That's a spicy meatball!

Old habits DIE hard. A disgruntled attitude must be conquered--one gracious thought for God at a time! Just surrender and believe. Hello, world!

1. I am so grateful for my safe, clean home I was brought up in that resembles a Victorian cottage straight outta the olden days. My parents have loved me selflessly to keep me safe and comfortable my entire life, and my new job is making me see that I have been one quite privileged. I never earned a safe place to grow up, I just was lucky enough to have one.

2. I love that song "Hello World" by Lady Antebellum. For SOME odd reason, it makes me cry, which is very significant because I don't do the whole crying thing. It was the song I heard when I dramatically packed up my car and drove out of Lincoln wailing (and I mean a floodfest!)  towards Wyoming thinking I was saying goodbye to my old life...only to show back up 10 days later. Haha, very funny God!

3. This dad's voice/energy I was with today really reminded me of Jack Black. And I realized, I really love that Jack Black.

4. My mom told me she'd get me a camera, because her old company she works for sent her out a catalog saying she could pick out a "free gift" for working for that crusty place for 30 years, so she's getting me a camera! Moms. Rule. (and yes I argued with her!)

5. I really liked my outfit I wore on Sunday. It was a long black skirt, gray slouchy boots, mint green l/s shirt, and a gray woolen "outfit completer" as my mum calls 'em. I forgot how much mascara opens up your eyes...man I miss being girly. I'm gonna slowly try to bring back that part of my old self.

6. My beautiful friend Lucy Langdon took me out to lunch this week at Macaroni Grill. What MADE the meal was the Amalfi Chicken soup! Holy cannoli! Cheese-stuffed noodles in chicken broth with chicken and herbs...and veggies probably. Oh man. I'm dying.

7. I had my visitation on Saturday with an autistic little boy named Billy, and all I have to say is, getting hugs from autistic children is THE BEST HUGS YOU WILL EVER GET. Try it.

8. The Eucharist. (This should be number one, always.) I needed it badly today. I think God is pushing my limits lately, and I'm realizing that I truly appreciate the Sacraments when I feel like my job is more than I can give...The Eucharist is simply Him becoming One with little me. He told me I could not do the job I am doing if I didn't receive him devoutly daily--so Jesus, thank you for helping me carry a cross that I would not normally be able to do with my wee strength.

9. I am just so happy my house smelled good growing up. So many kids grow up in stinky houses.

10. Erika, I am grateful for the dinner you threw on Saturday night. (Czech Noccc!) You really are the most generous person I know, and you put so much thought into making others feel special by preparing such lavish dinners and offering such hospitality. you are the best kamaradka ever. i hope you get your internship in the CZ RP and i live in Roma. we could go on the Camino together the summer after your internship...:)

So, obviously I (Erika) have not been keeping up with this the way I had originally intended. Though some may see my lack of posts in the past few days as a sign of defeat, I must say it has been quite the contrary. Knowing that I am supposed to be writing this blog every evening forces me to be constantly thinking during the day of what beauty I see and the small things for which I am grateful. During the bad days, those little moments mean so much more, and on the good days, it makes me realize what small things I often take for granted. That said, it has been a crazy few days, but a lot of good has happened!

Also, at the end of this, I write a poem about lost love in Spain on this beach where I used to live. Took this photo on one of the most beautiful days of my life.

