Letter to 2008

Goodbye, 2008.

I am not sure what I thought of you. You were a pretty good year, I guess. I had the best semester of my upperclassman college career. I had such a romantic Valentine's day, and I got a boyfriend out of it. I graduated from college, got a great job, saw my sister get married. I got to spend the summer with my sisters at home for the last time, and I got to see the Packers win at Lambeau and make history (by defeating the worst team in nfl history. ouch). I learned to appreciate more types of music, and fell in love with Sergei Rachmaninov and Martin Sexton.

In getting a job, I lost a lot of freedom, and lost the ease of seeing friends whenever I want because of graduating. I gained 1,687 miles of distance between me and my sister. I lost a boyfriend, and I found a lot of pain... but I also lost 8 pounds. Not very ambitious, but hey--I need to be reminded of a few good losses. My best friend gained a fiancee, which means I might lose a best friend in 2009; but let's not be pessimistic.

There were so many wonderful memories that happened because of you, 2008. You made me a year older and I like to think I am a little bit wiser, too. I work with several people at DCMA that have such beautiful hearts and have such contentment in their own portion. I also work with several people that have no time for anything besides themselves and their own pride. I am glad I can watch people and learn from them. I love learning.

I have so many things going for me. The fact that I have a hard time being satisfied is preposterous. I have a pair of ice skates and roller blades that get used about once per year between the two. I have a roommate that I miss when I'm away for more than 4 hours. She shares the same addiction for LOST, and lets me crawl into bed with her at 6 am when I don't want to start teleworking. My job lets me telework. I work from home once a week and earn 4 hours of paid leave every two weeks. I got paid on Christmas. What is that all about, anyway?

I take the light rail to work everyday. I get to sit next to colorful people, too. I met a man that sings in and invited me to see the GLBTA One Voice Mixed Chorus. I even figured out what that meant on my own. I rent a duplex in South Minneapolis off of Lake Street. For those of you who don't know me, that is big.

I haven't thought much about how 2009 will be different. It's going to be different even if I put lots of thought into it, anyway. I'd like to be healthier, and to show a bit more control over my own life, which takes dedication... but other than that, I know God has plans for the coming year. 2009 is the year my little sister graduates from high school. wow.

So, 2008, here's to you. Thank you for ushering me into the real world and giving me just as many blessings as frustrations.

Hello 2009.

Beware: boring, sad, and dark...

Life has been such a blur for the past month or so and I really have no good excuse for my lack of blogging. A lot has been happening in my life, but I think I am just numb and a little too selfish to appreciate all the goodness that has been given to me. Some days are better than others, but I find myself in a lonely, pathetic state right now, so prepare yourself for the debbie-downer wet blanket soliloquy ahead.

Here is has what has been going on... 

good things that I should be thankful for, as well as the drollness of life.

My dad and sister came to the cities to visit colleges in the area, and we all had a good time together. I got to watch a bunch of sappy Jane Austen-type movies with Sarah, Kate, and Betsy. My roommate spends almost all of her spare time with me, pouring her love on me and listening to me as I talk out my thoughts. Her boyfriend is so kind to me and is okay with spending time with the three of us and doesn't even complain about it. He's even watched the chick flicks with us. Thanks Josh. 

My job has been pretty boring right now, with its moments of interesting-ness. What I will be doing is all administrative, but I spend HOURS and HOURS taking online classes to learn what the crap all this administrative stuff even is. Acquisitions, Contracts, Line Items, Destination, Firm Fixed Price, thousands of acronyms.... plus, the classes are set up like Distance Ed, Government style. eew. I can't sit at my computer for 8 hours a day and learn. Not through written out lectures and powerpoint presentations, anyway.

Fortunately, in a week I'll be going to California for a week-long class. That'll be fun, and a nice change of scenery (70 degree weather!) 

