Rachelskirtstag:www.rachelskirts.com,2010://12010-01-08T21:48:37ZMovable Type 3.33Welcome to 2010tag:www.rachelskirts.com,2010://1.6132010-01-08T06:53:00Z2010-01-08T21:48:37ZThis is the year of: The tiger. I heard rumors that 2010 is the year of the tiger (according to the Chinese), and since I spent the last month of 2009 watching Mythbusters, you'd think I'd be eager to verify...
The tiger. I heard rumors that 2010 is the year of the tiger (according to the Chinese), and since I spent the last month of 2009 watching Mythbusters, you'd think I'd be eager to verify that fact before posting it to a public website. Wrong! I think every year should be the year of the tiger. I've been answering the "what is your favorite animal?" question with "TIGER!" ever since my mouth would cooperate with my brain well enough for me to pronounce the word with any degree of clarity. From here on out, every year is the year of the tiger, and you are going to love it.
A clean slate academically. When DeVry University contacted me about their online program and told me of their policy to transfer in past credits without a past GPA, I almost cried. Despite years of floundering in the traditional college environment because of my own faults — poor time management, lack of motivation, and a bad habit of not going to class — and other factors, I will legitimately have a shot to graduate at the top of my class. That is music to my ears.
Writing more. Watch out, all you half-filled journals tucked away into secret corners of my room. I'm coming for you.
Reading more. I'm starting off the year by reading Stephen King's On Writing, which is bad news for the two birds I'm about to kill.
Loving more. Guh. I know. Being bitter and cynical lends itself to some great Twitter jokes, and I'll probably return to that in 2011 (or in February, to be honest). However, I'd like to give that whole "being kind-hearted and sweet and generous" thing a shot, if only so I can mock it later.
Worrying less. My father once worried about my shoelaces coming untied when I was wearing velcro-laced shoes. I do not want to live like that. So many things are out of my hands, and I should shrug them off and focus on the things that really matter in life. LIke finding out if I can legally own a pet tiger in Chicago.
Financial stability and freedom from credit card debt. FINE. I CONFESS. I am a really great shopper. I was a really stupid shopper when I lived on a college campus and refused to eat at the cafeteria. (It is possible to max-out your credit card buying only Pop-Tarts.) I also work at my church and get paid in pennies and pats-on-the-back, so all this means that I need to pay close attention to how I spend my money in the present and the future if I ever want to buy a car, a Nikon D80, or a one-way ticket to New Zealand.
Board games and gym memberships and Turtle Mochas and hugs. These are a few of my favorite things. (The gym membership is one of my least favorite things, but it might be the golden ticket to surviving swimsuit season now that I have my eye on a really cute bikini.)
I would like to send hugs to Lovely Anomaly and my adorable boyfriend for helping me get that board game resolution off to a fantastic start.
Every morning cartoons. It sure would be easier to love people if I started every morning with a good breakfast and cartoons. Sadly, that requires waking up earlier than I normally do, which is what makes this challenging enough to qualify as a resolution. (I can't believe you fell for that logic!)
So there you have it. 2010 is going to be the best year ever.]]>
Ode to Mr. Kittypantstag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6122009-12-24T20:06:42Z2009-12-24T20:12:04Z You know Sassy and Salem and Garfield and Fluffy Felix and Catbert and Heathcliff and Scratchy But do you recall The most famous kitten of all? Mr. Kittypants, the bow-mouthed kitten Had a very funny mouth And if you...
You know Sassy and Salem and Garfield and Fluffy
Felix and Catbert and Heathcliff and Scratchy
But do you recall
The most famous kitten of all?
Mr. Kittypants, the bow-mouthed kitten
Had a very funny mouth
And if you ever saw it
You would want to send it south
All of the other kittens
Used to laugh and call him names
They wouldn't let Mr. Kittypants
Join in any catnip games
Then one fuzzy Christmas Eve
Rachelskirts came to say,
Mr. Kittypants with your mouth so weird
Won't you try to grow a beard?
