Offense or Defense?

A couple of things have happened this past week that have me thinking...

First.

I offended someone. *SARCASM WARNING* Ahhh, no, not me. I never offend anyone with my bluntness or lack of thinking. No never. Well, I am pretty sure I did just that, offend with bluntness and lack of "thinking before speaking". Said offense allowed me to experience someone choosing to be offended, which in turn, made him start to be defensive. It was not fun.

Yes, yes, I know there's a lot of room for improvement in this area for me! I do have a tendency of speaking sometimes before thinking... You would think because I know I do it, I would be a little better at controlling it. Not the case. I do give myself credit for getting a little better with age though. Another perk of getting older *wink* I also know that it is our choice to choose to be offended or not, thinking on that will be for a later post.

Second.

Fires! Lot's and LOTS of Fires! Living in the desert of Arizona has it's pros; the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises, and it's cons; fire danger during the dry season (which is really the majority of the year). The latter being the subject of a lot of conversations over the past two months.

From what the news says, we here in the A.Z. have experienced the worst fires in the states history. Along with multiple other "small" fires that have devastated communities, wildlife, and outdoor enjoyment for a little over 2 months now.

It was always depressing to hear on the news that it was only, insert really low number here, contained. It was depressing to hear them say that another fire has started up and that another community has been asked to evacuate. That, another home was lost, another campground destroyed, etc. It was just sad.

Then one day, I remember them specifically talking about going on the offense instead of defense! Instead of fighting what they couldn't control, they would fight with something they could. Controlled burns. Genius! As of today, the wildfires in Arizona are now all under control or all out!

Third

I have been thinking a lot about Jesus Christ. About His role in my life, who He was, how He taught, and how important it is that I gain a greater testimony of Him. I have been praying and fasting for an increase of faith in Him. And I have recently asked myself, did Christ play, Offense or Defense?

I am looking at and learning from each of these perspectives in my life right now.

I've realized I want to fight with something that I can control. And what I can control, is me.

I know I am not perfect, nor will I be when I leave this life, but I can work on the faults that I have. I can try harder to be nice, I can try and be aware of the fire dangers around me. Those fires can burn me and burn others if I don't try to be on the offense, by curbing my words.

Most importantly, I now know I need to turn to my Savior, Jesus Christ. When there are things that I can't control, He who knows what position to play. He is my perfect example and who we should all try and emulate. The primary song, "I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus" has been randomly popping up in my life during the last week also. I like to think that it is not by chance. I hope the words will be on repeat in my mind for the rest of my life and will help me in curbing my words for the future.

I am truly thankful that we can take each day and learn to be better. Here is hoping I grasp what I am writing here!!

Was it a Blind Date or Wasn't it?

From the view of being outside the box, it was. I just didn't realize it could have been one until the next day. I think we were in the box of "no, it's not a blind date", even when it really was. I know, I know. Let me explain...

My friend Tyler and I both have these really cool discount cards for fun restaurants around town. They offer a great deal of "Buy one entree, get one free" for the higher end places around town. Tyler, his wife Gina, and I are all kinda foodies. We like food! OK, we LOVE food. Love to cook it, taste it, discuss it, and try new places that make it!

So this card works great, but for the deal to make the most sense, you need to have four people. Let's face it folks, my social network in Tucson has ridiculously dwindled and I only stay in touch with my girlfriends and I haven't gone to a YSA activity (besides the awful dance awhile back) since I have been here. And I haven't met any guys out in the great wide world that I would want to ask to dinner. I would have asked some girlfriends to go, but they were actually out of town this week.

So Tyler being the great guy he is, said he knows a guy who would probably want to come. Now I look back at it, I'm special for not seeing it as a blind date. Anywho, I assumed he was asking him to just come and restaurant adventure with us because we needed a fourth person to make the discount worth while. (Update: I did assume correctly, Tyler did say he only asked if he wanted to come and hang out with us, and that a single female friend would be there, but he wasn't trying to set us up. It just happens that the tag blind date still works: See look-Definition of a date: Planned ahead? Yes. Paired off? Yep. Payed for? Yep. Definition of blind: not seeing. So together, blind date, not seeing/knowing the person who you will be on the date with. haha)

