Happy New Year!

So, once again it is the end of the year. I felt as it is so, I should rather spend a few moments pontificating upon the manner of this soon-to-be former year of 2010.

The year started off with a bang. Travel was spaced out and relatively local to the West Coast. I got to start flying Southwest Airlines, and with that came enough travel to earn a free flight and many happy travels checking my bag for free (*glee*).

I experienced the first ever snow storm of my adult life (reference adjacent photos). That was an experience! I flew into Denver (NOTE - I had just been there 10 days prior) and they said at the rental car counter, "Oh, you're just in time for the storm!" Me: "...............What storm?" It dropped about a foot of snow in an hour. Maybe not the worst storm in history, but for a SoCal girl such as myself, it was sure a challenge!!

I had to dig my car out - Wasn't sure how to do that - and drive back to my hotel some 15 miles. It took about 45 minutes as we were all moving 5-10 mph. Funny thing when it snows, you don't drive in the lanes... Because you can't see them! That thought never occurred to me. Anyway...

In the Spring of this year I turned (gulp) the big 3-0. The moment every 20-something dreads... They are now officially "adults". You cannot feign kid-dome any longer. Alas, I did not find it quite as amusing a prospect as originally anticipated... It was kind of hard to some degree, knowing that I haven't lived up to the world's definitions of what a life should have accomplished by the age of 30. Nevertheless, I have been learning to trust in God's timing and not my own, and to remember that the things that are valued in His kingdom (the only one that matters) are not often the things highly esteemed in this world.

The summer was an intriguing one, weather-wise, in that there really wasn't much of one at all. It stayed on average of about 65 throughout most of the summer, with many gloomy and cloudy days. The odd exception to this odd pattern were a few freak heat-waves which seemed to plague the entire West Coast. In September, I was feeling glibly proud of the fact that on the hottest day of the present heat-wave I was going to (so I thought) escape it by being in downtown San Francisco for work. However, I arrived to find the weather had indeed followed me - It was 95 degrees, in September, in downtown San Fran! I had to stop and buy sunblock I was walking so far in such heat.

This summer was unique also in that I was blessed to be able to go on a family vacation with my dad and step-mom up in Central California. We did a wine-tasting tour (I mostly took pictures, as you can see posted to the right), visited Montaña de Oro and Elfin Forest (the one in Central Cali, not San Diego) and toured the streets of downtown S.L.O.

Fall picked up for me travel-wise, and I visited Phoenix (twice), San Francisco, Seattle (twice), San Diego and Portland all within a span of 3 months! I absolutely loved Seattle, and Portland even more. There's just something... charming about the Northwest (even if the weather is a little soggy!).

I managed to sneak in Portland just before Christmas, which afforded me some tax-free Christmas shopping. However it did make it challenging as in reality it erased a week from my time to prep for the Christmas festivities! Oh well, live and learn, right?

So there you have a summary, at least of my travels, for 2010. The year also held some particularly difficult challenges for me (on top of turning 30)... I'm hoping that 2011 will be a more happy year. But I am SO thankful to know that God is working in my life, and that He does indeed work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It is my earnest hope and prayer that 2011 will be a year of knowing Him more, and drawing ever nearer to the One who saved me, the Lover of my soul.

Peace and blessings to you this coming new year!

~D~

Fall Fun

Thanksgiving was great, and on Black Friday I went to downtown Claremont with my parents and then to my aunt's house in the San Dimas area.

It was a really great time just hanging out with family and eating pizza and left over pie. I got some really awesome pictures of the beautiful Liquid Amber trees in their yard, too!

~Enjoy~

Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving! Now, on to Christmas! :D

Home on the Range

So I've actually gotten to stay at home for the whole month of November! I think it is a record! In this month I did have to commute to downtown San Diego to audit the stores down there, but still got to sleep in my own bed at night. Ahhh, nice.

It is hard to believe that Christmas time is already upon us. At least that's what all the retailers and radio stations would have us to believe! It's not even Thanksgiving yet and we're already hearing Christmas music on the radio.

I think it's necessary that we experience Thanksgiving before Christmas - from a purely secular/material perspective (yet for spiritual motives), it is vital that we have a season where we realize all that God has given us and pause to give THANKS for it before Christmas - The holiday where we GET, GET, GET.

Like I said, this is a material perspective, for Christmas isn't really at all about getting material things... It's a day to celebrate the Savior come in human flesh. But even that is "getting" - For we did not earn His coming to save us... Rather, we earned His wrath and judgment. But He freely and unprovoked GAVE to us, that all who would receive Him would be saved...

Just some thoughts for the evening! Merry... Thanksgiving!