Then all the kittens licked him
As they purred and meowed with glee
Mr. Kittypants, the bow-mouthed kitten
You'll go down in history!]]>
Get off the Road! Quick!tag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6112009-12-12T22:24:38Z2009-12-12T22:27:08ZWhen I am queen, I will drive some sort of fancy automobile that will shout back at crazy ladies who yell "SLOW DOWN!" while waving their arms frantically in the middle of the street. What will it shout? Rachel is...
Rachel is driving the speed limit, you loon!
Standing in the middle of the street is a really dumb way to send any message other than "hit me!"
Yelling at strangers is a really dumb way to send any message other than "I am a loon!"
This lovely ride of mine will obviously find a concise and witty way to say that, too, so I don't sound quite so much like a scolded child throwing a tantrum.
Man, the future is going to be great.]]>
Frosty the Snowskirtstag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6102009-12-08T18:57:16Z2009-12-08T19:00:17ZThe rest of the office is enjoying a lunch break. I'm too cold to move. I have a string of white Christmas lights on my lap entirely for the warmth, but that does little to bring feeling back to my...
The rest of the office is enjoying a lunch break. I'm too cold to move. I have a string of white Christmas lights on my lap entirely for the warmth, but that does little to bring feeling back to my fingertips. Save me, Han.
On Second Thought, Forget the Trip to Antarcticatag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6092009-11-10T05:57:47Z2009-11-10T06:37:32ZStay away from drugs, kids, or you'll end up putting things on your bucket list that you really, truly do not want to do. Like eating pickled pigs' feet or climbing Mt. Everest or knitting a sweater. However, doing all...
Stay away from drugs, kids, or you'll end up putting things on your bucket list that you really, truly do not want to do. Like eating pickled pigs' feet or climbing Mt. Everest or knitting a sweater. However, doing all those things at once might make for an interesting goal.
She's Gonna Blow!tag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6082009-11-09T05:41:37Z2009-11-09T17:32:36ZI have twenty-four hours to vastly improve upon my story-telling skills before @Skittle_Brains and I record our first episode of Bacon Famous (our podcast). Don't count on this happening. Do count on us sounding really sharp because our new mic...
Skittle_Brains and I record our first episode of Bacon Famous (our podcast). Don't count on this happening.
Do count on us sounding really sharp because our new mic is definitely all it is cracked up to be.
Of course, all this depends on whether or not I survive the next twenty-four hours without shoving sporks in my own eyes.
Send hugs. And chocolate.]]>
It's the One Involving Space Camptag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6072009-11-08T05:53:13Z2009-11-08T06:37:03ZOn the downside: My perfectionism will be the death of me.I cannot bring myself to care about my health as much as I should. That might also be the death of me. On a happier note: I just remembered that...
On the downside:
My perfectionism will be the death of me.
I cannot bring myself to care about my health as much as I should. That might also be the death of me.
On a happier note:
I just remembered that I picked up an Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley movie on VHS for $.25 at a book sale a few weeks ago.
]]>
I Has a Buckettag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6052009-11-07T05:21:20Z2009-11-07T05:39:10ZNoooo! They be stealin' my bucket. For the longest time, my good friend Boy had the first half of this image series on one monitor and the second half on his other monitor. It never failed to make me laugh....
Noooo! They be stealin' my bucket. For the longest time, my good friend Boy had the first half of this image series on one monitor and the second half on his other monitor. It never failed to make me laugh.
For some reason, this popped into my mind today and then made me think of bucket lists. If you're unfamiliar with the term, a "bucket list" is simply a list of things you want to do before you "kick the bucket."
I've been wanting to write up a bucket list for many years now, but as I mentioned the other day, I'm still trying to narrow down my passions, what motivates me, and what matters to me. That's an incredibly easy thing for some people, but I am not one of them. I remember feeling like a deer in headlights when I realized I would have to pick a college major and that there is no such thing as a career path that encompasses piano-playing, math, history, writing, and graphic design all in one job (especially since I would rather chop off my own limbs than become a teacher). Having multiple interests is fun, but choosing between them is definitely not.
