Good mood!

Good Mood!
Current mood: satisfied

This is sort of a strange thing to blog about...

But, lately I've just been in a very positive, progressive-thinking mood. Dunno if it's just the coming of summer (probably) or that my astrological indicators are in some sort of alignment (more likely) but things just seem to be clicking lately.

I got the very first college-level 4.0 in my life this past quarter! Not bad for having been out of school for 8 years. This has tremendously helped my confidence and outlook regarding this this whole going-back-to-school thing. It's been sort of an experiment for me (and for those close to me you know that I've really changed around my lifestyle for this) and it feels very rewarding to have some level of success.

I've reconnected lately with some people who have been out of my life for some time. It was fantastic to see one of my all-time closest buddies Nate last week. I've always had a high level of respect and admiration for him, and it was so great to hang out with him after a couple years apart. I'm glad he's back from Iraq safely and I look forward to seeing him more often.

I've also been extremely happy with the way my relationship with my parents has developed over the past 4-5 years or so. I really like that I have 4, not just 2, really cool parents, all of whom treat me as an equal and all of whom have contributed to the adult I've become. I see the way other people still have serious issues with their parents, even in their adult lives, and I feel lucky that after many years of tense, acrimonious, and sometimes bitter conflict, we've resolved our differences and agreed to disagree. Our relationship is stronger and for the better because of it.

My oldest younger sister Anna recently was married, and she was SO HAPPY. It was heartwarming to see her finally tie the knot with her childhood sweetheart and best friend Sean. It was one of the more emotional experiences I've had in years. They are going to have a good life together. You can just tell by being around them how much in love they are. I'm always nervous about Mormon weddings, specifically because they get married so young, and because they are so inexperienced and naive sexually, but I really think this one was meant to be.

I've finally started to make firm plans (after MUCH talk) and will be buying property this fall. Unless the housing market crashes over the summer, I'll probably have to stick to a condo for now, but it will sure be a load off my mind to know that I'm not wasting $600 on rent every month. Jeeez! It will be cool to start building some equity. And then, a few years from now when I begin my actual career, I'll have a little equity saved up as down payment for a real house (hopefully out in the middle of nowhere considering how much I hate people... ha ha ha... No, actually, I'm not kidding, disregard that ha ha ha...)

Anyway, I don't write this as a "Look At Me I'm Happy" sort of thing. It's not my intention to gloat. It's just that, for most of the past 10-15 years, I've had my struggles and been extremely unhappy and often wondered if I would ever feel the way I do now. There were some VERY dark moments along the way, with little or no light at the end of the tunnel.

I guess that's just a life lesson in The Best Things in Life Don't Come Easy. And I certainly don't expect things to plateau here. I'm going to keep working on the things that bring me down, and keep focusing on the things that lift me up. I figure I've got another 50 years at least, and as we all know, anything can happen at anytime.

But for now, I'm smiling! :)

Currently listening :
Transitions
By John Digweed
Release date: 27 June, 2006

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry
Current mood: pensive

Riding my notoriously slow elevator this evening, I overheard a younger woman complaining about how she'd "kill herself" if she had to live in this building and deal with this elevator.

It got me thinking about the current pace of our culture, and the pace of city life in general. We're always thinking about what's going to happen next; about where we're going next; about that next purchase; etc.

It's sad, really. Does anyone ever stop to notice what's going on around them? Do people still take pleasure in the little things? Or have the little things turned from pleasant surprises to annoyances?

At some point in my life I'm going to have to move out of the city. I'm not going to be able to keep this pace up forever. Nor do I even want to.

Currently listening :
3121
By Prince
Release date: 21 March, 2006

New Job, New Outlook

New Job, New Outlook
Current mood: excited

Well, I'm happy to announce that I have decided to stay at Nordstrom, albeit in a new and less stressful position. And with the great set schedule (M-F 7-4) I am going to be starting classes at SCCC on Apr. 3. I can't wait!

I will now be working as an "Item Analyst" in the Centralized Merchandising Information Office (CMIO) in the corporate offices. Maybe a little less exciting than managing at the Rack, but certainly a lot less stress and responsibility. Plus, I can listen to my Ipod all day! Those of you who know me well know that that is as close to heaven as my agnosticism allows me to get!

My last day at the Rack is tomorrow, the 17th. I will miss all of the friends and acquaintances I've made here, and I will really miss the team that I have built. They are good people and I have the utmost respect for them.

But I was ready for a new challenge, and this will provide me with that as well as the opportunity to finally get that damn little piece of paper that says I'm smart. Hard to get ahead in the world without a degree anymore, I've learned.

Currently reading :
The Cosmic Puppets : A Novel (Vintage)
By Philip K. Dick
Release date: 11 November, 2003

Mayor Small Penis

Mayor Small Penis
Current mood: quixotic

Pretty funny what happened to me yesterday...

Walking into the gym yesterday to do my afternoon workout, and whaddaya know? There's Mayor Nickels a couple lockers down from me, totally naked and chatting with some other naked guy.

Now, normally in the gym locker room I don't go around checking out other guys' packages. But... he is the mayor. And I had to look.

Very, very, very small. Almost embarrassingly so! Now, perhaps it was obscured by his massive belly, but I'm pretty damn sure he will never command Randy Johnson's nickname. (The Big Unit)

Thinking about it later on, I'm almost embarrassed myself that our mayor has such a small penis. But perhaps it is appropriate for a city such as ours. One that talks the talk but rarely walks the walk. Mass transit, this century, anyone?

The Silent Majority

The Silent Majority
Current mood: thoughtful

Playing Trivial Pursuit (What a great game! What a great title---I love pursuing trivial things!) last week, a question came up which caused me to think. The question had to do with a quote from Richard Nixon and who he thought elected him. The answer was the "Silent Majority."

Today I was putting this into the context of our current lovely situation and wondering whatever happened to the silent majority. I heard the term bandied about time and time again during the 2004 election, and for some naive reason had this underdog/lifesaver sort of spirit all summer as I held out hope that the regime might get bumped from office by the wisdom of this silent majority.

You know who they are: sensible, reasonable, hard-working, down-to-earth people who go about their business, don't talk politics but pay attention, and know right from wrong. These people knew that pre-emptive war was questionable at best. They knew that taking from the poor and giving to the rich was wrong. And they've noticed the continual drone of scandal and abuse of power from a cocky Washington.

Obviously they were still a little too Silent in '04....

Nixon was elected in '68 due in large part to the "Pull Out of Vietnam" theme of his campaign. He didn't stick with that theme for much longer after he was sworn in, keeping combat going (not to mention attacking Cambodia!) for the remainder of his presidency.

The silent majority turned on him pretty damn quick. What will happen this fall, not to mention '08? That is, if the Silent Majority still exists? Or are they just too busy watching American Idol to care anymore?