learned from vegas

what happens in Vegas... can come along with me. I did not do anything stupid:

 - nothing is free.
 - 1 cent machines do not cost 1 cent. in fact, they cost 35 cents.
 - blue men are bad ass.
 - conveniently all on one street.
 - there are crazy characters dressed up on the side of the street. again, this isn't Disney land. pictures look free, but if you want your picture with them, they want a tip.
 - cashiers want a picture ID. so if just happens to be the week that you renewed your license and you have one of those temporary ones... they are not going to believe you.
 - when they finally do believe that your 21, and you exchange your voucher ticket for the 75 cents you won... you can't keep the voucher ticket. not even for your scrapbook.
 - do not look down. there are pictures.

basically I loved it and I want to grow old there and I'm hoping to make round two in November!

learned from a wiccan

I took a biology class at Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC, respectfully pronounced Pee Pee Ka Ka) and my lab partner was a wiccan:

bri: so where did you meet your fiance?
lacy: at a Wicca party.
bri: oh... good place to meet men.
lacy: well yeah, he was actually one of the only real witches there.
bri: ... oh (like I understood)...
pause
bri: so wait... he is a witch? why isn't he a (please don't sound stupid)... wizard?
lacy: oh no no. wizards are people who have left the Wicca faith.
bri: OK... so whats a warlock?
lacy: like a higher up witch. someone who really practices the rituals. my fiance and i don't practice much, we just believe in the principals and reincarnation.
bri: what sort of principals?
lacy: I'm not offending you?
bri: of course I'm not offended! I'm the one asking questions aren't i?
lacy: well basically we believe you should strive to be a good person and make a moral decision, because of karma for every one person you wrong, something three times as worse will happen to you. reincarnation is basically coming back again as someone else.
bri: i thought you could come back as an animal? (apparently that is Hinduism)
lacy: no, i believe you die then spend some time in heaven or hell then are reborn as a child. my fiance believes you'll just take over someone else's body, no heaven or hell. he remembers the 20s...
bri: wow
lacy: i can also remember them too. i just remember seeing a louis armstrong concert.
bri: bet that was cool.
lacy: and i remember being a knight.
bri: you can be a guy too?
lacy: yeah, that was back when i was a guy...
bri: geez.
lacy: ... and the dust bowl sucked.
bri: dust bowl? (looking through lab equipment for a dusty bowl)
lacy: like the great depression.
bri: oh... right. (i forgot that she was there)

we also went on to talk about the old testament a little bit. she thought it showed a dated and angry God. i politely defended such principals in the old testaments such as the ten commandments were still applicable today and prove to live a moral life. i did not want to get into a heated debate or offend her, because she was not asking me the questions i was asking her... but apparently her family was Protestant, so she already knew most of that.

Ashley here is a wiccan. fave scene from Baby Mama.

learning about second nature

"Making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil..."

Basically this quote says time is short. Be ready. Prepare yourself for the future so you may enjoy it. To make a habit of wise decisions, begin making them now.

Reading this quote reminded me of the many times in my life I have decided to grow from hurtful situations. I had made the most of an opportunity even when the day was unjust. I learned from the death of a sibling, I learned from a car wreck, I learned from multiple break ups, I learned from a suicide in the family, I learned from just and unjust punishment... I learned from every life changing event. I stepped up and did all I could to glean the wisdom that could be had in every situation...
Every situation, but one.

My mom's cancer.

It happened right after my senior year. Literally two days after I walked across the stage and got my diploma. Immediately after finding out this news, I became angry. A lot changed in my heart. I became quick tempered, easily offended and incredibly selfish. The only thing I gladly took was the weight of the world. I went from homecoming queen to drama queen. I began cursing so as to better express my anger. I began shutting people out of my life claiming I did not need help. And for the first time started blaming God. During all my other tragedies He was the one I ran to. But at the time I believed that He was the one who created my mom's cancer.

I became selfish to the point where I was demanding the attention from my friends and treating them poorly, telling myself that they did not understand and that I deserved something more. Unfortunately I went into my freshman year of college with this attitude, and I honestly believe I am still recovering from those poor decisions I made my freshman year (but thats for another blog another day).
I wanted God to keep his distance until I could get on my feet again.

I couldn't get back on my feet again. Not until I had Him. I realized that as much as I tried to deny Him, He was my core. Why would He have held me though my sister's death if He did not love me? Why would he have rescued me from that car wreck if He didn't care? Why would he have told me "he is a great friend, but he is not for you" through every break up if He did not know what was wise?

