Dating bankers.....

Head Line on Yahoo.com

"Blog charts woes of dating bankers"

A co-worker called me over today to point it out.

With my dating skills - he thought this was pretty funny.

Check it out if you dare... just beware - there are some interesting ladies out there!

Faith & Trust

"Faith is always pointed towards the future.

Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and

events that will yet be efficacious in our lives."

Remember Lot's Wife

Holland, Jeffrey R.
January 13, 2009

BYU Devotional

Two weekends ago I traveled to Provo to go to the Draper Temple Open House, and visit my sister, and see some friends. It was a fantastic weekend. The Draper Temple is soo beautiful - if you have an opportunity to attend the open house - please do!!

On Sunday I went to Kim's ward (where I always go - and the bishop thinks that I am in the ward... I was there 4 times last semester... ha!), and they were having Ward conference. It was amazing to me how the message seemed to be just for me. I had the privilege last semester of having dinner over at their Stake President's home thanks Scott! Pres. Childs is just an amazing man, with an incredible wife and family. His talk was based on the quote "I know in whom I have trusted" from 2 Nephi 4. He talked about turning out heart - our wills - to Heavenly Father. Looking towards the future - with faith.

This seemed to be just what I needed to hear. It seems like I get so caught up in making things happen I forget to rely on the Lord and put my faith and trust in Him. His plan is so simple and clear. If a decision or action fits into His plan - it will all work out the way it is supposed to. :) All I need to do is trust in the future - and not fight against the pricks! (my thoughts)

Also throughout the meetings on Sunday - reference was made to President Monson's Devotional Speech from earlier that week. I decided I was going to read it. I just finished it. Incredible. Pres. Monson says " God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go." I think that coupled with Sister Monson's response to Pres. Monson when they were first married "We are not going back. We are not going home. The future holds everything for us." - is my motto for this year.

I have been many places in my life - made many different decisions - and I have been stewing trying to figure out what I really want to do with the next year. What goals I have for myself. I keep trying to change the initial plan to something that might be better. While I still have no idea what the future holds for me and I do not know where this year is going to take me at all - I know that it holds everything. I just have to keep making good decisions - and he will lead me where I need to be. Masters, MBA, work experience, dating, marriage, moving out or staying home - no matter what I will not look back at what was - but live in the present and look to the future.

Goals for 2009:

*Ops Sup or Acct Rep by middle/end of the year.

*Take GMAT by April & August (incase I bomb it the first time....)

~study for the GMAT

*Take GRE

*Work out atleast 3 times a week - measure this by "borrowing" Janssen's idea with stickers on my calendar'

*Write in Journal once a week.

*Perform a random act of service once a day. Pray for these opportunities.

*Continue to read - atleast 2 books a month.

~1 motivational/industry book

~1 fun book

*Do my VT every month.

Quote of the Month

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass....

it's about learning to dance in the rain.

PAY IT FORWARD!!!

I've been watching my friends do this - and when I read Lindsay's blog - I figured I would join in. Why not!? ;)

Read closely...this is how it works...

{The Rules}

1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?!

2. Winners must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your Three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love! If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Please take the button and post it on your blog; start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!

SO, REMEMBER... it is good... :) Pass it forward.

To react or not to react - that is the question

As usual I was reading a blog - and I felt inspired by this "hater" post I read. It made me feel a little better, and she has a fantastic sense of humor.

Recently I have been under attack. Now, for many of you including myself I have no idea what I did to this person. But it has been made very apparent they do not like me.

I wish I could say that I provoked them, that I was unkind, or even that I attacked. But I did not. In fact - I have never met them, never had a conversation, I did not even know they existed until the moment they responded to a comment I made on Facebook.

**ooooo ahhhhhh Facebook** It is true. This all occurred on Facebook. Amazing what one fantastic socializing tool can do.

I have learned from the past few days of puzzling, creating witty responses, and agonizing over what I could have possibly done to this person to deserve such responses - that in the end I just had to smile and hope that if I ever meet them - we can smile and be friends.

I have come to the realization once again - that I am an emotional reactive person. In college I learned ways to put some distance between me and my reactions - but every now and then I slip up. Initially on the attack - I had so many awful things to reply - but I realized that it would profit me nothing. So in the end - I just took a step back - and put some time and distance between me and the response.

What are some techniques you use to avoid over-reacting?

What does Nefarious mean to you?

I received an email today with this word in it. They used it to explain their intentions. While I know what it means - I decided to look it up just to see what the 'real' definition was vs. the 'amber' definition. These are my favorite I found. ** I bolded the words I liked - while keeping the definition. Just in case you would like to source the information later.
nefarious 
–adjective
extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: a nefarious plot.
Origin: 1595–1605; <>-ious, with intervocalic s > r
Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

ne·far·i·ous
adj. Infamous by way of being extremely wicked.
Latin nefārius, from nefās, crime, transgression : ne-, not; see ne in Indo-European roots + fās, divine law; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.
ne·far'i·ous·ly adv., ne·far'i·ous·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

nefarious
1604, from L. nefarius "wicked, abominable," from nefas "crime, wrong, impiety," from ne- "not" (see un-) + fas "right, lawful, divinely spoken," related to fari "to speak" (see fame).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

nefarious
adjective extremely wicked; "nefarious schemes"; "a villainous plot"; "a villainous band of thieves"
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

Nefarious Ne*fa"ri*ous\, a. [L. nefarius, fr. nefas crime, wrong; ne not + fas divine law; akin to fari to speak. See No, adv., and Fate.] Wicked in the extreme; abominable; iniquitous; atrociously villainous; execrable; detestably vile.
Syn: Iniquitous; detestable; horrible; heinious; atrocious; infamous; impious. See Iniquitous. -- Ne*fa"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Ne*fa"ri*ous*ness, n.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

**I find it interesting that this person thinks that their plan is wicked to the extreme. It makes me smile just a little bit. Too bad I had a pretty nefarious scheme as well.

Am I selfish?

I want blue-eyed - blonde haired babies someday. not today though

does that make me selfish?

Simple Pleasures

Today - I feel awful. I pray I'm not getting sick-- but I am afraid it is too late for that.

So here are so good things that made me smile.

*Sugar Cookies at Subway*

I have been waiting all year -- and last year -- for these cookies to come to the Vegas market. They are the best. Do not believe me? just walk/drive yourself to your nearest subway and take a taste. yummy - sugar - deliciousness.

*Ginger Ale*

This is the best soda pop made on the planet. Makes your stomach stop gurgling End of story.

*Funny Customers*

The perks of being at the same branch for an extended amount of time is that you really get to know your customers - and vice versa. I love that my customers remember certain facts about me - or things I am going to do and ask about it on the return. In return I love learning about the various lives and taking part in them.

*Freshly Washed Blankets*

Last night I put some of the blankets in the laundry - and pulled them out of the dryer this morning. I love the smell of freshly laundered stuff. Smells sooo good.

*Carry-over text messages*

I am notorious for falling asleep while texting - or talking - or emailing - or reading. This morning I woke up to a nice text message from my friend.

*Chatting with my Mom*

My mom always seems to be full of wisdom for me. Even if I do not want to hear it. :)

*Reading*

I just finished The People of Sparks - such a fantastic series thus far. Today at lunch I started a sequel to Ender's Game.... just as good thus far! ;)