Touch of Nature

One of my favorite things about our home here is it’s little garden courtyard. It’s an outdoor space open above to the sky, yet enclosed on four sides, adjoining the dining room and a bedroom.

When we first moved in it had a broken slate covered fountain, a couple sad-looking potted plants and lots of rocks.

Adgie had a lot of fun helping me move rocks, fix the fountain and plant lots of tropical greenery.

Almost done, and it looks much better!

While Adgie and I were planting our little garden, we discovered some critters that had made their home there. I suspect that they originally came from a local plant nursery, hiding on past owner’s plant purchases. By their population size, they seem to be thriving in the almost predator-free safety of our courtyard.

To see them, though, you need to look closer.

Much closer.

Now can you see them?

They’re called Greenhouse Frogs, and at least twenty of these teeny tiny frogs live in our little “jungle”. Adgie and I think they’re adorable, but we also love them because they keep the insects in our garden at bay, and during the rainy season, the evening air is filled will their soft calls.

Adgie and I like to sit together looking through the glass, try and find them and watch them jump about. I wonder if they realize that they live in the froggy equivalent of “The Truman Show”?

“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”  ~William Shakespeare

Art and Design Corner: Cool ipod Speakers

I’ve been wanting some ipod speakers for awhile. Traditional dock style speakers are nice and sleek, but these “Giant Ear Buds” from Urban Outfitters, are very tempting because they’re so much more fun:

A Frustrating Facebook Conversation

Thompson (yesterday’s status update): ”There is no truth so obvious a liberal will not deny it. There is no lie so odious a liberal will not tell it.”

Michelle : It’s always fun to get up in the morning, check facebook to see how friends and family are doing. Especially when you find that your otherwise decent and nice former sunday school teacher, is calling you an “odious” liar.

Thompson: Michelle, I did not know you were a liberal. I know you parents sure are not.

Thompson: I will say this, it is hard to understand how anyone LDS can be a liberal. We have always believed in self-sufficiency, not in the government doing everything for you. Liberals believe in big government and it is the answer to all things. Liberals also believe in the murderous practice of abortion, in gay marriage, in opening things up so pornography is everywhere, etc. LDS have always opposed those things.

And, we believe in fairness. What the liberals and Democrats are saying is preposterous, that because we have come out and are letting our beliefs be heard, we are inciting possible assassination of our political leaders. As I remember, it was alright for liberals to criticize and heckle Bush in his State of The Union, to call him a murderer, etc. It was alright for liberals and Democrats to protest the Vietnam War, the War in Iraq, the G20 Summit in Philadelphia and the previous on in Seattle, it is alright for them to protest for the murder of God’s children in supporting abortion, it is alright for them to send white powder to the LDS Temples because they are upset that the LDS Church stands by its beliefs in opposition to gay marriage, as with Proposition 8 in California.

It seems to me that liberals and Democrats are able to say and do anything they want, but conservatives are disruptive if we even have peaceful demonstrations, like the 2 million people who marched on the Washington Mall a couple weeks ago against the government takeover of our health care system.

Much more can be said, but D&C 134:1 says it all, that we will be held accountable for our actions in relation to government, both in making and administering the law for the good and safety of society.

Robin : Dear Michelle, You can be a decent person, teach Sunday school and still call someone a liar. We are casted by the company we keep..like if the shoe fits wear it.. I would rather have a decent person oppose to whatevertype of person ? call me a liar…I certain would look at a decent person opinion closer before I explained my position , cause after all I already think they are decent. If I oppose them what am I?

Cynthia: The truth, cleverly told is the biggest lie of all! o(•¿•)o

You’ve gotta get Glenn Becks new book. “Arguing with Idiots” o(•¿•)o

Thompson: Yes, and that is how Satan has always worked, inserting a little truth or twisting things just enough, that it appears so nice. Like Satan’s plan of compulsion (liberalism) in the pre-existence.