Funny enough, Tyler told me about this guy when I first moved down here back in September, he just didn't take action to introduce us until this last Thursday. And by "told me about him", he only told me there was a guy in his singles ward that was nice and his name was Tyler too. (Look, I just wrote a guy's real name on here. Gasp! jk. It's only because no one who reads this should actually know him, so I thought why not. hahaha)

Anywho, I thought it would be nice to meet a new guy, but I had brought mulah to split the bill with him and everything, because again, I thought he was just coming to fill the seat. (I do really think I was in denial, because writing it all down totally points to blind date, but whatev, denial helped me to not be nervous and I liked being really comfortable)

So, Blind Date Tyler (I'll call him BD Tyler to keep the confusion on the names to a minimum) is really, really nice! He is also good lookin'! Tall, brown hair and a little facial hair scruff going on. Nice. He's from Utah and moved to Tucson 2 years ago. He has a sister and her family down here, that's what got him to come south in the first place. He actually works with Tyler too.

I think we all had a really good time. Again, it was comfortable. I was asking him questions and I wasn't nervous like I am when I meet a new guy (this is where the denial thing helped me out) I still have issues making eye contact though, but I can tell ya, I did better. lol. I'll work on it, I'll work on it, I promise! I hope he was comfortable too. We do have food tastes in common, bring on the sweet potato french fries!

Funny stuff ahead... ready... go...

Somewhere in the conversation he brings up his brother in law. He told me where he worked and it turned out that I TOTALLY know his sister and his brother in law, Kyle. Once he said where his brother in law worked, I knew exactly who he was. We were both surprised and Tyler and Gina laughed. Funny enough, Gina ended up knowing his family too! Good times.

I was in the family ward a few years ago with Kyle and his family, he was the Ward Mission Leader when Patrick got baptized. So not only do I know his family, but my family knows his family. Kyle and his wife, Liz, went out to dinner with us for my birthday a few years ago! They are awesome people with 3 of the cutest kids! They are all in my Stake in funny enough, we just had Stake Conference yesterday and today. Guess who I saw last night at the adult session? Yep. Kyle and Liz! That story can be for another day, let's just say we all laughed.

OK, back to dinner. I would have been good staying and sitting on the patio for hours, but everyone looked a bit tired and we had already been there for 2hours, so a little bit after the check came (which he picked up by the way. I even offered to cover the tip, and he said it was good, he had it. I know!) We all got up and headed towards ze cars.

No end of date awkwardness happened, because I didn't realize that it was a date. But I am sad I missed out on going for that, end of date hug. I invited him to the Eat n' Meet we are having next weekend, so numbers have been exchanged. We'll see what happens, it would be nice to get to know him more, but I am learning to not worry about it. I already put the invitation out for next weekend, it's up to him to say yes, but what a great transition into explaining the Eat n' Meet...

... my friend Cammie is amazing! She had the idea to organize a giant singles event for the 25 and up crowd where equal numbers of girls and guys will meet up at restaurants around town, enjoy themselves with good food and good company, and then head to a central location so everyone from the different restaurants can meet each other for dessert.

She asked me if I would help out with it and it's been really fun! I did something like this while I was up in Salt Lake. I don't remember if I told ya'll about it, but it was fun to meet new people. It was an Institute activity up there though, and this one is non church related.

This helped to re affirm that I am totally out of the social networking down here and I need to do something about it quick. I like to go out and play, or to go and meet up with friends for new adventures. I can't do that if I only hang out with my family, can I? No. So here I go, going out to meet new people. Perk is, I know some of the girls, but very few of the guys. Who knows... maybe my ore is in Tucson.

I am also a table captain for my group. Which means I had the privilege of contacting the people who RSVP'd and who were assigned to my restaurant. I get to be the person that helps the conversation going at dinner. Can I do that? Yes, I think I can. Thankfully, my mother raised a talker. I will know the 5 girls at dinner, but only 2 of the guys, (including BD Tyler if he ends up being able to make it and yes, yes I did ask for him in my group. haha)

We'll see how this week plays out, there is going to be some random busyness, but it's going to be one amazing week! I just know it. I'll let ya know what happens!

p.s. I should totally give a plug to Catalina BBQ Company up at Star Pass. They had some very tasty pulled pork and short ribs, with some tasty bbq sauce, but the brisket and chicken were a little dry. BD Tyler on a positive note said maybe it was just an off day. Their sides of mac and cheese and sweet potato fries, freakin' rocked though! I would totally go again.