Anyway, dear friends and strangers, what are some things you have on your bucket list? Have you done anything from that list yet? Do you plan to accomplish anything from the list in the next year?
If you have a bucket list (or something similar) posted somewhere online, leave the link in the comments because I'm dying for ideas and inspiration, and oh yeah, I'm just really stinkin' curious.]]>
Nine Lazy Livestag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6042009-11-06T05:50:55Z2009-11-06T05:58:57Z Callie spends most of her time sleeping in the sunshine, when she can find it. When I am filthy rich, I plan on doing the exact same thing. I do not understand "dog people," and I never will....
Callie spends most of her time sleeping in the sunshine, when she can find it. When I am filthy rich, I plan on doing the exact same thing.
I do not understand "dog people," and I never will.]]>
Bacon Famous: Before They Were Famous (or Bacon)tag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6032009-11-05T05:57:14Z2009-11-05T06:23:21ZPeople who upload music under creative commons licenses: I applaud you. I am too skint to pay for an intro song for my soon-to-exist podcast, Bacon Famous, so it was a blessing to find free tunes that weren't all awful....
There is such a thing as "instrumental rap." No, you do not want to listen to it.
That group that promised celtic jazzrock blues instrumental heavy metal reggae music actually came through. Much better than the instrumental rap.
The Jewish Bob Dylan track is probably the funniest thing on the internet.
Anything with the word "ambient" in it should be avoided at all costs. So should an album filed under "skak."
Step away from the Beelzebub Airlines album!
My brother thinks that all "old-timey" music sounds like goats singing through horns. Sorry, but our intro song will not be that 1920s piece with the sweet accordion solo.
]]>
Where the Air Is Rarifiedtag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6022009-11-04T05:38:00Z2009-11-04T17:13:26ZOne of the things I miss about being at LeTourneau University is being around all the aviation majors. Most people I know in college don't have a clue what they want to do with their lives after graduation, and some...
Top Gun with a bunch of aviation boys. For the entirety of the film, they were as giddy as twelve-year-old girls playing truth or dare at a slumber party.)
All this decluttering and prioritizing has made me wonder what my core passions really are, and when it comes right down to it, I still don't know. My online profiles would lead you to believe that I'm mostly passionate about grammar and Lord of the Rings and banning Comic Sans, but my spiel about how churches today should be using internet resources is twenty times longer than my spiel on overused fonts. And at the end of the day, none of those things would probably make the top five in my list of life passions.
What about you? What drives you and motivates you to do what you do? What are you passionate about? Who do you look to for inspiration when you're feeling apathetic and listless? Have you always known what you wanted to do with your life?
(I grew up wanting to be a secretary or a CEO. I like organizing things, and I like controlling things. Having already tried the former, I look forward to eventually trying the latter.)]]>
P.S.tag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6012009-11-03T03:32:23Z2009-11-03T03:34:13ZNot to be a tease or anything, but my brother and I just ordered a fabulous mic as our motivation to start podcasting together. Expect episodes that are 100% less sappy than my previous blog post and fifty times funnier...
here and here) combined. Or if you don't like disappointment, expect episodes that are full of too many awkward pauses and too much of my laughter.]]>
The Most Endearing Salad Fork of Alltag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.6002009-11-03T03:07:45Z2009-11-03T03:32:18ZEverything is perfect about this moment, from the classical music to the clean sheets to the pink polish on my fingernails. My cat is napping beside me on the bed, and my skin smells like spiced apple body wash. Juan...
