Posted by Lanel on January 11, 2010
Can you believe 2009 is over? Not only does this mark the beginning of a new year, but it marks the beginning of a new decade.
A lot has happened in the last ten years.
A lot.
I can’t say that 10 years ago as I was celebrating ringing in the 21st century that this is where I thought I’d be but, honestly, I have absolutely no regrets as to where my life has gone and where it is today.
The last ten years have seen me at my absolute lowest and it’s also given me some of my most memorable times.
- I celebrated my 30th birthday (over half a decade ago, sigh)
- I graduated from college
- I became an Auntie THREE times
- I became a business owner
- I became a resident of Idaho
- I lost both my grandfather’s
This last decade taught me a lot about who I am. I know, it sounds weird but I really did learn a lot over the last ten years. One thing that I have learned (and have been teaching the business owner’s I mentor) is the importancd of goals. I’ve never been big on goals. I’ve honestly always hated them. But, what I’ve realized is that the goals I’ve set have been goals I thought I was supposed to set. Never goals I wanted to set. I also always believed I would fail at achieving my goals.
But, I have decided I am going to achieve my goals in 2010. I have determined that it’s OK to change my goals if I choose to. They are my goals and they are not now nor will they ever be set in stone or encased in cement or carved on a tablet or put under lock and key. These are my goals.
They are also my goals, so I’m not sharing them with you. I might change my mind at some point after I’ve spent a little more time working on them. But, they are for me and me alone. 
So, I know it’s late but Happy 2010. Here’s to a great new year and a spectacular, out of this world new decade.
Posted by Lanel on
Uh, is anyone else watching this show? It looked kind of good so I decided to record it. Seems like I missed the first episode somehow, but whatever. But….what the heck are they making these people cook? By no means am I a 5-Star chef. I’m not delusional enough to think I’d even coming close to being America’s Next Super Chef or anything even close. But, I can cook. I’ve never had anyone spit out something I’ve made. I often get compliments on my cooking abilities. I’ve had some flops, but most cooks have. But, for the most part I can take what I have and make a meal worthy of guests.
So, this show takes “America’s Worst Cooks” and sets them in a competition. Cool. So, week two and they have them making some fancy dish that I’ve never even heard of let alone attempted to cook. A Razz Cherry reduction over some fancy Duck thing. The reduction is fine, but they chef acted like they were idiots because they had never heard of a Razz Cherry (which is a dried cherry infused with raspberry juice — or something like that). Most of the cooks assumed the Razz Cherry Reduction was some type of raspberry and cherry sauce reduction. Makes sense to me. The guy looked at them like they had four heads.
So, totally not sure about this show. But, of course I’ll watch it next week.
Just like Biggest Loser which I’m getting pretty annoyed with but can’t seem to not watch.
I think I should just go read my Kindle
.
Posted by Lanel on December 14, 2009
Four years ago today, at around 12:00 noon, I drove my sister-in-laws car down the street towing my car behind to pull up to the front door of my brother’s house to begin my new life as a resident of Idaho.
That’s right, I’ve been an Idaho resident for FOUR YEARS. Well, unless you want to consider the day I got my Idaho drivers license or something weird like that as the actual day I became a resident. As far as I’m concerned, though, it was four years ago today.
A lots happen in those four years. When I moved up here I wasn’t quite sure why I was going. Now, looking back, I may not know all the reasons but I do know it was the right decision.
Four years ago I thought the deer that showed up on the front lawn was about the coolest thing ever. Now, I think the deer are cool but, kind of a nuisance some days. The moose on the other hand….
Four years ago driving down and iced street was about the scariest thing I’d ever experienced. Now, I don’t look forward to it but it’s really not that bad.
Four years ago I remember thinking how cold it was standing in front of the house. Now, I sometimes forget a coat because it’s more of a nuisance than it’s worth.
Four years ago I though Idaho was the most amazing place on earth. Now, I still think Idaho’s the most amazing place on earth.
Posted by Lanel on December 11, 2009
In the Shadow of the Moon:
I watched this movie last weekend and I have to say: it was good. Lifechanging, probably not but definitely worth watching.