Once I finally admitted this at around the end of my freshman year of college, I saw though His eyes. I had gained so much respect for my mother. I learned what it was like to be apart of a family without a mom as we all split up her chores. And finally I learned that the days are evil, but if you let Him, He can make you wiser.

I want to go back to becoming stronger from my past, rather than let it frustrate me. I am going back to making wisdom second nature again.

I will never say "oops", but rather, "now I know".



This rant of "second nature" was inspired by Glen Packiam who speaks at New Life Sunday Night Service.

learned from a mile walk

Its your typical small town arts and craft, firefighters and local high school marching band parade: The Black Forest Festival. Its one of my favorite times of the year.

Usually I get a great parking spot about a block away and arrive to this party on time. This year, I accidently parked a mile and a half away and missed the shuttle. Oh well, Americans don't walk enough. I started walking in the dust to the festival.

Walking in flip flops, I wasn't moving fast because I had just recieved a pedicure. It was my first one (pedicture that is). It was a thrill picking out a "coror" (color), having my nails painted by someone else, and hearing about how my nails were too short. But for real, I did enjoy it! However, walking through the dust made me very aware of my recently pampered feet and not to mention I was wearing one of my favorite navy sun dresses and was feeling like I was on an episode of SATC only two minutes ago.

While walking downhill and thinking about my looks going downhill along with me, I turned around to see how far I had gone.
It literally looked like I could reach out and touch the intersection I had just parked in.

This is how my life might be for I while. I will get all dressed up for interviews, dates, send out crisp demos and resumes. Work so hard for what seems like forever, only to turn around and realize that I haven't come very far at all.

At this point I called my mom and asked where she was. She was headed home. I told her I would too. But she insisted she could turn around and meet me there in a couple minutes. Couple minutes. Try a couple post grad years. After a hopeful second of giving up I started putting one foot in front of the other again, once again looking like the festival was years ahead of me. Car after car passing, not offering pretty little me a ride.

Feet looking like a different race, hair oily and thigh bruised from my bag swaying and hitting it, there came a time where I looked back and realized how far I had come. I was more than half way there. Encouraged, I kept walking.

I got to about three fourths of the way there when I heard a break next to me. "You want a ride?" the shuttle driver asked me. The shuttle had passed me a couple times, but this was the first time the woman noticed me. I was thrilled, and although part of me thought "Well, I've come this far", I agreed and hoped on the bus. The man in the front row smiled and made room for me. There was free bottled water on the shuttle... or was it Heaven? We pulled up to the festival two seconds later.

I know I am going to struggle in life. Who doesn't? But I know that if I keep putting one foot in front of the other, sooner or later God will send a shuttle bus to pick me up.

This is a picture my friend Forrest tagged me in on facebook about a year ago. My friend Forrest isn't black. Like Black Forest Festival.

learned from one year clothes shopping fast

Last summer I was apart of what is known as a Summer Ministry Team that traveled through the southern states of the US. After a trying 10 weeks I returned home and I decided to go on a shopping spree, as a gift to myself. On Sunday however, God told me of his other plans for me.

The teacher was speaking about "Giving Everything To God", which we have all heard before, proceed by a few bars of "I Surrender All". I let it sink into my heart, what this man was saying. He had given everything. His home. His car. His job. God always provided. What had I given? My summer. Sure. There was still many things I was holding selfishly close though. That is when my shopping plans consumed my thoughts. "Alright," I thought, "I wont go on the shopping spree". And I heard... how about for a year?

From August 2nd 2009 until August 2nd 2010 I did not buy clothes. There were a few exceptions though: I was required to buy my dorm T shirt, my hall sweatshirt and my brother hall T shirt since I was an RA. And I bought two other T shirts to support friends. But that is it. It sucked. Walking into a fitting room for me was like an AA member walking into a bar.

It was an incredible year, and God proved his presence even with something as unusual as clothes. There was a sale with $3 vests that I wanted to partake in but had to refuse. Two days later, one of those vests was sent to me in my mail box from my RLC... unbeknown to her that I was even on this fast. Am now about to embark on another year long fast, but now from chocolate with my friend Olivia. White chocolate doesn't count and Nutella is considered hazelnut on Sundays.

