted to move to Charleston, and why I specifically looked for jobs here. Because I wanted to and because I could. Sure, I visited the area with my family. For all of two and a half days. One and a half of which were spent looking at Parris Island watching Marines explain the function and purpose of their training. So after that I plotted and planned to get down here. Everything from taking an internship at a local teaching hospital to getting a job and working for a few months before starting an entirely different course of study at a local college. Basically, anything that would get me where I wanted to go. But I had never visited the city, never did much research into the area, never made much effort to get an "in" anywhere down here for anything I wanted to do. Then I saw the job posting. Then I sent in my resume. Then I went down for an interview. Then I moved. Because I could.
Some people have a defining life goal. They want to be teachers so they can help educate children and teach them about the world. They want to be doctors so they can help heal the sick. Researchers so they can cure terrible diseases and answer the question, "Why." That is amazing. I sometimes wish I had a specific dream to pursue, some specific goal to strive for during my education and career. Perhaps I'll find a driving force in my life somewhere down the road, but at this point I am quite happy with my "because I can" direction. I already have my next "because I can" idea that I think might be fun. Whether or not it works out remains to be seen.
I know that the entire time I live here, no matter how long it lasts, is going to be a great experience. Too many little details have worked out too well for this to be just random fate. I am here for a specific reason, I just don't know what it is. Yet! It could be just so I can say I did something, "Just because I could!"
Well, it is WELL past bedtime and time for me to get some shut eye before I have to get up and go to the early service tomorrow, or today, since it's now after midnight. Since everyone in their right mind will be reading this on or after Sunday morning, I hope you had a great night's sleep and had sweet dreams about sunshine and warmth!
This last Wednesday was one of those slow class days. My last class of the morning had just ended and I decided to participate in my clinic's favorite "quiet clinic time" game: talking. This particular day I had a question for a visiting program director who was working at our clinic, covering for a co-worker on leave. We finished discussing my question, then moved on to other random topics that really had nothing to do with anything. Towards the end of her time together, she asked me a question I've grown used to: Why did you move here? The simple answer is, I found a job here. Straight out of college I found a job and there was no way I was turning down full-time employment with a decent salary and more benefits than I'd find anywhere else in my field with my "level of experience." (aka I just graduated and I spent all my time in college working at a bakery!)
She dug a little deeper than most: Why did you want to move here though? Why did you move down here with no family, no friends, no roommate? She took me a little by surprise. Most people moved on to different topics when I said I moved here for work. I had to think for a second, because I didn't have an answer. After two seconds of stalling, I answered her with the only thing I could think of: Because I could. Why not? I could only move up in life! (A sarcastically funny statement born from the fact that I lived in the basement of my house for the last five years I lived at home. Literally the only move I could make was moving "up" from the basement level of the house! )
In all honesty, that is the entire reason I wanted to move to Charleston, and why I specifically looked for jobs here. Because I wanted to and because I could. Sure, I visited the area with my family. For all of two and a half days. One and a half of which were spent looking at Parris Island watching Marines explain the function and purpose of their training. So after that I plotted and planned to get down here. Everything from taking an internship at a local teaching hospital to getting a job and working for a few months before starting an entirely different course of study at a local college. Basically, anything that would get me where I wanted to go. But I had never visited the city, never did much research into the area, never made much effort to get an "in" anywhere down here for anything I wanted to do. Then I saw the job posting. Then I sent in my resume. Then I went down for an interview. Then I moved. Because I could.
Some people have a defining life goal. They want to be teachers so they can help educate children and teach them about the world. They want to be doctors so they can help heal the sick. Researchers so they can cure terrible diseases and answer the question, "Why." That is amazing. I sometimes wish I had a specific dream to pursue, some specific goal to strive for during my education and career. Perhaps I'll find a driving force in my life somewhere down the road, but at this point I am quite happy with my "because I can" direction. I already have my next "because I can" idea that I think might be fun. Whether or not it works out remains to be seen.
I know that the entire time I live here, no matter how long it lasts, is going to be a great experience. Too many little details have worked out too well for this to be just random fate. I am here for a specific reason, I just don't know what it is. Yet! It could be just so I can say I did something, "Just because I could!"
Well, it is WELL past bedtime and time for me to get some shut eye before I have to get up and go to the early service tomorrow, or today, since it's now after midnight. Since everyone in their right mind will be reading this on or after Sunday morning, I hope you had a great night's sleep and had sweet dreams about sunshine and warmth!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The local language...
I don't know about you, but I don't have an accent.
I don't know about you, but I consider myself polite when dealing with strangers/customers/clients.
I don't know about you, but I try to limit my use of "slang" words.
I don't know about you, but lately I have been paying attention to what people around me are saying, and I feel like the country cousin who has that crazy accent, no manners whatsoever, and speaks some almost uninteligible words.