If you’re looking for something to add to your movies to watch list, I definitely suggest you add this one. Of course, I have an entire section in my to-do matrix for movies that I want to watch — but I’m kind of an organized dork that way so forgive me.
But, back to my recommendation, from Amazon’s product description — In the Shadow of the Moon is an intimate epic, which vividly communicates the daring and the danger, the pride and the passion, of this extraordinary era in American history. Between 1968 and 1972, the world watched in awe each time an American spacecraft voyaged to the Moon. Only 12 American men walked upon its surface and they remain the only human beings to have stood on another world. Now for the first, and very possibly the last, time, IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON combines archival material from the original NASA film footage, much of it never before seen, with interviews with the surviving astronauts, including Jim Lovell (Apollo 8 and 13), Dave Scott (Apollo 9 and 15), John Young (Apollo 10 and 16), Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 and 17), Mike Collins (Apollo 11), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Alan Bean (Apollo 12), Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16) and Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17). The astronauts emerge as eloquent, witty, emotional and very human.
I will probably get it again so I can watch it with Rider since he’s so fascinated with outer space. I would enjoy watching it again and I think he’d enjoy it too. A lot will go over his head but there’s enough in there to keep his attention (and probably get him back completely fascinated with outer space).
Posted by Lanel on December 8, 2009
12 was nice…because tonight driving home from the hospital it was 5 degrees out. YES, 5 degrees. No, I’m not missing any numbers it was single digits.
And it hurt.
A lot.
But, I’m home. Also got my thermostat replaced in the living room so I’m even happy about my heat.
And tomorrow…my dad might be coming home.
Posted by Lanel on December 6, 2009
Very, very frightful
It’s COLD.
That would be FREAKING cold to anyone who doesn’t know what cold is. Do you like the little igloo so you really know that it’s going to be COLD this week?
The past ten days have been interesting for anyone who hasn’t heard. My dad’s been visiting since the middle of November. Thanksgiving my brother and I took him to the ER. He was in for four days and had surgery. They released him (I thought he was fine to go home) and was home for 48 hours before I took him back. He’s still there. They’re doing lots of tests trying to figure out why he’s been having these issues for so long.
It sucks something fierce having him in the hospital. And, it’s been 10 days now (cause really the two days he was home were just like having him in the hospital only I didn’t have as far to go to visit). But, I lost confidence in his medical care in California quite a while ago so I really like that someone new and not at all associated with his regular doctor is reviewing his case and giving us some idea of what’s going on. I feel like we’re getting answers and even if I don’t like all of them I feel like they are the truth and that we’re actually doing something.
Of course, ten days in the hospital and I’ve been there every day and he’s getting feisty. That’s a nice way to say that he was a complete jerk today. I finally left because he was just being mean. You can only be called a “pest”, “annoying”, “a pain” so many times before you just want to walk away. So, I did. I told him he was being mean, he was a jerk again so I left. When I left he said “you know I’m just kidding” but after a while it gets old and annoying. We had a bit of an argument and he said “see you tomorrow” and I said “maybe”. He was kind of snotty when he said “if I call you tomorrow and ask you to come you will”. I just looked him in the eye and said “maybe, but I won’t be here if you’re going to continue to be mean to me”.
It’s not like I’m being mean. Yes, I ask him to go for walks quite a bit. IT’S GOOD FOR HIM. Yes, I encourage him to get out of bed and sit in the chair. HE NEEDS TO. When I ask I look at his response, I can tell if he’s really tired or if he’s just being lazy. (Heck, I usually know if he’s really not up to a walk before I even ask!) If he’s just being stubborn or lazy I’ll push a little but I have NEVER forced him to get up. If he’s tired and falls asleep I just sit there and read or I’ll leave. One time I kept waking him up and that’s only because he asked me to because he wanted to sleep that night and didn’t want to sleep all day.
So, yeah, today was a little annoying. I didn’t get there until late because I HAD to do some laundry and some cleaning. But, he did not need to be such an ass to me.
Happy 2010
