Thoughts 4/14/12

So have you ever seen some thing and it just stuck with you? Me too. Tonight. I was at Winco of all places when this happened. That in itself is strange because I am sure profound things dont normally happen there. I was shopping and went to turn down an aisle and I saw a woman wearing what I would call a burka. It wasnt full length though, just on her head so only her eyes showed. With her husband/brother/father. I was with Terra who had an immediate reaction, visceral really. She whipped the cart around and went the other direction.

Seeing just a flash of this woman has left me in a haze of thought. I was left with my head swirlling with thoughts for this woman, whom I would never have the courage to ask.

For one seeing this in Tacoma is kind of an anomily. We dont have alot of middle eastern people here. Perhaps they dont come out in public much. Or maybe most of them are not that hard core. It was like seeing a lion in the middle of a busy street.

Of all of the questions that I have, here are the few I have that I wished I could get an honest answer to: How would it feel to believe in some thing so strongly that you would cover your face. To me the face IS you. It is the very essence of you and your individuality. How would it feel to enforce that rule? Be it the mother/father/culture. I dont think I could look at my (hypothetical) daughters smiling face and tell her she needs to cover it in the presence of men who are not her family. I wonder if there is a surge of regret and sadness for them like it would be for me. Perhaps not since they are raised with it. But I cant think of any mother I know that would be able to do this.

I wonder if there is a rush of secret empowerment for the men when they see the women doing as they are told. Of being the enforcer of a rule from their god. I know that they see it as a protection thing, that they dont want other men to think lavicious thoughts about their women. Yet still I wonder if they think of it as a victory, in a part of their mind they dont share.

Of course I try to put myself in this womans shoes. I can imagine how it would feel to stick out so harshly in public. To beleive in some thing so much that I would subject myself to that. I would need to steel myself before going out in public. How it would feel to know with absolute certainty that people are staring at you. That they are talking about you. I wonder if it is hard to breath under the fabric. I would hope that I would be able to see it as being so special I have to be hidden away. I hope that I would be able to shrug off the judgement. I would wonder what it would be like to be on the other side, just as I am now.

I read a book called Wanderlust and she lives in the middle east for a year and her and her friend were tired of the filthy comments she got from the local men. So they dressed in the tradiational garb of that region, covering their heads and faces. They ended up getting lost as followed by a couple of men. They eventually did reach their destination of other american friends unscathed. In a frenzy they tore off the head gear and shawls they thought were going to protect them. Im sure she put it perfectly when she called tearing everything off to be free 'quietly going mad'. I am sure countless foreign women have gone through this. I am also sure I would too.

Thanks for reading, if you have a comment please leave one.

Emma

The sum of my parts, My Big 5

This is a personality test of 'The Big 5'. The 5 big traits that all of us have: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience. We all have some of them, some of them higher than others. It is alot to read, this is mostly just a copy for myself. If you would like the wed addy let me know :)

To describe two individuals as extraverts, but still see one as more extraverted than the other. This report uses expressions such as "extravert" or "high in extraversion" to describe someone who is likely to be seen by others as relatively extraverted. The computer program that generates this report classifies you as low, average, or high in a trait according to whether your score is approximately in the lowest 30%, middle 40%, or highest 30% of scores obtained by people of your sex and roughly your age. Your numerical scores are reported and graphed as percentile estimates. For example, a score of "60" means that your level on that trait is estimated to be higher than 60% of persons of your sex and age.

Please keep in mind that "low," "average," and "high" scores on a personality test are neither absolutely good nor bad. A particular level on any trait will probably be neutral or irrelevant for a great many activites, be helpful for accomplishing some things, and detrimental for accomplishing other things. As with any personality inventory, scores and descriptions can only approximate an individual's actual personality. High and low score descriptions are usually accurate, but average scores close to the low or high boundaries might misclassify you as only average. On each set of six subdomain scales it is somewhat uncommon but certainly possible to score high in some of the subdomains and low in the others. In such cases more attention should be paid to the subdomain scores than to the broad domain score. Questions about the accuracy of your results are best resolved by showing your report to people who know you well.

John A. Johnson wrote descriptions of the five domains and thirty subdomains. These descriptions are based on an extensive reading of the scientific literature on personality measurement. Although Dr. Johnson would like to be acknowledged as the author of these materials if they are reproduced, he has placed them in the public domain.

