Shop 'Til Ya Move

I'll keep this short. I just re-read a couple entries and realized how much I've been verbally vomiting on you, dear readers. Just be grateful I didn't try to trudge up a picture of a verbal vomit!

So Jack and I went shopping last Friday night, Saturday afternoon, Tuesday morning, and today. We've spent more money than I care to admit and I completely understand why celebrities and politicians have two exact-same houses when they have to spend time in another city. It's so freaking confusing. I've already been the victim of the situation (okay, I use the word "victim" loosely), in that I couldn't find my favorite capri's this morning. Then I remembered that they're in my closet in Chicago. Doh!

To remedy this situation, I have been shopping like a mad fiend, acquiring a snazzy executive wardrobe, outfitting a new residence, and buying "one more" of everything I use on a daily basis. Jack laughed at me because I wandered through Meijer, hitting the aisles in the order in which I do my morning routine. Hey, how else would I not forget something?! Plus, we went to a couple of craft stores, as I wanted to procure a cute wreath and other homey touches like that.

Despite all the years of personal development, I've still turned into my mother! :-)

Truckin'

If you don't mind me ad-libbing another corny '70's song! We were definitely truckin' today. It's official; I formally live in two time zones now. It did get a bit confusing, as Chicago's an hour behind. I will either have two clocks on the wall or two watches on my wrist! Because I'm that cool.

The move went smoothly. My brother, Zibby, helped with the move. We were lucky to have gotten a beautiful, brisk, crisp, cool day for the move. NOT. It was in the 80's and the humidity rivaled that found in the heart of the Amazon. Zibby and Jack went through multiple shirts, well, mopping off. I'll leave it at that!

I'm not sure if many of you know this, but I rented this house sight unseen. We drove past the home and saw its neighborhood, experienced a sample commute to work, and it was within our price range. Those were the three characteristics we needed to fill: location, price, and safety. Check, check, and check. Plus, I know the owners and Coach, a dear co-worker, promised to adopt me in my new home. That's actually pretty neat, as I'll be flying solo soon enough.

So we drove up to the house, the tropical humidity wilting our very souls, and waited. One of the owners met us there. It was all well and good until we stepped inside. We all took a whiff of the inside air (mind you, which had been closed up for 3 weeks) and I immediately thought of my great-grandmother who could only be described as smelling like formaldehyde. Once we got the A/C blasting at full-force, the air cleared a bit. But that didn't stop me from running to the fancy Target and buying every Glade product ever created. When we return to Chicago, we'll probably be able to smell the Clean Linen before we get off the Interstate.

In all seriousness, the house is fine. It's good. It works. I have lots of space, newer appliances, and it couldn't be in a better location. With a bit of careful nesting, I'll have the place feeling homey in no time. I visited my mom, SkyBlue, tonight and raided her "pending garage sale" pile. I have a couple of plate rails in the kitchen and needed some "stuff" to fill them!

The house is moved in to and my favorite material belongings are two hours away. It's okay, though; the thing worrying me most is finding some semblance of routine in a hurricane of chaos. I thrive on routine and between establishing a new career, streamlining a new commute, meeting hundreds of new co-workers, bouncing between campuses, setting up my home, and getting used to life without a hubby, I'm somewhat worried that routine will escape me for a while. Right? I mean, can I continue hoping that routine will find me soon enough!? Will things *ever* be routine again?

Yikes. Big questions after a long day. I better let these percolate and think about them tomorrow, when my brain has recharged a bit.

To Jack

I've been trying to keep this blog as politically correct as possible. I keep my distance from ferocious stances on politics, economic matters, or religion. I talk about the events of my life without incriminating anyone or unnecessarily singling anyone out.

Except now. Insert "Jaws" theme here!

I need to post a love letter (of sorts) to Jack. Before you get all nauseous, here me out. He's been my supporter, my encourager, and my faith-builder for ten whole years now. We're approaching eight years of marriage and he's been a constant in my life for ten years (and a player in my life for fifteen). If you commonly experience uncontrollably gagging sounds when you watch extremely cheesy movies, consider yourself warned about the upcoming cheesiness quotient!

Dear Jack:

I'm not sure how to start letters like this. How do you possibly tell someone how much they mean to you? How do you find words to encapsulate deep feelings the heart can barely grasp?

First, I want to thank you. Thank you for being YOU. You embody servant leadership principles and I've learned so much from watching you in your own career. Thank you for putting up with my long hours and incessant study habits. If my late-night studies and absurd dedication to school work annoyed you, you didn't show it. Thank you for having dinner on the table (most nights!) when I returned from class. Thank you for shouldering more than your fair share of the chores, shopping, and other household responsibilities. I couldn't have made it through my insane schedule without your support in these ways.

Second, thank you for encouraging me when I felt like I could not go on. As you know, I had several moments where the sheer weight of my responsibilities threatened to overwhelm me. You had the wisdom and insight to help me see beyond the immediate struggles and to visualize the long term. From you, I learned how to take one moment at a time, conquering the challenge in front of me. You taught me how to look at the big picture as a reflection and in a planning capability...but in the heat of the moment, it's crucial to stay in the present moment.

