If real straight men filled their girlfriends' apartments with a million twinkling votive candles as often as fictional ones do, three large American cities would burn to the ground every weekend.

iLive idisturb

So low and behold I got a fun toy to play with for Christmas, okay, an electronic stereo, called ILive. It's complete with an ipod hookup, cd player, and radio. Great portable size too, as I plan on moving a couple more times. Good thinking there Oma and Opa. (this also may be a subtle hint they are thinking i'll be moving back into the chicagoland area...)

Well I hooked it up the other night, and finally was able to set it up so that it would be able to wake me up to my requested song on my nano ipod. Presto! This morning it worked, accept the volume managed to keep increasing. Was it an evil trick that the ilive people tried to play on me to get up? Or was it a way that I could disturb the neighbors while they were sleeping. As I began to get ready, and jammed out, I heard a knocking. Making sure I was decent, I glanced myself over quickly in the mirror, and ran to the door in my new red silk pajamas. (i must add these are the cat's meow) Looking through the peephole I was pleasently surprised to see that no one was there, only their small dog, Rocko. I didn't feel bad, the dog definately disturbs the peace more then my iLive. So I went back to ringing in my new day with some dancing in the bathroom.

Betz Family Christmas

Emily has celebrated yet another Betz traditional family Christmas Eve... the nativity story, the old hymns, the carols, santa claus and his bells, the performances, the love of family.

Of course our Christmas is always complete with humour. They decided to take our Aunts christmas gifts and try em' on! (funny aprons!) A family that laughs together sticks together!

Performing...see where I get it from?

Pose in that snowmobile helmet Uncle Mark! See where I get it from?

Notice, I had a bit of a height restriction...managed to work half a smile in.

In conclusion, Christmas is about remembering that peace and love, and carrying it with you for the rest of the year.

Merry Christmas!

Hummer Limo. 16 Family Members.

So last night our aunts and uncles and mom surprised the whole clan (seen below = 16) with a stretched hummer limo! How fun! We took it downtown to a Christmas musical complete with champagne and holiday music. I'll tell more later, but for now let these pictures tell the story! (of course i stuck out my head and said Merry Christmas to all who passed by!)

The sisters

M having a good time'

My Oma and Opa and I. They are the most wonderdul grandparents ever.

Mum and Aunty and Uncle! Festive festive.

Christmas Cheer!

A festive night of dinner and dancing at the LA holiday party! (complete w/ a singing boss and all)!

Here's the dancing part! Note my boss is in the background cheering on.

Insight.

I've been called a goodie goodie. I like to wear plaid skirts w/little sweaters, always write in books,& have a good wingspan. I've taught English and my superhero power is my flexibility.When I swear people usually laugh or go into shock. I've been smiling since 1983 and have been known to pull good clean jokes.I always drink hot tea in the morning, and enjoy a walk after dinner. I'm a fan of the outdoors, hard work, and wear my hair w/ a natural curl. I like surprises and tend to blush when my heart beats fast. I love the Lord, and dance in the kitchen. My strongest muscle is probably my heart. For real style.

Christmas Countdown!

Suavemente` Bessame

Fun is fun: Authors Invited to my 25th Birthday

Reading my dog-earred pages and highlighted passages, complete with chicken scratch, it's been decided who I would invite to my luncheon on the occasion of my 25th birthday....because we all need to have fun once in awhile.

C.S. Lewis - he would bring his world famous logic. We'd discuss a few of the insatiable thirsts I have, and come to the conclusion that it simply means that I was made for another world. Heaven itself.
"A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such as a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world...Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it...
C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)"

Emerson (and other transcendentalists) - we'd talk about dynamic growth. Calculate how to best destroy my cell phone, and get dimensions on the log cabin I want to build in the mountains one day.
“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.”Emerson

Robert Burns - He will recite "Oh my love is like a red, red rose" as a toast' followed by "Brown Penny" by Yeats. I love men who know how to love and mean it. It takes a stronger man to do that then anything else.

Harper Lee - because I want to defend all things noble, just and good. when i was little i wanted to grow up to be atticus finch. She'd get the princess w/ an edge thing.
"If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

Roald Dahl - because we could joke like jokesters do. He'd buy trick candles, and they wouldn't go out unless I used a fire extinguisher! I'd be sure to be getting younger.
“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”

To be continued...just remember you have a whole two years to plan for this event. What would your additions be?!

Snow Angels

You are not even aware of those whose lives you have touched, or how you have touched them...

To those who have been with me through the past year...

Lately I've been filled with such a joy and gratitude towards life. It's a light in my eyes, peace in my heart, and gentle kindness I want to share.

Tonight I simply say...

Thank you.

Gotta Love a Jokester!

Happy Tuesday!

Winter

I've decided there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

Sweet Dreams

At night they would fall asleep
holding hands
...and God only knew
that side by side
they were quietly
praying
...for the
same things.