Extraversion

Extraversion is marked by pronounced engagement with the external world. Extraverts enjoy being with people, are full of energy, and often experience positive emotions. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented, individuals who are likely to say "Yes!" or "Let's go!" to opportunities for excitement. In groups they like to talk, assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves.

Introverts lack the exuberance, energy, and activity levels of extraverts. They tend to be quiet, low-key, deliberate, and disengaged from the social world. Their lack of social involvement should not be interpreted as shyness or depression; the introvert simply needs less stimulation than an extravert and prefers to be alone. The independence and reserve of the introvert is sometimes mistaken as unfriendliness or arrogance. In reality, an introvert who scores high on the agreeableness dimension will not seek others out but will be quite pleasant when approached.

Your score on Extraversion is high, indicating you are sociable, outgoing, energetic, and lively. You prefer to be around people much of the time.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
EXTRAVERSION...............82 **********************************************************************************
..Friendliness.............96 ************************************************************************************************
..Gregariousness...........67 *******************************************************************
..Assertiveness............83 ***********************************************************************************
..Activity Level...........63 ***************************************************************
..Excitement-Seeking.......22 **********************
..Cheerfulness.............88 ****************************************************************************************

Extraversion Facets

• Friendliness. Friendly people genuinely like other people and openly demonstrate positive feelings toward others. They make friends quickly and it is easy for them to form close, intimate relationships. Low scorers on Friendliness are not necessarily cold and hostile, but they do not reach out to others and are perceived as distant and reserved. Your level of friendliness is high.
• Gregariousness. Gregarious people find the company of others pleasantly stimulating and rewarding. They enjoy the excitement of crowds. Low scorers tend to feel overwhelmed by, and therefore actively avoid, large crowds. They do not necessarily dislike being with people sometimes, but their need for privacy and time to themselves is much greater than for individuals who score high on this scale. Your level of gregariousness is high.
• Assertiveness. High scorers Assertiveness like to speak out, take charge, and direct the activities of others. They tend to be leaders in groups. Low scorers tend not to talk much and let others control the activities of groups. Your level of assertiveness is high.
• Activity Level. Active individuals lead fast-paced, busy lives. They move about quickly, energetically, and vigorously, and they are involved in many activities. People who score low on this scale follow a slower and more leisurely, relaxed pace. Your activity level is average.
• Excitement-Seeking. High scorers on this scale are easily bored without high levels of stimulation. They love bright lights and hustle and bustle. They are likely to take risks and seek thrills. Low scorers are overwhelmed by noise and commotion and are adverse to thrill-seeking. Your level of excitement-seeking is low.
• Cheerfulness. This scale measures positive mood and feelings, not negative emotions (which are a part of the Neuroticism domain). Persons who score high on this scale typically experience a range of positive feelings, including happiness, enthusiasm, optimism, and joy. Low scorers are not as prone to such energetic, high spirits. Your level of positive emotions is high.

Agreeableness

Agreeableness reflects individual differences in concern with cooperation and social harmony. Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are therefore considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with others'. Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature. They believe people are basically honest, decent, and trustworthy.

Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. They are generally unconcerned with others' well-being, and therefore are unlikely to extend themselves for other people. Sometimes their skepticism about others' motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly, and uncooperative.

Agreeableness is obviously advantageous for attaining and maintaining popularity. Agreeable people are better liked than disagreeable people. On the other hand, agreeableness is not useful in situations that require tough or absolute objective decisions. Disagreeable people can make excellent scientists, critics, or soldiers.

Your level of Agreeableness is average, indicating some concern with others' Needs, but, generally, unwillingness to sacrifice yourself for others.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
AGREEABLENESS..............65 *****************************************************************
..Trust....................83 ***********************************************************************************
..Morality.................83 ***********************************************************************************
..Altruism.................89 *****************************************************************************************
..Cooperation..............64 ****************************************************************
..Modesty..................7 *******
..Sympathy.................43 *******************************************