1.) My mom's back is better!
2.) Also in good news in the maternal department, a large Christian publishing company just decided they want to publish her book!
3.) Really good Spanish wine that takes me back to where 1/2 of my heart still and always will lie...amongst the rocky coves and sandy dunes of Laredo, Spain.
4.) Friend's birthdays
5.) Small whittled kitties
6.) Dancing to a live Cuban band at the Zoo bar with some of my favorite people in the whole world.
7.) Friendly people who drive me home.
8.) Hilarious text convos between Kate and me (this is like PG(13?) rated, so if you don't like poop or the world "balls"...skip...this is mainly so I never forget this texting mania)
e.g.
Kate: Where?
Return.
Me: Lumber
Me: That means coming now :) smoked a cigar w/ Vlad & Paul Klopping laughing my balls off
Me: Jiss wondering if y'all wanna eat a taco me treat @ day Lee onz? ? hahaha
K: Frick.yes I so mux?
K: We home. Good.ofjt.
Me: Thanks da LORD! ... Sooo grateful for the ride!
K: No prob! Key us get tacos no prob!
Me: yes.
B-) B-)
K: Let
K: Omg pizza
Me: Is in my fridge. Jays leftovers. I also have totinos u girls invited 2 eat it.
K: I ate leftovers and. Inkaleers tiny clothes. sleep.tome. goodnight. See you ay tacos @ 12!
K: Wow
Me: Feel sick
K: Yep. Popping now. Pooping.
Me: Post-party poop. Post-partedpoopy depression. You might be @ risk.
Bad headache. Pooped so much this morn too.
K: omg
Me: Hope u rnt bleeding
K: From the pooping? I am not. But feel like this poop could come out forever.
Me: "Medikate"
Kate: .... Tacos will heal us.

9.) Not having a lot of homework the week before mid-terms!
10.) Feeling somewhat proud of the poem I wrote in Spanish! Here it is:
Lo que fue escrito en la arena
Lo que fue escrito en la arena
A la orilla de aquella mar ajena
Cuentó amor de verdad, sin malo
Mano en mano juntos con un palo

Lo que fue escrito en la arena
Antes me dió tanta alegría 
Ahora sólo me queda la pena
de historia cambiada en fantasía

Todo que era no te satisfacía
Por eso cruzaste la mar aquel día
En aquella arena me dejaste tan sóla
Para ser borrada por una ola

Lo que has dejado en la arena
No intentas ver desde tu isla ajena
Porque si ya en tu mente no aparecen
Tu tiempo y amor no les merecen

Noooo excuzez, Mami

Well, I'm going to make excuses anyway. Thursday was beautiful and my friend stayed the night after spending the afternoon/evening on the dock drinking some yummy beers. Yesterday, I was exhausted from staying up too late and going to class so early! Sooo...I'm just going to make a list for the past two days and I will make it as long as I can.

1.) 70ºF+ weather in the middle of February! So good to me! How heavenly is the feather-soft touch of the sun's effervescent golden rays upon my pallid skin.
      Just looked up effervescent and pallid. They don't work that well, esp. effervescent, but it flows so nicely off the tongue! Deal with it?
2.) Beer. Oh, yeah, I'll admit it. Jesus freak, yeah, but also ain't nothing wrong with being a die-hard beer fan! The Fat Tires I had on the dock on Thursday had to have been sent from the heavenly hosts as a gift to accompany me on said perfect day.
3.) The beginning of a new friendship that you can tell has so much potential. The way I see it, every person's essence is compiled much like a pie graph. Each of us have certain elements of which we are composed. For example with me, my pie chart could include many components: writer, knowledge-seeker, love for people, capacity for empathy unlike many, fashionista, photographer, linguaphile, beer-enjoyer, student, hard-worker, goal-oriented...etc..etc... When I meet someone, I can instantly figure out a few major areas of where we line up on our own personal pie charts. If they mesh well, this person usually wins his or her way into my heart and as the friendship evolves, it simply becomes more beautiful as all the piece of that person are revealed the more similarities and differences you find out about the other. The similarities being beautiful because anything that is shared is beneficial and heartwarming; whereas, the differences can be equally exciting—for this person complements you, they have things they can teach you to add to your pieces, making your "graph" all the more complex. It is hard for us to have formed even small relationships with people without having added a bit to their pies and vice versa.
4.) That said, I am grateful for how different and unique all the people in my life are. I am grateful that I am able to learn something new from them every day and grateful for the joy that they bring me.
5.) Words. Where would I be without them? Words in English, words in Spanish, words in French, words in any language...they are my passion. So many ways to express oneself and such an ignored art form these days.
6.) Making dinner with Jay and getting to share it with Rachael.
7.) Going on the trails at Pioneer's Park by myself and lying on a bench for a solid 40 minutes looking up at the trees and the sky and hearing nothing but nature: chirping birds and creaking trees, eerie winds and my thoughts surrounding me. No city traffic, no yelling kids, no "UmMMM Can I like git uh mountin dew? wait i mean um makie that a sierra mist, I saiD DIeetTtt!" I think all of us need to spend a couple hours in nature weekly.

