Deep Thought Thursday with JBL - Vol. 7

Fun in the Sun
The ocean a color of blue green
The scene so serene
Life so peaceful and unharmed
Until boats come and leave the fish in a state of alarm
Surf can be rough or gently rowing
Water so clear
And when diving you think you hear
The fish talking to one another
Though, when boats come the noise is smothered
And when you are on a beach with white sand
Feel how soft it is with your hand
And when alone free dive down
You might find a sand dollar or a treasure to the crown
But what ever you do don't Pollute
Because at the time you might be having a good time
Then later you will regret it
Because the fun in the sin will be gone !

(all spelling and punctuation has been left in original form)

Ho Ho Ho

James and I wish everyone a peaceful holiday and a hopeful New Year!

Deep Thought Thursday with JBL - Vol. 6 (Christmas Eve Edition)

Snow

Cold, White

Spreading, Covering, Shoveling

Endlessly cold and white

Winter

I thought this was appropriate for the day.

Suspicious Package

3 Post in one day! How will you ever keep up?!

Well, as many of you know, there's never really a lot of crazy excitement in my office. Things tend to stay on the quiet side. Well, today things got rowdy (well, at least a level above quiet). Today I was delivered this package (see above picture). When I saw it, I immediately thought, "huh? Looks like someone sent me a bomb?" And as I was staring at it, several people walked by my cubicle, stopped, pondered and then inquired if I had been sent a bomb. So being the wild dangerous person that I am... I began to open it, curious about it's suspicious content. Many people stood at a 'safe' distance while I deactivated the package... also curious of the content.

Don't worry. It wasn't a bomb. Just a bunch of blueprints from the luxurious Fairfield Inn in Kennesaw, Georgia.

In all honesty, I was never really concerned about it actually BEING a bomb, but I am however curious as to why the person sending me these drawings, thought it would be a great idea to send them in a large, heavy, unidentified, white PVC pipe. I mean really? I could have thought of a million other ways to send this package, most of which would not have alarmed the FBI.

IDIOT.

The Unemployment Rate is Falling!

Slowly but surely my friends.... slowly but surely.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/18/news/economy/state_unemployment/

Deep Thought Thursday with JBL - Vol. 5 (Friday Edition... sorry, I was traveling)

The World
Of all it's the greatest in the Milky way
It's the only out of 10 or 12 planets suitable for living
Seventy per cent beautiful ocean.
Thirty percent bountiful land
Some so breath taking wars are fought for them
Unlike any other planet known to man.
Mars to hot
Pluto to cold
Nothing but Earth
Is meant for us
So now you would think we would preserve it
Wrong, we throw trash and destroy our ozone
None really care though
Soon though, they will
Because they will be shoved in a metal ship in outer space
to live a crammed and uncomfortable life

(Oh, Nostradamus, so wise.)

Uhh

Saturday I got a hair cut. It's short. My hair is already short, but it's like REALLY short now. I feel like a pin head or a lesbian. And I hate it.

Deep Breath on Deep Thought Thursday

Monday and Tuesday I took a course preparing me to succeed on the LEED Green Associate exam. It was extremely beneficial, I learned a lot and feel very confident about taking the test now. My instructor really knew his stuff and broke it all down into it's simpliest form, making it impossible to be confused. I plan on taking it at the end of January. It's the first of two test that I need to pass in order to receive accreditation as a LEED professional. Clueless about LEED building... don't be... click HERE.

It was the first time in a really long time that the idea of my own personal career/profession was thought of in a positive light. I can't lie, I don't have a dream job and the idea of ever having a dream job seems to be slipping further and further out of view. Mainly, because what I once thought would be a perfect fit for me... is turning out to prove otherwise. And I don't specifically mean my current job (don't get me wrong.. I am thankful for this gig)... more like the idea and culture of my industry. The fact is: if someone was to ask me what my dream job would be... I don't think I'd be able to answer them... and that has definitely put a damper on any aspirations I might have had. And as many of you know the economy has turned my industry upside down. Positive attitudes are hard to find right now.

