happy halloween...

...from frida and her biker hubby

discovery #25

my childhood scrapbook.

now, this is what a scrapbook SHOULD be...hilarious clippings from the local newspaper, programs from dance recitals, the nametag from your first job, mini putt-putt scorecards....wow, i had totally forgotten about this thing. the photo above is the very first page...dated 10-13-81, i was 4, my cousin 3. i have no recollection of this photo shoot, nor the creepy doll that seems to be bigger than katie. our parents started pimping us out EARLY.  style shows were all the rage in the early 80's and i can't tell you how many times i walked a catwalk at the local country club. (at least most were for a charity event!?!?)

i was in ballet and gymnastics most of my young life...i still remember going to the Peoria YWCA for dance classes. the museum and library were right there, as well as the public pool where i got my first job at 15. you know, when you have to get the letter from your parents saying that you can start working while it's still considered child labor. i can picture the driving range with the mini golf attached, but for the life of me i cannot remember the name.  i am now going to google it to stop from driving myself mad. hold on....

wee tee.  man, how could i forget that?

so that's what today's discovery is about...all the memories that get swept out, replaced by a new shinier model, hiding somewhere in that dimly lit attic of our minds.  as i begin writing more and more, i am drawn to the old stories...the ones i've told a million times. the ones that shaped my childhood, made me who i am. "hell no, we won't go"...the sit-in's at my grandma and cousins' houses...our group effort to avoid our individual homes and win the sleep over (with smidgets for breakfast!)

the bradley university chili supper...the autographs of all the players (and then hersey hawkins becoming famous later!!!) getting up at the crack of dawn to go to swim practice at willow...the freezing cold temps before the sun rose, cursing my dad through the first few laps for waking me up. there are dozens of newspaper clippings with my times for every swim meet i ever attended. and apparently i broke two records (for the 25 and 50 yd. freestyle) for 7 year old girls at the central illinois swim meet.   oooooh.

sorry if this is boring you to tears, but i feel like i've just uncovered buried treasure.  like one of those time capsules you're allowed to dig up after 20 or so years. apparently i received an award for my economics poster in 1990, and went to a reception/ceremony.  i was 13...how can i not even remember this?  i also played "ivory" in our adaptation of an old-fashioned soap opera...but this i DO remember.  (our costumes involved fringe....awesome.)

okay, i actually taped "my first fake ID" in this scrapbook.  there are so many things wrong with this, i cannot even elaborate right now.  (and if you haven't noticed, i am actually flipping through my book as i type)  ohmygod, and the certificate stating that i was an official member of eagle flight, when my neighbor let me fly his plane in 1992!  okay, i spent the rest of the time flipping through my undergrad stuff and had some blast-from-the-past-type moments with friends i have totally lost touch with.

so, in the end, it is simply a book of memories. or reminders. reminding me of how much i've forgotten.  what's that bit in "when harry met sally" at the very end when he's trying to decipher auld lang syne ? okay, i've totally lost my focus.

discovery #24

that i am a collector

this idea actually came to me as i was looking at the door of my fridge this morning. what's with the amount of condiments we amass after a while? i just went and counted: 29 items!?! now, i would argue that like most "collections," we do not intend for them to grow so large, it just kinda happens.

my first experience with this is displayed proudly in the photo above. first of all, i cannot believe i actually found this photo today (or remembered that i had it!) and second, please note the pink carpet and teal furniture of my 7th grade bedroom. from this time until about my senior year of college this collection had grown out of control...somewhere over 100 pigs at last count.

i noticed this phenomenon again  when i started doing mixed media. i had a ridiculous amount of art/craft supplies that had been steadily growing since my first trip to pearl in chicago, about 10 years ago. i went through quite a few phases: mosaic tiles, scrapbooking, painting old furniture, jewelry (including a rebirth of the "friendship bracelet" craze--tons of embroidery floss!)...collecting new toys along the way.

then i started thinking about my resume. wow, that's quite a collection! i talked a bit about my career path(?) here, which is as varied as my ever-changing art/craft interests. and when i finally decided to go to grad school and become a social worker, i realized how important all of those experiences truly were. and i believe this is the beauty of all the randomness that accumulates as we age.

hoisin sauce for the perfect asian chicken pizza,
ribbon for a last minute gift,
the ability to make a child laugh,
or an incredible powerpoint presentation

this is the power of time...the experiences we have collected over the years. and as i continue to fully embrace my 30's: the wisdom that comes with age, the skills culled, the knowledge gained...the pigs sold at a garage sale. these are the things that make each of us unique. the collections build the foundation for our lives. the stories we tell, the memories we hold dear.

