Ok...so, i took a break from studying this past weekend, to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

John Steele, our realtor (now lifelong-friend) had offered us the chance to vacation at his cabin in the woods of Michigan over the summer, but we never really gotten the chance to get away. This past weekend, however, he was headed up with his oldest daughter and grandson, and "needed a hand with winterizing the cabin and boathouse" before the lake froze over. Knowing this was one of the last times the offer was going to be extended before the snow started and ruined our chances of going, we agreed, and headed out friday afternoon after class.

A loooooong (7hr) car ride north, through the state of Wisconsin and into upper Michigan, and we'd finally made it to Steele Camp. It was after midnight, and the temperature was in the upper 20's. By the light of a flashlight, we were given a quick tour of the main cabin, and of the little house just down the hill at the edge of the lake,--our quarters for the weekend--the "boathouse." After rolling out the sleeping bags and climbing in, breath freezing in the air, we were fast asleep from exhaustion.

The next morning, we were awoken by the sound of birds...and the ringing of the bell from the main cabin, indicating it was time for breakfast. Since the boathouse had no heat, even the beauty of the sun rising above the lake from the screened-in porch didn't hold our attention for too long, and we hurried up into the warmth.


Now, to explain John...well...he and his family are really hippies. Good people. Everything they have, they share, and everyone is full of the most astounding stories. I adore their family, i really do. Besides them just being fascinating people, well...they makes mine look so normal... John and his wife Peggy have 14 kids...give or take. Four of them are biological, and the others are all foster kids they've adopted, most of whom have special needs on varying levels. The cabin is a place where ALL of them come together to get away, hang out together, bring friends, and just BE. And it is a beautiful disaster of a place. You never know what you're going to find stashed in nooks and crannys, from various works of art/craft, field guides, old newspapers... and it all has history they're more than excited to share. Parts of the cabin are original and rugged (John's grandfather was a master carpenter), and others are a hodge-podge of add-ons from subsequent generations, and family members with more "novice" carpentry skills, but the overall affect is cozy and inviting. There's no running water, though there is a sink, an old gas stove for cooking, and the lighting is either by firelight, kerosene lamp or old propane overhead lights in the main room. Quaint, indeed.

John and his oldest daughter and (only) grandson were there with us, and they already had the "Ben Franklin", the old wood stove that was the only source of heat, fired up, and breakfast ready when we arrived. Even some strong coffee was available, which is always welcomed in my world.
The rest of the day was full of adventures, from a nature hike on the property and surrounding nature reserve, to the hilarity of watching Richard and John brave the frigid lake water to bring up the pier. We saw and did so much in that one short Saturday that it's impossible to write about it all... i'll just have to let the pictures tell the story... (to be added individually at a later time. Blogspot is not cooperating tonight...)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41337&id=100000030597771&l=9d8ed786fc


That evening, there were S'mores, adult beverages, and lots more stories, jokes and games as the sun went down, and we settled in beside the fire... we talked late into the night before retiring to the boathouse and our warm sleeping bags once again.

Sunday brought the drizzle of rain, but once we'd enjoyed a lazy morning, the guys headed out to gather more wood and restock the pile for the next round of travelers to the cabin while the girls (and a 3yr old) cleaned and straightened, and readied the place for our departure. After lunch, a lot of "thank you's" and a few more pictures, we headed back home, just the two of us. We parted ways with the Steeles' at the top of the long, winding driveway, and drove a different way back to Waukegan than the way we'd come up, enjoying the ride and each other's company, and taking turns driving as we headed back to Waukegan.

It was an amazing adventure, and one i refuse to regret, even as my next exam looms in the distance and tries to make me feel guilty for abandoning studying for a few days... but so be it. It was worth it. What i did learn more than makes up for a letter grade. :)

Leadership...and sleepy ramblings

Ok... i can't sleep, and as the residual adderall courses through my system (i kid. ...mostly), i'm left to ponder such asinine things as the question John, our Program Director, has posed to us repeatedly, since our first Seminar class: "Are you leaders?" (It seems he's waiting on a good enough answer before he ceases to ask it every week, and so far, we just stare blankly at him, or roll our eyes... well, those of us awake enough during Seminar to do more than drool on our desks, that is.)

