Free to be ME (original) (raw)

July 29th, 2020, 01:58 pm

(no subject)

Wow, it's been a while since I posted anything here. I kinda forgot LJ existed, LOL

So, let me give you an update on a few things that have gone on the last couple months:

Started taking MMA Training at my church (yes, Mixed Martial Arts training...at my church). It's part of our new sports ministry and I wasn't sure how serious this class would be but it is SERIOUS, lol. There are 5 instructors, all who have black belts in various disciplines. I was the only girl in the class until I got a girlfriend to join. I have the opportunity to actually rank (earn belts). The instructors don't get paid. They're going it for free. The classes are 25amonthbutthemoneygoestothechurch.Eventhebelttestingwillbefree(it′susually25 a month but the money goes to the church. Even the belt testing will be free (it's usually 25amonthbutthemoneygoestothechurch.Eventhebelttestingwillbefree(it′susually200-$400 at martial art studios). And let me tell you something, a lot of the guys in this class are really really good looking, LOL. Some go to my church and some don't. I must say, it's really odd grappling with one of my church leaders, LOL. I feel less weird with the guys who aren't in my church. I mean, I see some of these guys on Sunday and then Monday nights I am sparring and grappling with them, lol.

My first day in class I learned to put a man in a choke hold on the ground, hehe and then my instructor put me in a choke hold to show me how it feels. Um...it was more fun putting him in the choke hold, LOL. We don't bow to each other. We only bow to the cross and have a word of prayer at the start and end of class. And we don't call the instructors Master because our only master is Jesus Christ. :) So awesome to be doing this will a fellowship of Christian believers.

On my first day I was also showing the Yak Bush...it's a bush ouside one of the doors that you can puke in if need be, LOL. I have come close to wanting to, haha. I was told "We treat the ladies just like the men so if you have to puke, you gotta use the bush. No running to the bathroom" LOL

I am still in kickboxing but am slowly removing myself from the class. I love it but it's so expensive (over $300 every 3-4 months) and MMA training is cheaper and the classes are longer. I actually get more out of MMA. Kickboxing is more cardio but MMA has taught me a lot of self defense techniques. Plus, since they focus on technique, I have learned a lot more in just 4 classes so far than I have in 2 years of kickboxing. I used to hate doing roundhouse kicks in kickboxing, but on y first day at MMA I was shown what I was doing wrong...now it's my favorite kick. :) I even bought myself a punching bag to practice with. :) MMA is ten times harder, but it's still more fun than just kickboxing. its an amazing workout. Even the instructors are drenched in sweat after the first 10 min. I actually look forward to Mondays because of MMA whereas getting myself to Kickboxing is like pulling teeth now, LOL

Went on another mission trip last month where I helped build a cabin on a ranch. I used a power saw and came back with all my fingers! Woohoo!!!

I signed up again for the Pittsburgh Ruckus in 2013, but I also signed up to do Mud on the Mountain in May....7 miles, 21 obstacles...all in the mud. Oh boy! Earlier this month I did the Pittsburgh Polar Plunge. Jumped in the Allegheny Rver, all to help raise money for Special Olympics. :) I am probably going to join the Y in January. I am waiting because in January they usually have New Years specials where they wave the joining fee.

Saw some great movies...Hunger Games, Lincoln, The Hobbit :)

Still single...but there is a really cute guy in my MMA class (one that is actually not married) and he goes to my church. I've seen him around in church and then he showed up to MMA. I was like, "Whoa..." LOL. You come to class when you can so you don't always see the same people every week but I hope he shows up again. I wouldn't mind grappling with him, LMAO

I have also begun running lights during some church services and have joined the remodeling team (we're going to remodel the church)

I have gotten hooked in 3 new shows: Walking Dead, Grimm, and Person of Interest. Don't watch a lot of TV anymore but now I am hooked on those shows. :)

Saw STOMP with 13 co-workers....LOVED IT.

So all in all, that's my life in a nutshell. :)

March 6th, 2012, 07:36 am

Writer's Block: Say What?

Say What?

What is the weirdest question you’ve ever been asked?

Did you ever leave the house growing up?

....this in response to hearing I was homeschooled. I used to jokingly say "Sure...whenever my parents let me out of the basement" until I started getting scary looks that told me, "these folks don't understand sarcasm" LOL

February 12th, 2012, 07:13 am

Writer's Block: Grammy Awards

November 14th, 2011, 06:33 pm

(no subject)

If there is a midnight showing, I AM SO THERE

I feel about the Hunger Games the way fans feel about Harry Potter.

Go find your district: http://www.thecapitol.pn (I am in District 1 - Luxury...woot!)