Agreeableness Facets

• Trust. A person with high trust assumes that most people are fair, honest, and have good intentions. Persons low in trust see others as selfish, devious, and potentially dangerous. Your level of trust is high.
• Morality. High scorers on this scale see no need for pretense or manipulation when dealing with others and are therefore candid, frank, and sincere. Low scorers believe that a certain amount of deception in social relationships is necessary. People find it relatively easy to relate to the straightforward high-scorers on this scale. They generally find it more difficult to relate to the unstraightforward low-scorers on this scale. It should be made clear that low scorers are not unprincipled or immoral; they are simply more guarded and less willing to openly reveal the whole truth. Your level of morality is high.
• Altruism. Altruistic people find helping other people genuinely rewarding. Consequently, they are generally willing to assist those who are in need. Altruistic people find that doing things for others is a form of self-fulfillment rather than self-sacrifice. Low scorers on this scale do not particularly like helping those in need. Requests for help feel like an imposition rather than an opportunity for self-fulfillment. Your level of altruism is high.
• Cooperation. Individuals who score high on this scale dislike confrontations. They are perfectly willing to compromise or to deny their own needs in order to get along with others. Those who score low on this scale are more likely to intimidate others to get their way. Your level of compliance is average.
• Modesty. High scorers on this scale do not like to claim that they are better than other people. In some cases this attitude may derive from low self-confidence or self-esteem. Nonetheless, some people with high self-esteem find immodesty unseemly. Those who are willing to describe themselves as superior tend to be seen as disagreeably arrogant by other people. Your level of modesty is low.
• Sympathy. People who score high on this scale are tenderhearted and compassionate. They feel the pain of others vicariously and are easily moved to pity. Low scorers are not affected strongly by human suffering. They pride themselves on making objective judgments based on reason. They are more concerned with truth and impartial justice than with mercy. Your level of tender-mindedness is average.

Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness concerns the way in which we control, regulate, and direct our impulses. Impulses are not inherently bad; occasionally time constraints require a snap decision, and acting on our first impulse can be an effective response. Also, in times of play rather than work, acting spontaneously and impulsively can be fun. Impulsive individuals can be seen by others as colorful, fun-to-be-with, and zany.

Nonetheless, acting on impulse can lead to trouble in a number of ways. Some impulses are antisocial. Uncontrolled antisocial acts not only harm other members of society, but also can result in retribution toward the perpetrator of such impulsive acts. Another problem with impulsive acts is that they often produce immediate rewards but undesirable, long-term consequences. Examples include excessive socializing that leads to being fired from one's job, hurling an insult that causes the breakup of an important relationship, or using pleasure-inducing drugs that eventually destroy one's health.

Impulsive behavior, even when not seriously destructive, diminishes a person's effectiveness in significant ways. Acting impulsively disallows contemplating alternative courses of action, some of which would have been wiser than the impulsive choice. Impulsivity also sidetracks people during projects that require organized sequences of steps or stages. Accomplishments of an impulsive person are therefore small, scattered, and inconsistent.

A hallmark of intelligence, what potentially separates human beings from earlier life forms, is the ability to think about future consequences before acting on an impulse. Intelligent activity involves contemplation of long-range goals, organizing and planning routes to these goals, and persisting toward one's goals in the face of short-lived impulses to the contrary. The idea that intelligence involves impulse control is nicely captured by the term prudence, an alternative label for the Conscientiousness domain. Prudent means both wise and cautious. Persons who score high on the Conscientiousness scale are, in fact, perceived by others as intelligent.

The benefits of high conscientiousness are obvious. Conscientious individuals avoid trouble and achieve high levels of success through purposeful planning and persistence. They are also positively regarded by others as intelligent and reliable. On the negative side, they can be compulsive perfectionists and workaholics. Furthermore, extremely conscientious individuals might be regarded as stuffy and boring. Unconscientious people may be criticized for their unreliability, lack of ambition, and failure to stay within the lines, but they will experience many short-lived pleasures and they will never be called stuffy.

Your score on Conscientiousness is high. This means you set clear goals and pursue them with determination. People regard you as reliable and hard-working.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS..........77 *****************************************************************************
..Self-Efficacy............78 ******************************************************************************
..Orderliness..............52 ****************************************************
..Dutifulness..............93 *********************************************************************************************
..Achievement-Striving.....60 ************************************************************
..Self-Discipline..........54 ******************************************************
..Cautiousness.............82 **********************************************************************************