Chevy Case Study: Consumer Generated Ads

Wired Magazine just featured an article on Chevy's most recent experiement. Chevy ran a contest for consumers to create YouTube video's for its Tahoe. Running for 4 weeks, it attracted over 30,000 folks. Of course ads created by the public both praised and put down the SUV. Interesting enough Chevy decided not to take down any video's that critiqued the vehicle for "gas guzzling" "global warming," etc. Instead it was a free for all. They felt it they censored the ads that they'd actually lose greater credibillity. Check out the article and a few of the ads here.

What's funny is the idea that you can sell a product by sitting back and letting the consumer put their own spin on it.

Beauty: A Woman of God.

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewlry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit" 1 Peter 3:3-4

This verse is truly wonderful, and serves as a reminder of what true beauty is The type of woman I work at being everyday. - Peter doesn't mean that beautiful women rarely speak above a whisper, if they speak at all. No. To have a gentle and quiet spirit is to have a heart of faith, a heart that trusts God, a spirit that has been quieted by love and filled with his peace. Not a heart that is striving and restless.

A woman of true beauty is a woman who in th depths of her soul is at rest, trusting God because she has come to to know herself and God in her. She exudes a sense of calm, a sense of rest, and invites those around her to rest as well. She speaks comfort; she knows that we live in a world at war, and that the journey may be in a broken world. But she also knows that because of faith, that all will be well. A woman of true beauty offers the grace to be and the room to become. In her presence, you can release the tension and pressure that so often grips your heart. Real beauty breathes the truth of faith, hope, and love.

And I offer what beauty I have that the world might come alive, be healed, know God. That is love.

Calvin and Hobbes on Ideas

For those of you taking finals, pause and reflect, and enjoy!;)

Game of Chess. A Choice You Make.

Approach.

Approaching life people often use the metaphor of a game of chess. What are you? A piece, the player, the board? If asked when I was younger, I would have probably pointed to one of the pieces, maybe the royal knight or a humble pawn. As a piece your job is straight forward and to achieve an objective; do well for your team and conquer an enemy and you've won. Othertimes in the past I'm sure I've been the person behind the piece, the mastermind, the personal controlling movements in my force field.

But now, and with practice, I've realized I actually define myself as the board itself. I use the board to show that I frame how I deal and see life around me.

The purpose of naming myself as the board, or for defining how life occurs to me is to give myself the power to tranform each experience or unwanted condition into one that I choose to live. Again, I have the power to change the experience, not necessarily the condition. But by transforming the experience and how I see it, as a result changes occur.

Either/Or Philosophy-Kierkeggard

If I were to wish for anything I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of what can be, for the eye, which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating as possibility?

- Soren Kierkegaard, Either/Or

* He was one of the first existentialists. Like his role models, Socrates and Christ, he sought to examine how one lives one's life as the primary criteria for truth. When I organize my bookshelf I tend to get caught up in reading over my underlined notes in my books - and yes apparently all my books, even my philosophy. Hey, we all need a good Kierkegaard quote once in awhile...

Perspective - The Starfish Analogy.

Because lately I've been thinking a lot about perspective, contribution, and energy...maybe my little story helps to sometimes explain our assumptions we have about what makes sense to one and how it looks totally different to another. We must constantly be open to seeing and communicating, and humble enough to learn from one another-

Strolling along the edge of the sea, a man catches sight of a young woman who appears to be engaged in a ritual dance. She stoops down, then straightens to her full height, casting her arm out in an arc. Drawing closer, he sees that the beach around her is littered with starfish, and she is throwing them one by one into the sea. He lightly mocks her: "There are stranded starfish as far as the eye can see, for miles up the beach. What difference can saving a few of them possibly make?" Smiling, she bends down and once more tosses a starfish out over the water, saying serenely, "It certainly makes a difference to this one."

What did you learn from another today? Were you humble enough to cast away what you see as right?

One of many blessings: Hugs that engulf you!

A Year

A year in review. I'm celebrating a couple of big year anniversaries for myself within the next month here.

1. Year review at work
2. Year older
3. Year dating the boy
4. Year ahead

The year review at work went very well and really confirmed the decision I had made last year to move down here. My mentor and I discussed many different elements of my professional/academic performance over the last few months and then set some developmental goals/progress that we are going to review three months from now.
Positives: "Sponge factor" easily coachable, exponential growth potential! observes and gets it
Diplomatic, tactful, and displays leadership qualities "manage up"
Attention to detail now matches "big picture" skill

Developmental Goals:
Continue growing into a leadership role in the organization by encouraging peers to develop their attitude and teambuilding skills
Continue to improve on details in program development

More on the other year factors later!

His Dog is on MySpace

We all love dogs. I love dogs. I plan on getting one as soon as I get myself a bit more settled. But this post isn't about my dog - it's about dogs on MySpace. Recently one of my co-workers launched a myspace page for his dog. While he won't ever put his name on my space, he started one for his dog, where she keeps a blog and will be posting videos, etc. Kaela must be a smart dog to be able to write so well. Read the blog, it's a great laugh for Friday morning.

What's next?? Enjoy!