Misty Trees

For my Saturday ”new” I decided to be a little creative!

If you have never been on the site StumbleUpon.com, you are really missing out! It’s my favorite site to go onto! What it is is, you create an account, totally free of course, and then there is a huge list of lots of different types of interests to choose from. And what you do is check all the boxes that apply to you, for example I would check, Movies, Music, Photography, News, Fashion, Humor, etc. There are so many to choose! And once you’re done picking, just click on the button at the top that says “Stumble” and it takes you to different websites pertaining to the interest you have checked off. I have found some awesome sites using it! And I happen to stumble upon my new for the day!

I hit “stumble” and it took me to this video of a guy painting a picture of some like misty trees and stuff. It was kinda showing how you would go about doing it, but all sped up and it was just music playing. Well, I went on the guy’s website to see if the full tutorial was on there so maybe I could do it. But what he had me doing was, I would have to pay money to see different videos that would teach me how to do it all. I am one who definitely does not have extra money laying around. I was about to give up on it when I watched the video again and thought to myself, “I can do that.” So I did.

I decided to try and watch this video and copy everything this guy was doing. It started out pretty good, just did a pale green background thing and then I had to add trees. The trunks weren’t too bad, but then the branches were hard because I didn’t have a small enough brush to make them really precise. The trees up front I did just okay. If only I had had a smaller brush I could’ve done so much better! But I did the best I could and it didn’t turn out as bad as I thought either. Right after I finished I just thought it looked like poop and walked away for a while. But when I got back, it looked pretty good! I just needed a fresh pair of eyes.

For my first time of just copying a video, I thought I did just fine:) It could definitely be majorly improved, but I will accept it as beginner’s piece!

This is the video I got this from. I know, I know, his is way way better. Don't have such high expectations for me!

2 Kings 9:30
[ Jehu Executes Jezebel ] When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window.

Hair Tinsel

I’ve got two “news” on Friday for ya! One was way boring compared to the other, so that’s why I needed the second:) I needed to spice up the day a bit.

The first new is something new and different we got in the salon. I already explained about the feather extensions, and what a pain in the butt they are, but now it is “hair tinsel.” I know what you’re thinking, “ ‘Hair tinsel?’ Pretty corny there Jenny, we are humans, not Christmas trees”, Believe me I thought the same thing at first! But rest assured! It is not. It is actually pretty cool! And a lot of people are liking them more then the feathers.

What it is is, a piece of tinsel, similar to what one would put on a Christmas tree, and there are all different colors. You would pick out which one you like the most and it gets tied into your hair. Just a little knot at the root of a very small amount of hair and it looks really neat! It just looks like a strand of glitteriness in your hair, it’s so pretty. Some people put it where it can be seen on top of the head, and some people are putting it underneath like a peek-a-boo thing. It’s supposed to last up to three weeks, depending on how rough you are with it, and then it’ll just fall out of your hair. And as far as I am aware, we are the only ones in the area who have them! We on the top this time! Yeah Before & After Hair Designs!

I know what you’re thinking yet again, what could be my second new for the day? Nothing could be more exciting then hair tinsel! Well just hold on to your pants! But I am pretty positive this new was a lot more exciting for me then it will be for you.

I finally got to take my bike out for the first time! We had fun too:) I felt awesome riding around for the first time! I was a little nervous and said a little prayer to help calm myself. I was shaky with excitement! I stopped to get gas first, it was a little less then half full and it cost about $6 to fill it up. Jealous? I rode around for about an hour and then stopped at Barns and Noble.

I must say, the annoying thing about the bike is having to carry everything around because I don’t want to leave it out by the bike to get stolen. A helmet is no small thing. After wasting some time, I noticed the sky turning dark with clouds and I decided to leave before the rain. I made it home just in time! I definitely don’t want to get caught in the rain.

I'm ready to become the greatest rider in the world! Always set your sights high:) Although I’d be fine with second greatest rider…

Leviticus 10:6
And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, "Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the LORD has kindled.

Barefoot Running

You know how it’s always a huge ordeal to get the perfect running shoe? What shoe is actually the best for your foot? But it turns out that the best and fastest way you can run is barefoot? Now I don’t think that a person who has worn shoes all their life can just take them off and run and just be great at it, but I do think if a person has run barefoot every since they were little and the foot is trained, it’s probably possible.

Well, I decided I wanted to know what it was like to run for a while with no shoes, just barefoot. Not even a sock.