Third, thank you for enabling me to go after my dreams. I've never met someone who readily encouraged me to achieve whatever my heart seeks. You encouraged me to keep God at the helm while giving this life everything I can. Through our life experiences, we've learned the importance of 'carpe diem' and live this principle whole-heartedly.

Even though I'm moving away to pursue another one of my life's dreams, you will be with me the whole time. It is because of you that I have the courage to embark upon this journey; your strength and wisdom will help sustain me. We've built a life together and even though I'll live 100 miles away, you will be my first thought when I wake up in the morning and my last thought as I drift into sleep. You keep me safe and to me, "home" is wherever Jack is. I love you.
Forever,

Dorrie

PS, I hope our cell phones don't burn out prematurely, from all the calls and texts you are sure to receive from me!

PPS, what happens when we have a big, tornado-spawning thunderstorm? Can you beam yourself to Chicagoland and keep me safe? Is this when I should know to take cover in an interior hallway or bathtub!? Oh crap! Time to brush up on my Weather Channel!

I'm leaving...on a highway

All my boxes are packed, I’m ready to go
I’m standing here, outside my door.
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye.
But the truck is here, It’s early morn.
The movers are waiting, they’re blowing their horn.
Already I’m so lonesome I could cry…

So kiss me and smile for me.
Tell me that you’ll pray for me.
Hold me like you’ll never let me go.
'Cause I’m leaving on a highway.
Know that I’ll be back in a week.
Oh Jack, I hate to go…

There are so many times I’ve read my books,
So many times I’ve written papers,
I tell you now, they don’t mean a thing.
Every place I go, I’ll think of you.
Every hospital I visit, I’ll administrate for you.
When I come back, I’ll bring a paycheck…

So kiss me and smile for me.
Tell me that you’ll pray for me.
Hold me like you’ll never let me go.
'Cause I’m leaving on a highway,
Know that I’ll be back in a week.
Oh babe, I hate to go…

A Short Escape

This is why I like (and hoard!) vacation memories...they can transport you at a moment's notice. When life threatens to overwhelm me, I can stop, close my eyes, and transport myself back to the Caribbean.

D.E.N.I.A.L.

I wish Aretha Franklin would cover a song about denial. "Respect" became a female anthem, one which personfies the type of honor that women demand. Seriously, I want to sing along, with that melody, but spell "denial" instead!

That's where I am. I'm in crazy denial. I wish there was a better way to explain it.

Everyone keeps asking me how I'm doing, when I'm moving, and the details about where I'll live and work. I answer in this robotic tone which betrays the my heart's acceptance of everything. I cannot believe this is all transpiring around me; it feels like an out-of-body experience. Even though I've had almost three months to get used to the idea, I'm not, well, used to it yet.

Just this afternoon, I took yet another nap. I don't know why, but my body is responding to this whole ordeal with an overwhelming need to sleep...for hours! After my nap, I started packing. Jack brought me several boxes and I began filling them with happy memories. Y'know, the pictures of us at the beach, in the pool, on vacation, during holidays, etc. It sort of feels like I'm packing for a long vacation, not for a secondary residence. Just how many Q-tips and bars of soap does one need for a year? And that's not even the true picture...I'm really only packing from week to week. That mitigates the stress; I know I will be home next weekend. So anything I neglect to pack can be grabbed next weekend when I return home. So how many Q-tips do I need for a week? Crap, I wish there was some fancy algorithm to help me figure this out.

This is WEIRD. I feel like I'm living in a movie and the "Chariots of Fire" theme song is playing in the background. Except in my case, maybe it's "Chariots of QTips?"

Barn Therapy

I feel old. I went shopping today and after my obligatory stops at DSW and Old Navy, I started to get in my car. Half-way in, I saw a gleaming "sale!" sign across the parking lot beckoning me, of all places, to Dress Barn.

I know what you're thinking. Dress Barn is for old ladies and shuffleboard games. As it turns out, they also have a decent selection of executive clothing in colors I haven't been able to find so far (navy, camel, pale yellow). Imagine my surprise when I found myself in the Dress Barn dressing rooms. I thought they should have called the dressing rooms "stables," just to stick with the motif. However, that probably would have given some women undue issues! I didn't buy anything, but I firmly intend to go back after work when I'm not so rushed. They have a couple of adorable little tops that require further investigation.

And as for shuffleboard, I learned how to play while on the cruise. While Yoshi and Betty were eating secondary and tertiary desserts (and then walking off said desserts!), Jack and I hit the shuffleboard areas. The boards are on the top deck (above the pool deck) and lots of people laughed at us, two goofballs in formal dinner attire, as we competed in heated shuffleboard tournaments. It reminded me of cornhole. Y'know, without the tailgating, beer, and nippy Indiana weather!