Etiquette. We might not be the most adventuresome crowd in town, but we could possibly be the happiest.]]>
A Verbose Start to NaBloPoMo 2009tag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.5992009-11-02T03:33:02Z2009-11-02T04:00:25Z Normally, I save my "turning over a new leaf" phases for January, when everyone else is in the spirit of setting goals and making changes and bettering himself. However, I guess November will be just as good a month...Normally, I save my "turning over a new leaf" phases for January, when everyone else is in the spirit of setting goals and making changes and bettering himself. However, I guess November will be just as good a month for a personal revolution, since it is our beloved National Blog Posting Month. I will not be writing about this every day, but it'll be a good topic to jump-start a month of daily posting.
Recently, I received a bit of a wake-up call because of an ill-handled situation in the workplace, and at the end of it all, I was left with a lot of lemons and a recipe for lemonade. I realized that it was time to stop complaining about all the nuisances in life — big or small — and to start being active in dealing with them.
As a result, I found myself on Unclutterer.com, reading about ways to deal with excessive amounts of paperwork. The stacks of bills and class notes and sheet music that have been collecting in bins and drawers and stacks on my bedroom floor have nothing to do with this situation at work, but tripping over them when I was already in a foul mood was the final straw. I decided that the first step to getting my life and my priorities in order was to rid myself of distractions, including my perpetually messy room.
In my heart of hearts, I am the biggest neat freak you have ever met. I have been alphabetizing my books since I could read (which was at the tender age of two-and-a-half), color-coordinating my closet since I was tall enough to reach the hangers, and [assembling] my Christmas wishlist from the Office Depot catalogue since the time I started school. When I first discovered IKEA and the Container Store (and the fact that they are located within spitting distance from each other), I wept. However, my room is one place where my perfectionism becomes my own enemy, where I decide that if I don't have time to do it right then I shouldn't do it at all. But no more!
When I popped onto the Unclutterer.com website, I started reading the most current post and worked my way through the archives at an unhealthy rate. I devoured all the tips for my paper clutter (the family scanner has never seen so much attention in its dusty little life) and was pleasantly surprised to find some new ideas for managing the files on my computer.
But what truly shocked me was an idea that is mentioned over and over again in the Unclutterer.com articles — the idea of truly decluttering your life. That extends beyond the realm of getting rid of unnecessary objects in your bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. It involves more than just sorting and purging and filing. The people who write these articles have decluttered their rooms, their schedules, and their priorities, so that in the end they have the space and the time and the energy to focus on whatever matters most to them. I cannot tell you how amazing that sounds.
For a really long time, I have been letting life happen to me and feeling helpless to change its direction. What a waste! I have so many things I really want to do that I will never be able to do unless I truly focus on them and let go of the less important things. I'm still working on the stacks of paperwork on the floor because I know I won't be able to concentrate until there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. But while I'm doing that, I'm taking notes on things I want to do (travel! write! dance! start a podcast!) and ways to make those things realities. I'm forming my biggest goals and deciding which ones are most important to me. I'm taking inventory of all the things that consume my time and energy and cutting out the ones that aren't moving me in the right direction.
And at the end of each day, I am excited to go to bed simply because I cannot wait to start that all over again.
Man, it feels good to be this alive.]]>
Hastily Jotted Down Notes from a Recent Dreamtag:www.rachelskirts.com,2009://1.5982009-10-28T08:42:54Z2010-01-08T22:41:08ZSkeletons overlooking house. Hiding behind door, didn't shut fully. Border collie, tiger, small gate. Tiger eating fried chicken. Let them out to use yard. Raining. Yelling at someone about the chicken. Taking the tiger on a walk....
Skeletons overlooking house. Hiding behind door, didn't shut fully. Border collie, tiger, small gate. Tiger eating fried chicken. Let them out to use yard. Raining. Yelling at someone about the chicken. Taking the tiger on a walk.
I would like to send hugs to Lovely Anomaly and my adorable boyfriend for helping me get that board game resolution off to a fantastic start.