I was a little hesitant at first because I knew I’d probably hurt myself, and everyone would stare at me, but I wanted to do it! So, I stretched a little bit, slipped out of my Toms, and off I went. I was running in Wyndhurst and it has a sidewalk and grass right next to it for most of the way. At first I just ran on the sidewalk, and I gotta tell ya, I felt really empowered! It was like I was more connected with my running and my speed and control. It felt good. Then I started running on the grass and I really liked that! It was very soft and cool.

So I was going for a while, doing my sprints and jogs, and just passed the half way point, when it happened. I just knew I was going to hurt myself! And I did. I kicked a bee in fact. It stung. Yes it really stung. Right on the bottom of my foot. I didn’t know what to do! Should I stop? Should keep going? Should I walk?

Well I just hate not finishing strong, so I just kept on running I did! I was limping a little, but who doesn’t? After a little bit, it just stopped hurting altogether! No pain, no gain; that’s what I always say! Actually, I don’t say that, but I should start I guess. If I'm going to be in the Tough Mudder I gotta get used to the bee stings! Bring it on!

But anyways, my conclusion on the barefoot running overall was success! I really liked having the experience, and I went a lot faster because of it. Now, I don’t know if I actually will do it again, but I wouldn’t be totally opposed. I just got to keep a closer eye on those bees next time!

P.S. This is a small exert from a research paper of some Harvard students.

In Daniel Lieberman's Skeletal Biology Lab, we have been investigating the biomechanics of endurance running, comparing habitually barefoot runners with runners who normally run in modern running shoes with built-up heels, stiff soles and arch support.

Here is a summary of our findings, which we explain with the aid of videos and images in the following pages:

Our research asked how and why humans can and did run comfortably without modern running shoes. We tested and confirmed what many people knew already: that most experienced, habitually barefoot runners tend to avoid landing on the heel and instead land with a forefoot or midfoot strike. The bulk of our published research explores the collisional mechanics of different kinds of foot strikes. We show that most forefoot and some midfoot strikes (shod or barefoot) do not generate the sudden, large impact transients that occur when you heel strike (shod or barefoot). Consequently, runners who forefoot or midfoot strike do not need shoes with elevated cushioned heels to cope with these sudden, high transient forces that occur when you land on the ground. Therefore, barefoot and minimally shod people can run easily on the hardest surfaces in the world without discomfort from landing. If impact transient forces contribute to some forms of injury, then this style of running (shod or barefoot) might have some benefits, but that hypothesis remains to be tested.

Isaiah 20:3
Then the LORD said, "As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush

Motorcycle License

My “new” for Wednesday has got to be one of the best so far! I feel like I say that a lot, but its true each time!

I finally got my motorcycle license! I have been waiting for twenty long years for this day! Every since I was a wee lassie, I dreamt about riding my own bike and now after I got my license, it has finally come true!

It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be either. I was riding pretty well and getting by good enough. Our first exercise of the day was doing very small figure eights in a small rectangle. Well the older lady in my class was having a really hard time with it and was driving all sorts of places. Where are you going lady?  Poor girl. Before the next exercise, she went up to our instructors and said she didn’t feel comfortable with what we were doing anymore. She didn’t want to hurt herself or any of us either, so she said she would buy her own bike and practice a lot and then come back. And before she went, she left us a bag of chocolate to help us concentrate on our test. Bless her heart!

After she was gone, things went a bit more smoothly. We practiced different things, and then we practiced what we would be doing for our test. Then it was time. I was doing well all morning long, but when they said test, the butterflies flew right into my stomach. I am not the best test taker, it just always makes me so nervous.

The first thing we did was a small figure eight in an even smaller box. I was praying and concentrating so hard. I ended up going over the line a little bit, but it wasn’t that bad. When we exited the box, we then had to go through some cones and then swerve around some other cones, I didn’t do bad at those either.  The next part was where we had to go at a steady speed and then stop in a short distance, I was already good at that, so it wasn’t a big problem. The last thing was having a steady speed in a curve. When I entered the curve, I was going a little fast, but I stuck with it and pulled through! My overall score wasn’t the best, but I passed and my instructor told me I rode a lot better then I tested, so that made me feel better.

When we were done with the course test, we got to sign our names on the storage place that they keep the bikes. It was so full I could barely find a spot! Then we went inside for the “celebration of knowledge” portion, aka the written test. That was a piece of cake, I only missed one.