            This photo was taken on one of my favorite mini-expeditions to Pioneer's Park last year!

8.) Writing a poem in Spanish, that perhaps is kind of stupid, but I was proud of it. It is written in 4 quatrains in decasyllables with rhyming yes but no real scheme. When I perfect it I will post it on here.
9.) My East Coast friends generously offering to let me and my friend stay with them during my Spring Break trip to DC and NYC! And the fact that I will probably get to see my high school bestie from Boston!
10.) Pineapple Bratwursts sizzling on a George Foreman grill leaving succulent juicy droppings all over the counter.
11.) The installation of our new stainless steel convection oven/stove! It looks so sassy and clean!
12.) The purchase of doggy toothpaste and a toothbrush for $4 at Wal-Mart to help little Lucy with her rancid rotten poopy breath.
13.) Getting to spend a couple of hours with my bestie on my cozy bed and the fact that she is always there for me even when I have the dumbest problems ever.
14.) My crazy dreams. Every night is a new vivid adventure and I often wake up remembering every detail as if it were a movie. My dreams are a bit scary sometimes, the feelings I have in the can frequently provoke my mood for the entire following day, they make me think of people I haven't seen in years, they inspire my writing and they inspire my daily life... you just have to know when to take them seriously or not.
15.) My very recent realization that I do indeed like peanut butter... but only when mixed with other things. I still do not like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; however, I love chocolate peanut butter cupcakes. Peanut butter cookies that are soft and moist with only a bit of peanut butter.
16.) Having lunch with my friend Jeff. He always inspires me to be a better person. He is one of the most intelligent people I know and he forces me to question my beliefs and thus inspires me to dig deeper into myself and into the world. He is a sweety.
17.) Running into my Albanian friend Keler on campus all the time. He might not know it, he probably will never read this, but he is one of my all-time favorite people in the world. He and his friend invented a new math theorem in high school "on accident"? Keler is my only international friend who has been here since party 1 in 2007 and thus one of my longest college friendships as well. He stole pizza off a buffet for me once and also used to be a "douchebag Albanian prince". :)
18.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAc83CF8Ejk  <--- this song and this sassy inspiring woman who also shows vulnerability and has the balls to sing about a moment that every girl has been in at some point, even though we all quickly realize that we are "better off without that ass" as the card I wanted to buy at the Mill said — it pictured a girl with her arm around a donkey. So good.
19.) Working and not having anyone as a customer so I can just sit here and do what I want... AKA write in this blog. Hopefully, I haven't jinxed this.
20.) Speaking of jobs, I am also grateful to have a job! Feels good to work for your money as much as it sucks sometimes, now I can go out and buy some new boots and not feel *as* guilty!

72 degrees F in Nee-braskey

My oh my, this weather is dee-vine...
1. The weather today, and the funny things it makes a person do. I was laying sprawled out straight on the grassy knoll outside of my parent's house, talking to an old friend on the celly, and my dad comes over yelling "Rach! Get up! You're so strange! The neighbors... you look like your a dead body!" It might have been my outfit choice...bright yellow cords.
2. Meeting up with two stunning, joyful, faith filled daughters of God, Joy and Karissa, who I miss from my Crisis Pregnancy Center days. It was a windy talk in Woods Park, but I loved every moment. You both  inspire me in every way. Yay for skirts!
3.  My warm apple fritter from Starbucks. I was mad at myself because I was trying to avoid sugar lately, but this was the perfect accompaniment to a black coffee.
4. This quote I saw on Bohemian Musings...