Joke Journal

I'm off to see Angels and Demons tonight. I've heard mixed reviews, so I want to form my own opinion. I thought this post was especially pertinent!

"Here are some things you would never know without the movies:

-It is always possible to park directly outside any building you are visiting.

-A detective can only solve a case once he has been suspended from duty.

-If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone you bump into will know all the steps.

-Most laptop computers are powerful enough to override the communication systems of any invading alien civilization.

-It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts - your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors.

-When a person is knocked unconscious by a blow to the head, they will never suffer a concussion or brain damage.

-No one involved in a car chase, hijacking, explosion, volcanic eruption or alien invasion will ever go into shock.

-When they are alone, all foreigners prefer to speak English to each other.

-You can always find a chain saw when you need one.

-Any lock can be picked by a credit card or a paper clip in seconds, unless it’s the door to a burning building with a child trapped inside.

-An electric fence, powerful enough to kill a dinosaur will cause no lasting damage to an eight year old child.

-Television news bulletins usually contain a story that affects you personally at that precise moment you turn the television on."

It's Not Really the End

It feels like the last day of school. Y'know, where you get to dress down, eat hot dogs for lunch, and play kickball in the field behind the school? It was very strange getting ready this morning, knowing it was my last commute, my last time making myself coffee at home, and the last time to make my favorite breakfast burrito to slop on my shirt on the way into work (gooey cheese is my favorite)! It's with bittersweet feelings that today marked my last day at this office. I'm ecstatic for the future horizons and challenges that life at St. Fozzie's will bring. But I'm also sad and will greatly miss the friendships I've fostered these last six years.

I don't care who you are or what you do. You may love your job and what you do for a living. However, if you don't like your co-workers, you will not be very happy at work. We spend many more hours working than we do at home and those people make all the difference. I have the greatest co-workers (no, I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid!). They supported me, encouraged me, and always knew when I needed a laugh (or let's be honest, when I needed a chocolate fix!). The Edge, Cake Lady, Squirrel-Eater, and Elk Man, you guys are the best and I will never forget how much you supported me. I feel like you all should receive honorary master's degrees, for listening to my ongoing rants about school! I will miss you all so very much. Count on lots of emails, since my current email addy won't change!

In celebration of my last day, my co-workers showered me with gifts and candy (hurray!) and they threw me an office-wide luncheon for my farewell. I'm not thrilled with being the center of attention like that, but The Edge made her rock-star mac and cheese for the occasion. Who am I to turn away mac and cheese and countless other treats? Anyway, we had a fantastic, if teary, time and I came away from it knowing I will be missed and that my hard work these last several years was definitely noticed and appreciated. Sometimes that's all we really yearn for in our professional lives: wonderful co-workers and a sense of appreciation.

And it's really not the end. It's just another beginning.

I Heart Vacation- Part III

I can't belize we visited Belize. Okay, I swear I'm done with that tagline!

Belize started off roughly. We had to tender to shore (picture big, two story, high-speed ferries) and the tender ride was 20 minutes. Upon reaching shore, we climbed into a speed boat that was taking us to the barrier reef, to Bannister Caye, and to watch manatees in their habitat. The boat driver told us to hold on tight and take off our hats. Jack and I love boats and figured it couldn't be THAT rough, right? Yeah, I sort of wondered if I had internal bleeding from the massive force in which we smashed into and over the waves. It was a 20+ mile trip out to the island and another few miles out to the reef. I was *very* sore the next day. But it was worth it for these views:

After our bone-jarring boat ride, we hopped into a bath-water ocean (I love it when ocean swimming doesn't shock you body into hypothermia). The snorkeling was a bit scary, as we were miles out to sea, on top of a huge reef, while the tide was rolling in. A few times, the waves rolled over my breathing tube...I became really skillful at clearing that tube! At the end of the snorkel tour, we were *really* close to the (stinging) coral and I spent more time worrying about where my flippers were, then studying the fabulous sea life:

After the harrowing snorkel trip (okay, it wasn't THAT scary), we boated back to the island and hung out for a couple hours. The private island, accessible only by boat, was full of relaxation-inducing paraphernalia!

Yes, those are my feet in the hammock. I have lots of pictures of us in the hammocks (I think there were six hammocks in that thatched porch), but they all have faces in them. I'm trying to protect all parties involved! Needless to say, we could have spent the whole week in those hammocks, y'know, if we had Pedro the Poolboy to bring us frozen drinks and wave palm fronds to cool us.

After departing the island, we trolled some of the manatee grounds, looking for some manatees in their habitats. We saw a few, from a distance. Then we saw one great big female who swam *right* under us and threatened to overturn our boat! She doesn't look that intimidating here, but I thought we were goners.

After the adventures in Belize, we returned to the ship, napped, and resumed our hourly feeding schedules. That's the thing with cruise ships; food is everywhere. Even on the pool deck and midnight! It was a fantastic trip and we cannot wait to book our next cruise. We're totally addicted to cruising now. Hmm. I wonder what that twelve step program would entail? :-)