Conscientiousness Facets

• Self-Efficacy. Self-Efficacy describes confidence in one's ability to accomplish things. High scorers believe they have the intelligence (common sense), drive, and self-control necessary for achieving success. Low scorers do not feel effective, and may have a sense that they are not in control of their lives. Your level of self-efficacy is high.
• Orderliness. Persons with high scores on orderliness are well-organized. They like to live according to routines and schedules. They keep lists and make plans. Low scorers tend to be disorganized and scattered. Your level of orderliness is average.
• Dutifulness. This scale reflects the strength of a person's sense of duty and obligation. Those who score high on this scale have a strong sense of moral obligation. Low scorers find contracts, rules, and regulations overly confining. They are likely to be seen as unreliable or even irresponsible. Your level of dutifulness is high.
• Achievement-Striving. Individuals who score high on this scale strive hard to achieve excellence. Their drive to be recognized as successful keeps them on track toward their lofty goals. They often have a strong sense of direction in life, but extremely high scores may be too single-minded and obsessed with their work. Low scorers are content to get by with a minimal amount of work, and might be seen by others as lazy. Your level of achievement striving is average.
• Self-Discipline. Self-discipline-what many people call will-power-refers to the ability to persist at difficult or unpleasant tasks until they are completed. People who possess high self-discipline are able to overcome reluctance to begin tasks and stay on track despite distractions. Those with low self-discipline procrastinate and show poor follow-through, often failing to complete tasks-even tasks they want very much to complete. Your level of self-discipline is average.
• Cautiousness. Cautiousness describes the disposition to think through possibilities before acting. High scorers on the Cautiousness scale take their time when making decisions. Low scorers often say or do first thing that comes to mind without deliberating alternatives and the probable consequences of those alternatives. Your level of cautiousness is high.

Neuroticism

Freud originally used the term neurosis to describe a condition marked by mental distress, emotional suffering, and an inability to cope effectively with the normal demands of life. He suggested that everyone shows some signs of neurosis, but that we differ in our degree of suffering and our specific symptoms of distress. Today neuroticism refers to the tendency to experience negative feelings. Those who score high on Neuroticism may experience primarily one specific negative feeling such as anxiety, anger, or depression, but are likely to experience several of these emotions. People high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive. They respond emotionally to events that would not affect most people, and their reactions tend to be more intense than normal. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually long periods of time, which means they are often in a bad mood. These problems in emotional regulation can diminish a neurotic's ability to think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress.

At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings. Freedom from negative feelings does not mean that low scorers experience a lot of positive feelings; frequency of positive emotions is a component of the Extraversion domain.

Your score on Neuroticism is low, indicating that you are exceptionally calm, composed and unflappable. You do not react with intense emotions, even to situations that most people would describe as stressful.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
NEUROTICISM................6 ******
..Anxiety..................21 *********************
..Anger....................13 *************
..Depression...............7 *******
..Self-Consciousness.......8 ********
..Immoderation.............33 *********************************
..Vulnerability............24 ************************

Neuroticism Facets

• Anxiety. The "fight-or-flight" system of the brain of anxious individuals is too easily and too often engaged. Therefore, people who are high in anxiety often feel like something dangerous is about to happen. They may be afraid of specific situations or be just generally fearful. They feel tense, jittery, and nervous. Persons low in Anxiety are generally calm and fearless. Your level of anxiety is low.
• Anger. Persons who score high in Anger feel enraged when things do not go their way. They are sensitive about being treated fairly and feel resentful and bitter when they feel they are being cheated. This scale measures the tendency to feel angry; whether or not the person expresses annoyance and hostility depends on the individual's level on Agreeableness. Low scorers do not get angry often or easily. Your level of anger is low.
• Depression. This scale measures the tendency to feel sad, dejected, and discouraged. High scorers lack energy and have difficult initiating activities. Low scorers tend to be free from these depressive feelings. Your level of depression is low.
• Self-Consciousness. Self-conscious individuals are sensitive about what others think of them. Their concern about rejection and ridicule cause them to feel shy and uncomfortable abound others. They are easily embarrassed and often feel ashamed. Their fears that others will criticize or make fun of them are exaggerated and unrealistic, but their awkwardness and discomfort may make these fears a self-fulfilling prophecy. Low scorers, in contrast, do not suffer from the mistaken impression that everyone is watching and judging them. They do not feel nervous in social situations. Your level or self-consciousness is low.
• Immoderation. Immoderate individuals feel strong cravings and urges that they have have difficulty resisting. They tend to be oriented toward short-term pleasures and rewards rather than long- term consequences. Low scorers do not experience strong, irresistible cravings and consequently do not find themselves tempted to overindulge. Your level of immoderation is average.
• Vulnerability. High scorers on Vulnerability experience panic, confusion, and helplessness when under pressure or stress. Low scorers feel more poised, confident, and clear-thinking when stressed. Your level of vulnerability is low.

