A Complaint Free World Would Be Nice

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude; don't complain." - Maya Angelou

It is that quote that welcomes you when you log onto A Complaint Free World and it pretty much sums up the basis for my entire post. I stumbled upon the website after hearing a story about a Kansas City Pastor who embarked on a 21 day journey to be complaint free; no gossiping, no criticism, no complaining of any kind...and he invited his parishioners to join in the task. Participants were issued a purple bracelet, similar to the yellow "Live Strong" bracelets, to remind them of their commitment. If they caught themselves complaining, the bracelet would be moved to the other arm, and the 21 days would begin again in it's entirety. It took this pastor three and a half months to complete a 21 day run of no complaining.

Can you believe how tough a seemingly simple task is?

Since then, over 5 million bracelets have been given away indicating a worldwide desire to change and be more positive! And on Monday, I became one of those 5 million. On Monday, I began my own personal vow to not complain for 21 days and although I truly do try to be mostly positive in my daily life regardless...I must admit that today I had to start over again. I complained. Tomorrow, I will yet again begin day 21.

21 days of not complaining about the weather, or how political conversations just piss me off. No complaining about stressful jobs, or frustrating family members, or how fattening the bag of chips were that I just ate. Just 21 days of pure positivity and an actual productive stance to the frustrating things we encounter on a daily basis. If you don't like something...change it. And if you can't change it...what good does complaining about it do? Can you imagine if EVERYONE in the world tried this for just 21 days?

I can't imagine living complaint free for my entire life, especially considering sometimes...you just have to let it out!!! But sometimes I think it's helpful to take an extreme measure, to make us change our ways, even if only slightly.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. I'm super excited for the challenge and hopefully the new outlook to handling life.

More Stuff I Probably Shouldn't Spend My Money On

I can't believe I forgot to share with all of you my new laptop!  It IS after all where I will be blogging from now on and THAT bit of information is very important =)  Unfortunately, I just got done working out so I'm not giving you an ACTUAL picture of me working on it because...I'm sweaty and gross.  But pretend I'm in this picture, and say hello to the new babystepping blogging headquarters ha ha.

I have a secret to share...or two or ten

• When I'm bored, I watch Hannah Montana...I'm 25 (almost 26) years old.
  
• I have thrown away dishes before, opting out of washing them.
  
• My toe nail polish has been on my toes since New Years Eve
  
• I have picked up my phone before, and pretended to talk to someone, simply to avoid having to talk to someone.
  
• I STILL dance in front of my mirror and pretend I'm a famous singer.
• Jesus frightens me
• I can recite ever single word to Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid from memory
• I bought a $440 purse to match a $12 pair of heels
• I have been out on a date with someone I met from the Internet
• I sing REALLY loud in my car, and I don't care if anyone is watching

My Clock, Has Finally Started Ticking

Ever since I can remember I always said "I want three kids".  I would have two boys, one girl and we'd all live happily ever after.  Following that I've always said:  "...but not right now", and as I've gotten older, I've pushed that idea off further and further into the future.  I, unlike my friends, have not had the ticking baby time bomb ready to explode in my belly...

...until last night.

Last night I had a dream.  A beautiful dream that I was walking the streets of some unknown city, with a tiny little blue eyed baby girl walking happily next to me.  As we reached the corner, ready to the cross the street I looked down at her and smiled, telling her to grab my hand.  She looked up at me with baby blue eyes, grabbed my pinky finger, and together we skipped across the street.

And then she turned into a dog.  I'm not kidding.

But until then she was MINE.  My little baby girl that I have been wanting since my dolly days and for the first time in almost 26 years I woke up WISHING I had one of my very own.  For the first time in my entire life, I feel like I'm getting my maternal clock and thank GOD because I was beginning to think mine was broken!  I couldn't stop thinking about the dream all day and I even began contemplating what her name would end up being!

The unfortunate part about it all is that I'm nowhere near a point in my life where I'm ready, or able to have a baby, but it makes me even more excited for all of my friend's to start having THEIR babies and beginning THEIR families so that I can go play with theirs all I want.  Hopefully someday I'll have my little blue eyed blond baby girl (or some version there of).  Until then I'm enjoying the freedom of not having her around.

::Crickets::

Hellooo oooo oooo oooo oooo. Echooo echooo echo echoo oooo. Man it's quiet around here! Has it really been since January since I've had anything worthwhile to blog about?

I won't sit here and give you the rundown of the past three months because that would be boring...really...boring. But where you do you start when you've been away so long? Can a blogger really just abandon her space and then come back months later expecting to be welcomed with open arms and remembered just as she was when she left? I feel as though I need to re-introduce myself or something.

...since when did I feel the need to add drama to this blog?

In all seriousness, I'm sitting here in New Berlin, Wisconsin house/dog sitting for my Aunt and Uncle who are currently gallivanting with their three children in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I hate them. (It's supposed to snow here by the way. G.R.E.A.T). Anyways, I'm sitting here at the computer checking my NCAA brackets (because I'm obsessed now), with Buster (their dog) on my lap and I thought to myself: I'm going to update my long lost blog. Because quite frankly, I have nothing else to do with my time. So here I am, sitting at their computer, in their big open empty house, with STILL nothing to write about.