Anyways, not only did I learn a lot; I didn't have to go to work and I got to dress like a college student again. I LOVED IT! Jeans, tennis shoes, t-shirts and pull-over fleece; it just felt so familiar... yet so long ago. It kind of made me want to go back to school... and then I realized that I'd have to pay for it this time... and the thought was quickly erased from my head. But it was a nice change of pace... now back to the grind stone.

Deep Thought Thursday with JBL - Vol. 4

Cloud
Such brilliant whiteness
So big and very puffy
Might have some water

WORST SUNDAY EVER!!! SIKE!

Today has been quite a lovely day. Not saying yesterday was awful (shopping with my momma). But today has been especially nice. First of all, I'm still in my jammies and I haven't even thought about brushing my teeth... plus, the best part: my husband isn't working, he's home where he belongs with us chickens.

Here's the agenda of a wonderful Sunday, incase you wanted to have one next week:

9:30 Wake-up

11:00 Get out of bed

11:15 Make grilled ham, cheese and mayonnaise sandwiches

11:30 Start preparing soup for dinner

12:15 Watch James grill a mean drunken chicken for the soup

1:00 Cozy up on the couch with my Christmas card list and cards

1:30 Make hot cocoa

2:00 Watch James hook-up the Wii

2:30 Watch James build an awesome fire

3:45 Finish Christmas cards

3:50 Pet poochie

4:00 Make Coke floats

4:15 Stare at my cute lil' Christmas tree (see above)

4:23 Get text from an old friend telling me she'll be in town briefly on Tuesday

4:30 Wrap a few Christmas presents

5:00 Blog

6:00 Eat yummy soup and drink some wine

7:00 Cozy back up on the couch and watch TV with the hubs.

10:00 Bed

I'm loosing it.

I'm worried about something... my memory. I've noticed lately I can't remember things as well as I once could. Whenever I realize that I've forgotten something, I then try to test myself for a few minutes, reassuring myself I'm not loosing my favorite feature... my brain! I'm afraid it might be all the diet coke I've been drinking? I really need to cut back.

Here are a few situations that have caused me to worry.

1. This morning I forgot what Obama's first name was. I had to goggle it. It's Barack.

2. A few weeks ago we left Gussy in Tyler for the night and the next morning I almost freaked out because I couldn't find him anywhere in the house.

3. When someone asked me the other day what company I worked for... I blanked. Yikes.

Am I just getting old? Or is that fake sugar slowly eating away my memory?

Deep Thought Thursday with JBL - Vol. 3

Day Planner

Plans your schedule
From morning to night time
Plans everything
Tennis at noon with John Doe
Or Dinner with a friend Jane

(I'm not sure who's day planner he was looking through... but 'Tennis with John Doe" seems a little suspicious)

Traffic is bad.

It's snowing....

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

Although my birthday is in a couple of days, this was actually NOT a birthday present.

A few weeks ago James and I went to his parents house for the day and had a blast with their new Wii. Apparently, I talked it up so much to my parents that they went out and got one... for Mii and my sister! Don't be confused... there are two Wiis in the house right now, one for my sister to take home and one for James and I to take home! How fun is that?!?!?! It was such a surprise, I love it!

Now I can take it home and practice so I can actually beat my nephew in bowling. Wii party at the Lynn hizouse!

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday.

Deep Thought Thursday with JBL - Vol. 2 (Wednesday Edition)

Coffee Maker

It boils ground
Many types of grounds
Swiss Mocha, Cappacino
And lots of coffee
Hot to very hot
or cold to very cold

-

(Since tomorrow is a holiday, I thought I'd post the weekly Deep Thought today... and yes, I like my coffee cold to very cold.... don't get it twisted)

Deep Thought Thursday with JBL - Vol. 1

Calculator

Can add or subtract

Or multiply and divide

Can even write words

Though, very limited words

For instance HELLO

A boat load of roses

Today I got back from lunch to find a massive arrangement of roses waiting for me. The hubs, he's a sweetie. We tried counting, but couldn't do it, we're thinking there's about 6 dozen. I tried to place the pen in the picture to show the monstrosity of the arrangement, but it doesn't give it justice.