5. I really loved my friend Karissa's outfit today! She was sporting a maxi dress resembling a watercolor painting, bright green leaf earrings, an Indian style wooden bracelet, gladiator sandals, a Tiny Hands International knapsack, and a gray bolero. She's an artist, and she wears her clothing like art.
6. Eating delicous homemade soup of my daddio's: it's turkey noodle with spicy Thai sauce/parsley--it's really good!
7. Listening to "Can't Take It In" by Imogen Heap. Oh, and "Never Alone (acoustic)" by Barlowgirl 
8. Having a wonderful conversation with my friend Paul on the phone for a good hour and a half...I miss my Craig Lodge brother. It's hard to find solid guy friends in this world!
9. Scoring a beautiful robin's egg blue skirt from my fav thrift store: 18th and O Family Thrift!

10. My long quiet hour of prayer this morning at Blessed Sacrament. Oh, and seeing my fifth grade teacher who came up to me and said "You're still beautiful as ever!" I was shocked and delighted--just woke up and haven't showered in three days. Yeeaaah, i'm low maint.

Ahh the Lazy Blogger

 Wooop! Erika here. So, today I had no time to do anything that "I" wanted as I had 4 hours of class and 7 hours of work back-to-back. That means today's list will be a bit more challenging, but that's the whole point of this, right? To challenge myself to see the beauty and the things I should be grateful for amidst the rush and chaos of most of my days. This pic is from Pioneer's Park, depicting #10 on today's gratitude list!

1.) Finally responding to a long list of people whose sweet messages I have been feeling too overwhelmed to respond to...I am so grateful that I have so many unique, brilliant and beautiful people in my life!
2.) Dinner with Anna Adams on my break + Thai curry soup! Succcuullleennntt!!
3.) My new organic lilac shampoo that was only $5 for the hugest bottle I've ever seen. It has been leaving my hair frizz and chemical free!
4.) Watching some ditsy girl step in dog poop....is that rude to put that on my gratitude list? It was funny and one of few things that really made me laugh today!
5.) I am grateful for anything that makes me laugh. Another prime example from today would be a conversation that took place in my Spanish 312 class.
 Boy 1: "Yeah, I'm from Guatemala. My family moved here when I was about 12."
Boy 2: "Oh, that's awesome! D'you like speak Guatemalan then?" 
Boy 1: "Uh...I speak Spanish?"
Me: In so much shock that someone—let alone someone who's a Spanish major—could actually ask that question that I couldn't even laugh.
 6.) The peace God has given me these past few weeks despite some dire circumstances.
7.) Although it stresses me, I am very blessed to be going to college, and I am even more blessed to be studying something that I truly love and believe in. I hate homework, but I love everything I learn, and I love all of my classes. That is definitely something to be grateful for! 
8.) And yes, working sucks, too. But I also have the best job in the world that allows me to get paid, see my friends and also oftentimes get some homework done as well. That is awesome.
9.) Finally buying deodorant after going 2 days without! Bleck!
10.) The simplicity and tranquility that exists in Nebraska. I complain about being here when I am here and my heart always seems to be struck with wanderlust, but c'mon...it's so cheesy, but I truly believe Nebraska is The Good Life. 