God I'm boring.

I'm 8 for 8 in my bracket (go me!) and I did the picks MOSTLY by myself. Seriously! Ok, Kyle MAY have helped me a bit and Logan MAY have lent a few suggestions...and okay my little cousin JJ MAY have suggested the second championship team...but other than that, their 100% all my picks! And I'll deserve all $2000 when I win it =)

Actually while we're on that note, can we talk about the NCAA for a second? I am 25...ALMOST 26, and I swear to god I have NEVER heard of March Madness. I mean, I've heard the name, but I never participated or got it or cared really. It was usually just an excuse for me to go hang out at the bars with people. But this year suddenly, work starts a pool, I join because I'm a work lemming, and suddenly I'm sitting in front of the TV watching COLLEGE BASKETBALL of all things and screaming at the TV for my team to come out ahead! I must have stared at espn.com all afternoon just hitting refresh every 2 seconds so I could keep up to date on the happenings and I get such a kick out of watching my bracket light up green every time one of my teams advances even further. It's fantastic!!

So that's that. My first post back after a few month hiatus is about basketball. How do you feel about that?

OH! And oh my gosh I couldn't end this post without completely switching gears and showing everyone my new baby. His name is Stewart Weitzman....and I will love him forever =)

I Have Been Blessed

If I believed in Guardian Angels, I would think that two were sent me about three years ago. Because in these two people, I have seen nothing...nothing...except utter kindness, patience, and a genuine desire to help out whenever and wherever they possibly can.

Today, my tire blew while I was driving home from work, leaving me stranded in Racine. I was lucky that it went before I got on the freeway and instead I was able to safely pull over into the Park & Ride which just happened to be situated across the street from the Racine County Sheriff Patrol station...so I felt a bit safer sitting in my car by myself in the dark at 6:00 at night. (Oh and you can bet I was thrilled to have some extra time to practice up on my Brick Breaker game on my Blackberry...but that's not the point here). Already feeling as though someone was watching over me, I got a call from my mom saying that Larry would be there in about 45 minutes to come and change my tire for me. Larry is the husband of my mom's employee Melinda and the two of them have been doing things like this since we first met them.

True to his word, Larry arrived with a smile on his face and a tire jack in hand laughing as he hoisted my car in the air and saying "I was about to watch American Idol before Melinda called me". Feeling as though I couldn't thank him, or apologize enough for the inconvenience I had just put him in, he assured me that it was no trouble and that the lord will allow me to give thanks to him through my assistance to others (he's really religious...I just let him preach to me) =) And then, 10 minutes later, it was done. He waved goodbye and I drove back to my parent's house so I can take it in to get fixed in the morning.

He never once argued or groaned, or second guessed coming to my aid. He just got in the car, and drove 45 minutes simply to help me with my tire. If I believed in guardian angels, Melinda and Larry would be them, and I would feel very blessed that they are in my life.

I do feel very blessed to have them in my life. Their God certainly has big plans for them. I just know it.

A Candid Moment

HAPPY 2008 (8 days too late)!!!!

I always get really excited for the coming of January 1^st. There is just something so magical about “NEW” that gives us hope that we truly can start all over again. As January 1^st rings in a new year, so does it also ring in the chance for a new beginning, and I can tell you this year more than any other year before…I need a new beginning.

I hurt people last year; people that have meant more to me than I ever thought possible. I lied to people that mattered in order to carry through with my own selfish intentions. I do realize that's a pretty bold statement to put out to a web full of strangers. But I can’t always put on a happy face, and I can’t pretend to be a perfect human being. I’m flawed. And until I can accept that, I’ll never fully be true to myself. Consider my candid statement, my acceptance.

I’ll forever regret how I treated people in 2007…I’ll forever hate who I was in 2007. If I could do it all over again I’d do many things different, but unfortunately that’s not possible and so I can only hope that my mistakes will carry me forward, and I’ll learn from them.

I can take this new moment, this new day, this New Year and fix me…make me a better person. I can look back at my mistakes and work strongly to not make them again. I can make resolutions and for once make them happen. I can make 2008 a much better year than 2007 and for that I am grateful for the New Year and a new opportunity.

And so, for the first time in many years, I have actually compiled a list of resolutions that I have put onto a piece of paper, and will carry with me every day so that I never lose focus of what I am going to accomplish. That list is as follows:

Write in my blog more often

Spend wisely

SAVE

Utilize my gym membership at least three times a week

Get back into yoga

Eat more fresh foods

Be less selfish

Be more assertive

Enjoy my life now! Don’t dwell on the past, and quit worrying about the future.

Seize opportunities

Take more chances

Do more things that scare the hell out of me

Be honest

Be done with self pity

Accept weaknesses, but build on strengths

Let more people in

I’m sure it’ll be a running list, and I’m sure I’ll fail miserably at some of them, but I hope that in 357 days, I’ll look back at the year and think: “I did good this year”. Here’s hoping for a better 2008.