Openness to Experience

Openness to Experience describes a dimension of cognitive style that distinguishes imaginative, creative people from down-to-earth, conventional people. Open people are intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be, compared to closed people, more aware of their feelings. They tend to think and act in individualistic and nonconforming ways. Intellectuals typically score high on Openness to Experience; consequently, this factor has also been called Culture or Intellect. Nonetheless, Intellect is probably best regarded as one aspect of openness to experience. Scores on Openness to Experience are only modestly related to years of education and scores on standard intelligent tests.

Another characteristic of the open cognitive style is a facility for thinking in symbols and abstractions far removed from concrete experience. Depending on the individual's specific intellectual abilities, this symbolic cognition may take the form of mathematical, logical, or geometric thinking, artistic and metaphorical use of language, music composition or performance, or one of the many visual or performing arts. People with low scores on openness to experience tend to have narrow, common interests. They prefer the plain, straightforward, and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. They may regard the arts and sciences with suspicion, regarding these endeavors as abstruse or of no practical use. Closed people prefer familiarity over novelty; they are conservative and resistant to change.

Openness is often presented as healthier or more mature by psychologists, who are often themselves open to experience. However, open and closed styles of thinking are useful in different environments. The intellectual style of the open person may serve a professor well, but research has shown that closed thinking is related to superior job performance in police work, sales, and a number of service occupations.
 

Your score on Openness to Experience is high, indicating you enjoy novelty, variety, and change. You are curious, imaginative, and creative.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE.....91 *******************************************************************************************
..Imagination..............83 ***********************************************************************************
..Artistic Interests.......88 ****************************************************************************************
..Emotionality.............81 *********************************************************************************
..Adventurousness..........61 *************************************************************
..Intellect................67 *******************************************************************
..Liberalism...............86 **************************************************************************************

Openness Facets

• Imagination. To imaginative individuals, the real world is often too plain and ordinary. High scorers on this scale use fantasy as a way of creating a richer, more interesting world. Low scorers are on this scale are more oriented to facts than fantasy. Your level of imagination is high.
• Artistic Interests. High scorers on this scale love beauty, both in art and in nature. They become easily involved and absorbed in artistic and natural events. They are not necessarily artistically trained nor talented, although many will be. The defining features of this scale are interest in, and appreciation of natural and artificial beauty. Low scorers lack aesthetic sensitivity and interest in the arts. Your level of artistic interests is high.
• Emotionality. Persons high on Emotionality have good access to and awareness of their own feelings. Low scorers are less aware of their feelings and tend not to express their emotions openly. Your level of emotionality is high.
• Adventurousness. High scorers on adventurousness are eager to try new activities, travel to foreign lands, and experience different things. They find familiarity and routine boring, and will take a new route home just because it is different. Low scorers tend to feel uncomfortable with change and prefer familiar routines. Your level of adventurousness is average.
• Intellect. Intellect and artistic interests are the two most important, central aspects of openness to experience. High scorers on Intellect love to play with ideas. They are open-minded to new and unusual ideas, and like to debate intellectual issues. They enjoy riddles, puzzles, and brain teasers. Low scorers on Intellect prefer dealing with either people or things rather than ideas. They regard intellectual exercises as a waste of time. Intellect should not be equated with intelligence. Intellect is an intellectual style, not an intellectual ability, although high scorers on Intellect score slightly higher than low-Intellect individuals on standardized intelligence tests. Your level of intellect is average.
• Liberalism. Psychological liberalism refers to a readiness to challenge authority, convention, and traditional values. In its most extreme form, psychological liberalism can even represent outright hostility toward rules, sympathy for law-breakers, and love of ambiguity, chaos, and disorder. Psychological conservatives prefer the security and stability brought by conformity to tradition. Psychological liberalism and conservatism are not identical to political affiliation, but certainly incline individuals toward certain political parties. Your level of liberalism is high

Gratitude Days 6-14

I know I know. I am behind. My memory is short some times.
But today I am full of gratitude, it is Valentines day! I am so thankful that I have a loving partner who accepts me for who I am. I am grateful that I have a partner in life that must have been made specially for me!

I am grateful that I have an awesome family that love me.
I am grateful that this semester is almost over with!
I am grateful that it is almost spring.
I am grateful that I am doing the HCG shots so I can lose a few.

As I said I am grateful for alot..

xoxoxo

Emma

Gartitude 5-6

Ahh gratitude, what a wonderful thing. It makes sweet things even sweeter!

Sunday the 5th was superbowl. Meh. I am not enticed by it. I did have a great time meeting new people and hanging out with a good friend, I am oh so very grateful she was there or else I would have died from boredom!

