Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Updates on Life

Just thought I'd post a blog on "what's new in Jessica's World" - nothing crazy or super interesting... just life =)

I'll start by saying that the more time I spend in Minnesota, the more convinced I am that moving back here was absolutely the right decision for me. I love being close to my family, I love the 4 seasons, I love the twin cities area (especially being on the St. Paul side... Minneapolis is okay, but not as amazing as St. Paul), I love my SF office, and I love all the new friends I've made!
I've moved a lot in my past. Maybe not as much as some people, but for being 27, I've moved (states) more times than many other people have by the time they were my age... When I was 19, I moved to Montana; when I was 20, I moved back to Minnesota; when I was 21, I moved to California, and when I was 26, I moved back to Minnesota (again). Each time I moved, I left a comfortable situation... I had friends, a job, stability. But each time, I knew there was an adventure waiting for me. I don't think any of these decisions to move was an easy one (a few were pretty spontaneous, but not easy).

Knowing how important friends are to me, my mom always gave me the same advice each time I was hesitant to move; hesitant to take that leap into my next adventure... she's say, "God already has your new best friend(s) picked out for you... you just haven't met them yet." And wouldn't you know it, every single time she was right. I have some "new" best friends here in Minnesota who I can't even begin to imagine my life without. It's incredible. (And by "new" best friends I mean "additional" - not to be confused with "replacing" old BFFs hehe).

So what's been happening in my life?

I am in a Wheel Throwing Pottery class on Tuesday nights with my friend Rebecca. It's a 6 week class and we get to make up to 4 projects and tonight was week #4. It's been tons of fun!!!
By request, as opposed to wanting to "show off" my masterpieces, I am posting a few pictures of the stuff I've been working on in my pottery class. One thing I have learned about pottery is "be flexible" - until you are a master potter, you can't really have a finished product in mind when you sit down to "throw" your clay. You simply have to follow the steps of the wheel (center the clay, cone, center, cone, center, cone, center, poke hole in center, bring walls out, and bring walls up). The wheel will show you what you are destined to make. See Exhibit A:

Exhibit A:
This is a bowl that I made tonight.
No joke, when I started to throw this,
my goal was to make tall, slender vase...
and this is what it turned out like.
Moral of the story: be flexible.

Exhibit B:
There is no moral lesson for these. Just showing you...
the mug in front is my first project
and the "vase" behind it and slightly
to the right is my second project.


Tomorrow night I am playing hockey. There is this "Just my speed" league for adults that is basically "pick up hockey" but more organized and indoors. You sign up according to your skill level and then pay $15 for 1.5 hours of indoor ice time. You play with a total of 20 skaters (10 on each team) and each team gets a goalie. Teams are picked by throwing your sticks in the center and then they get divided up. Whichever side your stick is on, that is the team you are on (so you bring a light and dark jersey). I am really excited to play! The nice thing is that you don't have to commit to an entire "season" (although I would hehe) nor do you have to commit to practice and/or games on certain weeknights. You just sign up on nights that work for you and go have fun! I will be playing with a friend from work and some of his friends that I played pond hockey with this winter, so it should be fun!

I am also in a Bible study on Monday nights which has been really fun. I've met great friends through it and it has really helped me feel more connected here in Minnesota.

I love my job... I enjoy what I do, but more than that, I love the people I work with. And I work with two of the new BFFs I was talking about in an earlier paragraph. A while ago they encouraged me to work out with them at the mini gym in our building and so we do that on our lunch break. It's a lot of fun and feels good to be moving around part way through the work day. And recently, we've been doing work out videos... it's a good work out and extremely amusing! Two words: wacky jacks! lol

And it's about time I post a picture or two of my incredibly cute and amazing nieces!

I can't write a post about my life and not mention that I watch Grey's Anatomy on Thursday nights with my roommate and a few of our friends. It's a great time and there are always tears (on their end of the couch... I don't cry)... this week, it's Merideth Grey and Derick Shephard's wedding and we are going to celebrate with pizza and we might even make a wedding cake!

I guess that is it for now... hopefully I'm not forgetting anything major!

8 comments:

Heather said...

It's good to have you back in MN, even though I don't see you too often. Well, I guess it's more often than when you were in CA!!!

Anonymous said...

Jess, it sounds like you are doing lots of fun things and meeting great new people - yay! I have always wanted to take a pottery class so love seeing pictures of your creations.

Love,
Jana

Four peas in a pod said...

Wow, Jess. I am so proud of you. You have "adaptation" down, to be certain.

I love the pottery, and the lessons learned from it.

The hockey sounds perfect! What a great idea to organize it in such a way that you can be spontaneous about playing.

Well, Ellie is ready to go downstairs to eat her breakfast..gotta go! :-)

A. Lori

Midge said...

We are so lucky to have you here in MN. MN is such a better place with you here! Wouldn't want you any other place.. You are amazing! (especially your 'bombs.)And yeah for wacky jacks. And now with the new running routine, we are so good to go! Yippee!

erin said...

ha! that cracks me up that you might make a wedding cake! how fun!

and your pottery creations?! very cool! looks like you know what you're doing. it's funny how your tall slender vase turned out to be a wide flat bowl! :-)

i'm so glad things are going well for you in the cities. and glad you get to see your family more often!

Becky said...

Nice to catch up on you! I truly am intrigued by the pottery! Thank your for the pics. I am just thinking that our lives need to be more like clay-- you as the potter, cannot control its shape, but in the end, your bowl turned out beautifully, just as most situations in our life when given to God...

Elizabeth said...

hey jessica, it was great to read this post and hear all about your life right now!! it sounds like you have a lot of fun, interesting things to keep you busy! i hope we can talk/catch up soon, let me know if you ever get skype or something :)

... by the way, you're my inspiration for a longer post myself :)

Rebecca said...

Thanks for the update =) I loved it. It's so good to hear that you're adapting to your new home and flourishing!

And, your pottery is great! I want to join a class, now, too!!