what have you gathered over the years? what would you like to collect more of? for me, it's the memories. the crazy things i've done that always make for a good story.  and i believe that is what this blog has become--a new way for me to collect everyday moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. a collection of the beautiful memories of my life.

discovery #23

that i do NOT suffer from adultitis!!

i had another one of those overlaps. i've been seeing the "escape adulthood" badge over at joyrebel.com for a while now, but never had the time to check it out. finally, the other day at work, i really needed a reminder on how to maintain my child-like attitude... then the next day, the lifelaughsandlemmings post referred to adultitis as well! (and i had to leave a comment supporting the mission!) i knew this was a sign from the universe that i needed to spend some more time on this subject.

according to kim & jason, "Adultitis is a common condition occurring in people between the ages of 21–121, marked by chronic dullness, mild depression, moderate to extremely high stress levels, a general fear of change, and, in some extreme cases, the inability to smile. Patients can appear aimless, discontent, and anxious about many things. Onset can be accelerated by an excess burden of bills, overwhelming responsibilities, or a boring work life. Generally, individuals in this condition are not fun to be around."

i am very happy to report that i do not exhibit ANY of the warning signs! if you are worried you may be infected, you can take the intake exam here ! commenting on the other blog made me start thinking of the things that i do to avoid the stress and general discontent described above. i started looking through my pictures to find something for this post...and realized that today's entry will mostly be a visual representation of my thoughts:

how do you escape adulthood?

hilarious mini-discoveries

okay, so when i decided to look for some photos for my last post i came across some doozies. don't ask why i'm embarrassing myself so much with this one, but it is so absolutely horrifying...i had to share!

this one is a classic...i am about 2 seconds from being malled by an elk in the height of mating season. apparently taking photos of his woman is NOT OKAY. p.s. yes, my mom and her friend were TAKING PICTURES as i am about to be malled by an elk.

oh, and seriously...sorry if this guy's sergeant is seeing this, but it's just too good not to post. (we got a ride back to our hotel in the back -- see #2)



and this is my favorite halloween ever...i made oatmeal raisin cookies (from the martha stewart living magazine) and passed them out at each stop on the bar crawl.

just a little giggle for your monday blues...

discovery #5

i may have found the perfect job.

(well, if i have to work an 8-5)

as i was driving home and thinking about which discovery to write about this week, i realized i have officially spent 1/2 my life working. i started at 15, and (according to my social security statement) earned no income in 1998...college summer in europe. so, as i just turned 32, my math puts me at 16 years of employment. let's review:

• lifeguard/swim instructor
• olive garden server
• costume designer (well, i was never paid for it...but damn i love halloween!) and i'm realizing i don't have pictures of myself at work much!
• bar waitress
• advertising agency intern
• Promotions Coordinator - ad agency
• Social Host - norwegian cruise lines (ship: norwegian sky) seriously, can you SEE this outfit???? (i'm in yellow) there are no words for the kind of humiliation i felt the first night i taught line dancing in this thing.
• firefighter okay, that's a lie...but i did train to be a fire squad leader on the ship
• Field Event Coordinator - avon breast cancer 3-day event

• temp (at about 100 companies in chicago)
• Youth Advocate - group home for boys
• Executive Assistant - saks fifth avenue (in chi-town AND houston)
• starbucks barista
• medical social worker

phew...i should have warned you it was a ridiculously long list. i was the queen of i-know-what-i-don't-want, but had no clue what i was looking for in a career. becoming a social worker granted me the wish i had to take all of my volunteer positions (check out bo's place for my favorite) and actually get paid for it. and through my grad school practicum experiences i learned that i didn't want to work for a government system -- and needed the professionalism and multidisciplinary benefits of a large hospital.

top 10 reasons my job is perfect for me:

1. my boss works in a different building and never micromanages
2. my co-workers are supportive and FUN
3. i meet someone new every day
4. i learn something new every day
5. i have balance between patient care and the administrative crap (i secretly kinda like)
6. the opportunity for continuing education (who knew i was a perpetual student)
7. my hospital has a lunchtime scrapbooking club!
8. my hospital has a healing garden!
9. i am paid a fair salary for my experience
10. i am making a difference.

side note: anyone looking for a break from corporate life...working on ships is definitely an experience you will never forget. i have some awesome photos from NCL's gay cruise, but thought they might be a bit inappropriate to post. and for my GLBTQ peeps: those cruises are possibly the craziest fun i've ever had!