AWESOMENESS

This post is just a litttttttle taste to let you know of the awesomeness that is to follow. Have I got you hooked? Good.

While going through James' parent's attic this weekend (the final load to our move) we stumbled upon a book of poetry written by none other than our sweet baby James. It's pure 8th grade emotions at it's best. Poems on baseball, wake boarding and surprisingly quite a few about coffee and day planners grace the pages... (along with a few clip-art images to help get the point across).

Because it would be selfish to keep these masterpieces to myself, I've decided to share a piece a week in what will be entitled: "Deep Thought Thursday with James Brittingham Lynn".

Please stay tune for the first installment this week. I promise, you will not be let down.

2 Years Old

Today our little family turns 2.

MC Hammer

This post is dedicated to my sister and mom.

Since we are on the subject of fashion, I thought I'd throw this one out there too... While we were in Europe, I'm pretty sure I was the only one without parachute pants. Remember those? Yes, I had them, so did my sister, and so did MC Hammer. I'm not going to lie, they look pretty damn comfortable. But I think I'm going to have to see them on some good ol' American girls before I jump into that one again.

Aren't my pictures awesome? I tried really hard not to be obvious.

What the Hell is She Wearing?

Because of our recent move, James and I have been watching old DVD's of Sex and the City until our cable is turned on. James is new to the series; never watched it on TV or seen the movie, so I was curious to see his reaction to the content of the show. Lets just say he's not quite the fan of Carrie Bradshaw's wardrobe. Each new scene he would say, "What the hell is she wearing now?". It's quite entertaining; maybe even better than real cable.

Hey, if it's not a button-up shirt under a sweater with tan loafers... you might as well be naked.

Oh, Bert.

As I opened my browser today I was greeted by these silly faces. It truly made me smile. I'm definitely a product of these guys. I even had Seasame Street sheets!

Happy Birthday gang, you don't look a day over 29.

Course Study

Yesterday I enrolled in my first LEED course to help me prepare for my licensing exam in January. It's just a couple of days in December, nothing long or intense.

In my dorkiness I must confess, I'm a bit excited about this course. I've always had an interest in environmental issues and I hope to one day be able to bring that passion into my career somehow. So anyways... just wanted to let you know.

Gustopher turns 5

We're not the best parents in the world. Especially when we have the swine flu. Saturday was our little hairy boy's 5th birthday. And not only did we not celebrate, we sent him away to Gainesville. Sorry Gussy, we suck.

Hopefully tonight, G-ma will let you surf the 'net and you'll see this post and know we haven't forgotten our #1 pooch.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

We're Home.

Last night we had to finally move... we had to be out of the old apartment today... so we really didn't have a choice. Thanks to Kathy and Clark for coming and helping out with all the fun stuff... like lining the shelves and drawers, we really appreciate it.

James and I are doing much better now... we aren't contagious anymore! Most of the symptoms are gone, but we are still incredibly tired. Thanks for all the well wishes and help over the past week, we definitely needed it.

What a great Halloween!!!

I think this Halloween will go down in the books. Not only did we not step a foot outside, but I don't think I even saw a single pumpkin, piece of candy or trick-or-treater.... James and I both have the swine flu. Or if we are being politically correct: the 2009 H1N1 Flu.

Not going to lie, it sucks bad. James started getting sick on Wednesday evening and by Friday afternoon we both went to the doctor for swine confirmation and meds. It's Sunday afternoon and James' temp is finally below 100; first time since Wednesday. We both had real food today too; Cheerios and Zestas only go so far. They forget to tell you that not only do you have flu/cold symptoms but also a lot of stomach issues with the swine flu as well. Its a great combination.