The Busiest Week EVER!

So I have decided to group a couple of those up and coming posts into just two posts. I’m combining Austin in Tucson, Health and Service, into one post and the Blind date, Eat n’ Meet into another. The Full Time in the Fall will get it's own post one of these days. Here I go explaining the busiest weekend EVER! Also known as the first week of June 2011…

On the Wednesday June 1, two days before my dad was getting here from Austin, Texas, I found out a really close family friend was in the ICU, she is really like family! I even lived with her when I moved back to Tucson for a few months if that helps ya to know how close she is to us. She is like an Aunt. When I talked to her daughter, she let me know what was going on. My friend had two blood clots in her brain and they wanted her in ICU to try and find out where they came from. It was too late in the evening for me to go and visit her then, so I planned on doing it the next day.

So, Thursday came. I went and did the general orientation class that is now required for pima community college that morning, so I could start registering for my classes and get school on a roll (YAY, I’m going to college. I’ll talk more about it in a bit), I went to work at 10 and then called my friend to see how she was doing. I was able to go and visit her in the ICU later that afternoon after getting off of work early. Her Attending MD was there and gave us the rundown of what he wanted to do. Some lab work, more Cat Scans, etc.

She looked ok, but I knew she was worried about what to do with her house, her animals, and how to help her daughter to not be so worried about what was happening. Let alone the big worries, of “could it be cancer?”, “did they catch it in time so there won’t be a stroke?”, and the being mortal realization of “is it my time to die?” We were able to talk and I know it was comfort to her to know that I would be there to help out and be there for her and her family if they needed me. I called and let our Bishop know what was happening and he got the Elders to go and give her a blessing the next day.

That next day was Friday. I went to work, took an hour lunch and visited my friend at the hospital because she wanted me there when she told her daughter they found something on the Cat Scan. I only had the hour to visit and had to leave while, thankfully, the Thoracic Surgeon was the one telling her daughter what they found and what they were going to do. I then went back to work and waited for my brother in law to drop off my dad. Patrick went and picked him up from the airport with the babes. Kara and I were both working so Patrick dropped him off at the salon and he hung out with me until I was ready to close shop. He and I then went and picked Kara up from work and went to dinner at Juliobertos (which by the way is some taaaasteey Mexican fast food) for dinner.

It was really nice to all be together again. I’ve just realized the three of us hadn’t been together since I was 14 and Kara was 18. It was the summer before I started high school. Kara and I stayed in Lima with our dad and other family. That makes 15 years since we have all three been together in the same place at the same time. Kinda surreal to think it was that long.

Saturday came around and I spent time with the family (Patrick was working, so it was only our dad, Kara, me and the kids). We went to a farmers market that morning. We got to explore and talk to people and try some local jams and salsa. I taught Cake it was not ok to double dip where strangers will also be dipping. Hahaha. I bought some amazing fresh tomatoes that the kiddos and I got to eat in the car on our way to the next adventure which was to tour the house of a famous artist from Tucson.

I am HIGHLY recommending the Ted DeGrazia’s, Gallery of the Sun! It was freaking amazing!!! Mr. DeGrazia was a very talented man! It will be a place that I will go again, just the next time without a three and a four year old. (They really did ok, they were just bored quickly and we couldn’t spend as much time looking at his pieces as I would have liked.) Ted DeGrazia built the house/art gallery. It is not only an art gallery, but a historical site. It is free to the public, but donations are accepted. Just go and wander, it’s totally worth it.

Next came the Splash Park and lunch. We were all so hot we went back to Kara’s, so we grabbed our swimming suits and headed to the pool. I really do love swimming! It was nice to cool off and play with the kids in the pool. Dinner came eventually and finally resting and relaxation. I didn’t go and visit my friend on Saturday, but I talked to her and told her I would visit on Sunday.

