Of Men and Money

Photo credit: Deanna Dent

These past two weeks I’ve been working a lot. It’s orientation for the program I work with and these weeks are some of the most intense of our program year.

But in the midst of the chaos and working and lack of sleep (and working) and stress (and working) and moving 10 individuals from 10 different countries to Phoenix, my friend and colleague Deanna took this amazing photo and I just can’t get it out of my head.

I thought about sharing the photo on Facebook with a short sentence, but then realized I had more I wanted to say. More I wanted to remember. More I wanted to reflect on.

My whole life I’ve spent time in banks…in South Dakota, Montana and Colorado. My dad was a banker through my growing-up years, and he worked hard—trying to make it home to have dinner with the family, and then returning to the office later in the evening. He often worked Saturdays too, but many times he’d take my brothers and I along (to provide Mom some sanity time, I'm guessing). I’m not sure how much “help” we actually were, but we became expert users of the shredding machine and there was something both fun and spooky about being in the bank when it was closed. We could wander through the quietness and behind the teller line (sneaking Dum Dums when we could find them!).

It was fun to go to work with Dad—I think my love for the “office environment” was born in those early days at the bank, as was my love for numbers, budgets, etc.

In middle school and high school, the bank Dad managed in Colorado had “popcorn” Fridays and I’d manage the popcorn machine after school, handing out bags of popcorn to customers waiting in line. Dad’s bank life provided some fun family adventures as well—one year we dressed up as Dalmatian dogs (white sweatshirt and sweatpants with black felt spots) and rode a bank float in the city’s annual holiday parade. Another year my brother Jon had the opportunity to throw out the opening pitch at a Colorado Rockies baseball game--at the time the bank was a major sponsor of the team.

But, it wasn’t all fun and games. I both saw and experienced the stress my dad was under as a bank manager and never-ever-ever desired that for myself.

However, I’m realizing that these days, things aren’t much different. Work-life balance flies out the window and it’s times like this that I’m glad I don’t have a family at home--because they’d never see me, and if they did see me, I’d most likely be “Crazy-Cranky-Kristi.” But ironically, it’s also these same days that I miss having someone to come home too—that person who could take one look at my face and know that the thing I most needed at that moment was a hug and a whisper in my ear saying, “You’re amazing. You’re going to make it. Tomorrow is a new day. I love you.”

Instead I control the chaos by making fun plans with friends and family—plans that force me to leave the office at a reasonable time, plans that allow me to eat, drink and be merry. Plans that have me organizing trips and vacations for later in the year. Plans that make me turn off “work-brain” and turn on “life-fun.” And I relax and am refreshed and feel ready to face another day.

And then I think of this photo.

In a bank once again.

And I am grateful.

In addition to all my “bank” memories, it brings to mind a mental picture from my childhood with my dad arriving home from a long day at the office…he’d walk in the house, find my mom (who was most likely in the kitchen making dinner), and give her a kiss. And I imagine that in that moment they were saying “You’re amazing. You’re going to make it. Your family loves you. I’m glad you’re home. Tomorrow is a new day.”

Thank you Deanna for capturing this moment.

Thank you Mom and Dad for the legacy of hard work and love that you model for me.

And thank you to all the people I work with who help me grow, both as a professional, and as a person. 

“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” --Martin Luther King Jr.

What I'm thinking

I love that my nephew just finished his first year of elementary school. I think he's awesome and feel incredibly blessed that at this time and place in our lives we live just miles apart and I'm able to attend his school programs and baseball games. I treasure those times together, watching him grow, listening to him talk about birds and baseball and reading and movies and music.

I'm loving the new little house I'm renting. I love that I'm close to work, close to hip-hang-outs, and actually part of a real neighborhood. In the two months I've lived there I've met more neighbors than in all the 5+ years I've lived in Phoenix. I saw one of my neighbors making sun tea on his porch the other day and thought it was the coolest thing (and something you can almost do year-round here in Phoenix!).

I'm incredibly proud of my Dakotan heritage. The rural farming community that my parents and grandparents grew up in is celebrating their 125th anniversary next year--a quasquicentennial, or "Big Q" as I saw on a poster (because quasquicentennial apparently doesn't roll off the tongue). I was 9-years-old when the town celebrated it's centennial (100 years) and I have crystal clear memories of the amusement park rides that took over Main Street, the city-wide parade (that I helped build a float for), and the amazing pageant/drama show that the town put on. My grandpa grew a beard, my grandma donned a bonnet, and our entire family gathered together for the celebration. Now, with only one living grandparent still in residence, our family doesn't get back up there very often, but on a recent visit I realized that there are folks in that community that have known me my entire life. I've never lived there but they've seen me at auction sales and centennial celebrations, at funerals and 80th birthday gatherings. They've seen me in photos on my grandma's wall and in newspaper stories announcing our visit to town. We may not be Facebook friends or Christmas card exchangers, but they know me, or rather, they know my family. Both lines of my family. And though they may think me a "city girl" and my love for lattes a little looney, they accept me as a part of their extended community. And I'm realizing that in some ways, that small community is more "home" than any place I've ever, or will ever, live.

I think I'm getting lazy. I'm not talking gym-lazy here (though that is also an issue), I'm talking I need to buy a garden hose and seriously considered ordering one from Amazon just so I wouldn't have to lug one home from an actual store. For now I'm going to blame the summer heat of Phoenix for causing this line of thinking.