This list is compilation of my (Rachael's) top ten for the past few days...
1. Going to 9 Street Chargrill with my parents on Valentines Day. I was happy to see that no one I knew was out to eat with their significant other there. After getting over the fact I was out to eat with my parents on such a day, I firmly relished the free dinner of Portabella Mushroom Pasta with helpings of my father's orange glazed duck.
2. Good moods. They hit you like a newspaper on a dewy morning. I really didn't know where it came from, but I was in the BEST mood on Monday. Maybe it was Valentine's Day...all the love in the air. I had my first day of job training, and I felt a peace the rest of the day. Even my dad noticed and said "So, are you more happy with everything now?"
3. Providence and His mysterious ways. A random conversation with a guy (that looked/acted like my ex-boyfriend) helped me to see how much God uses us if we're open to being out of our zone of comfort.
4. Walks on my beloved Antelope Creek Trail. (I really need to figure out the name of it) The birds were chirping away and the sunshine was melting away my winter blues.
5. Scrubbing a bright red Washington apple, then taking a knife and scraping the wax off of it. I kid you not, best apple I've had in ages, especially dunked in my milky, cinnamon infested oatmeal.
6. A quote..."There is only one journey. Going inside yourself." -Rainer Maria Rilker. So often, we try to fill our life with pleasures, but truly peace can only come when we pray in silence and meet the person inside us: God.
7. My dad buying me Merci European chocolate on Valentines Day.
8. Washing my hair with Open Harvest's baking soda. My hair is getting wavier!
9. Praying for family and friends: I have a novena for every saint and I know how to use them!
10. Laying in bed for a half hour this morning contemplating my bizzar-o, vivid dreams: Cate Blanchett transforming into a round ball that rolls down stairs, soaring through the sky with a hanglider only to land on a mound of snow in front of a mountain range which led to being trapped inside a steel shed maze with Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Michael Jackson--we had a dance-off.11. Another weird dream I had that I cannot get off my mind (Tues. morning): There was a woman, and she had a baby whom she was protecting. There was a team of vampires (or something like that) who wanted to kill her and her baby. This woman was running from them with her baby, when she meets a young man who vows to protect her. He, a seminarian, and the rest of the men in seminary, go with her and watch over her. The strangest part was the woman, because there was a computer somewhere with all her information in it: hair color, weight, size, nationality. Someone hacked into the computer and changed her nationality to Russian, so she suddenly changed in appearence! She looked the same, but more...Russian? She was unlike anyone I'd seen before: very thick brown eyebrows, electric blue eyes, and a strange face. She was beautiful, but in an extreme way. It weirded me out (as you can see!) and I think it made me think about how God makes us. How, say if I was born in Poland, how I would look compared to now, or if even one feature was changed, how different it would all be. And, how God has to be so creative inventing so many different appearences. Wow. Longest post ever.

15th February 2011

The 10 things for which I (Erika) am grateful today / in which I have found beauty :
1.) Kisses on the cheek
2.) The existence of a soda called: Leninade "Get hammered and sickled" "A taste worth standing in line for" Thank you, my beloved Rachael!
3.) Finding out I get a new stainless steel oven and dishwasher paid for by grandma on FRIDAY!
4.) Jumbo cupcakes and getting to be with an amazing friend I rarely get to see these days.
5.) Watching Jay sit on the couch with his jar rubbing Lucy the dog on the stomach.
6.) Laughter and all the funny jokes today.
7.) Buying a spring break plane ticket to DC and NYC with one of my besties! Accomplished today!
8.) Waking up early almost daily and seeing the sunrise. This is one from last week, but I took the photo nonetheless, it is my backyard, and it is gorgeous and unphotoshopped!

9.) Feeling intelligent and making acute observations in a 494 level class when I only did 1/4 of the assigned reading.
10.) Hilarious moments in the Union:  a strange man asking me to assist him in mounting his backpack on his pack over his huge puffy coat and also my critical friend critically and hilariously criticizing my statement of motivation for an internship.

Erika's 10 things for today! Woops..there are 11 because when I got home a little surprise was waiting for me!

Pic o' da day: the strange breakfast for which I was grateful
 

1.) Adorable Valentine that came in a bottle from my bestie. It came with a hilarious picture of her with a mustache and a poem that read:
 "Dearest Frila, a poem for you:
Pickles are red, dickle are blue
I just don't know what I'd do without a girl like you"
2.) Running into Kiana and then Giacomo on campus and having short but sweet conversations with these people I love but never get to see!
3.) Indigo Bridge and the cute water colors hanging on the wall that inspired me to buy more art for my room and also the book exchange shelf.
4.) Taking Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray from the Indigo bookshelf and thinking how fun it will be to decide with which book I will replace it.
5.) Maple Brown Sugar oatmeal and weird Czech coffee drinks eaten this morning and the strange rainbow reflections of light that gave me a perfect photo op.
6.) Having great French friends who all gladly compete in order to receive the honor of correcting my terrible French essays about paradoxes in Renaissance poetry.
7.) Red tea. On the rocks.
8.) Sunsets, writing in French and good music happening all at once
9.) Savoring some coconut M&Ms with my boy bestie Paul.
10.) Finding time to go sit alone and pray at the Newman center for a 1/2 hour and finding peace within my day
11.) Having my awesome co-worker step it up while I get to finish my French essay and get paid for it and my other co-worker slamming down some Eminem.