Now onto Sunday, I slept in! I got ready for church, headed over to spend time with dad and Kara before I went to church and then went to Sacrament meeting. After the sacrament, Jakob and I went to visit my friend in the hospital. She was looking so good! Surgery was scheduled for Monday. My friend ended up being in the hospital for 13 days, having major surgery and waiting for her body to regulate the blood thinning meds.

While they were looking for the source of the blood clots, they found she had a pericardial cyst resting on her heart and lungs. When she had it removed; it ended up being the size of a small grapefruit. We both have marveled at the way the Lord works. If she wouldn’t have had the migraines that got her to go to the ER, they would never have found the blood clots. If they wouldn’t have been looking for the source of the clots, they would never have found the cyst that could have ended her life prematurely. Sweet mercies of the Lord sometimes bring us pain and discomfort, but the experiences allow us to have a longer, much happier life.

Anywho, with dad we also went to the San Xavier Mission and looked around, took some pictures, went to the lake and fed ducks and got a good chat in with dad while I made dinner (side note: the best version of chicken enchiladas I have made thus far!). Kara and the family went to the pool while dinner was being made. We ended Sunday night with Dad, Kara, Jakob who was being super annoying in the background, and I watching Searching for Bobby Fischer, and a cool show called Cracking the Myan Code.

Monday… it’s all a little hazy now and it’s only been two weeks. I blame the lack of sleep on the bad memory because I don’t remember what we did on Monday! haha! I do know that my friend came out of surgery that evening doing great and was only in ICU overnight. Ooh ooh, I remember Tuesday! Let’s jump there. Tuesday morning Kara had to work, so before dad left, I took him to BoBo’s Café (a ROCKIN mom and pop yummy, Yummy, YUMMY restaurant) for breakfast. We got to chat some more and then off we went to my job. I had to go in early because the manager was sick and wouldn’t be able to open shop, so dad headed there with me again and we hung out until I had to take him to the airport at 11.

This same week I learned of the death of a former co worker (he was actually who Kara and I stayed with the first month I moved here back in 2001). I cut the hair of the cutest 87 year old little man, whose wife is in my ward and whose hair I also do, while he was in a rehab healing from a broken hip. Within 4 days of that haircut, he had passed away. I don’t know really how to explain this week, other than to say, it was the busiest week EVER! And was a week where I learned to trust the Lord! I was humbled, I was prayerful, I saw miracles, I learned the need to be prepared for anything, I found peace and an increase of love, I felt frustration and fear, but I also gained a stronger testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Of the Plan of Salvation and the eternal principle of Families Can Be Together Forever!

This experience with my friend especially has taught me about the tender mercies of the Lord. It has shown me that the Lord will help us to accomplish all things when we are truly in the service of our fellow men. It has also allowed me to think of my own mortality and the realization that life truly is short and that I have to get out there and start LIVING more. It taught me that family is everything and that no family is perfect, but that I am thankful for mine. It showed me that friendships are worth cultivating and growing because there is a chance to experience Christ like love for others through service.

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The End.

Woot! Woot! I'm on a roll again!

I really do love blogging! I just didn't do it for a while. Something I will try and remedy for the future. Here are some posts you have to look forward to...

Austin in Tucson... My dads visit
Health and Service... Blood clots in the brain, cysts on the heart, haircut before death, and death
Was it a blind date or wasn't it? ... Catalina BBQ Company with some good company
Eat n' Meet... helping to organize and adventure for singles 25 and up here in Tucson
Full time in the fall... I AM GOING TO COLLEGE!

OK, I just realized why I might not have blogged for awhile, I have had a lot going on and my brain really wasn't up for writing it all yet... Well that has changed, stay tuned, there is a lot to tell you.

Never again this long!

I have been Endowed (a term used for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who have made covenants in the Temple with the Lord, who then in return makes covenants with us) for almost 4 ½ years. WOW!

