Careful Hitting the Send Button

The other day at work I was on the phone dealing with a database issue.  While figuring out the problem, the lady I was speaking with told me that I needed to make sure that all other users were logged out of the database while we fiddled around with some things.

I'm usually proud of the way I can multi-task  Answering phone calls, while writing e-mails, and signing off on a staff person's timesheet.

I shot a quick e-mail to the whole office letting them know that everyone needed to log out of the database.  As I continued to talk on the phone, someone walked by my office and said with a giant grin, "You might want to check what you just sent!"

I quickly scanned my sent e-mails and felt my face turn bright red.

Email received from Kate:

I am working on an issue with the collections database- please log off until further notice

Sorry for the incontinence

Kate Redente Macuen

Collections Manager

At least everyone knows that I am very concerned for any bladder or urinary tract problems that they all may have, especially as it relates to using the database. And next time I think I'll take my time to do one thing at a time, even if it is an inconvenience. 

Morning

The saying is true, "Things will look better in the morning."

I can't even think of how many times I have thought the world was over, sitting in the dark.  My head is fuzzy and I don't think clearly.  

But we are given a new start each day and even if there are mistakes we have to take care of from yesterday the daylight puts things into perspective.

  The ridiculousness of the thoughts from the night before have faded and breathing in that clean morning air clears my head.

Every morning provides a new opportunity to be good, kinder, more courageous, or maybe just being a better listener.

Thank you mornings.

A Florida morning, 2011

Friday's Music Pick

Today's music pick is a recent find from a blog I was looking at for wedding inspirations called Hi-Fi Weddings.  Even if you aren't looking for music ideas for your upcoming nuptials, the blog it is a great place to find new music!

Song: First Day of My Life

Artist: Bright Eyes

Album: I'm Wide Awake It's Morning

Remember the time you drove all night

Just to meet me in the morning

And I thought it was strange

You said everything changed

You felt as if you'd just woke up

And you said, "This is the first day of my life

I'm glad I didn't die before I met you

But now I don't care, I could go anywhere with you

And I'd probably be happy"

Lubbock, Thanksgiving 2007

This song brings me back to the days when Bobby would drive 15 long and lonely hours to Lubbock, Texas while I was in graduate school.  The several times he made the trip he would end up driving all night and I would wait up anxiously for him, sometimes seeing his car pull in as the sun was coming up.  It was during these times apart that I really began to realize that I could be happy anywhere I went, as long as Bobby and I were together.

She's Here!

Everdeen Kate Wolfe

Has finally graced us with her presence! 

Perfect, Precious, and Pink.

Lake Placid

Today I took a field trip up to Lake Placid, Florida for work.  

We were meeting with a Tribal Member who recently bought about 60 acres up there.  She knew there were sites on the property and contacted our office to help her start planning a camp where the youth and community could come and learn about their culture.

When we arrived at her house she had provided a big lunch for us and welcomed us into her home.  Her walls were covered in Guy LaBree paintings, a famous Florida artist who paints beautiful paintings of the Seminoles. There were photographs of her relatives from the 1930's and 1940's and cabinets full of over a hundred handmade dolls with intricate patchwork skirts.  I just stood and stared at the her family's amazing collection.  She talked with us over sandwiches about her ideas for the property and I honestly got chills listening to her talk about her beliefs, culture, and why it needs to be preserved.  These are the days I really love my job!

Her and three of her five sons took us around the property.  Our feet sank into the white sugar sand and I could spot artifacts just laying on the ground.  We trucked through high vegetation, crossed over a creek on a rickety, waterlogged bridge and came out into a huge clearing that dipped down into a green drenched valley.  I felt like we had just entered the Great Valley in the Land Before Time.  We all stood there and took in the view, silently swatting away the giant, prehistoric mosquitoes.  

I came away feeling inspired and refreshed.  Well, until I found a tick crawling on my arm and almost ran straight into a banana spider web.  

Overall it was a good day, especially since my sister is currently in labor at her midwife center and I know it won't be long until baby Everdeen arrives!

 :)

Rainy Sunday

We all thought Sunday might be the day that our little Everdeen would make her appearance into the world.  Unfortunately she had other plans which included staying put where she was!  

I spent the day anxiously awaiting updates from my brother-in-law and enjoying the torrential downpours that lasted all afternoon.  

Friday Music Pick

I was born in 1984 and even though I was only 6 when the 80's ended, it is still a decade that I enjoy.  I love the music and the movies.  The "comfy" clothes and the carefree attitude the 80's seem to hold onto.  When my twin sister and I were 5 or 6, we received a present at our birthday party.  It was a mini cassette player called a Pocket Rocker that came with 5 tiny tapes that each played two songs (all different neon colors of course!). There was a cassette with two songs by Tiffany, the Ghostbusters song, the Monkees Theme Song, and a few others I can't remember. 