Before I came down to Summerville, I told myself that I would not allow myself to slip into a Southern accent. Not that I had a problem with an accent- I truly enjoy listening to individuals native to the coastal South and how they pronounce different words, I find the accent fairly soothing. No, I wanted to steer clear of an accent because I like my Midwest accent and figure that some day I might move back, so why lose what I've spent 23 years perfecting? (Also, I have family and friends who would pounce on an accent and tease me mercilessly!!) Day 3 on the job I almost gained my Southern accent. I had been training with my co-worker all day, a lady who is from Summerville and has lived here her entire life. After I was done working with her for the day, I was set up in my office reading my training manual when I suddenly realized that the way I was pronouncing the words in my head was exactly how my co-worker had been saying them all day. It was quite amusing. What was even more funny was me practicing that accent while I was driving home that day. It didn't sound anything like the voice that was in my head! I regressed after that, partially out of natural habit and partially out of spending almost two weeks at home during Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, the other day at church I found myself drawling out a few words and sounds while I was talking with a few people...maybe I am taking on an accent! At the very least I will hopefully start entertaining people with my bad mix of Southern and Midwest accents.
I work in an office that has mostly Southern natives. They might not all be from the Charleston area, but all but two of my co-workers are from Southern states. Everyone in my office is very polite to one another (which I am thankful for every day!), but I noticed a little difference between myself and my Michigan co-worker and everyone else. While we said "please, and thank you." like everyone else, I couldn't help but notice that we seemed a little more "cold" (if that's even the right word) than the other. I paid close attention one day when it was slow in the clinic. (Slow in the clinic means no one is there. There is no middle ground in between crazy busy and completely dead!) The biggest difference I noticed was the fact that everyone referred to one another by the term "Miss" or "Mister" before using the person's name. Whether longtime coworker or new client, older individual or younger, everyone received this treatment. Even clients who come in with bouncing-off-the-walls-throwing-toys-at-your-head children will immediately pounce upon children who don't respond with a "Ma'am" or "Sir" when addressing an adult, and the kids almost always listen! For awhile I just laughed at my discovery. Imagine addressing your co-workers by titles. I mean, at my old job I would just call my boss, "Ted" and the co-workers I liked were addressed by names like Truck, Keri Berry, Craig (Not his real name!), The Einstein Brothers, The Prince of Darkness, The Bluebird of Happiness, Sunshine, Eskimo, James Allen, and Big Head. And remember, those were names for the co-workers I liked! So like I said, at first I kind of laughed at calling my boss "Miss Kristi" in front of clients, but as I became more aware of how people were addressing one another, it became more and more like calling my best friend's mom "Sarah" instead of "Mrs. Everhard" if I didn't call her "Miss" Kristi. Maybe I could be a little more polite...
Like I said, I really try to avoid the use of most slang words. Most of the time I feel like my IQ drops anytime I have to use a slang word, especially the word "like" when used in Valley Girl context (which is something I do ALL the time!). However, it is getting more and more difficult to avoid them. I have a co-worker who "fixes" to do things all the time. I want to look at her and say, "No, you aren't fixing to go to the doctor's office. You are getting ready or preparing to go to the doctor's office." I could give a few more examples of regional slang here in SC, but I would rather just end this section on a big note. My least favorite slang word is "ya'll." Also, "ya'll's" or the very best: "all(s) ya'll's." I understand this is regional slang, but I definitely cannot bring myself to say it. That being said, this is not a "bash Southerners" section. As I mentioned before, I say "like" much to often, and I can state as fact that I am the only one in the office using that particular slang. I would venture to guess that I do not always come across as professional when I say things such as, "The doctor was like, well, we could give the baby this formula but like, what if he needs a different one?" Also, my standard greeting of "How are you guys doing?" during class times or when I have a family visiting the clinic is met with veiled amused disdain. I have resorted to an even more neutral greeting of, "How is everyone doing today?" As a result of my dislike of slang words, I have tried to use more correct grammar when speaking. However, that makes me sound like a robot, so now I am trying to walk the line between being relateable and speaking my primary language in a grammatically acceptable fashion. Oh the difficulties in my life...
Well, I have set as a goal for myself the monumental task of preparing my lunch meals and clothing for the next day on the evening before, so I am off to pull everything together before I retire to my bed to read (or fall asleep as soon as I hit the pillow!) Sleep tight and don't hate me for bragging about my 60 degrees and sunshine for the upcoming weekend!
I don't know about you, but I consider myself polite when dealing with strangers/customers/clients.
I don't know about you, but I try to limit my use of "slang" words.
I don't know about you, but lately I have been paying attention to what people around me are saying, and I feel like the country cousin who has that crazy accent, no manners whatsoever, and speaks some almost uninteligible words.