Cynthia: Yep!!!!! MY ward is has a lot of BYU Profs. Very interesting scientific gospel. The Lord has won. Now we are being tested. The liberal people I know in Utah seem to be so pro government charity … the real listening and Constitution falls by the wayside.

Michelle: ”It’s not in our interest to be known as a one-party church,” … “Any notion that a church member cannot be both a Democrat and a good Mormon is wrong headed and should be ”obliterated,”

-Elder Marlin K Jensen (general authority and member of the Democratic party)

Also, from the newsroom at LDS.org:

“The Church does not attempt to direct its members as to which candidate or party they should give their votes to. This policy applies whether or not a candidate for office is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

In addition to Marlin K. Jensen , James E. Faust served in the House of Representatives for the 28th Utah State Legislature as a Democrat, served as chairperson of the Utah State Democratic Party and was appointed by John F. Kennedy to the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights.

Are you implying that these men were/are in favor of pornography, terroristic acts and murderous practices? That they are opposed to “fairness”, and do not understand the tenets of their own religion?

You use quite the broad brush of generalization to paint your extreme and misleading picture of democrats/liberals. As a registered democrat, I think abortion is something that should only happen in the cases of rape, incest, for the life/health of the mother, or in the case of an inviable fetus (if the mother so chooses in any of these cases), and would like to see tighter laws governing the legality of on demand abortion. Many on both sides of the political spectrum have similar views, and some countries in Europe (ie. England) that are considered “liberal”, have these more restrictive laws in place. Most Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, say that they would like to see abortion become a rare occurrence, as would many Republicans. While, there are some liberals that hold more extreme views on the issue, it is the same in the Republican party (where it is the more extreme conservatives that say that abortion should ALWAYS be illegal). Both extremes do not fall in line with the very centrist policy that the LDS church takes on the issue. (ie. exceptions for cases of rape, incest, for the life or health of the mother, or in the case of an inviable fetus. Elder Russell M. Nelson said on the issue: “Concern for the health of the mother is a vital one.”)

You say that you oppose “big government” which believes that it is the “answer to all things”, YET you want this same government to outlaw practices which YOU oppose, such as gay marriage. Do you only oppose “big government” if the said government disagrees with you and vice versa?

The following is from an Apostolic Circular issued by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve in 1875:

“One of the great evils with which our own nation is menaced at the present time is the wonderful growth of wealth in the hands of a comparatively few individuals. The very liberties for which our fathers contended so steadfastly and courageously, and which they bequeathed to us as a priceless legacy, are endangered by the monstrous power which this accumulation of wealth gives to a few individuals and a few powerful corporations…”

Large, powerful corporations are the same threat to freedom as an overly powerful government. I don’t believe in big government, per se.  I believe that there should be checks and balances over power mongering of ANY kind.

Yes, the LDS church preaches for us to be self sufficient, and yet they still have their own welfare programs in place. I believe, as the LDS church does, that welfare programs can be a springboard to self sufficiency. It was through school grants, medicaid, and other government programs, that my husband has had the opportunity to go to where he is now, a second year med student. His brother did the same, having just graduated from Harvard Law.* Neither would have had the means to accomplish these things if it weren’t for welfare programs. We will pay back many times in taxes the investment our government put into us. Also, I believe as Christ did in caring for the poor. I am more than willing to pay our taxes (which we will pay a large portion of with a doctor’s paycheck) towards making sure our poor (especially children, disabled and others with disadvantages), have access to basic needs like healthcare, schooling and nutritious food. This does NOT mean that I support laziness, anymore than the LDS church does by instilling a welfare program. In my own experience with them, these programs are only provide the basics, and it would only be through illegal fraud that one could live any kind of luxurious life off welfare. If it incites people to be so lazy, why haven’t you quit your job, so you could live the “opulent” life those who have to resort to welfare live (whether from the government or from the LDS church)?