I have learned so much about myself, and about clothes. I felt I learned as many threads about my self that are in a jersey knit T shirt:

 - I am "les gamine". Classic, feminine, young and petite.
 - I should wear pant and skirts that are high waisted to make me look taller.
 - I should wear V necks to elongate my neck and to make what little bust I have look proportionate.
 - I should wear long 16" plus necklaces to make me look longer and bring attention to my torso.
 - I should stay away from capri pant or leggings to avoid looking shorter.
 - I should stay away from thick belts that could engulf me.
 - The key is simplicity.
 - I can pull off neutrals and color, but should stay away from anything too pale.
 - I love how navy looks on me.
 - I am now a comfortable size M.
 - I used to buy way too many souvenir shirts (I am never going to wear a shirt that says "I went on the Tower of Doom")

Below is a picture of a skirt I am currently sewing from a pattern, this is how i would like to dress from now on:

learned in a fitting room

A number, is just a number.

Did you know that designer clothes sizes have not changed since the 1800s? If you are a size 6 and you try on a size 6 designer gown that was created decades ago, chances are it fits! Why?

Retailers have been bumping up women's sizes since the 60s, the rate being about 1 inch every 5 years. They do this to boost women's self confidence. However it has become a permanent crutch.

Everyday on the 10:30 News we are reminded that America is getting over sized. However, since when does worth and security come from a number? If it fits you, and you feel great in it, then who cares! Ignore the number (the number being the size, not the price! Look at the price!)

I work in a fitting room at a store that will remained unnamed. I have seen girls come in accusing the size 1 jeans we have are NOT what they claim to be. "I wear a size 1" they say with their hand on their tiny hip and the jeans in the other hand thrust at me, "this is too small to be a size 1! What is wrong with your sizes?". There is nothing wrong with our sizes. There is something wrong with you. If your pride cannot handle a size 3, then you can try Sears ("Mean Girls" quote anybody?).

And I have seem some girls squeeze there way into size 2 dresses... I guess so they can pridefully say they "wear a size 2". They'll come out of the fitting room and ask, "Do you think this is too tight?". You're spilling out of it, but I ask, "Is it made of cotton?". They can decide if they can want to breathe.

Sizes are ridiculous, and like most people I know who cannot afford designer, we will probably be many sizes in our lives. Here, I'm going to be honest and prove it to you:

Smallest size I own:  0
Biggest size I own:  9
Sewing pattern size:  10

Apparently no number can contain me either.

learned from a blind date

I thought you had to be thirty and lonely to go on a blind date. Apparently you just have to be a typical curious nosey woman, like me. This date had been waiting to happen for almost a year, but this guy was either out of town or I was seeing someone else. Finally this summer I was single and he was in town...
this is what I learned.

- Blind dates are not for every one.
- Everyone gets involved: you, the date, his friends, your friends, the people who set you up who are no longer your friends.
- If the guy can pay, he should.
- Keep a tennis ball conversation. Back and forth. Does she look like Barbara Walters to you? This is not a four hour interview.
- If you find something in common, keep going back to that if you need something else to talk about.
- Do not agree to come meet a person with expectations of anything more than just friendship. Eases tension.
 - Sometimes, you even walk away knowing that you've probably made a new friend :)

Needless to say, its I do not think its going to work out for us. But I think I did make a new friend!

Did I mention the guy was actually blind? Color blind. But still. I couldn't help but wonder if I looked purple to him.

learned at a bachelorette party

I feel strange making this my first post - but because I am a virgin, I learned so much:

 - is it time for your monthly gift? no problem. just do it in the shower.

 - on your honeymoon, resist ocean, hot tub, and on the beach temptation. it leads in infection.

 - speaking of infection, if your on any antibiotics, be careful. some could cancel out birth control. its your choice. get pregnant or die.

 - don't model lingerie for your mother in-law. even if she insists.

learning from blogging

Blogging decreases mystery in a person. Suddenly, their life and rantings are publicly on a page for anyone to read. I've never enjoyed blogging and I rarely read others blogs. It only makes sense that I create one.

I was lying awake last night pondering how much I have learned from strange little occurrences in my life. I should really document them. I should keep a journal. But unfortunately I have the handwriting of a doctor (without the IQ of a doctor). I kept an electronic journal, but I haven't updated it in years. 

Here is my clean slate. It is for my personal use, but I would like it if perhaps some may read it. To keep me accountable.

Heres to listening and learning.