Then he gave me my license! We have to take them to DMV to get our drivers license reinstated so it’ll have a little “M” on it. How fancy! I wish I could get a little picture of a motorcycle on it instead. I was so excited I passed! I told everyone I knew! Here I come world!

Psalm 66:10
For you, O God, have tested us;you have tried us as silver is tried.

Motorcycle Class

The day has finally arrived! My motorcycle class! Gimme some hip hip hoorays all around!

The first day we were just inside, and today we got on our bikes! It was so fun! Our instructors were Dennis and Tommy, and this was certainly not their first time at the rodeo. They had been doing it since it started, and it showed! They knew that I already had a Ninja, so they let me use the one they had. Lucky me!

We started out with baby steps. Like really baby steps. Learning the parts, going into first gear and walking our bikes across the lot. And of course even at 7:30 in the morning it is already friggin hot! Especially because I had on a full face helmet, jacket, gloves, long pants and boots. I drank so much water all day long and just sweat it all out.

I actually rode pretty well! We did all sorts of little maneuvers and I was packin’em down! I was having so much fun too. But there was this older lady there who was having a more difficult time. It was so annoying being in her group because she was so slow. I just wanted to go fast! But that was the last thing they wanted us to do.

At one point, we were riding straight and then we had to stop in a short distance. Well I was doing pretty good and the instructor asked me how long I had been riding. “I hadn’t.” I said, “all I had was a scooter for a year.”

“Well, you ride very well!” he said. And that just made my day! He just assumed I knew how to ride because I already had a bike. Mwahaha! I am sneaky;)

At about 12:30pm we were done for the day. I felt like I learned a ton! I am so glad I was able to take this class, it was awesome. And tomorrow was hopefully license day! Whoot whoot!

Proverbs 1:5
Let the wise hear and increase in learning,and the one who understands obtain guidance.

Swing!

One of my favorite news so far! Have you ever seen the movie Penelope? Well, it’s about this girl who has been cursed with a pig nose and her parents make her stay in the house her whole life because of it, and then they try and find a suitor for her, but they all get scared of her nose so she runs away from home, blah blah blah. It’s actually a really good movie! Well anyways, in her room she had this swing right in the middle. It was so neat! And ever since I’ve seen that movie, I have wanted a swing in my house.

Well, you guessed it! Since my dad is tearing the house down soon, I get to do whatever I want to it, so in goes the swing baby! I decided I wanted it in the doorway between the living room** and dining room. It was a perfect spot! So now I just need rope, a piece of wood, and something to hang it off of.

I slowly but surely gathered all the materials I needed. The hardest part was putting the holes in the wood where the ropes would go. For the first one I just used the drill and kept drilling the hole bigger and bigger. For the second hole I had Kyle (one of my Dad’s mechanics) drill a hole with a hole saw. That was way easier, but it was a really big hole, but of course I made it work.

Before I put it all up, I decided to paint the swing. I did it white with little daisies on it. Then on the bottom of the swing I put, “Swing me to the moon!”, because I really do wish I could swing to the moon.

After I measured everything perfectly, I started to drill in the doorway. I put two screws with eyes in the holes, which is what I tied the rope to, and then pulled the swing up to a nice height and tied it all up! It looked so good! And then came the moment of truth. I sat down and started to swing. It didn’t even creak! It is so perfect, I love my swing so much!

I think I will definitely put a swing in one of my kid’s rooms when I'm a mom:)

Job 28:4
He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;they are forgotten by travelers;they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.

**sidenote- why is it called a “living” room, we live in every room don’t we? Is it because it’s the room we spend the most time in?

New Weird Foods

Well here I go again. Catching up on my news! Here goes nothing.

Oh Monday. My Monday was just jam packed full of all kinds of new foods! I went over to help babysit with my awesome friend and my adopted little sister Abby Perdew! She was all by her lonesome with two crazy little girls, so I went over to help.

I went over a little before lunch, so I could help out with the making of our lovely lunch. I made yummy macaroni and cheese shells! Abby made tofu. Yuck! I have never had it, but yuck! I always just hear bad things, but I have never actually tried it for myself. She cooked it with soy sauce on the stove. Well we all sat down and I tried my first piece. It tasted like erasers. It was pretty soggy, she said it wasn’t supposed to be that soggy, but whatever. I couldn’t get through the first piece. I will never in my life understand vegetarians. Don’t even get me started.

