Stuff that I love...stuff that I don't...

Dude.

Hi.

Happy Thanksgiving!

So...today I was thinking about what a weird holiday this is.  

And so I made a list of things I'm thankful for.  And a list of things I'm not thankful for.

How do you like them apples?  Huh?  Punk!

Nonthankful list

1. People who actually enjoy Twilight.  I think the last movie was probably the worst movie I've ever watched...And I'm dead serious.
2. Charlie horses that wake me up at 5 am.  Not cool.
3. Dust.
4. Having a ton of creative ideas and being too afraid to act on them.
5. White eyelashes.  You have no idea how much I wish I could not wear mascara without looking like a frightening mess.  If you have dark eyelashes, you should thank God for those.
6. Drug dealers.
7. People who think I can predict exactly what the weather will be anytime from today to three months from now.  I know that I am super smart, but this is overkill my friends.
8. Pineapple.  Coconut.  Scary fish.  Flan.  Expired milk.  YAMS.
9. Black Friday being moved to tonight...not thrilled.  Kimberly...you had BETTER not bring your coat in this year.  I will kill you.
10. Unpredictability.  I'm a little bit of a boring person I think.  I like to know what is happening and not be too surprised by things.  I hate change.  Even when it is necessary, it scares me.

Thankful list

1. Neil Diamond.
2. Christmas music.  Anytime.  Anywhere.  I LOVE Christmas music.
3. Children.  I had the best thing happen to me at church the other day.  This little boy, Aaron, who was one of my nursery kids came back into the chapel and he totally ran at me to give me the best high five EVER.  Holy crow.  It made me so happy.  Then he proceeded to go back to his mom and wave really big at me.  Nothing makes me happier than knowing such a great kid is my buddy.  And knowing that my youngest niece calls me Gramma.  I love that so much...even though my mother does not....it makes me happy.
4. Dancing and singing to great music.
5. Ben Folds.
6. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!  SOOO excited!
7. People who will go with me to an awful movie...say Twilight...and make fun of it the entire time.  I'm so glad to be friends with people who are hilarious.  I thought I was going to throw up from laughter last night.  My friends are the best.
8. Crafts.  In all honesty, I think that I would be completely happy to stay at home all day and make pretty things.
9. My job.  Holy crap.  I am SO lucky.  It is the best thing I've ever done.  I love my Troopers and The Best Boss in the Whole Wide World (its true!  He has a plaque that says so!)!!!  I learn new things everyday and the pranks they play on me completely could not be cooler.  I am so so so so thankful for my job, my boss, my Troopers, and that they love when I say, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!" with spirit fingers :)
10. My friends and my family.  I honestly can't think of anything more fun than spending time with my nieces.  I love them.  We all have flaws and differences, but isn't it the imperfections that make life more special?  I am thankful for each of them for different reasons.  I will say that my sister Kim can get me to do things that nobody else could, for the good or evil.  Annie likes my sarcasm, which in turn makes me like her more.  My mom makes really good fried chicken and homemade lasagna.  The way to my heart is through delicious food...My dad would do anything to help people.  And he makes me laugh a lot.  I was telling my friend, Ming (Who I LOVE), about how after the Columbine shooting, the media told parents they needed to be more involved and know what their kids were doing.  Every time I saw my dad after that for years he would ask, "Have you been making bombs in your room?"  HAHAHAHAHA...I would usually reply, "Thanks for thinking I am smart enough to make bombs, Dad.  Really.  I don't even know how to change oil in the car...How would I make a bomb??"  He would say, "Well, they said to ask you and so I'm just doing my part."  Good grief.  I love him.  My friends are amazing.  So many of you have helped me through so much.  

So anywho, I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and eat mashed potatoes and gravy and most importantly, Stove Top Stuffing.  That is all I eat on Thanksgiving.  It is so on.

Janalee

Good people :)

So, I'm really cold today.  And its a good thing because I got to wear my peacoat for the first time (outside of showing my friend Katie) and I just love it.

Aside from that, I just read an article about how women can't get pregnant from a "legitimate rape".  Whatever that means.....I'm all for prolife and everything, but I think that statement was ludicrous.  Seriously.  This is the article I read.  I love that Tina Fey said, "Now I can't even finish this sentence without getting dumber; it's making me dumber when I say it--but it's something about the body not being able to get pregnant when it's under physical stress. Mr. Akin, I think you are confusing the phrase 'legitimate rape' with the phrase 'competitive gymnastics.'"  She is one of the funniest women around.  But really?  I agree with her about how stupid his statement was.

Another thing...I am really lucky to have people that are awesome as my friends.  I got treats and a cd from a great friend last night and it made my morning routine way good today.  Another friend went to Taco Bell with me and watched Modern Family.  And then another friend brought me a Coke and helped me feel better.  And then I ate my very own homemade snickers with another friend and life seemed pretty awesome.  Another friend laughed at my inappropriate joke in class.  The teacher said, "There is One that nobody can hide their actions from, no matter how hard they try."  I whispered to myself, and my friend heard me, "Santa!!!"  HAHA.  Silly, silly.  Not to mention inappropriate.  But it was funny.  Another friend texted me out of the blue.  I'm pretty lucky with the friends that I have.  Thanks for being who you are.

Good people sometimes seem hard to find, but they are there.  I can feel it in my bones.

Anyway, I guess I better go turn the heater up :)

Bye.

ugh.

So...I'm not much in to politics.  I don't like when people argue or lie.  I have been watching debates and all the news that follows.  Its irritating to say the least.  I have come to the following conclusion:

If Nicki Minaj and Honey Boo Boo are for something, I am against it.