Michelle: @Robin: I am as decent person as Mike, so by your logic, by disagreeing with me, Marlin K Jensen, etc, he is an indecent person. I don’t think that, I think we simply have different perspectives how to to better this world. Yes, it’s possible for two people to disagree politically and still both be good people.

Cynthia: “What win I, if I gain the thing I seek? A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy. Who buys a minute’s mirth to wail a week? Or sells eternity to get a toy? For one sweet grape who will the vine destroy?” — William Shakespeare

Thompson: Michelle is a decent person. That does not make Michelle correct, but she is obviously working with what she believes is right and we should respect that. However, she should read, as she goes back to 1875 on some of her quotes, “Socialism and the United Order,” by Pres. Marion G. Romney, delivered in General Conference of the Church. And, as Pres. Hinckley said in his talk “War and Peace,” told us “Political difference never justify hatred or ill will. I hope that the Lord’s people may be at peace one with another during times of trouble, regardless of what loyalties they may have to different governments or parties.” Much more can be said about what he said in support of liberty and freedom “wherever it is in jeopardy.”

Thompson: By the way, anything misleading will be deleted. **(He posted this after deleting my longest post)**. If you want to post misleading information, do it on your own Facebook page. I have replied privately to Michelle about several things she has posted. She has a right to her opinion, but when they are so one-sided and ignore the prophets and what they have said, I will delete them. She has a nice page she can post them on.

Thompson: So we see that Democrats, TODAY, killed prolife provisions to the health care bill in the Senate today. What were we saying about liberalism and Democrats?

Peter: Yes, thank you for deleting Michelle’s “one-sided” posts and leaving up all the rest that are so open minded.

Thompson: Alright, tell me what you believe is misrepresented, I will look at it and see. I personally corresponded with Michelle on some matters which needed to be said. It is interesting that some will believe what anyone says and say nothing about what the prophets have said. You can see what is written. If you believe any of it is misrepresented, let me know. And, as you can see from my posts, even though I disagree, I defended her. She is a good person.

New status update this morning:

Thompson : Democrats have no respect for citizens. No free speech for conservatives, only for the Democrats when they were so rude to Bush, when they protested the Vietnam War, when the have been protesting the G20 Summit and when they did so in Seattle a few years ago as well. To a Democrat, free speech only goes one way.

to be continued…

*I could have pointed out the success stories of many of my friends and family, who used government programs to help them get through college. The only reason I singled out DH’s brother’s Harvard story is because Thompson is a lawyer/politician.

Deep Conversations with a Three Year Old

A conversation my DH, Adgie and I had yesterday:

Adgie: “Daddy, I got an owie!”

DH: *inspects little scratch on Adgie’s leg* “Oh no, what happened?”

Michelle: “He scraped his leg against an strangely sharp screw head that was on the underside of the table.”

DH: *still inspecting Adgie’s scratch* “Oh no! You got scratched by a screw?”

Adgie: “Yeah Daddy, I got screwed!”

A Summer Celebration!

In the “best friend department”, I consider myself very lucky. I’ve been privileged to have not one, but four wonderful best friends since jr. high. I don’t know that I deserve it. I am always grateful for the gift of friendship, but there is something extraordinary about the love I feel from these gals.

Because of limited packing space, I had to leave my photo albums behind in Utah. So I have to improvise a little. This picture is as close as I can get to a group photo of us. (Actually, it's pretty close to the real thing.)

Well, it’s a special time of year, because it’s nearly one of those friend’s (Summer) birthday! So in Summer’s honor, I bring you:

1. She’s a superb listener. She makes you feel like you’re so interesting when you have a conversation with her, even if you’re not. She’s the perfect person to call if you need someone to empathize with you, get excited with you, be worried with you, or be infuriated with you (warning: if someone crossed you, Summer may not simply be infuriated, she may threaten to go hunt the knuckle head down herself).