But, upon hours of lying awake, thinking of nothing and everything all at once, I think, the better question is "Is John a good leader?" ...and i think the question is completely valid. Here's my rambling argument on that one:

Leaders ≠ Managers (as we all know intrinsically whether we ever learned it in a classroom or not, via the joys of working for a living), and in fact, the best definition for Leadership is simply this:

                        "the ability to inspire others towards a common goal."

Because this definition does not include status, assume authority, or dictate that position/title is a key component, it is therefore, completely invalid to say we are NOT leaders based on our decision to become Path Assists and not Pathologists (which i know to be the basis behind his question in the first place, as it is commonly assumed anyone who would work under the direction of an MD must be incapable of being one themselves, and are therefore "followers" by nature. A misconception that is worth fighting, i agree, while at the same time disagreeing with his methodology...but i digress.)

In keeping with the idea that a leader is not defined by position or rank, it is valid to point out that the leaders of many strikes/riots/wars throughout history, are people in positions of subordinance, status-wise, and not in titled positions of authority. (Rabble-rousers come from all walks of life, do they not? And even leaders of evil and destruction are leaders by definition. I mean, hey, no one said it had to be organized!)

So, then, the question then becomes what denotes GOOD leadership from BAD leadership, and at its simplest answer, it must be concluded that leadership recognizes leadership potential in others. ie: one cannot "inspire others to a common goal" if there is no passing on of that inspiration. Or to reiterate, a single person can only inspire so many individuals based on the limitation of time/space, so it is considered "good leadership" to promote others to lead with you, thereby promoting the common goal and increasing the outreach potential.

So, i ask, then... "Is JOHN a good leader?" ...and isn't that the real answer to his question?! 

If he IS, then we are or will become leaders, because the implication is that John has the ability to detect leadership ability in each of us, thereby promoting his goal (which in this case, i will assume to be promoting the scope/professionalism of Path. Assists).

But.... If, however, by that same logic he is NOT a good leader, ...well.. it's at least possible then, that i might indeed BE a follower. 

Either way... maybe we'd get a new question. ;)

Good news

Today has been a very crazy, wonderful day.

The day started early... waaaay too early, in fact. Up early to study for an 8am exam, that I'd crashed out on too early last night because of a headache and extreme exhaustion.
Before i left for school, I made sure Richard was awake for his interview, and raced out the door.
Waiting on both cars were parking tickets (again! Grrrr! ...but that's a whole different story), so i removed the tickets from both cars so Richard wouldn't see them and be fuming over them and our arch enemy the infamous "Officer Vadge" (...again, a story for another day) on his way to the interview he was excited about.
I arrived to school to find no where to park in spite of the early hour, thanks to some poorly planned construction going on near our main building, but made it to the lab with 2 minutes to spare.

Time to begin....
and i blanked on question #1. 
OH, well, moving on....

But wait. Whats this? Blank on #2... no. really. No idea. So now the panic sets in.

This goes on until question #4, when things start to click again, and go a bit more smoothly.
By the last few, i felt more confident, and was able to return to all the previous questions, jot down something coherent, and finish in plenty of time. I even felt pretty good about it.

When Richard called text to tell me his interview had gone well, everything sounded like a go, I was on top of the world. :)

The rest of the day had some major snafus... some mildly comical and just minor inconveniences, others major upsets, but none of it could get me down. Last major test of the semester done, and a possible job that would be enjoyable for Rich while we're here?! i couldn't ask for more.

The world is looking up. God is good, and he provides. Thank goodness for all the great people in our life that remind of us that, even when we forget.

