A couple quick updates: My Sailor and I had the money and chipping in talk and I just gotta give him kodus for listening seriously - and acting on it. It's pretty awesome. I'm now confident that I won't have to bust my hump forever at a 9-5 just so we can get by. In a couple years, he'll be higher ranking and making more money. We'll also be happier in a house - and happier translates into more relaxed and more relaxed translates into more creative juices. We have a 2 year plan set up for me to be able to get into the writing world in a professional capacity than I already am. In the meantime, I'm on the look out for local writing groups to join to hone my skills AND make new friends. Everybody is happy and that's a good thing. I feel a million times better knowing that "my turn" is coming soon - and that I can already take steps towards it.
As for wedding stuff, we're carefully looking over our options. If we have it here, it'll be more expensive because more of his very extended family is likely to attend, and more of my friends are willing to make the drive rather than book a flight to Florida, but it'll have to be indoors due to the time of year (aiming for Feb 2013). If we have it in California, my family is more likely to help out with more expenses since they wouldn't have to travel, and we could do it outdoors (most likely) BUT it would mean we travel and change our honeymoon plans to Hawaii instead of the Cruise we had planned. So we may just end up doing it in Florida and keeping it small. After all, everything is pretty much still lined up and just waiting on the word "go"!
But outside of all that - we got rid of cable. Cutting the cable bill from $120 too $52 (internet only) is such a great way to save money! We do use Hulu and Netflix to stay in the loop, and local channels are free anyway. So I've been catching up on some old favorites lately.
Namely MacGyver.
I realize that I was only 5 years old when I started watching this show. It aired from 1985-1992 and I don't think I missed a single episode. Strange thing is, it actually reinforced a lot of the values I already learned at home and did it's part in shaping my life a bit.
For example, I've always been attracted to nerds and Mac was a total nerd in the brain department. Guys that know things I don't know I can learn from them. It keeps life interesting and exciting to me. Even in my adult life, I'm constantly looking at what I can learn from those around me. Even someone I don't particularly like can teach me something valuable, so I learned to be tolerant, keep an open mind, and actually listen to folks. After all, everyone knows something I don't.
Macgyver was also big on compassion. He showed it in a non-Desperate-Housewives way that came off as legitimate and not condescending. His modesty isn't something I see enough of these days. I love that, and learned a lot from it. He gave back whenever and whatever he could to make people's lives better. Most often what he gave was hope, his expertise, and his imagination, proving that money and stuff rarely truly enhance people's lives in a measurable, lasting way.
Finally, he wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade. Bad guys were bad. There was very little grey area. (Gotta love the broad strokes writers use!) I think that life is more black and white than we think, but often we're reluctant to admit it. Sure, no one is entirely bad. Conversely, no one is entirely good either. Mac lied when it suited his purposes so he was no saint. But at the same time, I feel that today, we're so afraid of offending someone we forget that accountability isn't our enemy. It's a good thing (in my book). Holding each other accountable for our actions, words, etc, isn't a negative thing.
Mac took a job and he finished it, giving it his all and his full attention.I've struggled with this one throughout my life, being ADD (diagnosed and everything). I just learned to deal with it, and learned how to focus. ADD can be a gift - you tend to see EVERY OPTION around you, rather than have tunnel vision. Those with ADD often think out of the box and create astounding pieces of art and science, when left to follow their own passions. But it does mean that often it's hard to focus on a task someone else gives us. But there is something else I learned from Mac:
Just because a task is hard and you're not sure how you'll accomplish it, doesn't mean you give up.
And he always came out on top (and always got the girl with the big shoulder pads and poofy hair - gotta love the 80's).
So, when it comes to life lessons, maybe I did learn a few things from TV as a kid. Star Trek (the 1960's one and Next Generation), MacGyver, and Beauty and the Beast all shared some values in common that I still hold dear today. Unlike Members Jackets and hypercolor t-shirts, some things never go out of fashion.
Oh - and one more thing I learned from MacGyver...
Anything is possible with a good pocket knife, some chewing gum, and a roll of duct tape.
As for wedding stuff, we're carefully looking over our options. If we have it here, it'll be more expensive because more of his very extended family is likely to attend, and more of my friends are willing to make the drive rather than book a flight to Florida, but it'll have to be indoors due to the time of year (aiming for Feb 2013). If we have it in California, my family is more likely to help out with more expenses since they wouldn't have to travel, and we could do it outdoors (most likely) BUT it would mean we travel and change our honeymoon plans to Hawaii instead of the Cruise we had planned. So we may just end up doing it in Florida and keeping it small. After all, everything is pretty much still lined up and just waiting on the word "go"!
But outside of all that - we got rid of cable. Cutting the cable bill from $120 too $52 (internet only) is such a great way to save money! We do use Hulu and Netflix to stay in the loop, and local channels are free anyway. So I've been catching up on some old favorites lately.
Namely MacGyver.
I realize that I was only 5 years old when I started watching this show. It aired from 1985-1992 and I don't think I missed a single episode. Strange thing is, it actually reinforced a lot of the values I already learned at home and did it's part in shaping my life a bit.
For example, I've always been attracted to nerds and Mac was a total nerd in the brain department. Guys that know things I don't know I can learn from them. It keeps life interesting and exciting to me. Even in my adult life, I'm constantly looking at what I can learn from those around me. Even someone I don't particularly like can teach me something valuable, so I learned to be tolerant, keep an open mind, and actually listen to folks. After all, everyone knows something I don't.
Macgyver was also big on compassion. He showed it in a non-Desperate-Housewives way that came off as legitimate and not condescending. His modesty isn't something I see enough of these days. I love that, and learned a lot from it. He gave back whenever and whatever he could to make people's lives better. Most often what he gave was hope, his expertise, and his imagination, proving that money and stuff rarely truly enhance people's lives in a measurable, lasting way.
Finally, he wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade. Bad guys were bad. There was very little grey area. (Gotta love the broad strokes writers use!) I think that life is more black and white than we think, but often we're reluctant to admit it. Sure, no one is entirely bad. Conversely, no one is entirely good either. Mac lied when it suited his purposes so he was no saint. But at the same time, I feel that today, we're so afraid of offending someone we forget that accountability isn't our enemy. It's a good thing (in my book). Holding each other accountable for our actions, words, etc, isn't a negative thing.
Mac took a job and he finished it, giving it his all and his full attention.I've struggled with this one throughout my life, being ADD (diagnosed and everything). I just learned to deal with it, and learned how to focus. ADD can be a gift - you tend to see EVERY OPTION around you, rather than have tunnel vision. Those with ADD often think out of the box and create astounding pieces of art and science, when left to follow their own passions. But it does mean that often it's hard to focus on a task someone else gives us. But there is something else I learned from Mac:
Just because a task is hard and you're not sure how you'll accomplish it, doesn't mean you give up.
And he always came out on top (and always got the girl with the big shoulder pads and poofy hair - gotta love the 80's).
So, when it comes to life lessons, maybe I did learn a few things from TV as a kid. Star Trek (the 1960's one and Next Generation), MacGyver, and Beauty and the Beast all shared some values in common that I still hold dear today. Unlike Members Jackets and hypercolor t-shirts, some things never go out of fashion.
Oh - and one more thing I learned from MacGyver...
Anything is possible with a good pocket knife, some chewing gum, and a roll of duct tape.
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