2. She’s a musical genius. She composes her own music, plays the piano and sings beautifully. (She can go from demure, solemn church hymn voice, to Beyonce-like diva voice in 3.8 seconds.)

3. That she and I are under no obligation to act like grown ups when we hang out.

4. I hate peanut brittle, unless Summer makes it.

5. Actually, any food is better if Summer (or her hubby for that matter) makes it. It’s good times at their house at supper time.

6. The way she say’s the words “peanut butter”. She loves PB, and the way she says it, conveys her feelings about it so perfectly. The best way I can describe it, is that it’s the same way that Cookie Monster says the word “cookies.”

7. She’s beat me at one-on-one b-ball 2,347 times. In a row. I’m gonna say that that happened because she’s sooo skilled, not because I suck so bad.

8. She can burp louder and longer than anyone I’ve ever met. Seriously, it’s thunderous.

9. If you ever see someone happily holding a snake, lizard or tarantula, and/or watching a Star trek episode or a Mystery Science Theater, and/or playing nintendo; all while sporting elegant fingernails with sparkly nail polish… it’s Summer.

10. That our friendship has survived the test of time, ups and downs, marriage, kids, moving far away,and the now infamous day of October 2, 2000

(Said date involved things like: thinking it would be fabulous fun to sleep on a frigid, noisy, downtown city sidewalk in order to secure rare tickets. Not getting a wink of sleep on said  frigid city sidewalk. Annoying Canadians who camped next to us on frigid sidewalk trying to convince us “dumb Americans” that they live in igloos and have never heard of computers or email. A creepy old lady telling us about how she’s glad her husband’s dead and yelling insults at innocent bystanders. Forgetting to bring enough money to buy a proper breakfast. Four cranky friends who can’t stop bickering. A near death experience ( aka: trying to carpool home in the care of a homicidal driver), etc, etc.)

The creepy old lady. She seriously looked just like this.

11. Summer is so talented, intelligent, caring, interesting, beautiful, creative, patient, funny, etc, etc, etc.

12. Her presidential smile:

13. That 13 years later, I’m still privileged enough to call her my best friend.

Happy birthday, Summer!

Flori-duh

Adgie playing outside of our townhouse in Florida.

At the beginning of the summer, DH was still waiting for an acceptance to medical school and we were beginning to worry. Time was running out and seats were filling fast.

But then, it happened. Just a month before class started, DH was accepted by not one, but two schools!! After contemplating this decision for awhile, we decided that the school in Florida was a better fit for us, so we hurriedly prepared to move our little family across the country.

The first thing I did to prepare for the move was try to secure an apartment in Florida. It was going to a be a little tricky since we neither had the time, or money to fly down to see any apartments in person before we moved. This was further complicated by fact that most of the rental listings were being facilitated by real estate agents instead of landlords, and that a lot of the properties were governed by Home Owner’s Associations with long application processes and strict regulations.

After having more than a few frustrating and fruitless conversations with Floridian real estate agents, I called a friend to vent. Like a good friend, she helped me calm down and have a few laughs. During the conversation she admitted that the first thing that would pop into her head when she thought of Floridians was, that they were… well, a bit dim. She said that this prejudice was primarily fueled by the “hanging chad” controversies of the 2000 presidential election and a scathing Dave Barry article. We both laughed at the absurdity of the notion, we knew there was no way that an entire state was full of idiots.

But over the next while, as I continued to correspond with various Floridian agents, I really began to wonder.

-Several agents couldn’t comprehend how I could possibly sign a lease without being there in person. (Ummmm, I could use a pen on a reeeeally long pole, since faxes and emails are for some reason unfamiliar to you?)

-One agent, knowing I was living in Utah, called me at 5:30 AM, as she was unaware of a time difference. (Making it worse, it was on a morning following an unusually late night, and I was really hoping to sleep in.)