I'm not using the internet at home for a few weeks (due to somehow exceeding my monthly home internet data-usage limit last month--though I was out of town for almost 2 weeks). Instead, I'm teaching myself how to utilize my iPhone for more things (like shopping on Amazon, see paragraph above), and I'm reading more. Crazy concepts, right? It's been a bit eye-opening. There's only so much time I can spend looking at my tiny iPhone screen, so unlike with my laptop, I'm not losing track of time reading my favorite blogs, planning my next travel adventure, or getting caught up with my favorite TV shows. I think this mini-vacation from internet overuse is not necessarily a bad thing (though it's still easier to pick up a book then to tackle items on my to do list).

Today is my parent's 37th (I think) wedding anniversary. They do so much for our family (babysitting, house projects, loaning of vehicles), and I'm so grateful for them. I can never repay all the things they've done for me, all the complaints they've listened to, all the coffees they've bought and meals they've cooked. My heart overflows with gratitude and I'm thankful for the blessing they are to our family.

I've promised blog posts to several friends, and though this post doesn't really cover any of the things it's supposed to (photos of my new house, my crazy auction sale adventure, visiting a new church), it's randomness sort of characterizes my state of mind these days.

Oh, and one more thing I've learned of late--words can hurt. I've received some harsh criticism recently, and whether justly or unjustly received, it's called me to take a closer look at my own communications with others. Because (shockingly) I do sometimes speak without thinking. Or, think and then speak (with the intention to hurt). And apparently I sometimes say/do things that I think are innocent, but have completely different implications. This is life, right? And sometimes it's not always a bowl of cherries, but I'm trying to learn to "take the high road" and "grow a thicker skin" but, man, sometimes that's just hard. And hard ain't easy (though margaritas, lattes and Culver's hamburgers help).

Taking the leap on Leap Day

If there's ever a day to do something wild and crazy (and potentially disastrous), why not choose a day that only comes around once every 4 years? Case in point: I have no idea what I was doing on February 29th, 2008. No idea.

And four years from now I probably won't remember most of the 87 things I did today. But hopefully I'll remember one thing--because I did something totally brave, completely scary, and highly rewarding (hopefully!!).

And I had no idea that today was, in some ways, the day to do such things (didn't realize it until someone mentioned it at choir tonight).

Anyways, this is a huge deal for me--for others it's second nature, but for me it's a big deal. And at this moment  I'm oh-so-proud-of-myself (and would prefer to not relive the scene in the bathroom where I'm giving myself a pep talk in the mirror and rehearsing my very basic line which includes handing over my cellphone number, asking if he's seeing anyone, and recommending we get together for dinner or something soon--and then running like heck).

The good news is that he said he was thinking the same thing (sigh of relief from me). And, later he texted and said I made his day (double-sigh of relief).

And so the adventure begins!

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

So, I'm thinking of moving. I'm tired of the commute to work and church (two places where I seem to spend the bulk of my hours), and though I love my little apartment with it's open floor plan, breakfast bar and built-in desk, I don't love it's location.

But this is the joy of apartment living--when your lease is up (which mine is later this spring) you can choose to stay where you are, or embark on a new adventure elsewhere.

The pain and suffering of packing and actually moving is only a momentary trial, right?

The most exciting part is that I think I'll actually move to a "community"...sure, I'm in a community now (and really, community is what you make of it), but the areas I'm looking at seem to have a demographic that matches my own: young, smart, hip, etc. (Actually, maybe they'll rub off on me!)  Unlike many of my friends and colleagues, I don't need to live in a neighborhood suited for kids, families and dogs--that's not me. I don't need to live in a neighborhood suited to senior citizens--not me (yet!). I need to live someplace vibrant with life, someplace that will force me out of my comfort zone (in front of the TV or behind a book), someplace where people engage in living life together.

Don't get me wrong:
Apartment living isn't for everyone.
Apartment living in an urban, downtown environment isn't for everyone.

But I'm excited--I love old things and downtown has a lot of historic properties with unique architectural details (the photo above is from a property at 6th Ave & Roosevelt). Plus, there's a post office and coffee shops within walking distance--what more does a girl need?

Hello, hello? Is this thing on?

So...I haven't posted in awhile.

No single reason why...though the downward slide started when things got a bit crazy last summer.  I returned from Europe (without a tattoo or boyfriend). I changed jobs. I insanely tried to juggle several jobs. I wanted to run away and join the circus.

But now I'm back and have oh-so-many-things to post about.

An overview of my 2011 trip-a-month travels and plans for 2012.
My new car, new job, new plans to move into downtown Phoenix.
An update on my 101 list (my 1,001 days expires on Oct. 14, 2012 so I had better get crackin' on things!).
My adventures in babysitting, my so-called dating life, my love for all things book club & Downton Abbey related.
A short story about how Tastefully Simple has changed my "cooking" and gift-giving life forever.
My new iphone and exposure to the phenomenon of itunes.
Etc., etc., etc.

Let the fun begin!

Finally!

I created a photo book for my recent trip to Europe--not sure how the resolution is, but feel free to check out the link in the post below.

I was able to narrow down my 500+ photos into the 39-page book...but really, photos can't do the places justice...all of you should definitely plan a trip there soon!

Kristi's European Adventure 2011

Click here to view this photo book larger