Monthly Archive for November, 2005

Thanksgiving

This is the first time in the past two years that I will not be cooking a Thanksgiving feast and having friends over for dinner. I’m somewhat sad about that fact, but also glad because there is no rush for me to find the top of my dining room table underneath all the piles! I am sad because cooking this meal and having friends over is/was a tradition I was creating for myself. Creating a happy place and day where I can be thankful for all that I have been given in my life and all that continues to be brought to me. I can do this other places, but there is something about cooking for 10 people that feeds me a sense of gratitude that I am able to perform those tasks and share laughter with and feed my friends.

I am having dinner at Stephanie’s. Eric’s parents are coming down so we will all eat together. I am making three pies to bring over there. An apple, a regular pumpkin and a maple pumpkin. Steph loves my pumpkin pie so I don’t want to switch it up on her without notice, so I’ll bring two. I’m baking an apple or a pecan and a pumpkin for Michael and then two more to bring to C.T.’s later in the day for dessert.

I think about where I was last Thanksgiving and wonder why life has not gotten any less crazy? Why am I in the exact same spot? Why haven’t I taken the time to slow down like I said I would? Why haven’t I taken the time to pay attention to the things which are important to me? Why have I acted the way I have with a particular person? I hope, starting soon (now that things have finally slown down :-)) To really begin to take the time to pay attention to what is important to me and not what everyone else wants to do. Going everywhere and doing everything is fun, but it really hasn’t been working for me lately. Time to take inventory and redirect some energy.

just one more!

handwriting analysis. Stephanie and Eric and I got into a conversation about handwriting the day after the wedding. Steph followed her curiosity and found a free webpage to analyze handwriting. We both took the test. here are my results:

******* The Analysis Starts Here *******

Marcy has a healthy imagination and displays a fair amount of trust. She lets new people into her circle of friends. She uses her imagination to understand new ideas, things, and people.

Marcy is sarcastic. This is a defense mechanism designed to protect her ego when she feels hurt. She pokes people harder than she gets poked. These sarcastic remarks can be very funny. They can also be harsh, bitter, and caustic at the same time.

Marcy is a practical person whose goals are planned, practical, and down to earth.� This is typical of people with normal healthy self-esteem. She needs to visualize the end of a project before she starts.� she finds joy in anticipation and planning.� Notice that I said she plans everything she is going to do, that doesn’t necessarily mean things go as planned.� Marcy basically feels good about herself.� She has a positive self-esteem which contributes to her success.� She feels she has the ability to achieve anything she sets her mind to.� However, she sets her goals using practicality– not too “out of reach”.� She has enough self-confidence to leave a bad situation, yet, she will not take great risks, as they relate to her goals.� A good esteem is one key to a happy life.� Although there is room for improvement in the confidence catagery, her self-perception is better than average.

In reference to Marcy’s mental abilities, she has a very investigating and creating mind. She investigates projects rapidly because she is curious about many things. She gets involved in many projects that seem good at the beginning, but she soon must slow down and look at all the angles. She probably gets too many things going at once. When Marcy slows down, then she becomes more creative than before. Since it takes time to be creative, she must slow down to do it. She then decides what projects she has time to finish. Thus she finishes at a slower pace than when she started the project. She has the best of two kinds of minds. One is the quick investigating mind. The other is the creative mind. Her mind thinks quick and rapidly in the investigative mode. She can learn quicker, investigate more, and think faster. Marcy can then switch into her low gear. When she is in the slower mode, she can be creative, remember longer and stack facts in a logical manner. She is more logical this way and can climb mental mountains with a much better grip.

Marcy will be candid and direct when expressing her opinion. She will tell them what she thinks if they ask for it, whether they like it or not. So, if they don’t really want her opinion, don’t ask for it!

When Marcy expresses an opinion on a issue she will stick to that opinion, and probably will not change her mind. In other words… Marcy is stubborn. When she is wrong about something that she has decided upon, she will have trouble admitting she is wrong. Changing Marcy’s mind can be very difficult. Once Marcy makes up her mind, she doesn’t want to be confused with the facts!