Poshlost

I have a new favorite word. (It's Russian.) "Poshlost" (or alternative spelling: "Poshlust") defined as, "something preposterously overdone but without self-knowledge or irony."
Coincidentally, i have a Russian classmate, whom i believe should change his name to Poshlost. Overly muscled, and unbearably obnoxious, this kid makes me want to strangle him on a daily basis. He's one of those guys who just might be considered attractive, if he weren't such a cocky, self-absorbed, obnoxious prick.
No, really. I'm telling it like it is. He's a total creeper.

Unfortunately, he is dating another classmate and friend who is also from Tx, so i must play nice for her sake.

Meh.

I can still slander him on the interweb, in the "privacy" of my blog, now can't i?! Yep.

3 days; 3 millions emotions

OH, the 3 day weekend. I didn't know it could be so full of things to write about! However, mine was especially eventful, including some amazing photographic opportunities, a road trip, and one complete meltdown. Ah, yes... to be a woman is phenominal, i tell you.

Saturday was girl's day at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. It was a recipe for success: 4 great girls, a 4 hour hike on the grounds amongst the most beautiful Fall foliage on a perfect little lake--including a pit stop for ice cream cones under the "square trees"--and a fantastic late lunch at PF Chang's sealed the deal, and i came home a pretty happy camper. Granted, the house was still a mess (i'd decided i'd put it off until Sunday), and Richard was disappointed in Baylor's preformance on the field that afternoon, but generally... a total win.
See below for a few pics with the amazing ladies, and a shot of our ice-cream stop.



 

Sam, Minnie, Me & Jamie-Lou

 

"Square trees"



Ahh, but Sunday. Sunday, life took a nosedive to insanity-land. 

It started out normally... i'd made the decision to clean the house. Not just the normal straighten, either, but a GOOD, organizing, purging sort of clean. The weather outside threatened to thwart this plan altogether, but nooo... responsible adults do not just go off all willy-nilly two days in a row and play when things need to get done, now do they?! The voice of my mother said "No, ma'am, they don't," so, reluctantly, i threw on a fun, brightly colored apron from my mom-in-law (an attempt at making something awful seem fun), and turned on some upbeat music.

Now, as i have already discovered, i HATE the act of sorting and organizing. It's not like i can't throw things out. I can. And i do enjoy that. But i get overwhelmed quite easily, and frustraited at my indecisiveness. It's a vicious cycle. And it boils down to one thing: i have too much stuff, and not enough space for things i don't need. Add that to my inability to stay on task (it's awful. i like to mask it as "multitasking" but we all know what it is.) ... well, enter my cheerful husband, full of Autumn sunshine and air to ask "what it was i was doing", and it was as if i'd been ignited. Full on Hollis-atomic-bomb style.

Now, the good Lord knew what he was doing when he gave me a level-headed hubby, because once he'd discovered me tearing the house to bits, tears streaming down my face, ranting about how "i wished a fire would just take it all", he quickly formulated a plan. I was obviously beyond rational thinking, and "NO, i did not want to talk about it, thank-you-very-much", (and any mention of what time of month it was would have gotten him severely beaten.) So he did what any smart man would do: He left.

He wasn't gone long, though, and when he returned, he had a beer (my favorite pumpkin one), and a giant cardboard box. With a long hug, and a "Here...maybe these will help" he left me to my miserable task and went out to work on other things. Projects with much easier solutions than the one the obviously crazy person in the house was currently working on. Wise, i tell you. Wise.

Hours later, i emerged from my self-made prison a calmer, more organized person. I'd filled not just one, but several boxes of stuff to purge, and found/organized all the important paperwork i'd been hiding away or shoving into piles for months. Ahhhhhhh! :)

"Better?" Richard asked.

"Yep. Much better."

And we went to have cocktails and a late dinner with the neighbors.

(no pictures have been included of the insanity, for everyone's sake.)

Monday. Oh, joyous holiday off of school... a special thanks to Columbus for this one. :)

With the perfect weather continuing, we decided a roadtrip was in order. It had been a long time since we'd gone on an "adventure drive," which is really just a roadtrip with no known destination, and it's one of our favorite things to do together. So, the decision to head north was made. We grabbed the cameras, and headed off in the car with the fullest gas tank.