But the best part of the whole ordeal... we were suppose to move yesterday. So all of our belongings (including glasses, clean sheets, clean towels...etc) are in boxes.

Looking forward to the move.

Jamie Olivia

Here's a pic from the Morgans, showcasing their new bundle of joy.

Happy Birthday Neatos.

Family Time

In sad news: my mom's older sister Patty past away this week. We are gathering this evening and tomorrow morning to celebrate and remember the wonderful life she had.

I know this sounds awful, but in some weird way I look forward to events like this. (I know I'm totally creeping you out right now.) But it's some of the very few times that my whole family is together. I have a ton of cousins and thankfully I am very close to many of them. But as we grow older and we all start families of our own, finding time to get together is extremely difficult. Even during the holidays it is hard for us all to settle on a date to celebrate. But in times such as these, we drop our plans and realize the only thing important at the moment is to be together, even for a few hours.

I miss my cousins and aunts and uncles way more than I ever thought I would as an adult. They have always been an unconscious staple in my life, something I appreciate much more as I grow older. I realized this the most the other day when my 'baby' cousin Rach let me know via facebook that she will be attending OSU in the fall. I was proud and excited for her, knowing the great times she has ahead of her. But in a weird way I was sad too... the baby of the family is old enough to start her own life, leaving even less time for the rest of us. It's bittersweet I guess.

I'm rambling. Bottom line, I love my family. I love the concept of family. And I love when the true definition of family reaches it's potential.

Sniff, sniff.

Baby Morgan

Today James' good friend Olly and his wife Alex welcomed

Jamie Olivia!

Congratulations! We can't wait to see pictures!

Move on Lil' Doggies

What if James and I move every year until we die.... do you think we could live in atleast half of the rental properties in Dallas proper?

So here's the new digs. It's cute. I actually really like it. It's very similar to the place we are living now, just an upgraded version. There's a small patio for the pup, a second bedroom for the guest and a TON more storage space. I think one of the best parts is the location. We're blocks from The Mansion and Turtle Creek and minutes from all 3 major highways.

We have most of our possessions in storage at our parents and friends homes, so rounding everything up might be a challenge, but if it means I get all my stuff back... I accept.

Swing by if your in the hood.

Michael Knight

Lately, some people at James' work have been calling him Michael Knight. Sadly, this 'pop culture' reference is before our time and neither one of us knows what it really means. James found this pic online... I don't see the connection?

The question remains: Do they think he's cool or are they making fun? I have a feeling it's the latter.

Welcome Home Punkie

On Thursday our good friends the Elgins welcomed their baby girl into the world. James and I went to see her Friday night and picked up their 'other' baby, Ollie (the dog).

Kinley Marie is such a cute lil' chubbers! Congratulations Rick & Kimbra, she's perfect!

Ben Folds

O M G (Pretend like I said it like Zoila). Last night James and I went to see Ben Folds perform at the beautiful Meyerson with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. WOW.

Many of you know of my life long love affair with Mr. Folds. Since high school he has easily won the title of my fav and held steady through the years. But last night, he took it to a whole new level. We were seated 8 rows from the stage (thank you sweet husband) and my cheeks are still sore from smiling so much. He played many of the songs from the older albums and threw in a few new ones here and there. The crowd was awesome too, he ended up coming back for a second encore for a jam session once the orchestra was excused. Now, I can't forget the DSO, they were amazing also, I enjoyed watching the musicians smirk at some of the songs.

Oh Mr. Folds, how I love your piano talent, your witty lyrics, subtle sarcasm and most of all your not so perfect voice.

5K - "I'm a weeenner!"

This past weekend I went up to Missouri to visit my sister and her sweet little family. We had a great time playing and watching football and napping:) While I was up there I decided to run a 5K, which was the last item on my 26th year bucket list.