Every morning cartoons. It sure would be easier to love people if I started every morning with a good breakfast and cartoons. Sadly, that requires waking up earlier than I normally do, which is what makes this challenging enough to qualify as a resolution. (I can't believe you fell for that logic!)
So there you have it. 2010 is going to be the best year ever.]]>
You know Sassy and Salem and Garfield and Fluffy
Felix and Catbert and Heathcliff and Scratchy
But do you recall
The most famous kitten of all?
Mr. Kittypants, the bow-mouthed kitten
Had a very funny mouth
And if you ever saw it
You would want to send it south
All of the other kittens
Used to laugh and call him names
They wouldn't let Mr. Kittypants
Join in any catnip games
Then one fuzzy Christmas Eve
Rachelskirts came to say,
Mr. Kittypants with your mouth so weird
Won't you try to grow a beard?
Then all the kittens licked him
As they purred and meowed with glee
Mr. Kittypants, the bow-mouthed kitten
You'll go down in history!]]>
Callie spends most of her time sleeping in the sunshine, when she can find it. When I am filthy rich, I plan on doing the exact same thing.
I do not understand "dog people," and I never will.]]>
Normally, I save my "turning over a new leaf" phases for January, when everyone else is in the spirit of setting goals and making changes and bettering himself. However, I guess November will be just as good a month for a personal revolution, since it is our beloved National Blog Posting Month. I will not be writing about this every day, but it'll be a good topic to jump-start a month of daily posting.
Recently, I received a bit of a wake-up call because of an ill-handled situation in the workplace, and at the end of it all, I was left with a lot of lemons and a recipe for lemonade. I realized that it was time to stop complaining about all the nuisances in life — big or small — and to start being active in dealing with them.
As a result, I found myself on Unclutterer.com, reading about ways to deal with excessive amounts of paperwork. The stacks of bills and class notes and sheet music that have been collecting in bins and drawers and stacks on my bedroom floor have nothing to do with this situation at work, but tripping over them when I was already in a foul mood was the final straw. I decided that the first step to getting my life and my priorities in order was to rid myself of distractions, including my perpetually messy room.
In my heart of hearts, I am the biggest neat freak you have ever met. I have been alphabetizing my books since I could read (which was at the tender age of two-and-a-half), color-coordinating my closet since I was tall enough to reach the hangers, and [assembling] my Christmas wishlist from the Office Depot catalogue since the time I started school. When I first discovered IKEA and the Container Store (and the fact that they are located within spitting distance from each other), I wept. However, my room is one place where my perfectionism becomes my own enemy, where I decide that if I don't have time to do it right then I shouldn't do it at all. But no more!
When I popped onto the Unclutterer.com website, I started reading the most current post and worked my way through the archives at an unhealthy rate. I devoured all the tips for my paper clutter (the family scanner has never seen so much attention in its dusty little life) and was pleasantly surprised to find some new ideas for managing the files on my computer.
But what truly shocked me was an idea that is mentioned over and over again in the Unclutterer.com articles — the idea of truly decluttering your life. That extends beyond the realm of getting rid of unnecessary objects in your bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. It involves more than just sorting and purging and filing. The people who write these articles have decluttered their rooms, their schedules, and their priorities, so that in the end they have the space and the time and the energy to focus on whatever matters most to them. I cannot tell you how amazing that sounds.
For a really long time, I have been letting life happen to me and feeling helpless to change its direction. What a waste! I have so many things I really want to do that I will never be able to do unless I truly focus on them and let go of the less important things. I'm still working on the stacks of paperwork on the floor because I know I won't be able to concentrate until there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. But while I'm doing that, I'm taking notes on things I want to do (travel! write! dance! start a podcast!) and ways to make those things realities. I'm forming my biggest goals and deciding which ones are most important to me. I'm taking inventory of all the things that consume my time and energy and cutting out the ones that aren't moving me in the right direction.
And at the end of each day, I am excited to go to bed simply because I cannot wait to start that all over again.
Man, it feels good to be this alive.]]>