Before I came down to Summerville, I told myself that I would not allow myself to slip into a Southern accent. Not that I had a problem with an accent- I truly enjoy listening to individuals native to the coastal South and how they pronounce different words, I find the accent fairly soothing. No, I wanted to steer clear of an accent because I like my Midwest accent and figure that some day I might move back, so why lose what I've spent 23 years perfecting? (Also, I have family and friends who would pounce on an accent and tease me mercilessly!!) Day 3 on the job I almost gained my Southern accent. I had been training with my co-worker all day, a lady who is from Summerville and has lived here her entire life. After I was done working with her for the day, I was set up in my office reading my training manual when I suddenly realized that the way I was pronouncing the words in my head was exactly how my co-worker had been saying them all day. It was quite amusing. What was even more funny was me practicing that accent while I was driving home that day. It didn't sound anything like the voice that was in my head! I regressed after that, partially out of natural habit and partially out of spending almost two weeks at home during Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, the other day at church I found myself drawling out a few words and sounds while I was talking with a few people...maybe I am taking on an accent! At the very least I will hopefully start entertaining people with my bad mix of Southern and Midwest accents.
I work in an office that has mostly Southern natives. They might not all be from the Charleston area, but all but two of my co-workers are from Southern states. Everyone in my office is very polite to one another (which I am thankful for every day!), but I noticed a little difference between myself and my Michigan co-worker and everyone else. While we said "please, and thank you." like everyone else, I couldn't help but notice that we seemed a little more "cold" (if that's even the right word) than the other. I paid close attention one day when it was slow in the clinic. (Slow in the clinic means no one is there. There is no middle ground in between crazy busy and completely dead!) The biggest difference I noticed was the fact that everyone referred to one another by the term "Miss" or "Mister" before using the person's name. Whether longtime coworker or new client, older individual or younger, everyone received this treatment. Even clients who come in with bouncing-off-the-walls-throwing-toys-at-your-head children will immediately pounce upon children who don't respond with a "Ma'am" or "Sir" when addressing an adult, and the kids almost always listen! For awhile I just laughed at my discovery. Imagine addressing your co-workers by titles. I mean, at my old job I would just call my boss, "Ted" and the co-workers I liked were addressed by names like Truck, Keri Berry, Craig (Not his real name!), The Einstein Brothers, The Prince of Darkness, The Bluebird of Happiness, Sunshine, Eskimo, James Allen, and Big Head. And remember, those were names for the co-workers I liked! So like I said, at first I kind of laughed at calling my boss "Miss Kristi" in front of clients, but as I became more aware of how people were addressing one another, it became more and more like calling my best friend's mom "Sarah" instead of "Mrs. Everhard" if I didn't call her "Miss" Kristi. Maybe I could be a little more polite...
Like I said, I really try to avoid the use of most slang words. Most of the time I feel like my IQ drops anytime I have to use a slang word, especially the word "like" when used in Valley Girl context (which is something I do ALL the time!). However, it is getting more and more difficult to avoid them. I have a co-worker who "fixes" to do things all the time. I want to look at her and say, "No, you aren't fixing to go to the doctor's office. You are getting ready or preparing to go to the doctor's office." I could give a few more examples of regional slang here in SC, but I would rather just end this section on a big note. My least favorite slang word is "ya'll." Also, "ya'll's" or the very best: "all(s) ya'll's." I understand this is regional slang, but I definitely cannot bring myself to say it. That being said, this is not a "bash Southerners" section. As I mentioned before, I say "like" much to often, and I can state as fact that I am the only one in the office using that particular slang. I would venture to guess that I do not always come across as professional when I say things such as, "The doctor was like, well, we could give the baby this formula but like, what if he needs a different one?" Also, my standard greeting of "How are you guys doing?" during class times or when I have a family visiting the clinic is met with veiled amused disdain. I have resorted to an even more neutral greeting of, "How is everyone doing today?" As a result of my dislike of slang words, I have tried to use more correct grammar when speaking. However, that makes me sound like a robot, so now I am trying to walk the line between being relateable and speaking my primary language in a grammatically acceptable fashion. Oh the difficulties in my life...
Well, I have set as a goal for myself the monumental task of preparing my lunch meals and clothing for the next day on the evening before, so I am off to pull everything together before I retire to my bed to read (or fall asleep as soon as I hit the pillow!) Sleep tight and don't hate me for bragging about my 60 degrees and sunshine for the upcoming weekend!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
See: Resolution #10
At the end of each one of my client sessions, I have to ask the client to write a nutritional goal for themselves. Not just any goal, but a specific goal like, "I promise to eat okra." It has to be measurable too like, "I promise to eat okra every day." And there needs to be a time frame like, "I promise to eat okra every day for the next week, beginning at my lunch meal." It gets to be a painful process.