On my birthday last year, I made a list of 4 thing I wanted to accomplish this year: Pass the NCIDQ, run a 5K, go to Spain, and become LEED certified. (I've had to roll-over the LEED goal for next year, due to prerequisites and test cost $$$).

So on Saturday I ran my 5K. Now to many people, 3.2 miles seems like a joke (Jes) but to ME, 3.2 miles is forever. I've been slowly training all summer and then kicked it into high gear once we returned from vacation. I managed to run the entire thing without stopping and my final time was 37 minutes. It wasn't really that fun, but I'm really proud of myself for doing it. I also had Buzz Lightyear at the finish line, so that was a motivation in itself!

Gypsy Queen

When I was little, maybe 3 or 4 years old; my mom dressed my sister and I up as gypsies for Halloween. We were cute. Later in life I thought this costume was a little random, but now I must give her 'mad props'; being a busy working mother, it was a cheap, easy and quite creative costume. A few skirts, old jewelry and a head scarf and we were good to go!

My point... and I do have one... I've turned into a gypsy again. Meaning: we are once again moving.

Since turning 18 I have had 11 different addresses. Maybe 12 will be the magic number?

*ROME*

Coliseum

Pantheon

Trivi Fountain

St. Peter's Square

I am so happy that my CD full of Roman pictures came in the mail last night!

Our day in Rome was a whirl-wind... we hit so many places in such a short time. We covered the Coliseum, the Pantheon, Caesar's Palace, the Roman Forum, Trivi Fountain and the Vatican City (including the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square and the Vatican Museum.) Along the way we also stopped for some yummy bread and sausage sandwiches and then managed to find another gelato store on the way home :) We started at 8:00 am and was back on the ship by 5:30, with 2 hours in the car from the port.... so needless to say, we were speedy. Rome was definitely one of my favorites. I think because I grew-up in such a strong Catholic community, and finally being able to see the roots of everything we based our faith around… it was really neat. I’m pretty sure I was the only one in our group with energy for the Vatican City; everyone else was getting a little droopy. Our driving guide, Antonello was awesome. He was so informative and so well traveled; I think James had a little crush on him. (And was personally baptized by the pope!)

**ROMA**

Because of my expert traveling skills.... my camera battery went dead during our Rome excursion. Soooo I'm waiting on some folks to send me their pictures of the day. Once I recieve them I'll post for Rome....

It's a bit of a bummer because Rome was amazing....

*FLORENCE*

Florence was much more relaxed, a day full of car rides through ripe vineyards, walking through farmers markets and listening to stories and jokes from our tour guide, Fritz the Cat (he asked us to call him that).

We started the day in Pisa to get a good picture of the tower. Beyond that, there isn’t much more to the town, so we went on our way. Fritz the Cat (FtC) took us on a round-a-bout way to Florence, hitting the hilly country side and old vineyards with big purple grapes just waiting to be picked in a month for some delicious wine! We also saw a ton of other produce; pumpkins, zucchini, and squash. In Florence FtC dropped us off at the Academia to get a long look at The David then walked us around the city for more architectural marvels and wonders. We meandered our way through the farmers market where I managed to pull my husband out with only purchasing a ‘few’ items (black truffle salami anyone?). We then headed for lunch and a quick sampling of some local Grappa (very, very strong wine/liquor) before heading back to the ship. Florence was a really nice day, the weather was wonderful and the town has a much milder manner in comparison to Rome.

Pisa

My happy husband at the farmers market

*NAPLES*

Now this is when the tourism gets down to business! Wednesday we woke up early for a private tour of Pompeii and Amalfi Coast. We first headed to Pompeii before the crowds and the heat took over. Pompeii left me in awe. I’d like to say it was awesome, but that word just doesn’t carry the impact that it should. Centuries before Christ, mankind had already developed a city-wide sewage structure, street reflectors, and air cooling systems. Even small things, like puppy dog signs and petrified bread loaves made me realize how short my one life is within the large scheme of things (in a good way).