-When we were trying to apply for an apartment we liked, the agent emailed me asking for proof of income/employment. I replied and explained that although neither DH or I would have a job when we got there, that we would have plenty of money available for paying rent with a monthly scholarship/stipend DH was getting and student loans. The agent replied:

“Without a job, it will be difficult for you to be approved. How do you expect your landlord to pay the mortgage, if you don’t have income to pay for the rent?” (You mean the landlord won’t let us live there for free? Also, it’s good to know that the money that comes from scholarships or loans isn’t actual spendable money.)

-During the application process for a different apartment, (with a totally different agent), the application asked for the make and model of our car. I filled in:

Make: honda  Model: civic.

A few days later, after I had faxed our application to the agent, I got the following message on my answering machine:

“Hi Michelle, I received your application yesterday. Everything looks good, except that you forgot to fill in the make and model of your Honda Civic. So if you could call me back ASAP with the make and model of your Honda Civic, that would be great. Thanks!” (Oh, oops, did I forget that? It’s a Honda Civic Cadillac Escalade. Hope that helps!)

The sign that greets people entering the state.

Despite the little bumps in the process, we were eventually approved for a great townhouse. We really like it down here, and now that I’m here, I’m happy to report that Florida is not full of morons.

So far, anyway. We’ll see how the election goes.

Ummm… hi, again?

So, ummm… hi, again. It’ s been a little while since I’ve been around here, heh, heh, heh. *sound of crickets chirping* It’s a bit embarrassing. Hopefully one day I’ll grow up and be a responsible blogger. *sigh*

So, to catch up, since I last posted an entry:  we moved to Florida, I found out I’m pregnant (I’m 5 months along, now), and on a pregnancy hormoned fueled whim; I gave peanut butter and jelly sandwiches another chance after not having one for over 10 years. They’re still gross.

The Nearest Book

(edited 4-11-08)

This is a Book Tag from Loni’s Argyle Socks:

1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog.
5. Tag 5 people. (Like Loni, consider yourself tagged, if you feel like it.)

Nearest Book: The Varieties of Religious Experience (Which I am currently reading, and loving, BTW)

5th sentence of the 123rd page:
“The adequacy of their message to the mental needs of a large fraction of mankind is what gave force to those earlier gospels.”

Alone and out of context, that sentence isn’t anything of particular interest. In fact, I haven’t even gotten to the 123rd page of that book yet. However, after I went to find the particular sentence this meme required, I started to read some text from the previous page just to see what the context of that sentence was. On the top of page 122, I read this passage:

“This system is wholly and exclusively compacted of optimism: “Pessimism leads to weakness. Optimism leads to power.” “Thoughts are things,” as one of the most vigorous mind-cure writers prints in bold type at the bottom of each of his pages; and if your thoughts are of health, youth, vigor, and success, before you know it these things will also be your outward portion. No one can fail of the regenerative influence of optimistic thinking, pertinaciously pursued. Every man owns indefeasibly this inlet to the divine. Fear, on the contrary, and all the contracted and egoistic modes of thought, are inlets to destruction. Most mind-curers here bring in a doctrine that thoughts are “forces,” and that, by virtue of a law that like attracts like, one man’s thoughts draw to themselves as allies all the thoughts of the same character that exist the world over. Thus one gets, by one’s thinking, reinforcements from elsewhere for the realization of one’s desires…”

I was shocked when I read this almost perfect description of people who follow the ideals from the dangerous and ridiculous self-help book, “The Secret”. Now while I think that positive thinking is a generally a great idea, and that pessimism can lead to misery, “The Secret” takes the power of our thoughts to extreme levels. It teaches that if we think about something, it will happen. Literally. For instance, let’s say you wanted a million dollars. Supposedly, if you believe it enough, you’ll magically be given a million dollars by “the universe.” Conversely, if you think negative thoughts, you are “asking” for negative things to happen to you.

