Complaining...

When people complain about their lives, do they realize what others hear?

“Dang, I’m pissed at my husband- I can’t believe he did ______”

(I have a husband who comes home every night.. and I’m still not happy.)

“Can you believe what my daughter did today???? *huff”

(I have a child, an awesome daughter, but I’m teaching her stupid things.. and I don’t care.)

“It’s so awful- management put us on half-hour lunches!”

(I have a job that provides for my family, but because I don’t get a full hour for lunch, because I get an extra half hour each day on the clock, a half hour I’ll be paid for, I’m going to whine about it.)

Was dinner good? “Meh.. I don’t like _____, so no…” *moving food around the plate.

(My wife makes dinner, does a fantastic job, but I’m so dang picky I don’t like anything she makes.)

“I can’t believe my Home Teacher wants to come on Sunday..”

(I have Home Teachers who come consistently… but I’m gonna whine because they want to come when it’s inconvenient for me.)

“My house is a disaster- there’s laundry piled all over, a sink full of dishes, the kids’ toys all over the living room- and I don’t wanna take care of it…”

(I have a warm/cool (depending on the seasonal need) home, clothes to cover my body, food for my belly, kids who are healthy and growing… and I’ve chosen to be lazy rather than exercise wise stewardship over the blessings I have.)

“I can’t believe ‘my’ team lost the game last night…”

(I have nothing better to whine about than a freaking game.)

A wise man once said, "No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won’t make it worse.” So true. When we focus on the negative, that’s all we see. Another wise man said, “Seek and ye shall find…” We find what we’re looking for, what we expect to find.

What are you looking for?

Single Life

When I first became single, I was all excited about the freedom. Then it got old really fast. Sleeping single in a double bed wasn't my idea of a good time. The lonely wears on a girl! I wrote this shortly after I decided I DID NOT want to stay single.

I started treating my lack of a SO (since I actually wanted one) as a job.

Just like any other occupation or high-level career, you gotta do your homework. So I did. I invested a lot of time, thought, prayer, study, and talking with those I truly trusted in figuring out and putting into words exactly what I wanted in a SO.

A high-level career also requires a significant financial investment (education, the right clothes, finding ways to be in the right places at the right times, etc). So I did. I went out to the dance clubs, put myself in situations to find Mr. Right. I spent money and got a couple accounts on the online dating sites. I even did some exploring within the fashion industry (ok, not a lot, but I did adjust my clothing/makeup/hair styles) in order to become more appealing.

A high-level career is a lifestyle. So I made this my lifestyle. I'm out to have a good time and meet people. I know what I want. I know what I'm willing to compromise on. I know what I'm NOT willing to compromise on. And I know that anything less than the have-to's just won't do.

This is essentially how I still feel. I know what I want, and I'm willing to look for him, wait for him. There've been a couple guys in the last year and a half that I've thought were "the one".. I'm still looking, waiting. Maybe this one is the one.. dunno.

Movie Review

I enjoy watching movies. The pageantry, the story telling, the skill and talent that goes into it, both the seen on-screen talent of the actors, and the behind-the-scenes arts of the supporting crew always fascinates me. But one thing I don't like- movies where they mess with kids. There are movies I've seen that I though would be that way- The Client, Sixth Sense... But I was wrong, and that is especially true with Ink.

SPOILER ALERT!: I'll try to keep things vague, but it's hard to not over-share.

I saw this movie recently with a friend. I didn't think I'd like it, but I did! It's intense, gripping, poetic. You can't put it on and then listen from the other room. You have to watch, listen, pay attention.. and then maybe take a while afterward to digest it (I'm still thinking about this one!). There are so many levels, so many nuances. If you miss even 30 seconds, you could very easily miss something vital!

It's about a little girl and a monster. It's about a father and his own personal demons. It's about the unseen forces and conflicts around us. The little girl is stolen by the monster.... and nobody realizes the battle this brings. There's the monster's battle within himself, the battle between opposing forces, the battle her father has with his own inner demons. Even the little girl has a battle of her own, to become something so much stronger than just a little girl.

There's also the contemplating of happens in the realm of "what if?" Who is there to defend and protect you? Who is there to harm and destroy you and all you hold dear? What if you choose right? And what happens if you choose wrong?.. And ultimately, why does it matter?

I really truly loved this film. I didn't realize till I began reading the reviews that it was an independent film with a tiny little budget. The story and ideas were so big that it didn't even cross my mind that this wasn't a big-budget, big-name production.

Watch it. Love it. Think.