Let the blogging extravaganza begin!

Day 01- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.

Ok, so the picture (although super dorky) is above and the 15 incredibly interesting facts are as follows:


1. I am 30 years old and actually feel different than I did at any other age. I feel like a grown up and have caught myself doing and saying things that could be called "mature". I have a feeling my 30's are going to rock my ass off, seriously.

2. I am currently on the hunt for a non-profit organization to which I can contribute my time and energies to on a regular basis for the long term. In general, people have a tendancy to irritate me with their intelligence or stupidity or both, so it's a safe bet that my non-profit of choice will have something to do with dogs.

3. Speaking of dogs, I never liked 'em. You could even say I used to despise dogs. I was always strictly a cat person. They don't need much, they don't want much, but I've learned that they don't really give much either. Once I got my head right and started working on myself about 6 years ago, a whole new part of my heart started to open up. Coincidentally, this was right around the same time I ended up with a handful of puppies (beautiful puppies) on Christmas morning 3 years ago. Now I'm the biggest dog lover you ever did see. Ask Macy Lou if you don't believe me.
4. Originally I'm from Montana, now live in Oregon and hate camping. When I was 17 I was sent to Catherine Freer Wilderness Expeditions [code for treatment]. While I survived the 3 weeks of hiking from Oregon to California, it pretty much took care of any urges to "connect with nature" might have in the future. In fact, I went camping with the people I work with this August and thought that perhaps it would ignite in me a new desire to be one with the wilderness. Unfortunately, that's just not the case and the best part of the camping trip was the company. So, for all you campers out there, have fun; I'll be the one waving from the balcony of my hotel.

5. I'm a really good cook, ask anyone. I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is my gift (you know how everyone has a gift?)... when I cook, whether it be food, desserts, whatever, I can honestly feel myself being guided. I have never been "taught" to cook, but when I enter a kitchen, I inherintly know what to put where and by the time I'm done, I've surprised myself at my own inspired creations. It makes me happy, it makes me feel whole, it allows me to serve others. It nourishes my soul in a whole lotta' ways.

6. I have had about 11 wedding rings and can name them all. No, I don't get to keep the old ones when I get a new one. I wish!

7. I really only shop for clothes at Ross. Sometimes I'll buy a pair of pants at the Gap or somewhere, but overall I've been able to find absolutely anything I could ever want at Ross. I have a Macy's card and can't remember the last time I used it.

8. I have been driving since I was 15 1/2 and have owned 12 cars. I don't know why. I just love a new (to me) car, but I'm practicing restraint with my current car because in approximately 18 months it will be PAID OFF.

9. My most favorite music group of all time is Fleetwood Mac. I know everything there is to know about them and would give anything to sing like Stevie Nicks. If anyone I know ever has the opportunity to go see them, and they don't buy me a ticket, that will be the end of our friendship. No, seriously.

10. I am a foodie. I love eating out and since C & I don't drink, we splurge on food. Some of my favorite restaurants in Portland (in no particular order) include: Tabla, El Gaucho, decarli, Andina and Tapalaya.

11. I think that the single best breed in the whole world is the American Staffordshire Terrier. I created this website to prove it. I don't really update the site anymore, mostly because there is only so much Amstaff information you can write about... I guess I just know it all now!

12. I have a couple really great ideas for books I should and hopefully will write. The first is how to have a wedding on a fraction of the cost and it would help gobs of people. I seriously had a 25-30K wedding on less than 11K, honeymoon included. I splurged on a couple things that could've cut costs even more, but I wasn't willing to settle on these particular items.

13. The second book is basically a summary of how to get through life if you're a cookoo like me. Lots of lessons, lots of laughs. I really don't know where to begin with these books, but I vow to myself to find out SOON.

14. I was baptized Catholic, raised Catholic and went to Catholic school for a really long time. However, I am now a retired Catholic and consider myself to be a spiritual Christian, as opposed to a religious Christian. I love having a spiritual foundation in my life and living by spiritual principals based on one having a relationship with God. Like a one on one relationship. There were quite a few very instrumental people in my life that brought me to where I am today, but the bottom line is that I learned so much from each and every one of them. Some were extremely Godly, strong hearted women. Others were not of any particular religious affiliation and taught me impactful life lessons that led me to believe these people were more spiritual than they led on. Either way, I absolutely love God and feel that he has blessed me with an array of gifts, one of which is the ability to hear and feel the pull of the Lord. One of my weaknesses is follow through, but I'm working on it.


15. My dad died almost 6 years ago. I miss him more than words can express. Grief is a funny thing. It comes in waves; sometimes it sneaks up and overcomes me out of nowhere. Other times a smell or a season brings back a flood of wonderful feelings that never seem to last long enough. It's absolutely impossible to be prepared for grief, whether it's the beginning of the grief or the grief that still remains even after years have passed. Ugh. I. Miss. Him.

Love, Lisa