Pho!

I had a huge hankering for Pho today so I hit up Mekong for some Vietnamese yummies.  Totally love that place.  Great atmosphere, yummy food, a whole tea pot full of tea, and spicy extras to get my Pho just the way I like it.  Yum!

New Dressssss. Thanks, Molly!

Totally hit up Molly's garage sale yesterday before it got rained out and purchased some of her lovely goods, including this fantastic dress.  Yay for polyester!

Mountain Goats Time!

Went to the Mountain Goats show last night at the Blue Moose with Pam.  The Beets opened and they were very cool and garage-y.  The house was packed and it was hella hot in there but a great show all around.

Spencer's Hiking Backpack

This summer when we go camping and hiking, Spencer is going to carry his own gear.  We got him this special doggie backpack to do just that.  Hell, he can even carry my car keys.  What a useful dog!

My Spencer Tattoo

I had Sean from Iron Heart Tattoo in Des Moines, IA do another tattoo for me on Saturday.  I could not be more pleased with how it turned out!  Spencer looks cute and cartoony but you can for certain tell it is my dog and that is exactly what I wanted.  I am forever binded to my loving dog with this piece:)

Spencer Vision 2.0

Brunch at the Burg

On Tuesday, as tradition goes, we wished Devyani a farewell at the Hamburg Inn.  Nothing better to send a lady on her way than malts, hashbrowns, pancakes, and eggs!

My Dad is a graduate!

I am super excited for my Dad because this year, he went back to school full time.  He worked very hard and even had tutors for some of the tougher classes, but he made it through.  His lowest grade was an A!!!

Major congrats to my Dad for proving that it is never too late to go back to school.

The Day Spencer the Dog Ate Xylitol Gum

Today, I was scared for Spency's life.  Spencer and I ran into the Co-Op to get some Quinoa (kinda like rice only better), and when I came out, he had eaten what was left of my pack of Orbit gum.  I think there was only 6-8 pieces of gum left in the package, thank goodness.  Still, I know that Xylitol can be so bad for dogs that it can kill him we went to Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails, the emergency vet in Iowa City.  They gave Spencer a shot of apomoriphine and he was barfing it all out less than 30 seconds later.  Added bonus, he also barfed out the Quinoa, which he scarfed down, unbeknown to me that he had also gotten into it when I ran into the vet for a second without him.

All in all, I think my little doggie is going to be alright. I was super scared last night, cause if the Xylitol got into his bloodstream, the vet said his blood sugar could drop dangerously low and he could pass out or go into a coma.  Also, larger amounts of Xylitol can cause major liver damage.  Some dogs have made it through and then had to be put down due to the delayed liver damage.  Hopefully, there is no liver damage in Spencer.  Poor pooch now gets sneaked a Pepcid in cheese to calm his tummy and I cooked him rice and hamburger.  Lucky dog!

I am very thankful that Spencer is OK.  

Focus

I am happy to have these last few weeks off so that I can find my focus and gain more clarity in my life.  When you work too much, you focus on money because you have no time for the real finer things in life such as health, family, love, and learning.  Since I have been out of work, every day has been a joy and a learning experience.  I am finding out things about myself that I didn't know were there and I am a much stronger and happier person than I remember.

I have decided that my focus in the coming time is to change how I feel, rather than focus on how I look. I am learning how to feel good and believe it or not, this is not something that comes naturally to me.  I will be turning 28 one week from today and the realization that I have been depressed for exactly half of my life is not a pleasant one.  Yes, I have been depressed for at least 14 years!  Fortunately, I had a moment of realization.  I thought, "You know what, just because I have been depressed for half of my life doesn't mean that I have to be depressed the rest of my life."  How very simple yet profound.  Yet, if anyone were to tell me this exact statement, I would never have thought it true until I was ready to embrace it.

So here I am, starting a new job and having my 28th birthday exactly one week from today.  I feel hopeful for new beginnings, and at a time when I expected to feel worst of all (AKA being unemployed), I have been able to turn things around for the better and get my life back on track.  One can only hope that in a few months time I will be happy and feeling better. My anxieties and fears will be lifted and with that will hopefully come weight loss and better physical health.  I know I can not continue life at the rate I had formerly been living.

I am quiting drinking soda and coffee, and instead drinking tea.  If you catch me saying bitter or jealous things about others, smack me in the face, hard.  I am exercising more and spending time outdoors, rather than logging time on the computer.  And I am cooking my own food rather than eating out or snacking on junk food.  

Focus has been found!