Internet Radio

Lots to say, but not much time, so for now I'll stick to sharing Pandora Radio with you. Pandora is awesome - you can enter the name of an artist you like, and it plays songs by that artist as well as similar artists. If you don't like a song/artist, you can give it a thumbs down, or if you really like one, you can give it a thumbs up, and the radio adjusts the play list accordingly.
So you can create your own stations like that, or you can just select a "station" based on genre.
You do have to register to create your own stations, but registration is your basic email, zip code and password.

So there may be something horrible I don't know about it, but the other GA loves it and told me about it, and so that's what I've been listening to at work - no putting up with radio commercials!

So check it out, enjoy, and more later :)

Here's to Friday!

Snippets of wisdom from an email Juilie sent me:

The Value of a Drink
'Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.' ~ Jack Handy
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering what the hell happened to your bra and panties.
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'I feel sorry for people who don't drink.
When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. ' ~Frank Sinatra
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.
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'When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.' ~ Henny Youngman
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to think people are laughing WITH you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not.' ~ Stephen Wright
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think you can sing.
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'When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!' ~ Brian O'Rourke
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause pregnancy.
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'Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.' ~ Benjamin Franklin
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like a retard.
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'Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.' ~ Dave Barry
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
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To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group. Salvation in a can!~ Dave Howell WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.
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And saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers. One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. Here's how it went:
'Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and mo re efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers.'
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not.

Cheers to Friday, everyone!

Jason Mraz "I'm Yours" video

Bits and tidbits and morsels

I love that word - morsels. Mmmmm - mmmorsels. Aaaah.

I also love being a dork - and the fact that Kiki says there is no such thing as "too dorky" - I love my new job. I spent the afternoon organizing and color-coding data and running f-tests and t-tests and calculating Cohen's d. yeah, yeah - whoop-de-frickin'-do - but it actually makes me feel quite satisfied. All about the simple pleasures, people.

I love where I am in life and all the opportunities that I have - how many people get to ride horses in the morning and then head off to a sweet job and school all afternoon/evening? And free gym priveledges?

I love my family, of course. And my friends. Where would I even be without their love and support?

Speaking of friends, I am loving the book my friend Di lent me - If the Buddha Dated. "make this commitment to [yourself]: More than anything else, I want myself. I want to live with integrity and truth. I'm not going to hide the jewel of who I am, nor will I mask my imperfections. No bargains, no avoiding reality, no conning myself, no lies. The more we commit to knowing and accepting ourselves, the more we are able to surrender to loving another person because we have nothing to hide and nothing to feel ashamed of. ... If we live by truth we may have pain, but we will always rest securely within ourselves."

Finally (for now), I also love the Jason Mraz "I'm Yours" song - I posted the music video above. A few choice lyrics:

Well-a you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks, and now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out I'll be giving it my bestest
And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some

But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
I look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment, people dance and sing
We're just one big family
And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved

So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate, our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
...
I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and I laughed
I guess what I be saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue

But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours

One bill, two bills, three bills, BROKE

So I gripe about doctors and medical bills and health insurance a lot, I know. But seriously - just because one health-care professional I was seeing decided to transfer to spending full-time at her private practice, and the counseling center hasn't found anyone to fill in for her, yet, I had to go to the health center downstairs to get my prescriptions renewed. However, they switched up a bunch of stuff down there, so it was like coming in as a new patient all over again. So instead of just getting my prescription script, I had to go through all the paperwork and the intake, and basically have a mental-health interview with the new person, and then fork over a considerably hefty co-pay (yeah - considerably hefty = just shy of $90 - for a copay???).
All that just because I needed a little scrap of paper asking for one-month's worth of pills. And if they didn't actually help, I think I'd just quit cold turkey - but they do help and you're not supposed to quit cold-turkey. Especially before classes start.

But c'mon. We are STUDENTS using the STUDENT HEALTH CENTER with STUDENT INSURANCE. And this is the best you can do for us, people? Next time I'm going back to my family practice guy at the Greeley clinic 'cause I like him & he can write prescriptions, too.
Medical costs are totally kicking my ass. TOTALLY. Has anyone ever maxed out a credit card on just doctor bills and prescription costs? Not that I'm even close to that (thank goodness)...but boy-oh-boy.

In other news, the typical August weather on the Colorado front range has been swapped for October weather. It is overcast and raining (like Western Washington rain, people - not a 5 minute thunderstorm and then done), and it's only 58 degrees outside! This is coming from the sunny 105 degrees two weeks ago. Mother nature is pms-ing or menopausing or something...

Note(s) to self...

"Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same"
"Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same"
"Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same"
"Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same"
"Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same"

I am only responsible for myself and my own actions

If I don't take care of me, who else will? Who else CAN?

My intuition rarely steers me wrong. Now if I would only listen to it more...

Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.

I have never regretting helping someone in need. I have regretted NOT helping. Helping pays off. Maybe not right now, but it does. I have complete faith.

Everything works out in the end. If it doesn't work out, it's not the end.

Maybe it's not coincidence that I keep getting "lucky" enough to have the experiences I've had - to get the opportunities that I've gotten. But humility is good, too.

I am worth it. I am SO totally worth it!

Bless my family and my friends. I have the most amazing, loving support in the world. I owe it all to you. Thank you all.

It is NEVER a bad time to say "thank you." It is NEVER a bad time to say "I love you."

I promise I'm okay.

Because, though the phoenix burns in a fire of its own making, it rises again from the ashes.

And though the phoenix is a mythical being, its image has surfaced across cultures and through the centuries for a reason - if this is what people need to believe, they could do much worse, and it really is very strong symbolism. Like Mom says, "Everything works out in the end, and if it doesn't work out, it's not the end."

(p.s. - thanks, Greg - still love the design!) :)