The Power and Beauty of Music

I've been Pondering the oddity of Music... It is such a beautiful and powerful thing. How is it that it has the ability to stir us to action, to bring us to tears, to encourage and strengthen us, to remind us of things since forgotten? How can notes, stacked upon each other, and rhythms... How can these be so absolutely life changing as they are?

I think myself strange - I am a musician, but don't often find myself listening to music. I shrug my shoulders as I watch my friends totally absorbed by the music world - iPods in their ears, or radio blaring non-stop... Yet me? I rarely find myself moved to delve with such immensity into the seas of sound.

But when I do... Then I am reminded of the beauty, awesomeness and power of music. And I wonder... Why do I run from it? Why do I hide? I know I am sounding... poetic and weird (it's the music!)... But it just baffles me why I avoid something I enjoy so much. Maybe there's some kind of subconscious psychological reason... Or maybe it's because I don't get the radio station I like at my house and I'm too lazy to get up and change CDs all the time, and don't like headphones on all the time...?

Hmmmm... Maybe I'll never know. But I am hoping that I don't soon forget how God works to minister so much through the mystery and art of music. :)

Bee Meets Plant

My bug-eating plant (aka Cobra Lily). I put it outside for a bit since there were tons of bugs flying around. A bee landed on it and hung out there for a REALLY long time. Maybe 10-15 minutes even - Crawling around, sniffing it (or whatever bees do)... But it didn't get eaten. Alas my plant remains hungry :'(

Boredom is the Canvas of Creativity

So I have been feeling a bit bored lately, like I am stuck in a rut of routine and dreary same-ness. Same house, same food, same stores, same people... Same ol' same ol'.

I know that sounds odd coming from a person who travels to a different state every other week or so, but even that can become routine! Especially when you are now visiting places you've already been (which is the norm since I've been at this job for our full 2 year audit rotation now).

What is a girl to do? Travel the world? Too expensive and no accomplice. Buy new clothes? Been there, done that. Branch out and try new foods? I've got a cupboard full of'em.

What I decided on was something I've been toying with for several years. The idea first occurred to me back in high school, or right after. But I never had the guts to do it. Too risky, too different. What if it didn't work out? What would I do then? I kept putting it off.

Well, as "necessity is the mother of invention," so too must boredom be the canvas of creativity. It is the soil upon which my daring feat finally took root. And so I present to you, the general viewing public (i.e. my few relatives who actually read my blog), the product of my yearning for change:

Adventures in Business Travel...

So Wednesday I was on a conference call at work, and it was decided that I should fly out to one of our locations to conduct an independent investigation of a situation which had occurred recently. I was supposed to just go and do a couple simple tasks. I'd never done something like this before, but aside from the nervousness of a new task it seemed pretty self-explanatory and easy.

I drove to the airport and got to my gate just around boarding time. Yay for no long waits at the gate! When I got on the plane I ended up sitting next to this couple who were very personable and chatty. It was a nice change since I like to talk and usually get stuck next to people who have their head in a magazine. We ended up talking the entire flight, and even on the way out of the plane. Then they gave me their card w/address and phone number (odd!) and asked if I had a phone number or email address. I gave them an email address... I'm not too comfortable giving my phone number to strangers! Even though I did talk to them the whole flight...

So when I got to my destination I was greeted by

one of the higher level managers, who informed me that the location manager had just resigned without notice the evening before we arrived. .......... Long pause. Wow. This just opened up a whole can of worms and gave us a HUGE pile of things to do for which we had not budgeted time!

Obviously I cannot give you the details, but basically everything could possibly go wrong DID go wrong, and it was a difficult and exhausting 11-12 hour work day. My colleague did not even get to eat dinner before we left for our hotels that night. I got my dinner to go, and ate it around 11pm! Then it was up, up, up early the next morning to finish what we could before we both had to fly home. It was absolutely insane.

Phone calls every other minute providing updates, phone calls to my fellow auditor for assistance, phone calls to this company and that company... It all ended with a pat on the back from my boss and a "you deserve the weekend off!" from my coworker. It was a great learning experience, but very, very tough!

And now I am home, for the meantime, until I fly out again on Monday to go do an audit! Craziness I tell you, craziness. If you only knew... :) But God was SO gracious to get me through it, and to give me a bit of mercy the 2nd day as 2 things actually worked out right (the rest still went wrong haha). He is awesome! And now, I am definitely ready for bed. Amen! And goodnight! ~D~

New Endeavors

I am really enjoying photography as of late. I have always enjoyed it, but the better I get at it, the more I enjoy it! (Makes sense, no?) Some of my photos are pretty good. Others are on their way, but need a little bit of help.

So I was thinking that it would be awesome to take a photography class, or read a book or something to help me improve my skills. And someday (hopefully in the not-too-distant future) I would like to get a better camera - I have my sights set on an SLR (no particular model yet), but would also like to get this Panasonic Lumix camera... That little thing is aMAZing!