After Pompeii we twisted and turned up the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast to an amazing view for lunch. We had fresh veggies and pasta at an old olive oil farm over looking the coast line. After that we circled through the small towns, stopping for shops, gelato, limoncello and photographs. The views were breath-taking, something from a postcard or a movie.

One of the most memorable parts about this tour was the driving… wow. There are very few rules and regulations when driving in Italy and anything goes, especially if you are on a scooter. BUT, the great part was no one had road-rage: there were no horn honking or impatient drivers. And we did not see one wreck the entire time. It was interesting, and definitely a product of their lackadaisical attitudes; something we should maybe take note of.

Pompeii

Amalfi Coast, beautiful, beautiful!

Sorrento Lemons

*MALTA*

After a day at sea we docked at Valletta, Malta; a small island in the south of the Mediterranean. It was only a short day, so we went exploring on our own without a tour guide. The weather in Valletta was much hotter than Barcelona and James and I were pretty sweaty by the time we made it back to the ship.

Like I said, Malta is small. It's best known for it's knights and gardens, as well as a beautiful church with an original Michelangelo painting. James and I basically spent the morning strolling the town and then headed back to the ship. We knew we had some pretty intensive sight-seeing ahead of us, so we kept it easy.

"Probably", we're just not totally for sure. The language barrier at it's best.

The steps in the city are very short, so that the knights could climb them easily with their armor.

There are 365 Catholic churches on the tiny island of Malta. No excuses huh?

The beautiful limestone forts.

*NCL*

Sunday night we boarded the ship. This was my very first cruise, so I had NO IDEA what to expect. All I knew was to take the stairs to avoid massive weight gain (thanks Kathy) and to eat green apples for sea sickness.

There was some sort of confusion while checking in that secured us a major upgrade: BALCONY! Heck ya! We aren't sure what happened, but we also didn't want to ask too many questions. I'm not sure I will ever be able to have a room without a balcony again. Sitting outside at night or watching the boat dock at each port in the morning, were some of my favorite times. It was fascinating to think of myself in the middle of this large ocean with the bluest water I have ever seen. The boat was pretty new, so everything was still very sparkly and clean. And of course the service was great. There were only two nights of boat rocking, but nothing a little ginger ale couldn't fix.

I'm still not sure though if I am a cruiser... I did enjoy the cruise very much, but I think the ports of call had a LOT to do with my satisfaction. I was bored often, there were a ton of people, and way more kids than I expected.

Every night we had some sort of towel animal with chocolate mints on our pillows. This particular animal is a monkey.

James being a lazy bum: acceptable on vaca.

My new favorite color.

On our balcony before we left Barcelona.

The ship was huge, I was constantly lost.

*BARCELONA*

We arrived in Barcelona on Saturday afternoon after a long flight and lay-over in Amsterdam. The weather was so beautiful, mid-80's with a great ocean breeze. Since James and I had not slept in over 24 hours, we were dragging a little, but managed to take a long walk around Placa de Catalunya and Las Ramblas (basically the city center). The next day was spent on the "hop on/hop off" bus, and saw tons of great sites. Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and many other beautiful pieces of architecture were on the route. I think my favorite part of Barcelona was the architecture, Gaudi's buildings are so amazing, the word 'creative' doesn't even begin to describe his mind.

Sunday evening we had to leave for the cruise, but we returned the next week once the cruise was over, to fly back home. Once we were back we stayed in a really great hotel, Casa Camper. They are based off of the European shoe brand; Camper. The hotel is very small, but the service was great and the design kept me thinking. On our last night we went to Picasso's old stomping ground: 4 Gats. The atmosphere was really cool and vintage, but the food lacked. There were sketches of Picasso's all over, even the plates were small drawings.

In short: I realllllly liked Barcelona. Maybe is was the familiarity of the Spanish language or the mix of modern and historical architecture, but it really made my heart smile. It was hard to leave.

A great view of the mountains behind.

The view from our hotel room.

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia

Placa de Catalunya

4 Gats