Several  years ago my sister and I were in the car with our then boyfriends, when a song came onto the radio that sounded a bit familiar.  We both turned to each other and said "This is the song!"

It was the song we loved on our Pocket Rocker.  The one we played over and over again, more than any of the other songs.  The neon green cassette.  Bobby and Martin looked confused, clearly not understanding this monumental discovery!

Song: Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Artist: Tears for Fears

Album: Songs from the Big Chair

This cassette also played "Shout" which is another great song by Tears for Fears. Every time I hear this song I can remember sitting at the top of the stairs with all the little colorful cassettes spread out on the blue carpet, popping them into the cassette player and listening to the music.  We were too little to even know who these pop sensations like Tiffany were at the time, but we did know that everybody wants to rule the world and it made us happy to hit that rewind button over and over again!  

Boom!

Afternoon storms are here again, just like clockwork.  The sky darkens in early afternoon and the black clouds quickly roll across the Everglades.  Within minutes the whole sky opens up and our office trailer rumbles from the loud booms of thunder.  

 The lights generally flicker, sometimes leaving us in the dark for a few seconds before the generator kicks in. The horizon is blurred with the downpour of rain, flying at every angle with tropical storm force winds. 

 I like to stand by the front door and look out into the rain.  It never ceases to amaze me the force of nature and I always stand there smiling, contemplating the strangeness of where I am.

That's Music to My Ears

Music is a big part of my life.  I've played the piano since I was 5, I played the cello through junior high and high school, and I love listening to music. It really doesn't matter the genre, as long as the music makes me feel something.  I like old music and new music, country, pop, bluegrass, 80's music, classical, jazz, singer-song writer, or new age (yes I love Enya!).  Sometimes I'm in the mood for piano music and sometimes I'm in the mood for one of Billboard's top 10.  Music is inspiring and it is always a part of my day.  

I thought it would be fun to share a favorite song or artist each Friday on my blog.
Take a minute to sit back and enjoy some new or old music!

Song: Take Me Somewhere

Artist: Tennis

Album: Cape Cory

The minute I heard this song I fell in love with the carefree do-op song and the images of beach, surf, and sun.  Imagine yourself on the old pier watching the waves roll up and down the sand and breathing in that salty air!

 A Vintage Summer- Kerry Kralovic

Nephew Love Part II

A few weeks ago I came home to the blinking light on my answering machine.  I pressed play and at first didn't hear anything.  Just as I was about to hit the delete button, I heard a tiny voice on the other end.  It got louder and I realized it was my nephew San!  He giggled and made sweet little noises for the next few minutes.  One day I will hear a little boy talking into the phone (hopefully excited to talk to his Auntie), but those days will come too soon and for now I love playing over and over again my sweet little message!

 

 He's our Gerber baby!

Lazy Gator

The pond behind my office is home to two new inhabitants.  They seek refuge in the water, barely moving during the hot muggy day.  There is a path that follows along the bank of the pond that we frequently  take as a shortcut to the other side of the museum.  As I pranced down the path the other day I looked to my right and saw a dark grey head floating near by.  I looked again and saw the other one, sunk into the muddy bank.  Lucky for me these gators were too busy being lazy to care about me scampering by

can you see me?

Miss Everdeen

My sister is 14 months pregnant *or so she feels!  Her belly is big and little Everdeen is probably enjoying these last few days close to her mom.  Everyday I think, "could this be the day?"  We are all waiting, excited to meet the newest member of our family.  Soon San will have a little cousin to play with and I will have a beautiful niece to spoil.

My sister and I wonder how it will change us.  Will we have to talk less on the phone?  Will Everdeen know that I am her mom's other half when we meet?  I know that things will be different.  Good different, but still hard to adjust to such a new thing in our lives.  Each new change in our life has never been easy, but after awhile we grow accustom and adapt.  Boyfriends, husbands, new cities, new jobs, new babies.

All I know now is that my sister is so happy, even though her feet are swollen and her back hurts.  Each day that passes our anticipation rises.  Will tomorrow be the day?  I can't wait!

4th of July!

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!  We spent the day with friends at a big 4th of July celebration in town, complete with fireworks, funnel cake, and live music!  The band that played was one of my favorites from my early college days so it was fun to hear them live.  Although last year, was a bit more memorable, we had a great evening!

 How does powdered sugar always end up everywhere?

 Sister Hazel!

List

Bobby and I are list people.  It helps us to be organized and to not forget those important things.  The other day I came home from work and found this list on the desk.

I love that my husband remembered not only to bring a good attitude to the gig he was working, but also his pants.

:)

Summer

Summer evenings are my favorite.  The sun is warm and orange and everything glows softly.  The greens are greener and the light makes the leaves transparent.  The sun rays catch tiny insects in it's path.  Being back home in my backyard made me nostalgic for those long summer evenings with nothing to do.  I stuck my toes in the grass, appreciating the feeling of the cool green blades around my feet.