9 to 5

Part of the reason I sought out higher education was so that I could have a regular, 9 to 5 job, fully loaded with benefits, vacation, paid holidays…not to mention it could serve as a vehicle to support my passion for the underserved and underprivileged members of society. The idea of working 5 days a week was also extremely appealing to me. I wanted weekends and I wanted them to be MY weekends. Saturday for errands and play. Sundays for worship and service. Weekends are sacred--especially when workweeks are horrendous.

For the most part, my job is a 10 to 6 type of a deal. I enjoy flexibility, amazing co-workers, and I do have a passion for the work. Working with volunteers is extremely satisfying especially when you can see the impact that they have on the lives of youth and a community. But there are occasions when my department (the Volunteer Department) works very non-traditional hours. We have events, trainings, and programming that all happen “after work” and our presence, in addition to the planning, comes with the territory.

Despite my reluctance to work late on these different occasions, I can usually reframe my thinking in order to produce some sort of positive imagery in my head once everything is said and done. However, this last Saturday was a different story.

I don’t know if it was the combination of a really long week, a few late nights (work related), and the unfinished products piling up on my desk but I was in no mood to be working half a day on Saturday. So imagine my sheer delight to find that not only did I have to work half a day, but also, another half of a day, totaling a full 8 hours. As a result I missed the adult session of stake conference (my favorite part of stake conference weekend) and returned to my apartment in the dark, feeling and looking like a drowned rat. I was exhausted, my night was shot, and I hadn’t gotten a thing done on my hefty to do list.

I’ve been slightly bitter about it for the last few days but as the saying goes, “time heals all wounds.” And so it was with my wounded Saturday heart. But walking home tonight cleared up every last bit of lingering infection. Fatigued once again, I mindlessly made my way along the sidewalk. It was nearing 10:00pm and I noticed a particular group of street vendors. They were a small family, packing up their wares and remnants of the day. Father was working hard to clean out a pan. Mother was taking down one of the mini tables. And their maybe 8-year-old daughter was doing her best to pack up another box of supplies. The box was bigger than she was. It was a school night. Did she have homework? Surely she was tired and yet she was dutifully helping out her hard working family.

Somehow in that moment, my extra eight hours on Saturday didn’t seem as significant as they did before…

scorpio

while i haven't ever really given much credit to signs of the zodiac and their accompanying traits, i've always been strangely proud of the fact that i'm a scorpio. as i just passed yet another birthday, i did a quick online search to see what i could find. even stranger than the fact that i'm proud of being a scorpio, is the fact that the little description i found is shockingly accurate. for the average joe schmoe, you wouldn't necessarily make the connection, but let me assure you, it's true...for the most part. :)


SCORPIO
Beneath a controlled, cool exterior beats the heart of the deeply intense Scorpio. Passionate, penetrating, and determined, this sign will probe until they reach the truth. The Scorpio may not speak volumes or show emotions readily, yet rest assured there's an enormous amount of activity happening beneath the surface. Excellent leaders, Scorpions are always aware. When it comes to resourcefulness, this sign comes out ahead.

Friends and Family
Sincerity and truth are strong components of the Scorpio's friends. It can take some time before really close bonds are formed, but once done, the Scorpio will remain dedicated and loyal. Witty and intellectual, they prefer companions who are humorous and easygoing. Full of surprises, this sign will give you the shirt off their backs if that's what you need, yet once they are crossed, there's no turning back. They feel deeply, and once hurt, it can be impossible to turn things around. Commitment to family is strong and consistent with the Scorpio. They are exceptionally helpful in managing affairs, and they are excellent advocates when needed.

Career and Money
I desire is the key phrase for the Scorpio. They are fantastic at managing, solving, or creating. Once the Scorpio sets their sights on a goal, there's no deterring this sign. Tasks that require a scientific, penetrating approach are always best done by Scorpions as they will delve deeply into the materials they have. Their ability to focus coupled with determination makes for strong management skills. They're not ones to worry about making friends on the job scene; rather, they prefer to see the task accomplished well. Respect is an essential aspect of working for this sign. They need to respect their coworkers while also feeling a sense of being respected by others.

Love and Sex
This is the strongest of the sexualities in the Zodiac. Incredibly passionate, the Scorpio takes intimacy seriously. Partners need to be intelligent and honest. Much of the foreplay for this sign happens long before the bedroom through conversation and observation. Once in love, they are devoted and loyal to the death. But relationships can take some time. The Scorpio needs to build trust and respect for a potential mate slowly and thoroughly.

The Perfect GiftThe best gifts for a Scorpio are sentimental choices, clothing (especially something sexy), and non-fiction books.

Likes
Truth, facts, being right, teasing, longtime friends, a grand passion, a worthy adversary

Dislikes
Dishonesty, passive people, revealing secrets

Strengths
Passionate, stubborn, resourceful, brave, a true friend

Weaknesses
Jealous, distrusting

october fun

P as in Peeace...

Tired and dead from the day, I let my autopilot navigate as I made my way home. My eyes, in their random wanderings found their way to the edge of the sidewalk where a squatting pup was doing its business and its dutiful owner looked on. Then most abruptly, the dog owner sharply tugged at the puppy’s leash and walked ahead, forcing the poor little thing to stumble as it struggled to keep up. Surely the puppy wasn’t finished and surely the stream of relief didn’t stop as abruptly as was the tug. Was the owner in that much of a hurry to not allow her beloved pet finish? Might she ever link a portion of that well known “dog” smell to events such as this? Perhaps not.

Now I’m not a crazy PETA enthusiast, but come on! How would you like it if you were doing your thing and someone pulled you by the neck while yanking your toilet out from under you? No communication, no forewarning, just “yoink” and then move along! And to add insult to injury, what if this was one of the only two times you were let out of your undersized, cluttered, and lonely apartment today?

So pet owners, this plea goes out to you: Slow it up. Take your time. Let your pet do his business in peace. An extra 5 to 10 minutes isn’t going to kill you. Honestly!

quick fix

I was telling one of my favorite people in the whole wide world (Adam) last night about seeing this fantastic infomercial once (when I had a TV) about an amazing new weight loss product. It was a copper-type bracelet that, if worn at all times, would yield astonishing results. While the key to weight loss was really found in the metallic or magnetic properties of this adornment, they did make sure to stress the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise. I thought that was nice of them. They realized that being healthy is just as important as being skinny. Too bad the whole world couldn’t afford this magical $20.00 quick fix. It makes me feel bad for all of those people who have to work extra hard (I include myself in this) by eating right and exercising. Sometimes life just isn’t fair.