I am jealous of the Germanns for their new dog! I want a dog so much, there is just no way I can get one. No pets in our duplex, plus I wouldn't have time to take care of it anyway. I just want a little personality to show affection and devotion to just me. Like a little sweet best friend. Today is a gorgeous day, and I just want to take a walk with a dog around the river or on the city streets.

I am tired of politics, but I love the Office. Work is boring but I love my coworkers. I hate how some of them are so determined to complain about EVERYTHING but I love how I can see how ridiculous they are. I hate that I've been so sad and down lately, but I love how I have people who care about me, and a God that has a plan. I hate that I don't have anyone to show me how football works, but I can't bring myself to watch any games anyway. I miss baseball, but I'll look forward to Brewers '09, and cheer for good baseball this week in the world series. Go Rays! Go Phillies! yahoo! :)

Life is good, and I am looking forward to my numbness to fade over time. I promise the next time I write won't be so emo. I just needed one post of venting, and this is it.

God is good, and I am blessed. :)

Hanface

Summer closes up...

The sun is starting to set... on the hottest day of the summer!! It's September 2, and the high was like, 85 degrees with 100% humidity all day. barf hot. Tomorrow, the high is supposed to be 20 degrees cooler and back to the unsummer-like September it ought to be. :)

I start work on Monday, Sept 15 and I still have no idea what my job will be like. It was 6 months ago that I first heard of the job, and I haven't heard much about it since. So don't ask me what exactly a contract specialist does until at least Sept 16.

I went to Duluth with my parents and little sister over the labor day weekend, and it was the gay pride festival! We didn't notice until we started seeing same sex couples holding hands and slightly feminine men talking to each other. It was funny, but for a while I had to force myself to forget that our hotel was the main hotel for the festivities. After being scorned by some friends for not being open minded and so ridiculously conservative, I decided to get used to it. It's all a part of that big world I'm trying to become acquainted with.

Today I made a slipcover for my body pillow! I had never sewn anything before this summer (except for that pencil case and pillow from Jr. High) and I am pretty happy with the results. :) Earlier this summer I made a pillow out of an old shirt and a cross-stitched Bible bag my grandmother made for me when I was little. So, in addition to the baking that I have been up to, I have some sewing to add to my homemaker portfolio. :)

The pillow I made...

The back isn't perfect, but I'd never made anything like it before. I just sewed the pieces together without a pattern...

This is the Slipcover I created. Notice the envelope I incorporated, too!! The fabric is a blue flannel with nursery rhymes on it.

The end. :)

Summer Project: Cooking

I have decided to spend the time that I have at home learning how to cook, mainly bake. I love it! Today is the first day in a while that I haven't made anything, but because I made three different things yesterday, I don't feel so bad. This experience i am getting in the kitchen makes me appreciate having my sister around. When I leave, I won't have a sister to help, and I will have to know how to make these things on my own! Here are some pictures of things I have been making with Sarah's help:

One of the first things--Rhubarb meringue pie. Not pictured: Rhubarb upside down cake.

Blueberry Buckle

Petits Fours. Sarah made most of the little roses. They're made of gumdrops.

Sham Tortes. There were a lot more of these, but I forgot to take a picture earlier, when they were prettier and more numerous.

Krumkake. (KROOM-kahkah) with mom & her ancient krumkake iron. Thanks mom!

Sarah and I have made brownies from scratch, and several meals, too. We like the challenging stuff, but cooling meals is harder than pastry baking for us... (not as fun). Next we hope to make Cornmeal lemondrop cookies, rustic little apple pies, and raspberry-almond streusel coffee cake. (recipes courtesy of the new woman's day cookbook)

Sarah's birthday? Beef Paprikash, Raspberry Lemonade Tea, & Frozen Raspberry Mango Terrine. (all made from scratch, of course!!) :) 

Happy cooking! let me know if you want any of these recipes!

Congrats Rachel & Grant!