Monday the 6th was an exceptional day. I had my art class which I am eternally thankful for. It is the only fun class I have this quarter! We did a group critique of our pieces and I got a lot of positive feedback which was nice. I don't know how I feel about the piece, not sure if it is anything to write home about but it was fun creating. I think I do have a knack for watercolors. I am also greateful that my crazy wife only sprained her thumb, not broke it. The weedwacker bit her! Poor baby..

Today I am thankful that I passed my test. I dont have my score yet but I know I rocked the socks off of my Bio test. Terra helped me study and I am as always eternally grateful for my awesome wife!!

What are you thankful about today?

xoxoxxo

Emma

What Im grateful for days 2-4

Hello all!

So my gratitude for the last couple of days has runneth over if you will. On Thursdays I got to do two things I am grateful for. The first thing is I got to spend time with my lil monkies, my bff Beckas kiddos. They are so sweet and funny. Kids just see the world so differently then we do. They see it with more imagination any adult could hope to have! Listening to them play house is so funny. The younger one will be the baby and the older one the mom and it is soo funny to listen to her imitate Becka! Ha! Even when they are mad they are cute, must mean I love them I guess!

The other thing I got to do was go volunteer at the hospital. I push a 'comfort cart' that has books, magazines, crossword puzzles and toiletries around to all the patients and see if they need anything. My main goal is to talk to people, visit with them for a little while. So many people have no one.. I come around with a big ol smile and let people know that at least one person here truly cares about their wellbeing. It is my favorite thing about Wednesday/Thursdays. It puts me in a great mood all week long!

The thing I was oh so very greatful for yesterday was that my beautiful wife passed the rest of her police test! She knocked it out of the park and now she is one step closer to her dream. We went up to Lynwood together (and I went to Hobby Lobby, I was also grateful for that!) and I was able to watch her do her last event from my car. I know it may sound boring but there was nothing I would rather do then sit in my car with the windows rolled down on a gorgeous day and watch my Lovey achieve some thing she has worked so hard for. I am immesurably proud of her! This means that the calls will be coming in soon enough to get offers for police jobs. Cross your fingers for her!

A quote to think on about gratitude: Its not happy people who are thankful, Its thankful people who are happy.

What are you thankful for today?

xoxoxxo

Emma J

New month long project!

I enjoyed my DINTW month so much I am going to do another month long project. I have decided this month will be a month of gratitude. I want to be thankful for one thing every day. So the first day I am grateful I didnt get a ticket when I got pulled over a couple days ago! I ws going 14 over on the last day of the month and I was soo lucky to not get a ticket to fill some ones quota! My favorite part of the story to tell is that I was completely ready by the time he came to my window. I had my insurance, ID, registration, clevage, smile and sorrowful eyes ready! He was very nice and I agreed to everything he said and I was let off with a warning! Thank goodness! He was a very flirty cop. I am going to do my best to write every day, but if not i will be thankful that you all will be able to forgive me :)


xxoxoxox

Emma J

Do I Need This Want? The last day

So today is the last day of DINTW. I have learned some important lessons along the way and want to share them with you. I learned that I dont have to go to the mall or Target or some thing to spend money on things I dont need when I am bored. I can get on Pinterest and get inpiration, or Yahoo to get news and gossip, all completely free!
Or read a book. Did you know that there are big buildings full of books that are free to check out, read, then return? I rediscovered my love of libraries lol. I have saved around $30 because I checked books out at the library and didn't buy them. What a concept!
I have heard that one way to see if you should buy some thing or not is to wait a couple of days and see if you still want it. That my friend is a true concept! I am about to share some thing with you that may shock you. I went to Charming Charlies in South Hill mall. It is a HUGE jewelry store, like a Clairs on steriods, all blissfully color coded. I want to live there. This place is the temple of temptation and every time I go I end up spending at least $50. I am happy to report that I went in there a couple days ago and walked out with *nothing*. I saw quite a few things I wanted, not gonna lie. Also they now have a CLEARANCE section!!! I almost lost it at that point. But I stayed strong and didnt succumb to the siren/succubus that is Charming Charlies. I consider myself 3/4 of the way fully rehabilitated.
While there were some stumblings along the way I think me and my love did ok. It was heard at first just because we are used to buying stuff we want and need. But after a while it got easier and easier to think things out clearly and see that you dont NEED everything you WANT. I am going to do my best to keep the lessons I have learned in mind while I go about my regular day to day life.

I already have next months project in mind so stay tuned!

xoxoxox

Emma Jean