R.I.P.

Still missing you Hadi, and always will.

Things I should not be allowed to do....

Alhtough this list I know could be enumerated on by others, I will simply stick to the list I have discovered this afternoon.

I like to figure out how to put things together. I like doing things around the house, like fixing things, organizing, decorating and even cleaning I dont mind. Even though I moved into my new place over two months ago I still have a few things around the apartment to get done. Things like putting handles on the dresser I assembled last month, hanging pictures and putting the moving boxes in the storage space above my closet.

Weeks ago I bought shelves and a dresser from Ikea. They required some assembly. So I assembled them, kind of. I put the shelves together with a lot of yelling and frustration. It took about two hours. It took me an entire afternoon to put the dresser together on the other hand and I never did put the handles on it. So this afternoon I sorted through all the screws, hooky-things and nails I had in a tin to figure out which ones were supposed to secure the handles to the dresser drawers. After reviewing several options I decided to take a selection of the nails and screws I have acquired (and may I say, I have no idea how I have such a selection of nails and screws) and attempt to use them to secure the handles to the drawers. None of them seemed to work like I would have hoped. So I proceeded to hammer in the screws. This kind of worked. I have handles on my drawers and I feel thats what counts. I wont even go into the half done decorating job I did to it.

The next handy-woman project I took on was hanging two pictures. I had previously attempted to sticky Velcro like thingy a picture to my kitchen wall. But this didnt work. So I once again sorted through the random assortment of nails I have from who knows where and found a nail and hook to pound into the wall to hang my picture the old fashion way. Pounding a nail into the wall may to some, look easy. When avoiding smashing your fingers or scratching the manicure you have just given yourself it is however, not easy to bang a nail in a very thick plaster wall. As a result, the nail and hook are mangled. I have created several dent marks in the wall surrounding the nail. I have not scratched my manicure and my picture is hanging. Mission accomplished.

Storing moving boxes is easy. Storing moving boxes in the 12 foot high space above my closet when one has no ladder is not easy. Standing on my kitchen chairs and throwing empty but awkwardly big boxes five to six feet up and forward is no small feet and I have to say, somewhat dangerous. Sometimes shotty aim or over enthusiastic force can cause a seemingly innocuous box to become a bouncing projectile when it hits a wall or previously thrown box and has a 'return to sender' like effect.

So, when I purchased 4 very cute wall hooks (one with each of my initials on it) from a very wonderful store that I have come to know and love like my own closet, I thought it best not to attempt to secure them into the wall myself. I think I will enlist the help of a "handyman" for this particular project. I intend to hang scarfs, purses and hats on them but still I would rather them not become mangled, fall in the middle of the night or dent the entire wall around them in the process of fixing them to my walls.

So although I like and dont mind being "handy" around the house. It turns out, its kind of dangerous for both me and the house. You see, im not traditionalist. I hammer in screws and throw boxes ten feet into the air to put them away. Yet I still say, mission accomplished.

My sights are higher than my bank balance...

Ive decided there are a lot of things I want to do or try or go see. Off the top of my head I could tell you Id like to take horseback riding lesions, archery lesions, go whale watching, take cooking classes and go bungee jumping. I would also like travel and travel a lot.

A recent idea of mine is to go to Guatemala for a week or two to take a Spanish immersion class. Twenty minutes of research has not only convinced me more that I want to do this but that I could do this. It is just enough adventure with just enough planning and comfort. There are schools that give you 4-8 hours of one on one teaching (of Spanish) with trips, and excursions and activities. I love this idea. Living where I do it seems almost stupid that I don’t use and know more Spanish. Doing what I do, a second language is almost a requirement. I am the only non tri-lingual person in my department. TRI-LINGUAL!!! Being the idiot blond American in my department does not sit well with me. A decent grasp of a second language must be acquired.

Having taken 4 years of Spanish in high school I know enough to ask for water and the bathroom as well as a few other basic things. I can clearly tell you in English and Spanish if I like something or not. My ability to comment has not been totally lost in a second language.

So yes, I want to do all these things. I want to learn how to shoot an arrow (do you shoot arrows?), I want to know how to ride a horse without my butt aching and bumping awkwardly all over the place, I want to see whales in the ocean, I really want to go to Guatemala for a week and learn Spanish. But my stumbling block, as always is money.

Do I plan and save and put all these grandiose plans aside until I have the funds to go, do, see and learn? Or, do I plan and save and add whats left to my credit card? Its better to be in debt because of an amazing trip where you went to a foreign country, saw Mayan ruins and learned another language than be in debt because of the new Anthropology dress and cute shoes from Nordstroms you bought…..right?