Finality?

...Or does old dog still have fight left in her?

Ugh. I've spent the past three hours trying to draft a 1.5 page letter. It's been so hard because it's been a subject so close to my heart. For the past four years, I've been diligently working to try and save Rollover Pass. It's a little fishing spot down by where I lived before Hurricane Ike. Nothing fancy. Heck, I didn't even go there that much in the later. But that one spot embodies Gilchrist to me. My grandparents originally went down there because of the fishing opportunities. When I was younger, we would take vacations down there. I remember going with the couple that would eventually become their neighbors and camping out at the Pass in their RV during the hot summer days. Or sometimes, we would wake up eeeeeearly in the morning, go fish, come back to the cabin at lunch when it was blistering hot, crank up the window AC, eat lunch, nap, and then head out in the evening for more fishing. All of this events led them to eventually buy a house in Gilchrist, along with two businesses and then they purchased even more houses down there.

After the hurricane, there was a push to close Rollover Pass. It seemed like Hurricane Ike had taken everything away from us and now the state was trying to close the one thing we had left. The one symbol of resistance to the hurricane. As I've stated, I've spent FOUR years fighting this. I've spoken before the House and the Senate on bills affecting Rollover Pass, I've written countless letter, spoken to even more reporters and journalists, I've been on the news. I don't even want to add up how many hors I've devoted to this cause. Last week, General Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson asked the Galveston County judge to enact eminent domain on the property. To take the property by force. It's amazing how one person can be so tunnel visioned to not see the big picture. I've read all the research, all the published articles and I truly believe that Rollover Pass should not be closed. I also believe that if the majority of the people would do their research as well instead of believing what's published in the media that they would feel the same way too.

Eminent domain just seems so final. Nothing ever seems to end well when those words are used. So it's taken me longer than normal to draft this letter. I feel like every word I use is important. I must convey in two pages or less, how important this spot is to me. I feel like it's MY WORDS on the line. If I don't say it right this time, there might not be another chance. I don't know if I'm fighting for the Pass, fighting for my grandparents, or fighting for my memories. Either way, this letter is gonna be the best it possibly can be. I'm gonna do all I can, so when the dust has settled, I will know I've done my part.

5 Year Journal

...Or How I'm Really Really REALLY Going to Start Writing More.

I bought myself a Christmas present (or two) this year and one of my gems was a 5 year journal. It's a cute little book, gold edges, and every day has a prompt, but you write answer the same prompt every day for 5 years. So example, Jan 1 is "What is your mission?" and then every year, you answer that. It'll be cool to see how things have progressed over five years. In five years, I'll be THIRTY FIVE. Holy cow. Who knows where I'll be at that point in my life, but it'll be cool to look back and see where I cam from. The space to write in is small, so I plan to expand on it here. In addition to this, I'm also planning to do 365 photo project again...hoo boy, I'm gonna be a busy gal! Welp, here we go!

Jan 1: What is your mission?

To be happy.

I know that's very general but over the past year, I learned life is so much better when you're happy. You have to determine when to let things go and get over it. Sometimes the person involved might not deserve forgiveness, but the benefit of having peace will always be greater than holding a grudge.
However, I've come to learn that it is necessary to stand up for myself more. Typically, I've been a go with the flo kind of gal, but I've also learned that those things that I tend to hold on to and be angry about for a while can be solved by just confronting the problem and letting it be known how I feel. 90% of the time, it's just a misunderstanding, but the other 10%, I've had good results with solving the problem.

According to Newton, energy is neither created nor destroyed, it merely travels from one place to the next. I think that strongly applies to people and their personal energy. If I'm happy, then I know that my positive energy positively affects those around me. I feel so blessed by the people in my life that I want to positively affect the life of those that choose to surround me, just as they affect me. Going along with that, I want God's love and grace to been by others through me. I know that if I celebrate the Lord for all that He is, my actions will be a testament to God that other people can visibly see. I believe actions always speak louder than words and the best way to plant the seed is to show that you live out what you say you believe. I find it hard sometimes to bring up faith, but when it's always on my mind, God finds a while to bring it up and make that conversation easier.

So I guess that's it...be happy, positively affect the lives of those around me and be an active example of God's love. Sounds simple enough, right? :)

Happy Holidays!

...Or How the Holidays Remind Amanda How Her Family Is Crazy.

Oy vey. Where to even begin. There's a part of me that thoroughly enjoys the holidays. I enjoy the tedious task of gift listing making. I put a lot of time and energy in to it as I am of the give a thoughtful gift camp, not the "just let me buy you a gift card" faction. Sometimes, that thoughtful gift involves me making something, a craft or food. This year, more so than usual. I've made jelly, hot sauce, pickles, pickled green beans and almond brittle. Surprisingly enough, the cost isn't as nominal as you would think to make your own gift. Most of the time it's just as much to make something, and there's definitely more time that goes into it. However, the look on my grandather's face when I gave him a box of homemade hot sauces was definitely worth it.

Speaking of food, I also enjoy partaking in consuming copious amounts of it. My grandmother is a traditionalist. She has made the same thing for Thanksgiving and Christmas as long as I can remember. Many of these are things she doesn't make during the year. So that means, I have 361 days of building anticipation to get ready to eat them (Why not 364? Because she makes so much food, there's generally leftovers for about a week.) Every year at Christmas, my grandmother makes orange cookies just.for.me. They taste like the entire essence of a whole orange has been squeezed into a cookie. It's DELISH! And because she makes them, just for me, it's her special way of saying she loves me.

I am also, surprisingly, getting into Christmas music. I used to hate it with a passion. But this year, I found myself CONSTANTLY turning on the holiday station on both Pandora and my TV. My new Christmas favorite? Happy Holidays by Andy Williams. Go check it out. It'll be stuck in your head until January. In a close second to Christmas music is Christmas MOVIES! I HAVE to watch Elf while wrapping presents. I also have to sneak in Home Alone, The Holiday, and Serendipity in there as well (just for the record, watching Serendipity as I type this; hey it still counts because it's before New Year's!).

 Now, what I hate about the holidays. The constant reminder of just how crazy my family is. Without going into languishing detail, I've had encounters with both sides of my family that make me realize two things: I'm very glad with where I am at in life and the decisions I've made and I'm glad I'm not as crazy as them. I just pray that I can lead my life to not be like them. Don't get me wrong, I still love them, but I will actively choose to live my life differently from them. It might not be normal, but hopefully it won't be crazy. :)

11.28.12

Moments That You Share With Only One Other Person in the World...

Whether it be buying the same shoes together and wearing them out or a brush of the leg under the table, it's that small moment that make you smile because only you and that one other person know what's happening. You could tell someone else, but they won't understand. It won't make you smile the same way, inside and out, like you will. It's the fact that, that one single person decided to make a memory with you, right then and there in that moment, and be selfish and keep it between the two of you that matters most. The whole world doesn't need to know, the two of you are enough. :)

Two More Days. Trucking Right Along.

11.26.12

Good friends and small reminders.

Tonight was Anne's last day of work in the greater metroplex known as Bryan/College Station. Being without an excuse to say no, To celebrate, Anne decided to join PubQuiz tonight at Revolution. Being that there was myself, Anne, Brian, and Ben, we decided to form our own team. We had a freaking blast. It's really too bad that they waited until their last week to join because I thoroughly believe that they would have come in future weeks, if they weren't moving away. I love the fact that no matter what we're doing, whether it's eating french fries covered in cereal, shoe shopping, or kicking ass at trivia, we have a good time. We don't need outside sources or influences, we just are so incredibly compatible together. I'm going to miss her SO.MUCH. But I guess that just means more road trips to Louisiana now. :)

Small reminders...hmm, how to explain. I just had a late night random text from someone who, in my opinion, wronged me greatly. I know things don't always have to work out, but there's always a classy way to handle them. BUT I got a text saying that I was good person and deserved good things in life. It's nice a) to be reminded of that and b) to know that said person recognizes it too. :)

11.27.12

My job.

(and it's inherent flexibility). :)

Also, I'm trying to resolve to write at least 15 minutes a night. Hopefully, I'm going to need it real soon. :) I'll keep you posted next week, or as soon as I find out officially. I hope the suspense kills you. ;)

Thankfulness update.

11.20.12: Friends who help.
11.21.12: Good deals while shopping (I spent $45 and saved $35. Boom!) And the beautiful full Texas moon.
11.22.12: A relaxing Thanksgiving with some awesome family.
11.23.12: Not having to leave aforementioned family to go teach.
11.24.12: Wonderful women in my family.
11.25.12: Lazy Sundays. No matter how productive I plan to be, it never happens. Ever.

11.19.12 Goodnight Kisses.

That's what I'm thankful for today. No need to elaborate. :)