Another set of exemplary explanations from D$...

...aka a few more things I've learned the past few weeks in my new space:

• I kept thinking that perhaps the breeze was so strong (it WAS windy today) that my window in my room must be open too wide. After observing this five or six times, I walked into my room to close the windows. Upon shutting them, I realized it still felt breezy and also that the fan was on. Whoops. Not using my whole brain on that one…

• I'm officially not allowed to use the ice machine at the house. It has proven to be too complicated for me and I have to reach in manually and pull ice out. Fine by me!  Otherwise, we end up with ice all over the floor. The cats like it, but it's not so nice for us. Oops.

• I learned that you can’t always trust your co-workers, especially when they’re young and related to each other somehow. I had to put my big-girl pants on and give my first I’m-disappointed-in-you speech ever. I thought it went well, but apparently not so well, because then my co-worker put in her two weeks’ notice. Oops. Guess I’m a bigger hard-ass than I feel like. This “real” job thing gets more exciting every day, oh, the stuff that I’m learning!

• Playing it cool doesn’t always rule.

• I (still) don’t do very well with being ignored.

• Really, honestly, some people are just strange ducks. Also, there is such a thing as being an “over-communicator.” Surprisingly enough, I have just realized that I am one (of the latter mostly, but the former, still, at times).

• Working with a group of smokers can have a partially negative influence on you when the weather gets really nice. On the bright side, you end up spending much more time outside!

• Having fun and partying like you’re 23 is definitely more fun (and easier!) when you’re actually 23 (or less)… Don't get me wrong, love to party, but not so hardy these days, haha.

• Beer pong mixes surprisingly well with cupcakes, jelly beans, music and wheelchairs (well, one wheelchair). It’s also quite the spectator sport, especially when there are several characters involved who take it quite seriously (even during pre-season, lol!).

• Running is awesome. I’ve missed it. It’s like thinking your favorite t-shirt is lost for good and you’ve given up every thought of ever seeing it again, but then you find it six years later in your mom’s dresser drawer and you take it back. Yeah, it’s like that.

• Loving yourself more can sometimes have a rather vain effect on a person. Oops. I guess having too much self-esteem is better than not having any at all? Ha.

• Grandma Harkins is right (when talking about eating with others): “It always tastes better when you have someone to share it with.” That woman is profound!

• If you ask for snail mail, it will come.

• Being creative is something I need to do more often because it feels so awesome (i.e. finally getting around to decorating one’s walls after moving two months ago and playing musical instruments more frequently). Alone time is really awesome! On the other hand, alone time can be kind of boring/lonely and not having someone to meet up with and share it with in the moment consistently can be quite the reality check.

Let’s cut the bullshit: I miss Chicago (and all my friends there!). When the weather gets nice
(too early in the season for a day or two), all I want to do is sit outside, drinking beer, on a patio
at some cute place with some homies, laughing and enjoying the luck of such a lovely place
to be when the air is warm and the sun is setting and the breeze smells of excitement (perhaps
anticipation of the summer to come?). I think I might have caught a whiff of it today. Faintly.
Briefly.

Getting professional with it out back.

a lovely little photo area in my room.

those boots were made for walking. and dancing.

my meditation station.

jewelery n stuff.

another little lovely place for photos.

where I hang my hat. and clothes.

instrumentation.

ugly bot and the friendly faces of homies :)

the sweet lil place where I work.

this is our backyard at the office, not a bad view.

this is it.

a sweet lil exam room.

stop on in!

"Droppin' the new k-nowledge!"

Though I may not be in college anymore (thank God), the school of life has been teaching me plenty in the meantime. Here are some things that I've learned this week:

• It's always a good idea to know if the vehicles you're driving has a hitch on the back, especially when backing into a parking space near a wall or a fence. 
• Inadvertently parking on top of the neighbors fence, then fixing it upright, is way funnier when you get caught red-handed (I'm still laughing.)
• Not sleeping enough for days on end can make you really, really loopy and a little extra crazy, especially if your personality already leans a bit in the loopy/crazy direction.
• If you drink so much on a weeknight that you fall asleep in all of your clothes (including your socks & shoes) and wet the bed, then you're probably an alcoholic and should not seek help but invest in rubber sheets. (Don't worry, I swear this was NOT me, though someone did leave me a voicemail this week confessing to such. Some celebration indeed).
• If you start drinking mimosas before noon on any weekend day, someone is likely to get drunk and drunker, especially if moonshine is involved (once again, not me, I swear!)
• If you think that you have butterflies in your stomach for whatever reason, you might want to re-evaluate your diet for the past 24 hours...
• If your dog is really old and can no longer use anything besides the floor and carpet as her toilet, it's probably time for her to go :(
• Just because you're laughing doesn't mean it's funny. Or does it?
• Sometimes when you're straightforward and honest with people it can: a.) hurt their feelings, b.) cause the offended to act out in an aggressive/hostile/defensive way, c.) cause people to ignore you out of stubbornness or d.) all of the above. Oops.
• Apparently, what one has learned about non-violent communication and sharing how she/he feels is not something that translates across all places and cultures and one should always ask permission before doing so. Oops. 
• Getting ones legs waxed hurts surprisingly less than one would have previously thought, while getting ones koopop waxed hurts surprisingly more than one previously would have thought.
• Fire and water are always in opposition.
• If the floor looks a little extra shiny, someone probably over-waxed it and you're probably going to eat shit before you realize it, FYI...
• Just when you think things are going precisely how you want, shit will hit the fan. It always does, do you really think your luck has changed that much? Fat chance.
• You should never let the actions and insecurities of others affect your own level of awesomeness. Ever. Duh.
• Turning off your phone and not using the Internet for an entire weekend (except maybe to post a most genius blog entry) can be just what you need to get over yourself and get your head out of your ass.     

Now, if only I can remember these lessons in the future, in order to avoid repeating any of the mishaps from this previous week.  Mondays are good days to put new energy into everything you practice.