I was Endowed in the Mesa Temple, February 3, 2007. I was going to the Temple every 2-3 weeks the first year I was Endowed. I then had the amazing opportunity to move up to Salt Lake and had the blessing of being close to so many Temples! I was going at least once a week! I even started what I called “Temple Adventures” while I was there. “Temple Adventures” was something I did with a couple of my close friends. It was allowing us to go and serve in each of the Temples in Utah! Because of starting school in the late spring of 2010, and with the weather being weird, I only made it to 7 out of the 13 that were open. Still it was an amazing experience to see that the work is done the same everywhere. It was amazing to experience the ABSOLUTE BEAUTY that is seen and felt in the Temples of God. If you have questions about LDS Temples, visit this website ldstemples.org

On a sadder note, it has been 2 ½ months since I have been to the Temple! I last went the day before my birthday, April 9, 2011. It was AHHHMAZING! As always! I love the peace and comfort that comes in serving in The House of the Lord! 2 ½ months is waaaaay to long! I recently realized that in those 4 ½ years that this is the absolute longest span of time that I have missed out on the blessings of the Temple. And I don’t like it and I never want it to be this long ever again!

In the 2 ½ years I was in Salt Lake, the longest span of time between Temple visits was about 2 weeks, so 2 ½ months is horrible! I feel it in my soul! I feel it in my ability to resist temptation! I feel it because all of the horribleness that is happening in the world is scaring me! It shouldn’t scare me! I should be aware of it, but not scared of it. I want to have the perspective that “the horribleness” is part of the Plan of our Father in Heaven. I want to be looking forward to the future with Joy, having a desire to help bring the world His truth! Christ is coming to rule in righteousness! I should never be scared of that. Good perspective? Yes!

I have made the Lord and myself a promise, that I will try my hardest to not let it be this long ever again. I know I have my reasons/excuses for not going. My car, Coug, is just getting tired. Gas is really expensive. I don’t have anyone to go with, etc, etc, etc.

I do have a testimony of Temples and by golly, it is worth it to SACRIFICE and HUMBLE myself to get there! I love the Temple! I want it to be a part of my life forever! I will start going on the first Saturday of every month (since I have it off of work) and sacrificing that day to the Lord. Worth the blessings? ABSOLUTELY!

If you ever want to car pool, let me know! I hope to see you all there!

I want to Embrace, NOT Hate

Another post I somehow forgot to put up. hehe. I wrote this post about two weeks ago.

BLONDIE!!!

No, not the white brownie, ME! Well, my hair!

So for a few years I had been anti permanently coloring my hair. I had been sticking with my natural brown (which was kinda mousy) or putting a demi (wash out) color on to give it shine. I’ve come to appreciate my grey hairs; I’ve earned those bad boys. But, I also didn’t want to be freaked out one day because I had a whole head of them! I didn’t want to always think that I needed to cover them up with color. I want to embrace, not hate.

I like to think that I am embracing them, not hating them. But I’ve realized it’s still ok to play with color. And play I did. I went to more training with Zotos the last week of May (check the next post for what I learned while I was there). It was awesome! I came home with some new color to try out and the experience of being stuck at the LaGuardia airport in New York overnight. Thank you tornados in the mid west for a little life adventure and THANK YOU Heavenly Father for keeping me safe from said tornados and an overnight in the LaGuardia airport.

Well now, back to the color. It’s an amazing new color product that I brought home and I gots to use it on mi pelo and it worked perfectly! It is part of the AGEbeautfiful color line that I’m an educator for, which is a line exclusively sold at Sally Beauty Supply, in case you wanted to know.

Here is my official plug for AGEbeautiful… IT IS AHHHMAZING!!! It’s the first Anti-Aging Permanent Liqui-Crème Haircolor. Proven to fight all five signs of aging hair; thinning, wiry, color loss (grey hair), dull, and dry hair. I have personally used it and can attest to how good it feels on my hair. Like a conditioning/hair treatment with color. Sounds weird, but it works so well! Right now there are 28 shades in the line with more coming out this summer! It contains some good stuff; keratin peptide, silk proteins, and melanin. If you are going to adventure and try the color, here is an FYI: if you want any color between a 2 (darkest brown) - 6 (medium brown), bump up to the next level. ie: want a level 4 color, use an AB level 5. If you stick with using the same level# as other color lines, the AB color will come out darker because of the extra melanin added to cover the grey. (Message me if you have any questions)

Anywho, I am now a short haired blonde blogger with rockin’ highlights. Just so ya know *wink*

Zoe-toes

A post I apparently forgot to put up, ooops. This was originally supposed to be posted the last week of May. hehe.