There might be better models by the time I can afford it, so I will check out what's out there... But while on vacation with my dad I had "camera envy"... I told him at one point (jokingly), "Okay, stop showing me your pictures! It just makes me hate my camera!" All his pictures came out awesomely clear and pristine and just perfectly amazing. In a small compact camera.

My 2nd cousin (who does photography as a hobby) says that's the portable camera the pros carry in their back pocket when not using an SLR, and that many photos displayed in shows were taken on those little cameras - That the processor is just amazingly good and professional quality. So whereas it would be nice to have an SLR, it would be great to have a nice little portable camera for those "spur of the moment" photo opportunities.

Ah, dreams dreams. But with what I have, I think I will start printing and framing, maybe make a calendar or put some mats on them and sell them on the side for some extra money, for gifts, for whatever. And I've started hanging some inside my own house. It's fun! It's like free art! ;)

CDs, Fans and Music Galore

Inspired by my friend Sonora (landlord's daughter, not my cousin's daughter for those confused family members reading this post), I decided to create a Facebook fan page for my music. I had already put a "tab" on my personal profile page with some of my music and pictures, info, etc. but this will allow people who aren't my friends on Facebook to check out my music and become a fan.

I also recently created a CD containing several of my songs which I recorded using a sweet little digital recorder I received for Christmas a couple years ago. It is the most handy little gadget! I entitled it, "Acoustic Demo Album", though it contains some 14 songs. I suppose demos typically have less, but due to the recording quality I wanted it to be clear it was a demo and not full production.

After getting my new Macbook Pro set up, I was determined to make some better recordings. However, this process was hindered when my mic interface was discovered to only work via cardbus... The unit itself connects to the cardbus adapter via firewire cable, and my Macbook has a firewire cable... But the company specifically instructed me that the unit will in no way work (and may even be damaged) if connected only via firewire cable.

So I am left without a way to connect my mic to my computer... Still. It works with my old PC laptop, which is slower than a dead snail trapped in a box, but for obvious reasons I don't want to go that route. Plus my recording program on my PC was going haywire last time I used it. Using the internal mic on my laptop is no good either - My piano sounds dreadful (partly because it needs to be tuned).

Back to the drawing board on recording... So for now it is acoustic demo made on digital recorder and the occasional recording done at church. I know it will all work out in God's timing and I'm not in a hurry. I am happy that I have been faithful with what He has given me so far, and know that in His time He will give me more. :)

Until next time... Signing off!

Ponderings for the Day

So my new favorite workout activity is to take my landlord's dog for a walk. It's more about going for a walk/jog than the dog, but she keeps me company and I feel like I have a ferocious beast to protect me should anyone get any strange ideas. (Scary, isn't she? Okay, so she's not... But still...)

I've been excited about the last new song I wrote. It's a jazz style (I don't know what kind of jazz, probably "cheesy jazz" if that's a style since I don't know how to write different genres!).

But it's awesome because I had some crazy song writer's block, and was getting frustrated because I couldn't think of anything that didn't sound like every other song I've written. And amazingly enough, I took it to prayer and the Lord answered my prayer! :D

The Lord is good. When I was in a place of frustration and doubting His love for me, He was faithful to show me my error and remind me of His amazing love. He is great. That's a very small summary of how He has recently blessed me, and doesn't really do it justice, but I'm so blessed I'm just speechless! What can I say? :)

Until next time... Peace out.

Long Time No Blog

So, it's been a while since I've posted a blog. It's set to my home page - It's not as if I have forgotten about it... I just haven't really had much to write about.

Life has been good lately - Though even when it is not we can trust it is all working for good (Romans 8:28). But it's really been good in every sense of the idea. God is stirring up His people at my church, and we are finding ourselves with a new desire to invite others and to pray. The hearts of the people are changing in a good way (including myself!) and I am excited to be a part of it!

I recently got a new Macbook Pro! I have been wanting a Macbook for some time, and was finally able to get one. I chose to go refurbished and saved $300. The only difference between mine and a brand new model was 0.26 GB RAM. Not a problem for me, especially considering my old PC laptop had about 0.00005 GB RAM total. Utterly sloooooow...

Aside from these things, life is still trudging on in its non-routine, routine way. I'm still traveling about the country for work (see the new pictures I posted!) and working from home when not doing that. The allergy/diet thing is still a thorn in the flesh, but it's a relatively minor one compared to some, so I won't complain.

I am totally happy to be spending more time with my dad and step-mom, and look forward to going on vacation with them next month. At last! A summer that means summer! All the kids are always talking about how great summer is (because they're out of school). Where's my summer break? I want 3 months off!