Marcy is moderately outgoing. Her emotions are stirred by sympathy and heart rendering stories. In fact, she can be kind, friendly, affectionate and considerate of others. She has the ability to put herself into the other person’s shoes. Marcy will be somewhat moody, with highs and lows. Sometimes she will be happy, the next day she might be sad. She has the unique ability to get along equally well with what psychology calls introverts and extroverts. This is because she is in between. Psychology calls Marcy an ambivert. She understands the needs of both types. Although they get along, she will not tolerate anyone that is too “far out.” She doesn’t sway too far one way or the other. When convincing her to buy a product or an idea, a heart rendering story could mean a great deal to her. She puts herself in the same situation as the person in the story, yet she will not buy anything that seems overly impractical or illogical. Marcy is an expressive person. She outwardly shows her emotions. She may even show traces of tears when hearing a sad story. Marcy is a “middle-of-the-roader,” politically as well as logically. She weighs both sides of an issue, sits on the fence, and then will decide when she finally has to. She basically doesn’t relate to any far out ideas and usually won’t go to the extreme on any issue.

People that write their letters in an average height and average size are moderate in their ability to interact socially.� According to the data input, Marcy doesn’t write too large or too small, indicating a balanced ability to be social and interact with others.

A little about me…

I love quizzes that try to analyze me…here are a bunch:

How You Life Your Life

You are honest and direct. You tell it like it is.
You tend to avoid confrontation and stay away from sticky situations.
You prefer a variety of friends and tend to change friends quickly.
You tend to dream big, but you worry that your dreams aren’t attainable.

I’m apparently not very observant:

Your Observation Skills Get A C+

You tend to notice the big things in life…
But the details aren’t exactly your forte
Your Ideal Relationship is Serious Dating

You’re not ready to go walking down the aisle.
But you may be ready in a couple of years.
You prefer to date one on one, with a commitment.
And while chemistry is important, so is compatibility.

I was hoping for this result:

You Are a Margarita

You aren’t just the life of the party, you are the party!
You mix a good drink, bust out some great music, and know how to get down.

ouch:

Your Animal Personality

Your Power Animal: Deer

Animal You Were in a Past Life: Panda

You are a fun-seeker - an adventurous, risk-taker.
While you are spontaneous, you are not very rational.

Last one for now. I have to cut myself off, this could go on forever!

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

In love, you feel the most alive when your partner is patient and never willing to give up on you.

You’d like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was ruthless, cold-blooded, and sarcastic.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future… one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage pessimistically. You don’t think happy marriages exist anymore.

In this moment, you think of love as commitment. Love only works when both people are totally devoted.

My week away

It was the last week of many in which I have not been home. I’m both sad and happy that the week is done. I spent the week with the Synergy program sponsored by the Illinois State Library where 30 librarians from across the state gathered to learn about leadership. It was a great week, I learned so much, our facilitators were great as usual and it’s always good to sit around with a bunch of other librarians and talk shop. I don’t get to do that very often.

I’m tired right now so I’ll write more later…Shelli and Olivia might come for Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to that…

Shopping and Work

Drove to Iowa City this weekend to do some major Christmas shopping. Went with three friends, stayed overnight, ate out, and shopped all day long. Sometimes it is frustrating to have to drive two hours or more just to go shopping. I miss the quick 20 minute drive to the KOP mall. I also miss the KOP mall!!!

I’m away yet again this week. It’s been a terribly busy semester with all of the travel I’ve done. California, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Quad Cities, and now Lisle. I’m contemplating spending Thanksgiving in Florida with my sister. Do I want to drive 15 hours for a long weekend? It remains to be seen. I’d love to get away and go someplace just to relax, and someplace warm too! But I think I will miss the days of cooking for Thanksgiving…that has become MY tradition and a tradition I really enjoy. I don’t know when I’ll decide.

I’m leaving this afternoon to head to Lisle, Illinois to participate in the last session of a year long leadership development program sponsored by the Illinois State Library. It’s been an incredibly positive experience for me and has helped me be a better worker, thinker and boss (i hope!) . These sessions coupled with the experience I’ve had with James (my boss) have really made a difference in my confidence level over the past three years. I am sad that James has to leave because I feel like I still have so much to learn and I will miss the debriefing sessions we have after meetings. I can only hope an appropriate job opens in Alaska! Yes, I’d take it. Simply for the experience of living there. I’m hoping next summer to drive up and visit James and Lori, but that is certainly for another post.

Well, back to work and to try to track Michael down to see if he wants to have coffee before I leave.