It says it’s happens because of “the law of attraction.” The law of attraction is stated in the DVD as: “EVERYTHING that is coming into your life, you are attracting into your life – and it’s attracted to you by virtue of the images you’re holding in your mind – it’s what you’re thinking.” “The Secret” also says that our thoughts are literally magnetic waves that control the universe. It states that we can bring in money and wealth, fulfilling love lives, and health (even cure cancer) simply by imagining, believing in and feeling good about the things we want.

Here’s a few more quotes from the DVD and the book:

“Everything that surrounds you right now in your life, including the things you’re complaining about, you’ve attracted. Now I know at first blush that’s going to be something that you hate to hear. You’re going to immediately say, “I didn’t attract the car accident. I didn’t attract this particular client who gives me a hard time. I didn’t particularly attract the debt.” And I’m here to be a little bit in your face and to say, yes you did attract it.”

“Since I learned The Secret and started applying it to my life, my life has truly become magical – a life everyone dreams of. … I live in a four-and-a-half million-dollar mansion. I have a wife to die for. I get to vacation in all the fabulous spots of the world. … And all of this happens and continues to happen all because of knowing how to apply The Secret.”

“The most common thought that people hold, and I held it too, is that food was responsible for my weight gain. That is a belief that does not serve you, and in my mind now it is complete balderdash! Food is not responsible for putting on weight. It is your thought that food is responsible for putting on weight that actually has food put on weight. Remember, thoughts are primary cause of everything, and the rest is effects from those thoughts. Think perfect thoughts and the result must be perfect weight.”

“The anti-war movement is creating more war, because we are focusing on what we don’t want. Instead we should be pro-peace.”

And finally a quote from the author of the Secret, Rhonda Byrne, regarding the law of attraction and tragedy:

“In a large-scale tragedy, like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, etc., we see that the law of attraction responds to people being at the wrong place at the wrong time because their dominant thoughts were on the same frequency of such events. Now, this doesn’t mean that they thought of the same exact event, but if their dominant thoughts and feelings were in alignment with the energy of fear, separation, powerlessness and having no control over outside circumstances, then that is what they attracted.” 1.

The passage from the book I’m reading wasn’t about “Secret followers”. It was about a spiritual movement called the Mind-Cure or New Thought Movement. What was even more interesting was that the lectures that the book was compiled from, were given in 1901-1902, over 100 years before The so-called “Secret” was published.

I’m sure this isn’t nearly as interesting to most of you as it is to me. But I’ve been a little obsessed with the pervasiveness of this, and other dangerous and extreme philosophies, lately. Well, at least ever since last summer, when I briefly and unknowingly attended a cult (disguised as a self help seminar) that thrived on and taught those philosophies (ie. child abuse victims attracted their abuse with their negative thought patterns.) Yes, a cult. The kind with brainwashing, lovebombing and where everyone follows an “all-knowing” leader. But that’s a story for another time.

A Grand Day Out

The other morning, I had a severe case of cabin fever, and decided I had to get Adgie and I out of the house. Not just anywhere out of the house, but I had a particular itch to go swimming. You see, last summer all of Utah’s public swimming pools banned all “diaper-dependant folk” because of a “Crypto” outbreak. The ban was recently lifted, Utah’s pool water is “crypto” free, and when I have an opportunity to take advantage of a cheap, toddler-friendly activity, that does not involve being at home, I am all over it.

Adgie loves playing in water, so I was surprised when he said he didn’t want to go swimming. He’d rather watch TV, he said. So, I spent the next ten minutes trying to convince him to come swimming, during which he repeatedly claimed that he’d rather watch TV. This was frustrating because I KNOW that he’d have much more fun at the pool than watching the current show on TV (which happened to be the most boring preschool show ever, “Max and Ruby”.) Eventually, I give up on trying to convince him, simply scooped him and our swimming gear up, buckled him into the car, and start driving to the pool.

