Where do you live?

There are many places to live in this world... we have big cities, suburbs, small towns, country homes, etc...

Which type of "town" or "city" do you live in? And what do you like about it?

I live in a suburb of the twin cities... just before that, I lived in St. Paul, and before that, a suburb of Sacramento. I've also lived in a small town in Northern Minnesota. I definitely prefer the suburbs... and here's why:

• Accesss to everything in the city w/o living in it
• Accesss to the country
• Lots of things to do
• Way more options for shopping than in a small town
• Lots of people around
• Major airport is close by
• Professional sports teams are in the area and you can go see a game last minute
• Freeways... knowing how to drive on them is huge... you can always tell when a small town resident is on the freeway because they are so scared and driving really slow or crazy
• Many more options for recreation, especially if you want it to be organized (like teams)
• You don't know everyone when you go to Target and consequently, you don't feel like you have to stop and say hi to people... and furthermore, you also don't have to worry about who you accidently cut off while driving, or who will hear the latest gossip spread about you, etc...
• Diversity... cultures, view points, religions, food, etc... and not just "hearing about them" but seeing them and being able to dissolve ignorant perceptions about people groups (I am not saying if you are from a small town you are ignorant... I'm just saying that living in a big city is one of the many ways people gain a broad and accurate world view).
• More job opportunities and earning potential

Okay that is my list for now... I realize that living in a small town, in the big city, in a foreign country (Redins), in the country, etc all have great features too and that is what I want to hear from you!

Where do you live and what do you love about it?!

Cermanics... Glazing Phase

Tonight was my last, official ceramics class. Or actually, "Wheel throwing pottery" class. hehe - We can still go back to finish up our loose ends and pick up our masterpieces!

Anyway, I glazed 3 of my 4 pieces... the colors will change a little once these pieces are re-fired but you can still get the idea...

The blue, polka dotted one is going to my dad (and mom) for popcorn... it's kind of small so they will need to get a few refills probably, but at least they'll think of me, right?

The other two are for me! Yay!! And the 4th one I made is a little flower pot... tonight I cut a hole in the bottom of it for water drainage... I will post a pic of that one once I make some more progress on it....

Thinking Cap Needed

If you could solve one world problem, what would it be? And why?

Hockey

Seriously, hockey is the most amazing sport on earth. I am not even willing to entertain rebuttals because they would be wrong (and I can say that because this is my blog).

I played again tonight and it was so much fun! Everyone is so nice and out there to just have a good time! And it never hurts when you score a goal (or 3 - hat trick!!! woot woot)!

Minnesota is the state for me!!! I have no doubts left that this move to MN from CA was the right one!

Oh and "Thanks Dad" for introducing hockey to me! =)

Catch Phrase

Everyone uses catch phrases... whether you came up with it on your own or you picked it up from a friend, you definitely use them...

Having picked them up from many different people, and maybe coming up with a few on my own, here are a list of my favorite catch phrases that I use or hear on a regular basis:

• I know, right?
• Seriously!
• Just saying...
• Just throwing it out there... see where it lands...
• I'm not gonna lie....
• Woot woot!!!
• I'm there...
• No... for real!
• Saying abbreviations like OMG! WTF? BTW...
• Just set 'em up...
• Just pay it...
• Here's the thing...
• No problem
• Yeeeeeaaaaahhhhh Booooooyyyyy
• Ho Hum

What are some of your favorite catch phrases that you use, hear other people use, or even ones that you hear and they totally annoy you?!

Coping mechanisms....

Obviously anger and frustration are a part of life. We all experience those emotions and consequently, we must deal with those emotions.

What "healthy" thing do you do to cope with anger or frustration?

Let's get prayer and meditation out of the way as remedies because those are pretty obvious ones... I'm looking for hands on and tangible stuff... like punching a wall, only something that doesn't have such negative repercussions lol... like throwing a bag of marshmallows maybe? It doesn't hurt anyone, won't break anything (unless you miss the wall and hit the ceramic vase you inherited), and let's you release emotions in a physical way.

*Just as a side note, I'm not always angry and frustrated, but I gave up punching walls a long time ago and could use a good, alternative way to release those emotions. What better place to solicite ideas than a blog!?

Moments in time

We live life to experience moments. Some of those moments we anticipate and others catch us off guard. Some of those moments are good, fun, amazing, and others we dread and are horribly painful. Either way, those moments come and then are gone as quickly as they came. And we left with just memories.

Sometimes we dwell in the past and don't look to the future and other times, we refuse to look back to the past and recognize that those moments define our future.

Often times I wish I knew about the great moments in advance. That way I could anticipate them, because I love to anticipate great things. I truely believe that half the enjoyment of good moments is from anticipating it. Kind of like looking forward to a trip.

Learn from your past. Anticipate the future. But live for today.

You never know which "today" might be your last moment in time.

Song Lyrics

So sometimes we all hear a song on the radio and either part or all of the lyrics somehow resinate with us. We feel like we can relate, that the lyrics kind of sum up what we've been thinking about, or that it explains some sort of struggle or blessing we are experiencing.

The Song "Show Me What I'm Looking For" - by Carolina Liar - is a recent song that I feel like sums up many of my thoughts lately. I have no idea what this song meant to the songwriter; as with most songs, it has it's own meaning for me personally.

Charlie- I know you think it's cheesy for me to post song lyrics, but I so am going to. lol... but at least I didn't write the lyrics and then post them for all my friends to see because I thought they were so good when really they aren't, right? A little credit for that?

Anyway, here are the lyrics... many of you may have heard this song...

Wait, I’m wrong
Should have done better than this
Please, I’ll be strong
I’m finding it hard to resist
So show me what I’m looking for

CHORUS
Save me, I’m lost
Oh lord, I’ve been waiting for you
I’ll pay any cost
Save me from being confused
Show me what I’m looking for
Show me what I’m looking for…oh lord

Don’t let go
I’ve wanted this far too long
Mistakes become regrets
I’ve learned to love abuse
Please show me what I’m looking for

(chorus repeats a few times)

How does this song have meaning for me? Well, in short, I feel confused about a lot of life/God things lately... that's all the info I'm going to give. hehe

What song(s) do YOU relate to? Can be recent or in the past... post a comment with the song... you can post lyrics and explain why it means something to you or just post the title...

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!

Another tag thing

8 Things I am Looking Forward to:

1. Hockey on Wednesday night
2. Pottery class on Tuesday
3. Next night out with the girls from work
4. Seeing Taylor and Hannah this weekend
5. Vacation (in general)
6. Rachel coming to visit
7. Sleep - always excited about that!
8. Grey's on Thursday

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Slept in
2. Took my multivitamin
3. Went for a few walks
4. Painted my toenails
5. Had Panera for dinner
6. Watched Grey's reruns
7. Talked to Rachel on the phone
8. Chatted with Jon online about homeschooling

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. travel more
2. have kids of my own (and a hubby of course)
3. afford a new phone because my cell phone is a piece of poop
4. pay off my student loans
5. get lasik eye surgery
6. convince people to let me mow their lawn because I enjoy it
7. buy new clothes when I need them
8. know when it is and isn't awkward to give/receive a hug

8 Shows I Enjoy:

1. Friends
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. 24
4. Hell's Kitchen
5. Tom and Jerry (because that means I am watching it with Taylor)
6. News channels (CNN and FOX)
7. Ice hockey (I know that isn't a "show" but it's on TV so it counts)
8. America's Next Top Model

I am tagging YOU if you read this and you have a blog and you haven't done it yet! And hey, it's a good excuse for those of you whose last post was like, a month ago, to start blogging again!