August 19th, 2011, 06:36 pm

(no subject)

Just got back from an amazing sermon on singleness. It was so encouraging to hear such an uplifting sermon that encourages us singles to find contentment with Jesus rather than running around trying to find a relationship. I don't think many churches do sermons on singleness these days.

My pastor spoke about how he began to wonder, as he was preparing his message, whether or not this was even a good idea because he's been married to the same woman since he was 19 and they dated 2 years previously, so he's never experienced the single life. But then he said he realized, "I've never been to Heaven, but I preach on that. I preach about sins I've never committed." He wanted to do a series on relationships and said he wanted to have a sermon target each group including singles, married people, and those who have been divorced and widowed.

On his Facebook page he occasionally asks for help with his upcoming message and this week he asked all of those who are single, "What is the one thing you would like to tell married people." He read a few out loud, including mine, in which I basically said that God can use singles in mighty ways and I get frustrated at people who think singles are selfish or just too picky.

I loved hearing what others had told him. It was comforting to know that I'm not the only one who has been frustrated by people trying to set you up without asking you first, by people who think you must be lonely and miserable if you're single, those who think you aren't complete until you find someone, etc. The best response to his question was by one single lady who said she would like to tell married people, "Stop Helping!" LMAO

He talked about how from the time girls are little they are encouraged to get married. When you're a child and in a wedding people tell you what a beautiful bride you'll make one day, then you get into Barbie & Ken and their dream house, then you get into college and you have one friend after another knocking on your door to show you the new ring on their finger and while you try to be happy for them, you secretly wonder, "when is it my turn?" I couldn't help but think my pastor understands this issue more than he realizes, although he did say he did a lot of studying about it and talking with a lot of singles about their experiences.

He said that the gift of singleness is the one gift nobody wants and he said that there are 2 ways to tell if this might be your gift:

1. You are content being single
2. Marriage is a nice idea rather than a driving goal

That's when it hit me, that singleness might be my gift. O_O - I wasn't exactly thrilled at that idea. But those 2 things do describe me. I would like to be married one day, but I'm not sure I have felt like marriage has ever been a goal of mine. That could be the one reason I don't really date. I feel like at my age, I shouldn't date anyone unless I can see myself marrying them, and I have yet to meet any guy like that. I was really moved by the one email he read by a lady who decided a couple years ago that she needed to fall in love with Jesus and not worry about falling in love with a guy. She really needed to work on that relationship first because that's the relationship that truly matters and while this wasn't an epiphany she really wanted to have, she is now more content and happy than she ever was before.

I also love the 6 keys to being successfully single (which I didn't realize spelled out single until he said so, lol):

Stay positive: He says he knows one single lady who has a great sense of humor. She once told him, "I used to compare myself to the garbage...until I realized even the garbage gets taken out once in a while." - LOL - He also read from Philippians 4:8 which says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Iinitiate relationships. He talked about how singles say they aren't included when married couples go out to eat after church or have get togethers, but what are you doing about it? Treat people the way you want to be treated by asking them to go out to eat or inviting them over to your house. Get involved in small group studies so you can get to know different people. Do things in which you can make new friendships.

No settling. Here he spoke about people who lower their standards in order to snag a guy or get married.

Grow Personally - learn a language, join a gym, learn karate, travel, do something you have always wanted to try. Better yourself.

Live Now. - Your life does not begin the day you get married. God wants you to have an abundant life, even as a single. In fact, the Bible says that marriage comes with all kinds of troubles. Don't think that once you get married, then you'll be fulfilled and then you'll be able to follow your dreams. Do that now. Don't wait.

Experience significance. He took the time to say to us "You may not feel significant by other people or by married couples, you might feel insignificant at work, but you're significant to me and to this church. But more importantly, you are significant to God. He saves you, he loves you, and he has adopted you into his family." He encouraged us to embrace our significance to God.

This was a message I needed to hear and once it's posted on our website I plan on downloading it and listening to it whenever I need a pick me up. :)

February 15th, 2011, 05:40 pm

(no subject)

So some of my co-workers went to NYC on Saturday. I was supposed to go to but didn't at the last minute because I wanted to save the money.

Anyway, they were on the subway when suddenly SWAT teams were everywhere and nobody was allowed to leave the subway.

In case you hadn't heard, there was a NYC slasher arrested over the weekend for killing a couple people and then going around NYC randomly slashing people.

Yeah, the guy was totally on the subway my co-workers were on (and I would have been with them) and the police had to chase him through the tunnel.

I've been to NYC 6 times and the one time I don't go, I miss all the excitement, LOL

January 22nd, 2011, 08:08 pm

Week in Review

Here is how my week has gone.