My second encounter with new foods was at dinner time. I was still at the Perdews and I was helping out in the kitchen again. My job this time was the ears of corn. They were already husked, but I was just washing them off and getting the rest of the silky crap off. When I was done I needed a pot to boil the water for the corn, so I asked Abby for one. She gave me a really weird look and Jamie(elder sister/chief for the night) turned around and informed me that the Perdews do not cook their corn. Well I just thought that was one of the weirdest things I’ve ever heard. I didn’t know you could really not cook your corn. I didn’t know people did that. I mean how is the butter going to melt all over it? Well I guess it doesn’t. Healthy and raw all the way. I really had no idea what to expect, I think maybe pretty tasteless. Boy I was certainly surprised, it was actually very good, very sweet and a little tiny bit grainy. And it didn’t taste like I was eating as much because the kernels were smaller because they weren’t bloated with water. I'm sure I will be eating more raw corn again:) And when I told my mom about it all, she just thought that was totally crazy haha.

My third encounter with food was free slurpie at 7- Eleven! I wanted watermelon, but they were out so I had to settle for coke slurpie. It was good but not amazing, I’d rather have a regular coke. When you get to the bottom of slurpies, it’s always so nasty.

So between the tofu, raw corn and coke slurpie, I think I had had my full of weird foods for the day.

Matthew 25:35
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me

Bobby Cox

Sunday was my first encounter with the famous! Well, supposedly famous…

I was working at the baseball stadium that night as usual. When I arrived, I got there early and the door that I would normally take upstairs to the skyboxes was locked. Odd. So I had to take the elevator. When I get to the third floor, there are a bunch of people out in the middle of the walk way and I just have no idea what is going on.

I wandered around trying to find out what was going on. I finally found someone who told me that this guy Bobby Cox was here and there was a meet and greet with him. Apparently he used to own the Braves. A big deal. I think it was, but people kept telling me it actually was, so I believed it.

And guess who got his box? Me! So I got to meet this supposedly awesome guy. And my other box had a bunch of college kids who were obsessed with trying to meet him and get his autograph. It was getting annoying. Id never seen true fans like that before. They were really jealous that I was the one who got to go into his box.

When I went into the box, all the higher up bosses were in there with him. I introduced myself and shook his hand. He was really old. Very average looking, nothing too awesome in his looks. His demeanor wasn’t that awesome either. He was pretty boring. The first time I went in there, I stood around for like a minute while they all talked to each other, and then I walked out. They didn’t need me back till about the fourth inning because he was going to throw the first pitch and then be on the radio, blah blah. He had just eaten too, so he didn’t really want anything.

But when I came back, he ordered a cheeseburger with mayo(just to be nice I think). A little too plain for my taste, but whatever. I went down to the kitchen and had them make a fresh one for him. I took it up there and knocked on the door to get in, yet again. (they locked it so people wouldn’t come in and bother him)

He said he loved it. And then he gave me a $20 tip:) Now I'm a fan! But I wished I cared more about baseball to realize the importance of this guy, but I honestly didn’t care all that much.



You know you're famous when someone tattoos your face on their thigh.

2 Corinthians 8:18
With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.

Price Matching Walmart

Well Friday's "new" was all about saving money which is always pretty awesome!

If you didn’t know because you live under a rock, Wal-Mart has the thing where they claim to be the lowest prices anywhere. And if you find that some other place has it for cheaper, then they will match that price. Well, I had never done this before, nor did I really want to try because I thought it’d be weird or hard to make happen. I imagined I would’ve needed extreme proof of a lower price of something, so I just never even bothered to try.

Well I saw a particular book at Narns and Boble that I wanted to get, but it was only in hardback and therefore a little too expensive for me. So I pulled out my handy dandy phone and opened my handy dandy barcode scanner application and scanned the book. I took it online to compare the prices of different places. The cheapest place was at Walmart, so off I went!

When I got there I found the book right away, but it wasn’t the same price as the website. It said it was $15 and the website said $10. I was pretty sure that they should sell the same as their own website, but I wasn’t positive, it doesn’t hurt to ask. I brought it to the checkout counter and I asked the girl about the website price. I barely got the question out of my mouth when she said, “Oh yeah, you want to match the price? Oh sure!” it was just no problem at all! I showed her on my phone and she typed in the price and sold it to me five dollars cheaper! I couldn’t believe how easy that was! I am going to match prices more often! Wal-Mart is awesome!

I highly suggest you try this! All you have to do is look something up on your phone to see if it’s cheaper anywhere else and just show it to them! Piece of cake.

Leviticus 25:16
If the years are many, you shall increase the price, and if the years are few, you shall reduce the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you.