As the highways split off, we'd alternately pick directions to take, stopping along the way to take pictures or follow odd signs to trails or historic landmarks. Fall is amazing, and Wisconsin is absolutely breathtaking this time of year, with the corn still standing, and the leaves changing in the background... it was not even something i can adequately capture with a single shot, though i tried. You just have to see it.

Eventually, we ended up near Madison, WI, so lunch near the capital building was in order. As it turns out, Richard has an uncanny ability to scope out the good food in an area, even if that area is unknown to him. The Great Dane proved to be a fantastic place to get good microbrew beer (only available in the restaruant, not bottled anywhere), and an amazing meal. I had a butternut squash stew that just BEGS me to learn how it was made, and Richard had a side of fried plantains with his grilled portabello mushroom sandwich that makes my mouth water just remembering it. We ate so much we had to walk it off before returning to the car for the ride home. Madison is like a northern version of Austin... lots of hippies = some excellent people watching.

We came home via a different route, and arrived back at the house late (and exhausted) but satisfied with the day's events. Our kitties seemed unamused when i told them what we'd seen, and were merely concerned that dinner had been delayed. Oh well. At least some things remain constant in our household.

  


Our little corner @ The Great Dane



Sweet defeat

Today was a frustraiting sort of day. After waiting for a week to finally try a new recipe...it was kind of a failure. I had such sweet ideas for the so-called "cake balls"... but i think perhaps i was too prideful.
I thought it would be really simple, and i even decided to change the recipe and "improve" on it by using candy melts instead of almond bark (more colors, more flavors...more artistic and fun! It seemed like the perfect choice.)
Alas, it was not to be. They best laid plans... well.. sometimes are not to be. :)
I did finally get 6 made... And with Richard eating one and calling it good, well... that is five left to package up and take picture of.
And a whole day tomorrow to right the wrongs, and try again. I WILL defeat you, Cake Munchkins. Indeed, i will.

Death by paperwork

In answer to those that think i only write about rainbows and sunshine, well, today is a full on gripe about paperwork.
I hate it. With an all consuming passion, i hate paperwork. And that includes most of my mail. Lord bless the post office, and my mom, and i'm sorry for being the daughter of a Postmaster who almost dreads the coming of the mailman... but there it is.

Of course, i don't hate letters, or packages, lest someone get the wrong idea. Send me those all day long. (no, really. Keep 'em coming.) But i get the most absurd mail for someone named Mr. Hollis H. Notgrass. Seriously. You'd think a marriage and a name change might have clued some people in to the fact that i am most definately not a "mister," but no luck. Between Mr. Hollis' mail, a TON of junk mail, and endless paperwork from my bank--although i've signed up for "paperless" bank statments more than once, along with the insane amount of handouts that the school somehow feels are important for me to have, in triplicate...i'm drowning in it.

Granted, some of it i do need... but i just hate sorting through it, figuring out a filing system, and all of that. Sooo adult, i know, i know... it just literally makes me ache to my very core. I cannot say it enough. I'd rather do mega-mountians of laundry. I'd even match socks. (OMG, i detest matching socks, and i'd seriously consider shelling out the $ for the sock-matching robot i heard about on NPR. No, really. there is one. See it here.)
Maybe it's the thought of actually siting down long enough to file it, or maybe it's the thought of moving it around later, i don't know.

I'd kind of hoped that getting married would mean i wouldn't have to do it anymore. Absurd, for sure, but i wistfully believed that perhaps he would be the yin to my yang and when it came to paying bills and organizing the stacks of paperwork that come along with being homeowners (and grad studends) he'd be all "OooOOooooH, it's my favorite time again! Wheeeeee!"
Alas... no such luck. *grumble*
So i'm stuck moving it from pile to pile, not sure where it's going to go, until i get fed up and stuff it in a drawer. There now. Out of sight, out of mind. Peeerrrrrfect. :)