My sister is now married! The wedding was yesterday, and it was so much fun! I have tons of pictures from my camera, but I will only post a few. I really hope the ones from the photographer turned out!

This was right after we got Rachel's dress all buttoned up. There were quite a few!

Rachel wore her purple mary jane crocs that day. It was a great idea! One thing less to worry about--feet hurting after a long day. :)

My friends Betsy and Jen did the music. :) This is "Prayer for Home" by Fernando Ortega

Me and my tall slurpee, Sarah

Betsy, Kate, & Jen

Sisters! :)

Cake smash!

Me, Jordan and Kate

The Happy Couple! :)

I'll be posting more pictures on Facebook soon.

Hannah

Let Freedom Ring!!

Today I turned the radio on randomly, and it was tuned to WRVM, the Christian Station that my dad listens to most of the time. It plays a lot of southern gospel music, which I am usually not a big fan of, but today I got to hear one of the most amazing songs I have ever heard, given the recent holiday festivities.

Here is the YouTube video of the recording I heard, sung live by the Gaither Vocal Band at Carnegie Hall a few years ago: Let Freedom Ring

Happy Independence Day!

What a beautiful day! The weather in Northern Wisconsin is perfect! My family got to see the local parade, with prime seating, thanks to Ogren Electronics. I got a little sun, and I am okay with it! yay for color! We grilled brats at MorMor's house, and played Outburst with the family on the deck, and then Dad and I went for a drive around the area in the 1950 Chevy. It was a "Chamber of Commerce Kind of Day" as my dad would say.

I am currently listening to my new birthday gift from my older sister Rachel. We were in Wal-Mart and I saw John Mayer's CD Continuum on display. "Buy this for my birthday present from you!" So, she did without complaint, probably happy she got away with not even getting me anything for as long as she did. I love the music, so I'm not even bitter. :) 

Dad's taking a nap downstairs and I am up in my room searching for apartments in Minneapolis for when I move back. It has been a pretty eye opening search as I scour every renting website and investigate neighborhoods. I can count on one hand the number of times that I have been in the city of Minneapolis, and now I am trying to find apartments within it? well, actually, I may have been in the city six or seven times. wikipedia.net is pretty helpful in my research. So far, I've learned that Phillips is not the most promising neighborhood for a female recent college graduate. I am trying to get as close to the Metro Rail as possible so I can just take it to Ft Snelling every day. So far, I have come up with several possibilities... but are fairly expensive. my fav? Robitshek Lofts in the warehouse dist. It may just be a dream, but I picture those movies like You've Got Mail, Hitch and others listed in this LoftLife Magazine article. Kind of funny, actually.

Well, I am getting sleepy, and I plan on making Blueberry Buckle today with MorMor.

Happy 4th of July, and remember to thank God for freedom and to pray for those fighting overseas! 

Hannah

Another day.

I finished planting all of the selected areas of my yard today. I have many bug bites to prove it, too. See the attached picture... If you can't tell, there are 5 bug bites there, and more on the hand where you can't see. They were worse the other day, but I got 3 more today and they itch like mad. The other arm is the same way. Afterbite works wonders, and the main ingredient is Ammonia! Cool huh?

I hope to post pictures of the flowers we've planted soon, because I am very proud of the work Jordan, my sisters and I have done this past week!

Unfortunately, now that I am done with that project, I have to find something new to occupy my time. I'm thinking of reading a whole bunch. I got wonderful books from a very thoughtful boyfriend and I have a whole shelf of books that I really want to read but never seem to get around to.

In a few days I get some of my cavities filled. Eep!

My mouse is fixed, and my new camera is taking awesome photos. :) It's nothing too fancy, it's just more fun than my old one, and takes great snapshots (the kind of photos I love taking the most!). And it works, which is another nice feature that my old camera didn't have. It's a Sony DSC-H10. Thanks Mom!

life and wireless mice

One birthday gift I received this year from my family was the wireless mouse for my macbook... super exciting!! unfortunately, it doesn't scroll down anymore. today it just decided to quit. It scrolls up and to the sides.... but not down. I'll definitely have to look into that.

