Monday, October 28, 2013

"give yourself grace"

Today I read the phrase "give yourself grace," which immediately got me thinking.  I'm not perfect - if I make a goal to do something every day or to never do it, chances are good that I'll miss at least one of those days.  But Christ offers us grace, so why shouldn't we offer it to ourselves?  This phrase can apply to so many different situations.  The author who used it was referring to blogging on a schedule but allowing yourself breaks when you need them.  I immediately thought of my friend Kathleen's post about appreciating yourself, including your body.  It could also be applied to how often you clean your house or practice your instrument.  Maybe you have a personality trait that you wish were different.  Whatever the imperfection, "give yourself grace."  Don't punish yourself for every flaw or misstep.  Allow yourself grace.  When you maintain a positive attitude about yourself, it's easier to recognize that changes don't happen immediately and then continue to make small improvements.  Then maybe you'll have to give yourself grace less often. :)




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"'Hagrid, you live in a wooden house.'"  - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Thursday, October 24, 2013

alisonism #18: quickly and correctly


I love this question.  As soon as I read it, I knew I wanted to answer it.  It actually took me a while to think of something to write about, though, surprisingly enough.  Not because there's not anything, but because nothing I thought of was something I wanted to write about.  After several weeks, I've narrowed it down to two things I feel like blogging about right now: cleaning a bathroom, and grocery shopping.

1. Cleaning a bathroom
not me
I was a janitor for a long time.  My family frequented a pool growing up, and when I was old enough to get a job, the pool was a good place to get one.  They liked me there, plus it was close to home.  There was one issue, though - I was way too nervous to be a lifeguard.  I did NOT want anyone putting their well-being in my care, just in case something happened and I lost my mind.  So my mom suggested I ask to be the poolhouse janitor.  It was a pretty disgusting poolhouse, I was a good cleaner, and I wouldn't be responsible for anyone else's life.  A match made in heaven!  When I called the manager and offered to create / fill the position, she was a little wary.  "We usually just have the lifeguards clean the poolhouse when they lock up..."  "I know.  That's why it stinks in there."  I got the job, I think on a trial basis.  I think she wanted to see if it was worth it to pay someone to do a job that other people were already doing.  

Ohhhhh man, was I worth it!  I was so worth it, in fact, that people raved about the clean smell when they walked in and complained when we were on vacation.  That job has gone only to my siblings since I moved away from home.   

I learned how to be an efficient bathroom cleaner at that job, and cleaning one thoroughly only takes me a few minutes.  If you're using a bathroom right after I've cleaned it, your bum is probably sitting on the cleanest toilet it's ever seen.    Whaaaaat!

Credit where it's due: We (my sisters, mom, and I) had a system worked out where, after the first month or two, one person usually worked with me (two man hours' worth of work and pay during one hour of time = more efficient).  They're really great bathroom cleaners, too.  

2. Grocery shopping



I am not a couponer.  I buy into a fruit / vegetable co-op, which costs $8/week.  We go to the store when we need milk and / or bread.  Otherwise, I only go shopping about once a month, sometimes less often.  This month I only spent $125 on a 7' receipt!  Literally.  I measured it.  And it wasn't the kind of receipt that has a million ads on it to make it longer, either.  There were 151 items and I only used one coupon (worth $5).  That shopping trip was at one store and took one hour, and we won't have to go again for a long time.  It takes me 30-60 seconds to look through a grocery ad and decide if anything's price makes it worth buying.  I plan our meals around what's on sale, and we're not just eating rice and beans over here, people!  We eat really tasty food.  I enjoy grocery shopping because of how awesome I feel afterward - I know that's difficult for some of you to understand.  But take note!  Because next time you're complaining about your grocery budget or shopping and I offer to help, teach, or go with you, now you know that I'm being serious.  For me, that stuff's fun!  :)




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"…[G]reat was her terror lest she should waken one of them.  But God helped her, and she got safely over."
"The Robber Bridegroom," Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales

Monday, October 21, 2013

alisonism #17: jazzberry jam

As some of you (probably none of you) remember from my first post ever, my favorite color is orange.  Well, I have breaking news!  This has been a long time coming.  I officially decided last Wednesday that my second favorite color is purple.  Not as in, #2, second favorite.  As in, I have two favorite colors now, and one of them is purple.  

I debated for a long time - I know I like purple, but do I like it enough to call it a favorite?  That's really commitment. 

Also, when I was like, 12, a girl who I thought was cool made fun of purple and people whose favorite color it was.  So I had some weird residual effects from that...obviously... 

Well, the votes are in!  Yes, I do like purple enough to call it a favorite color!  Not lilac-y shades, but other ones.  Aubergine, byzantine, dark magenta, dark orchid, deep magenta, dark violet, jazzberry jam, fuschia, grape's okay, Mardi Gras, patriarch, purple, purple (Munsell), red-violet, royal fuschia, violet (RYB)... Those are my favorites, using, of course, the "official" names as per shadesofpurple.facts.co.  If that's not an official website for the color purple, I don't know what is. 

To conclude, I worked hard to find some ridiculous purple art for you, made by people who are obsessed.  It's impossible to know how many times I thought, "Someone took the time to make this?" while scrolling through the entries.  Enjoy.  

It bears repeating: Someone took the time to make this?

Of course!

I really don't get this one.  What does the horse have to do with purple?

Maybe she just got this coat for Christmas.

Not much to say about this. The next one, on the other hand...

What big eyes you have! Probably because she's looking at something purple and is...

...100% purple addict!

I'll let you decide which of these comes from a salon called Glamarama.

I guess that thing in the corner could be purple. I have no idea what anything in this picture is.

Does that make me an adolescent girl?




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"And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Cinderella."
"Cinderella," Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales

Thursday, October 17, 2013

true love

Pink has a song called "True Love" that's been popular on the radio here lately.  (It's catchy, but if you look it up, consider this your warning that the radio bleeps out a few words.)  It came on the radio tonight while I was driving to the store for milk, and I noticed a particular line that I always notice when this song comes on: "Sometimes I wanna slap you in your whole face."  That line is so funny to me.  She doesn't just want to slap him in the face; she wants to slap him in his whole face.  I always picture something between this:


and this: 

Harry grabs Quirrell's face on Make A Gif
make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

and it makes me smile every time. :)




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"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."  - Albus Dumbledore, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone