I'm a people watcher!

No twelve step program needed. One thing I have always been drawn to is people. We all live our lives within the circles we interact with. But there are so many we go past every day who have their own stories and lives.....interacting within their own circles, and so on, and so on.

I have always been (sometimes overly) observant of those around me. I "see" all the drivers around me when I drive. I study the people who wait in lines with me. Just about anywhere you find people gathered, you find this people watcher.(me) Probably why I love Blog stalking, we all have unique and different lives and it is fascinating to me to read just how different they are and where they are similar.

The crazy part is I am not a overly social person myself. If I have reason to interact, I learn the names of who I am taking to(whether it is the attendant or waiter), and I speak directly and can carry on a conversation. But that having been said, if there is no reason to speak to someone, I don't! I do not feel awkward with silence. Sometimes I actually like to see the reactions of those who are obviously bothered by silence, such as when waiting for a bus with someone.

So anyway, I found myself on the university campus this week. Trying to get everything in order for this coming semester. It was quite exciting to walk around this campus, getting lost in the large crowds that were taking breaks from or studying for finals. As I walked through the crowded student body, the people watcher in me took it all in.

Some things I noticed were that while there were definitely VERY young people everywhere, I was not as out of place as I would have thought. There were people about my age and even "many" who were older. :-) While I was very deliberate with what I needed to accomplish, I noticed at least a dozen oddities that piqued my interest.

First off, what is this crazy new fad with making huge holes in our ear lobes with buttons, coins etc? It is more prevalent than I thought.

I also noticed the "air heads" sound the same as they did when I was their age! This made me smile at how self important they tend to carry themselves.

I saw people together that made no sense and made me wonder how a couple so different could get together.

Just like in high school and when I was first in college, the cliques are still present:

The all Asian club had some kind of party going on in one section of the quad.
In another section there were the jocks, or at least those who thought they were jocks. They dressed like athletes and tossed a ball back and forth at least.

There were two or three very....um....well...nerdy..for a lack of a better word, sitting around their lap tops discussing quantum physics or something equally mind numbing.

Bikes, bikes, and more bikes. And every kind of bike you could imagine. I saw bikes that probably cost several hundred dollars if not more. I also saw bikes that looked like they should be taken behind the barn and shot.

Beards! Does every young college guy who can grow facial hair think that it is his duty to grow out fuzz? And while I have nothing against beards.........cmon!

And I think skateboards are back. But they have grown an extra foot long and resemble a small surf board now

I will never have to worry about fitting into any particular fashion sense. In fact many people wore what made no sense at all. I counted at least 10 "Fats Domino" style hats and even a tie over a t-shirt.

Well, I could go on. It is not quite as entertaining as people watching at Walmart. Emma, that musing banterer, has shared numerous walmart sitings. And if you do make a siting, report it immediately.

Number one thing I brought back from my outing(other than I am done and only waiting on University) "This school brings in a lot of money based on how much it is going to cost me per semester multiplied by the number I just happened to see while I was there. Talk about mind boggling.

Well, I have typed aimlessly. What is going on with all of you? Trying anything new?

Done any good people watching?

Have a great day!

Dear Mr./Mrs Creditor:

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. I know it is not politically correct to say Merry Christmas, but who cares? Not me. Anyway, I wanted to write you this quick letter to express my well wishes. Over the last few months I feel we have grown very close. I do not have any other friends who call me as much or as often as you do.

At first we talked all the time. You would ask me to make those minimal payments to keep your bosses off my back. You were so looking after me. You almost cared when you would call just two days after receiving that payment asking for more. You just could not go very long without talking to me and do not think I have not appreciated you eagerness.

I am sorry that I have become so busy that we have not had the pleasure of talking to each other as of late. Taking all the extra work I can for even the pennies I am offered is a must at this time. And I don't mean to be rude but sometimes you call at the most inconvenient times. And why don't you ever leave a message?

Unfortunately I think our relationship may be in jeopardy. I tried to send your bosses a letter explaining the situation to see if we could work something out but it seems that it was not received well. Apparently somehow they know of a way to feed a large family, keep them sheltered AND pay large payments to them on an income a little over a third of what it was last year.

I must say that I am a (stalker) of honor and want nothing more than to pay my debts. After all ,they are my debts. But our situation, through no fault of mine or my spouse, is tragically dire. And from talking to others, we are not the only ones going through this. But now you had to go and get lawyers involved. That is just not a nice way to treat the friend you have been calling for over eight months now. If we go down this road I may just have to go down the dark and ominous road of bankruptcy. If that happens I feel you will stop calling me and then what would I do with all that free time?

Hope this letter finds you well and did not take you away from anything important such as dinner or work or time with your family.

Your friend,

(Blogstalker)

Running Away!

From those extra pounds I gained Thanksgiving day weekend that is! I am putting this out there for all to see so that I will stay motivated. I have exercised every day this week so far and while I may have only lost what I gained that blessed turkey day, so far I FEEL GREAT!

Anyway, I recently alluded to the fact that there might be a bit of an announcement from me. Unfortunately for some of you, I am not revealing who I am in real life(mmmmwahhahahaha)....where was I, oh yeah, I am starting in on something that I hope will be a real good thing for me and my family.

For some of you newbies out there, back in March our family found itself with ZERO income coming in and no jobs. We are a fairly large family and it was devastating. Spouse and I are doing everything we can and have cut everything we could. (including spell check it would seem at times, dang wireless keyboards with low batteries!)
We are working at jobs that pay nothing close to what we were used to. BUT WE ARE WORKING! And right now feel very fortunate for our family and for the lessons to be learned from how little one can survive on.

Don't get me wrong, we have an income at 60% of what it was last year. We have had to give up the "nice" vehicles and kids make lunches I think sometime they are ashamed of. Anywho....not where I was going with this...........

New life! I, like some of my stalkers, have decided to go back to school. I was accepted into the school program I wanted and was put on a waiting list in April but since two semesters have come and gone without being "called up", well I am taking a change of direction.

I figured I would do what I have always wanted to do. Turns out I have all my credits needed to apply for the program next fall. I can take some class this spring for some additional certifications which will help me in my possible new career. I just hope I can get financial aid and scholarships, because without that, this dream is dead.

I initially only qualify for a very piddly amount of aid because it is based on our family income last year........WHATEVER!

So, AM I SCARED? You betcha, and excited and nervous but anxious etc, etc, etc.

I asked in a post early in the year whether you could teach an old dog new tricks. Lets hope so!


What do you think stalkers?

Who else is taking new directions in their life?

Have a great day!

Team Blogstalker

Okay everyone, I know that everybody has picked one side or the other in the Twilight movie series. I guess I can understand it a little. It is the struggle we all either went through, wished we went through or hope to go through. And that is two people fighting over the chance to be with you forever. Ahhhh, who wouldn't love that scenario?

Well, I just don't get how out of control it has all gotten. I did go see "New Moon" and liked it. Now, I am one who read the books and liked them. You true blue die hard fans don't be upset but they were not fantastic. They were written for the teen girl audience and so they were drawn out, slow and super sappy. But that does not mean they were not full of interesting plot lines and fantastic spins on the vampire genre.

So, the movie was about what I would have expected. There were no surprises and I thought it was actually better than the first one in production quality and action. There is a scene...sorry this is spoiler.....I mean really, Jacob tore his shirt off and flexes a little too show offy. But the reaction from some older mom in the audience made it all worthwhile. (I think she required fans to cool off).

What I don't understand is the absolute anti-twilight attitude most teenage boys seem to have. I mean, It IS a vampire movie and there is blood and death(a little) and come on, the Voltaire, awesome! I just don't get it! It is as if teenage boys have to judge their manhood by how bad they trash the books and the movies relating to the twilight series..........whatever! I had to laugh as the movie ended and a young teenage boy runs out of the theater screaming about how awful it was to sit through with his family. Now that did not cause us all to notice that he was there. DUH! And the older teenage boys with their dates who said they needed to go watch some football to reclaim their manliness.....okay, now this was at lest funny and clever....and who wouldn't want to watch a little football?

All in all, when weighing in on the whole team Jacob and team Edward, I choose neither. I am happy with me and who I am and do not need to pick either one. And anyway, haven't all these kids read the books, we all know who wins! hehe

So hey, Team Blogstalker shirts available Saturday! Order yours now!

Have a great day!