Frosty Paws

I don't really keep up with Jack Jack’s dog food that well, meaning I wait till it's empty and then I have to run out and get some more for him so he doesn't starve. Well, Thursday night was one of those nights, which was what lead to my "new".

By the time I realized I needed to run out and get some food, it was already 11:00PM. The closest store to my house is Food Lion, but they close at 11. I thought I’d have to go all the way to Walmart, but my roommate kindly informs me that Kroger’s, which was just up the street a little farther, was open 24hours! I had no idea that Kroger’s did that! So off to Kroger’s I went!

I brought Jack with me for moral support. When I get in the store, I find the aisle and then start staring for a while at all the different types. I weigh the options, puppy chow vs. beniful crap, on and on. Well I just can’t decide so I start to look at the treats instead because he had just run out of those as well. I’m scanning all the treats when I notice a little fridge on the top shelf. In the fridge are little ice cream treats for dogs! There was a little tub of Dib-like treats and then the other was a pack of four individual little ice cream cups. They were both so cute and so weird at the same time. On one hand, why in the world would you buy little frozen treats for your dog, who is satisfied with just about anything they can get in their mouth, but on the other hand, they were little frozen treats, and they are so cute and my dog really deserves to have something special!

I agreed with the second hand. I went ahead and bought the little Dib type of treats. They are called “Frosty Paws” and they’re made by Purina and they’re even coated with vanilla bean! How precious. 

When we got home, I was so excited to give him some, probably more excited than him. I opened them up, made him sit, and then gave him one. He was really confused with it at first like, “what the heck did you just put in my mouth? This crap is cold!” But then he figured it out and ate it right up! Then I gave him anotherJ

They smelled really good, and they looked good too. I bet they taste real good! I decided I wanted to try one. I took a little bite of the outside coating which was vanilla. Good. Then I bit into the middle. Not so good. It tasted like real sour dough or something. I don’t know why dogs eat gross treats. Maybe they just eat them because we’re really happy to give it to them and they don’t want to hurt our feelings.

1 Kings 16:4
Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country.”

White Hart

My new for Wednesday was a classic good time.

I decided to make a change of scenery from Barns and Noble to a different place. I decided to try a quaint little place downtown called The White Hart. I’ve been there before, but I have never made it my place before, the type of place I spend hours at reading or writing. So I decided to feel this place out.

It’s a real cute place with an old homey feel to it. When I walked in, I ordered coffee right away, a latte with an extra shot of espresso and a shot of caramel. He told me he’d have it ready soon and I went and sat down. When I got my stuff set up, he brought over my coffee. Oh how sweet! And I love that they gave it to me in a glass cup instead of a paper one. 

The overall feel of the place was pleasant. A lot of the people that walked in knew each other which made me feel a little like I was intruding. This was the downtown crowd. 

Halfway through my stay, my sister Kim came to join me! She’s taking a class right now and had some homework she needed to do. I was glad I had someone come to visit me in this place, it made me feel like I belonged there more because I knew someone.

The only downside of the visit was that I was having stomach issues… I think it was the coffee, or just me, but my stomach was hurting about the whole time. I need to get healthy or something, I don’t know. 

But my favorite part about the visit was all the interesting people that were there. I love to people watch, so this was definitely the place to be! There was this one girl next to me who had the second cutest outfit one, mine being the first, but she acted pretty snobby. There were a couple runners who came in and modern hippie types, like the kind that don’t wear any shoes and have beards. It was a good time! I will probably be making this place mine more often.

Proverbs 20:9
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?

Working?

Well Tuesday was kinda embarrassing, but I got over it pretty quick.

For some reason, I am just never really sure when I'm working or not. I don’t know why, I could look at the schedule a thousand times and I’m still not a hundred percent positive. So I usually write it all out in my phone so I will know for sure. 

Well today I really thought I was supposed to work. I didn’t look in my phone, I guess I just I had been working so much recently, I figured I had to be there. So I got dressed and headed over. When I went to sign in, I didn’t see my name on the sheet. Awe man. Then my boss walked in and asked me what I was doing. I said I didn’t know, I thought I had to work, then he asked if I was doing okay. Yes! I am perfectly fine, just because I thought I was supposed to work doesn’t mean something’s wrong with me. I decided to go see if anyone else wanted to leave before I left though. They all laughed at me and no one did. Oh well, it’s all good, I’ll just go have fun with Audrey instead! And that’s exactly what I did. 

Exodus 5:5
Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”