I've also taken up working out with my land lady and a couple other friends when I can. If I can get out of bed and ready for work by 7:30am, I can join in (so you see what I mean by "if I can"!). We are doing various Beach Body workout videos, including the famous P90X. When I "can't" make it for workout I have decided that taking their dog for a walk is a lovely alternative. And much less strenuous!

Well, peace out for now. Perhaps I shall update my blog again before 2011. We'll see. Enjoy the new pictures though! :)

Allergies, medicines, doctors-- Oh my!

So life has been interesting lately, full of events and doctors appointments. I started going to the ENT (Ear Nose & Throat doctor) to try and figure out the cause of my constant sinus problems (~6 yrs) and constant sore voice (~2 yrs). She scoped me and thankfully I did not have damaged vocal chords. *phew* They were however red/irritated. She then ordered an X-ray, which she said "may be indicative of chronic sinusitis" (chronic sinus infections basically). So she ordered a CT scan of my sinuses. That came back clear, no chronic sinusitis-- diagnosis? Allergies. Allergies?? Really?? Non-stop for 6 yrs? I thought those were supposed to be seasonal?
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So she sent me to see an allergist, and on 20 January I went in to have a "skin test" to check for allergies. This test involves several "panels" of plastic pokey prongs. Each prong has at its end several tiny triangular-shaped points, going around the circumference of the prong and inward. The prongs are maybe 2-3 mm in diameter... So very tiny. The points are very sharp-- but just less than an actual needle so they don't break your skin. I think the point (no pun intended) is to press a deep "well" into your skin so that the liquid they are putting on you stays in one place.
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So each panel has about 6-8 prongs, each with a concentrated liquid version of potential allergens at the end (on the points). They took each of 10-12 total panels and pressed it firmly into my back. This was a bit unpleasant to say the least. I then laid there on my stomach for a good 15 minutes. Too bad I didn't bring anything to read!
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The results of this test confirmed my suspicions, but also were rather surprising. I began to suspect (now knowing the problem was an allergic reaction to something) that perhaps I was allergic to dust mites. The little boogers are everywhere! That was confirmed. But surprising was, I am allergic to (count them)-- 9 types of grass, 7 kinds of weeds, 8 kinds of trees, 9 kinds of mold (I feel like I'm singing the 12 days of Christmas here)-- as well as cockroaches, a type of mold mite common in dust, and actual dust mites. The worst allergy of them all was... Dust mites.
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While I was laying there letting my back swell up, a spot on the right side almost instantly started to itch like crazy. After several minutes the nurse came to check on me and I told her. "Oh, that's dust mites," she said. "Greeeeeaaaaaaat....." I replied.
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Modern medicine's answer to most problems is to, of course, prescribe pharmaceuticals. In stride, the allergist prescribed me 2 different nasal sprays (and the ENT had already prescribed another medicine prior to this). One was an antihistamine and the other a corticosteroid (to reduce swelling). He said they work best in conjunction with one another.
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WELL... After a few days I realized that if I took all 3 concurrently, my voice (i.e. throat swelling) dramatically improved. But I also started retaining water like mad. So I stopped taking the one the ENT prescribed. My voice wasn't as good, but I like it when my clothes fit you know. Then after about 2 weeks of using both of these sprays, I started to notice I was really moody and becoming increasingly depressed (and retaining insane amounts of water / getting very fat! Well, 2" worth anyway). The warnings inside the box said to inform my doctor immediately if I experience "suicidal thoughts"... Yeah... So I finally realized that it was the medicine making me depressed (and making me retain water) so I stopped taking it.
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I decided to stop just the antihistamine first since that one I heard causes water retention most. And like magic, the next day I felt way less depressed. And today I am not depressed at all. I felt totally whacko, and it was not fun. It was kind of scary. Yes we'll be sure to communicate this to the allergist next week when I go back...
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Aside from learning I am allergic to planet earth, life has been pretty typical. I haven't traveled much for work other than to Las Vegas for a Sales Manager Conference-- I'm actually home for the first 3 weeks of February doing transaction audits (remote data interrogation) and other various and tedious tasks.
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A NEW thing that is happening-- I am going to be playing a full 30 minute set of my own music at a craft fair held in my church's parking lot on 14 March-- The fair is put on by the 7th Day Adventist church with which we share the building, and they are advertising in local newspapers and on radio stations I was told. Wow, this is my first real "gig" by myself since... Well, I think ever. Aside from an open mic at a coffee shop which wasn't scheduled. So I'm excited (and nervous!) about that! Hopefully my allergies don't kill my voice and I can sing that day!!!
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Well this is now becoming a War & Peace novel so farewell my friends! I will update this again probably in another month or 2... :)