So.  I have sent in my absentee ballot (so convenient) and I feel good about it.

I almost didn't vote, but remembered something one of my professors taught me:

"Women fought so hard to vote.  If you don't vote, you are not respecting the women who fought for you to have equal rights."

So, I am thankful for those women who gave me the chance to vote.  And for all the freedoms we have.  Mostly, I am thankful that I have never seen an episode of Honey Boo Boo and I will not ever be a Nicki Minaj fan.

Weird post, but I am hoping to still be friends with people who view things differently than I do :)


Anyway, vote if you can.  Or don't.  My friend always says, "If you don't vote, you lost the right to complain."  Please don't just vote so you can be a whiner...

Okay?

Okay.

And lets get down to serious business:  

I ordered my first real grown up coat!!!!  I got a mustard colored PEAcoat and can't wait for it to get here.  I've been rocking a $10 coat for the past four years.  It is red and a little bit thicker than a windbreaker.  I am so, so excited!!!!  I have always, forever wanted to have a peacoat and be like Ming, and now I am moving one step closer to being super cool like her.  YAY!

Happy Trails :)

Janalee 

Wasting Time

So...I made a huge mistake.

Huge.

I set up the converter box and antenna for my television so I could have something to watch besides DVDs.  That happened last night.  Thanks Ginger and Katie for the help :)  And random dude at Big Lots.

Once upon a time, I had the ability to prioritize things.  I would do crafts and clean while listening to music.  Now, I feel like I may never, ever, ever get another thing done.

I have 21 channels and I have learned the following in less that 15 hours:

• NPR has a tv station!!!
• There is a country music that plays only music videos!  Its like CMT in the 90s.  LOVE it.
• You no longer have to avoid putting up Halloween decor!  There are new ads for wall savers so none of your decorations "ruin your home".  "Want to have Halloween decorations, but don't want to ruin your walls?"  My question still remains, what kind of decorations are these people using??!??
•  CBS is not on my list...this saddened me at first, but then really encouraged me.  This way, I will not cheat and watch Survivor or The Amazing Race without my friend.  Well played.
• This election is super annoying.  Seriously.
• Watching other people cook is surprisingly interesting.
• Commercials are stupid.
• I cannot watch Dateline.  Or Revolution.  Or 48 hours.  Or Law and Order.  Or anything that could make me think someone is going to murder me tonight...
• Watching news in the morning and eating breakfast makes me feel like a real grownup. 
• I still hate Dancing With the Stars.
• The Voice...wow.  Christina Aguilera...You need to look at what you are wearing and think, "Does this leave ANYTHING to the imagination?  Gross.  Keep them in your shirt.

 So thus we see, Janalee's life has now been infiltrated and will be spent wasting time.  Wish me luck.
Oh!  Modern Family is already my favorite.  But if you think of other great shows, please let me know :)

Janalee

Common Sense and Compassion

Alright.

I hate the way some people talk.

The other night, someone said, "If you suffer from depression or anxiety..." and the dummy behind me said, "GET OVER IT."

It basically took all I had not to turn around and say, "Okay, Tom Cruise.  You are an idiot."  Or something meaner...okay...a LOT meaner.

Depression and anxiety are both real feelings and not really something to just get over.  I don't think its that easy.  Or that that is even a REAL option for some...

Sure, there are things we have to "get over" but someone who truly suffers from those things could have a medical condition, chemical imbalance, an abusive relationship, etc.

Maybe instead of being completely ignorant, you could be compassionate.  After all, isn't that what life is about.  Yeah, we all have crap to deal with.  But making it together is a lot easier than doing it alone.  Or so they say...

So, I guess what I mean is BE NICE.  Don't be a douche.  Nobody likes it when you act like that.

Goals For September...

August is over.  Well after today.

And I did really good with my goals except for that one really awful week I had where Coca-Cola was the only thing holding me together...

Anyway, there are more days with stars on my chart than without, so that is a positive thing.  I have noticed that I am super happy when I get to put stars on there, but really disappointed in myself when I can't.  Silly, I know.  So I probably should stop caring so much about that...

Now, on to September.  My goals for September will be in addition to my August goals.  Ugh.  If I can do them.  HAHA.  I'm going to be able to, I'm just tired so I am unsure.  September is going to be my Spirituality:  Contemplate the Heavens month.  And the goals are:

• Pray more.  Prayer is proven (did you read that study too?) to relieve stress and sadness and clear your mind.  Prayer will help me feel closer to God and hopefully help me be nicer than I am currently.  I do pray already...and I feel like it is important to be real with God, so I will continue focusing on that.
• Read scriptures more.  Reading about the life of Christ helps me be more believing.
• Keep a gratitude journal.  Henry B. Eyring said, “You could ask yourself, 'How did God Bless me today?' If you do that long enough and with faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes you will have gifts brought to your mind which you failed to notice during the day, but which you will then know were a touch of God's hand in your life.” I'm hoping that by focusing on the positive things God has given me, it will help me be more thankful and hopeful.

So anyways...Happiness to all and to all a good night.

Janalee

Happiness

So my Happiness Project kinda hit the dust this week.  I'm starting back up tomorrow, but I had some stuff going on that required my attention much more than my quest for happiness.  And I actually can see a difference in myself when I am working toward happiness versus when I am in survival mode.

Basically, soda is my downfall.  I do good at the rest of them, but when I am stressed, soda is my go to friend.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but truly, it has helped me through the past 5 days.

And I'm hoping on Thursday, I can have enough energy to face the day on my own.

So anyways, the other things are going good still...just not soda.

So wish me luck with the next ten days.

Janalee