I don’t remember giving ya any details about what happened during my business trip to LA in March. Let’s just say that it was 4 intense days of learning new products, more hair color theory, more perm theory, presentation skills, and much, much more. It was an awesome experience, but I was so tired at the end of it that my head was mad at me! I fell asleep as soon as I was buckled in for my flight home. The flight attendant even commented on it when we landed on quickly I was out. Good times.

I did have to do a presentation on a new subject every day and learned that I say “um” A LOT! Um, it’s something that I am working on. haha. But I also learned that when I know my stuff, my teaching/presenting skills are not too shabby. I got to make the multiple Power Points I presented. Power Points are kinda fun, but I would appreciate if someone could show me the “pre set” stuff in the ’07 version, cause I can’t find the same things in it that I know are in the ’03 version. If any of you want to walk me through it, I am totally down *grin*

We were also told on the last day to expect a phone call or an email to give us our critique on how well we did and what we need to work on. My Supervisor (who is freaky amazing and freaky organized) sent an email and let me know that I need to dress better (better fitting clothes, accessory recommendations), wear shoes that rock, and to think about changing my hair style because it was not as complimentary as it could be.

She gave me the “if you don’t feel fabulous while you’re wearing it, get rid of it” kind of comments. It was really hard to take at first, mainly because I wasn’t expecting a critique on the way I looked. I was expecting the critique on my presenting skills (which she said were great by the way and that she saw my potential with Zotos). I have however come around and am thankful for her insight. A lot of thanks to Kara who pointed out I had wanted to change my hair before the trip and that the outward “stuff” is an easy fix. It’s never bad to feel good about the way you look and lately, I’ve been feeling good. I also got to go shopping and buy some new clothes. Spending money didn’t always feel good, but getting a much needed wardrobe update made up for it. Good Will is my new friend since the only DI in town is super far away. Also I hit up some old friends, the sales racks at Target and Fashion Bug. Lol.

Ok, now onto the trip to Darien, Connecticut, which started with me flying out of Tucson, layover in Dallas, which was FREAKING muggy! I really don’t know if I could ever live in that high of humidity. It felt like I couldn’t breathe. Not my fave. Then flew from Dallas to New York, rode in a stretch limo from the airport to my hotel in Stamford, CT and headed to the conference room to meet up with all of the other Zotos folks.

We got to eat, chat, color (old school with coloring books and Crayolas kind of coloring), set goals, put a puzzle together and munch some more. We were learning to stretch our imaginations, learning who the “leaders” and “followers” were by competing to see which table could put the puzzle together the fastest; and setting goals in health, spirit, family, wealth, learning, and things we want to see/to do. It was a great start to a good learning trip.

What did I learn?

A LOT!

To take notes because the chemists talk fast!

Wind energy is COOL! (Zotos manufacturing plant is 60% wind energy, check out the website zotos.com for more info and videos to see what they are doing to go “green”)

Sally Beauty Supply is one amazing organized company!

It’s a good thing to talk to people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and let them know what our beliefs are, to give them the correct information .

I really love shrimp in a creamy buttery garlic sauce over pasta

The pool attendants get a little grumpy at 1030 pm

CEO’s of big companies don’t always know when budget cuts happen to the education program

Sulfate Free shampoo is not better for your hair!

Keep asking questions, I learn way better that way

To enjoy the cute chemist that gave us the lab tour ;)

It’s totally ok to talk to one of the lab guys in the cafeteria about CSI type stuff to give your mind a rest from all the hair talk

There are very handsome business men!

The Body Shoppe has some good smelling perfume!

PF Changs is really not that good.

Omar, one of the other DTM’s is scarily similar to Hot Man, except the fact that he does hair, is way shorter, and races cars instead of bikes. Other than those things, SCARYIILY similar!

When you don’t drink the night before and you get to bed at a decent hour, you are randomly not tired the next day. Hmmm. Something to think about folks.

Well, I look forward to more learning with this company! The thing that is cool is that I don’t only learn about their products and how to educate about them, but I am learning more about the how and why things, especially chemical processing on hair happens. It has been a really great opportunity to see a different perspective of the beauty industry. Here is to more learning!