MONDAY:
Martin Luther King Jr holiday. No OT was offered at work so this was my first real holiday break from work. Nice. Very nice. :) However, word came that it was going to be icy the next day. I live on a dirt road so I drove my car down and parked at the bottom so I could get to work the next day. Good call on my part.

TUESDAY:
My road was a complete sheet of ice. Should take me 5 minutes to walk down...it took be a half hour, maybe more. The real excitement came when I lost my footing and fell flat on my back on the ice, in the dark, at 5:30am. Just like the movies...my feet went one way and my body the other. My purse flew out of my hand and my cell phone flew out of my purse. The road was so icy that when both hit the ground, they just kept going. I am laying on my back on a slab of ice thinking, "Please stop, please stop, I don't want to have to find you in the dark" LOL. I sat up and the road was so bad that every time I tried to crawl to the side where there was snow (i.e. traction), I would just glide downhill. I literally slid on my butt for most of the ride down my hill and yes, I found my phone and purse, PTL. Some people would up and quit and turn around to go home and just call off. Not me! I was scared at the thought of turning around and trying to go home because that would mean going UPhill on ice. Yikes!

I didn't hit my head, PTL, but the back of my arms began throbbing later in the day (I'm thinking when I fell, my arms hit first, protecting back back/head because my back didn't hurt as much). I should invest in a sled. I had one at one time and yes, I once did use it to get down my hill, lol

WEDNESDAY:
Walked down the road again. Not as bad this time. A lot of the ice was melted. But I skipped kickboxing all week because I felt like a punching bag, lol. Bought my Motrin though so I was good to go.

THURSDAY
Heard a big snow was on the way Friday and not wanting to walk downhill or uphill in that, I drove up my road. Most of the ice was gone at this point so that was good. And a good call on my part to because...

FRIDAY
It snowed badly Thursday night (thankfully Bible study was can canceled...not that I would have gone anyway) and the next day I spent a half hour cleaning off my car and removing tons of ice. If I would have had to walk down my road and then do that, it would have taken forever and I wold have frozen to death. I cleaned off the car and then to melt the ice I let my car run while I sat in my warm house.

However, I then had to leave for work. I work 15 min from home. The roads at 6am were so completely crappy that it took me 50 min to get to work! Of course my job couldn't give us a delay of any kind. The building would be on fire and they'd be like "A little smoke never hurt anyone, come on in anyway!" LOL Do you know how much it stinks to be at work and get blasted with emails from the other company offices around the country saying "so-and-so is closing or having a delay due to inclement weather"? I bet some of those places got an inch of snow and freaked out. Not in Pittsburgh though, lol. So many people at work had a hard time getting there on time because of the weather and a few folks ran into car accidents along the way which made them even more late. Supposedly another big snow is on the way and we all pretty much decided that if it snows like that again, we're calling off. Our lives are a bit more important. Those of us who can work from home should be able to when the weather gets bad. It's better than having an employee call off, right?!!!

Did my taxes and found out that I OWE the federal government money! This is the first time that has EVER happened! This is what happens when you have a job and make decent money, LOL. But it's all good because at least I can afford to pay the money I owe. Life could be worse. And it was payday so I put some more toward my credit cards, got some grocery shopping done, and paid some other bills. :)

SATURDAY
I refused to sign up for overtime this weekend. My first weekend in MONTHS in which I didn't work. I got up at 6am though and went to get my laundry done. I was running out of socks and my bedding needed done, and with this new snowstorm supposedly on the way, I wanted my socks and warm PJs to get done. Then I went and got my hair cut which I desperately needed, came home, watched some TV, cleaned the kitchen and then took a 4 hour nap. Sooo nice to finally have a Saturday off and be able to nap! Today is when I began to feel 100 percent. No more aches from my fall.

What a week.

January 7th, 2011, 09:02 am

:(

Just found out one of the librarians where I worked passed away on the 5th. She was only 49. :( Her daughter occasionally worked at the library too on her breaks from school. She's only 19 years old and just started college last year.

I'm just kinda stunned. Probably shouldn't be because when I worked there she was gone for a while because she had a minor heart attack, but still...

This is the poor woman who had to take a week off to plan her father's funeral and after she came back, her father-in-law committed suicide and she had to take another week off to plan that funeral.

One of THE nicest ladies at Sewickley Library and one of my favorite people to work with. She was the DVD lady so she ordered all the movies and it was a lot of fun to talk to her and her daughter about certain movies and TV shows.

I knew someone had died because of the way two former co-workers were talking on each others Facebook walls but they didn't mention any names. Then I saw the obit today.