The closest, indoor, toddler-friendly pool I know of is 20 miles away, so for the half hour drive there, I hear Adgie wailing:
“No swimming! No swimming! No swimming!”Over and over and over again.

When we arrived at the pool, Adgie finally stopped crying. He recognized the building from last year, and like a mini Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll, he suddenly became very happy and excited.

“Swimming! Swimming! Swimming!” He squealed.

I got him out of the car, and went to grab our swimming gear (our swim suits, towels and Adgie’s swim diaper.)

I couldn’t find any of it.

That was very odd, because I distinctly remembered taking the swimming gear out to the car. I checked every nook and cranny of my car several times and it was still nowhere to be found. Then I remembered the last place I saw it: in order to free up my hands so I could buckle Adgie in before we left, I had placed the pile of swimming stuff on top of the car.

Oh crap.

I hurriedly put Adgie back in the car and started driving back towards my house. This of course greatly upset him, as he had just barely decided that he did indeed want to go swimming.

“Swimming! Swimming! Swimming!” He cried the entire way back.

As I drove, I surveyed the road, looking for our stuff. Of course, I had no idea where it would actually be, or if I would be able to find it, but I figured it would have fallen off the car very close to where I had began the drive.

I am happy to announce that I did find all of our belongings, but not in the nice little pile in our apartment’s parking lot that I imagined. No, it was scattered about the middle of a busy highway. When I spotted it, I pulled over and had to watch out for fifty mile an hour traffic while I gathered up two towels, two swimming suits and a swim diaper. I ran back to our car, quickly brushed everything off, and started the 30 minute drive back to the swimming pool. I was going swimming today, dammit.

When we arrived at the swimming pool for the second time, I realized we only had one hour left to swim before I needed to be back to pick up DH (oh, the joys of sharing a car). I rushed in, we changed into our swimming suits and we climbed into the pool. As Adgie giggled and splashed around in the water, I sat back and enjoyed the warm, relaxing water. That’s about when I looked down at my swimsuit and noticed the large, black tire track going across my left boob.

Oh well. What mattered was that we were finally swimming, and neither of us could be happier about it.

Unperfectness

I have a recurring temporary job. The company that I am employed with has occasional work available that I can do out of my home, and this week I’ve been asked to be a part of another three week project. While I attended training and a meeting, I wished I had a translator. Someone who could translate from business-ese to Michelle-ese. It’s not that I didn’t understand the words coming out of these brilliant entrepreneur’s mouths, it’s just that I don’t have one business-y bone in my body. If my very life depended on it, I don’t know that I’d be able to sell someone a $1o bill for a quarter.

But, that’s OK. The perfectionistic part of me wants to be good at everything, but lately I’ve been trying to fight that part of me. Perfectionism is a belief that anything less than perfect is unacceptable, and ironically, perfectionism is a major personality flaw. Perfectionism has never helped me achieve perfection, just neuroticism.

So, one of my tactics against perfectionism is to celebrate “unperfectness”. Weaknesses and quirks are some of the things that make life interesting. For example, since I was talking about business, I thought I’d share pictures I took of two businesses in my community that crack me up whenever I see them:

I have yet to have the courage to actually go into “Bell Electronics and Krazy Daves Knives”. I imagine a guy like Herman from “The Simpsons” would be standing behind the counter (if there is a counter in there.)

If I ever do work up the courage to go in there, though, I’ll be sure to bring my camera (and maybe some mace) and you guys will be the first to hear about what’s inside.

The other one is located in downtown Provo. There used to be a furniture store there called “Provo Furniture”. It was in business there for many years, and not too long ago, there was a big sign on it announcing a sale in lieu of the owner’s retirement. The sale passed, the owner retired, and “Provo Furniture” was passed on to a new owner.

The next time I saw “Provo Furniture”, it was having it’s grand re-opening under it’s new clever name:

Yes, frugality can go too far. Yet, whenever I pass “Pro Furniture”, it warms my soul.