In any case, between two of my nutrition classes in college and my job, I have gotten REALLY good at writing measurable, specific goals. So I decided that I would take this talent of mine and write some super incredible goals that will help me become a super-duper person in 2011. (I cannot believe that I just wrote 2011.)
1.) I resolve to teach my dog to find a place to sleep other than the one 4'x4' area that connects the kitchen, living room, and hallway by the end of January. I REALLY hate tripping over him. Really, really hate it.
2.) I resolve to not eat out of Tupperware at any point during the year. Another way of reading this: I resolve to keep all my plates and bowls clean so I don't have to resort to eating out of Tupperware.
3.) I resolve that beginning in the month of February, I will stop using the chair by my front door as a dumping ground when I come home. I mean, it's the ONLY chair that directly faces the T.V. It's REALLY frustrating to have to keep cleaning that chair off when I want to watch T.V.. Hmmm...maybe I should just dump all that stuff on the table instead... (Life is so hard, right?)
4.) I resolve to go grocery shopping each week, if for no other reason than it means I will have an abundant supply of plastic bags, which are useful when you have a dog, if you know what I mean.
5.) I resolve to drink or use every drop of milk I buy before the milk expires. Milk is expensive down here and I think I've used maybe a quarter of what I've bought the entire time I've been down here.
6.) I resolve to vacuum the floor every time I see my dog shed. I want to apologize now to my neighbors for having to listen to my vacuum running 24/7. Maybe I should change this resolution to, "I resolve to shave my dog."
7.) I resolve to spend at least one weekend a month at Sullivan's Island during the spring, summer and early fall, maybe more. Because it's just not right to live close to a beach and not visit regularly.
8.) I resolve to write a post for this blog at least once a week, because you know you are all interested in the mundane happenings that make up my life.
9.) I resolve to learn how to make pancakes. More specifically, I resolve to learn how to make pancakes that actually resemble traditional pancakes when I'm done cooking them.
10.) I resolve to stop procrastinating. You know, like waiting to write my resolutions until the middle of January when I really wanted to write them on, you know, the first!
Well readers, it is getting later in the evening and time to start staring down the barrel of another Monday. I should practice resolution #10 and stop procrastinating the entire process of getting ready for bed/preparing for work. Sleep tight and keep an eye out for the freezing rain that's coming! (For me anyways, might have an ice day tomorrow!)
In any case, between two of my nutrition classes in college and my job, I have gotten REALLY good at writing measurable, specific goals. So I decided that I would take this talent of mine and write some super incredible goals that will help me become a super-duper person in 2011. (I cannot believe that I just wrote 2011.)
1.) I resolve to teach my dog to find a place to sleep other than the one 4'x4' area that connects the kitchen, living room, and hallway by the end of January. I REALLY hate tripping over him. Really, really hate it.
2.) I resolve to not eat out of Tupperware at any point during the year. Another way of reading this: I resolve to keep all my plates and bowls clean so I don't have to resort to eating out of Tupperware.
3.) I resolve that beginning in the month of February, I will stop using the chair by my front door as a dumping ground when I come home. I mean, it's the ONLY chair that directly faces the T.V. It's REALLY frustrating to have to keep cleaning that chair off when I want to watch T.V.. Hmmm...maybe I should just dump all that stuff on the table instead... (Life is so hard, right?)
4.) I resolve to go grocery shopping each week, if for no other reason than it means I will have an abundant supply of plastic bags, which are useful when you have a dog, if you know what I mean.
5.) I resolve to drink or use every drop of milk I buy before the milk expires. Milk is expensive down here and I think I've used maybe a quarter of what I've bought the entire time I've been down here.
6.) I resolve to vacuum the floor every time I see my dog shed. I want to apologize now to my neighbors for having to listen to my vacuum running 24/7. Maybe I should change this resolution to, "I resolve to shave my dog."
7.) I resolve to spend at least one weekend a month at Sullivan's Island during the spring, summer and early fall, maybe more. Because it's just not right to live close to a beach and not visit regularly.
8.) I resolve to write a post for this blog at least once a week, because you know you are all interested in the mundane happenings that make up my life.
9.) I resolve to learn how to make pancakes. More specifically, I resolve to learn how to make pancakes that actually resemble traditional pancakes when I'm done cooking them.
10.) I resolve to stop procrastinating. You know, like waiting to write my resolutions until the middle of January when I really wanted to write them on, you know, the first!
Well readers, it is getting later in the evening and time to start staring down the barrel of another Monday. I should practice resolution #10 and stop procrastinating the entire process of getting ready for bed/preparing for work. Sleep tight and keep an eye out for the freezing rain that's coming! (For me anyways, might have an ice day tomorrow!)
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