Other than that, life is fine besides the fact that it is dealing itself to me in frustrating ways. I feel like I don't even understand myself anymore. College is the time when I feel this, have a few years of confusion, and then the self-understanding is supposed to follow!! right? Since being at home this summer, away from my friends at school, I have just found myself lacking people to imitate and think like. All of my friends carry some sort of quality that I just wish I had, and I try to ascertain it by mimicking them, and thus making it my own quality. I don't think this is wrong, as long as the characteristic is an honorable one, but now I am just wondering about who I really am, friends aside. I don't have opinions readily offered when I am in a situation and I find myself baffled at how hard it is to look at all sides of a situation by myself!!!

...I feel like I'm in high school again now that I'm home, and I don't like it. I'm not ready to grow up either. Or maybe I am, but the concept scares me. I just wish that the troubles of life could be solved like the problem my mouse is having with its scroll button. An bit of an inconvenience, but nothing more complicated than a phone call to tech support for a solution.

Happy Monday Morning...

Okay, so it's been 2 years since I have been to the Dentist. And it shows.
I picked a new dentist because I have issues with pain in my mouth. This doctor has "painless" in front of his name and he gives laughing gas in addition to novocaine. He already has a gold star in my book.

Unfortunately, I had an appointment this gloomy Monday morning, and I learned that I have a few cavities... and, by saying "a few", I really mean twelve. Yeah. you read it right. 6+6, 5+7, 8+4, 9+3, 10+2, 11+1 = 12.

I only cried in the car on my way out. It really is sad, but it's my own fault. Not even Jordan's, who, consequently, keeps sour candy in my life pretty consistantly (he's addicted and has fewer cavities than I do). oh fiddlesticks.

I am thankful for this: no crowns, the cavities not being very big, and wonderful parents that are paying for it. Because, from what I hear, paying for cavities getting filled hurts more than the actual filling. Hopefully having this new government job will help pay for things like this.
...until then, I am flossing more, brushing with more care, and minimizing the sweets.

"Oh! --And no more happiness..."

Hello, New Blog!

It has begun! I have started a blog after several years of blog-hibernation. Now that I have graduated from college and I'm supposed to be living in that real world, I figure now was a good a time as any to start one up.

I'm at home with my family in Wisconsin this summer until my new job wants me to start. I am currently being cleared for security and from what I hear, that could take months. I'll be employed by the federal government! Yow! I am filling out all kinds of forms, which keeps me busy enough in between running errands for my parents.
Yeah, it's a good life at home. :)

Rachel and I are also working on planning her wedding bit by bit (6 more weeks!). Today we started landscaping! Two of the flowerboxes in front of the house are what we worked on, but we can't plant anything there until the house is painted. Apparently, the house will be painted before the wedding, but we're hoping that doesn't mean the day before. We want flowers!! The wedding won't be at the house, but the rehearsal dinner will be, and we want everyone impressed with how well we keep our house... *snicker snicker*...

The backyard is the biggest deal, and we haven't planted back there since... who knows when. I was probably running around in diapers at that time. I have fifty feet of planting space along the rock wall in the back, and I really want full beautiful hostas!! Unfortunately, they're expensive, they start off itty bitty (even though they grow really well after that), and deer LOVE them. Considering the lifetime war we've been fighting against deer, this could pose a problem. From what I hear, Pulmonarias (cowslip) aren't as savory for deer, and they look somewhat similar. AND Aconitum Carmichaelii (monkshood) are fully poisonous to all who eat them... sounds pretty tempting.

I love this stuff. It's fun to research plants, go to the garden centers to buy what you want, and spend the day on a planting project. I even took out the weedeater today for the first time ever!!

There is a hornet stuck between my screen and the window. what do I do??

Adieu!
Hannah