Girls just want to have fun

There are alot of things that I need to update you people on. Ehh..not really. Life is swimmingly monotonous. But there are a few crazy things happening out here..like...

1.A sleepover with my nieces! We ate at a semi shady Subway. Then went to see Turbo in a weird theatre with a piano that plays itself. Then we went to Ritas. Every great Girls Night Out should end with Ritas! It was so much fun. We sat at this picnic table and ate our mango and rootbeer water ice and watched the fire flies while we talked about our next Girls Night Out. (it's going to be bowling!)

2. If you are wondering why I keep writing "girls night out" in all caps is because it was a BIG deal to Elly and Katy. They are new to the concept and kept asking me questions about it all night. "Are we having a girls night out, Aunt Lori?" "What happens if you bring a boy to a girls night out?" "Are girls nights out always crazy, Aunt Lori?". I love teaching the kids new things. American history. New recipes. And yes, the secrets to a great Girls Night Out.

These ladies know how to party!

3. Lastly, I met up with Danielle at the gym today. It reminded me of the old days, when we used to run together in high school. And by run, I mean I would jog slower than most people walk and Danielle would run backwards in front of me, yelling "You can do it, Lori!". Yeah, the gym was like that today. We were on treadmills and just walking 2 miles. Danielle's was on a crazy incline and; even with a several minute bathroom break, she still completed her miles well ahead of me.

We are both preparing for a 5K on October 5th. It's a color run! I've got to shave 6 minutes off each mile to finish in 45 minutes. (My personal goal)

Wow..this has been a painfully wordy and long update on really not that much. My apologies.

I'll be back to classic TSC form tomorrow.

 Or maybe late tonight- I am thinking about going to see The Conjuring at 10:50 pm.

On a work night, baby!

Brace yourselves for a crying, freaked out post at 1 am!

Lori Ann

YES!

You guys,

I heard the BEST THING EVER today.

Someone said to me

" I come to therapy with you because it's cheaper than a hooker".

I'm thinking of making a sign for my office door that says

"Therapy: cheaper than a hooker".

My apologies to sex workers everywhere...you are losing your customer base because they are coming to see me! And I don't even have to wear knee high plastic boots to get them here. (I wear them because I choose to.)

Dang, it feels good to be a therapist today!

Lori Ann

That he was here with me

My sister Erin is hilarious. She is my therapy, I swear.

On an unrelated note, I found out my dad has been mowing the neighbors yard. She is a single mom. I think I was the first person he told. (in the 3 months since he's been mowing)

Even though I know they'll hate it (my family loathes emotional crap) I have to say that I am daily amazed by the incredible people I am blessed to be related to. They are how I know that God loves me.

Lori Ann

p.s.- On a related side note, I decided to man up and help my dad mow just a small part of the lawn. My lily white office workers hands are now literally blistered. It's a sad state of affairs.

And then I don't feel so bad

A few of my favorite things: The (evil) Summer edition.

I figure that I am about 2-3 posts away from Mormon single girl blogger fame. So, people are going to be clamoring to find out what my very favorite summer things are.

Well; you, my faithful readers, will be privileged to hear it first.

Let's do this dance.

1. The fruit mix I am packing every day for lunch. It's watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, and grapes. Best. Lunch. Ever. (unless there are donuts or beefaroni available..that goes without saying)

2. Lightening bugs. Or fire flies. Whatever you want to call them. It's so cool to drive home on my late nights, through the back roads, past farms- it's all twilight and crazy blinking fire flies.

3. Laying under piles of covers with the AC turned all the way up. Illogical, perhaps. But awesome none the less.

4. The smell of grass in summer. It reminds me of playing field hockey. And anything that takes ones mind back to Jersey in the late 90's is a winner.

5. And lastly (and this should come as no surprise to anyone) PA in summer. I loathe the weather but I cannot deny that the rolling hills of corn fields, quaint little farmers markets, and endless miles of trees that are in full bloom and just the right shade of green, are absolutely stunning.

I hope everyone is surviving summer. T-minus 44 days until Sept. 1st!

Lori Ann

Self proclaimed Irish/French American

I know every one's been waiting; most likely breathlessly, for my thoughts on the Zimmerman verdict.

Alas, you shall have to continue to wait.

This trial has made me realize that I have a lot of conflicting thoughts about how we treat each other and what we expect from each other as Americans. 

I think the part of me that is hardest for me to describe without sounding...well...evil, is the part of me that struggles with people who think other people owe them something.

Whether it's a racial thing, an ethnic thing, a poverty thing, a disability thing.

I honestly feel like no one adult person owes another (non related) adult person anything. (and I get that this doesn't sound Christian. That's a whole other topic I won't veer off into) 

I think we all owe children safety, good health, opportunity, education, and as much happiness as we can help them achieve.

And I think the government; or at least our laws, owe everyone equal treatment. That is not to say that all outcomes will be equal, but all treatment should be fair, colorblind, and as unbiased as biased people can make it.

I usually don't talk about stuff like this because I have this deeply ingrained idea (probably from going to public school in Jersey) that I'm not allowed to talk about this. That I don't and could never understand what other people go through and how they feel.  That I have it easy so my thoughts and feelings don't count. That I shouldn't share them anyway because they are most likely inherently biased, prejudiced, and self serving.

I wouldn't want anyone to not feel ok sharing their thoughts and feelings. Even if they were directly opposite of mine. If we are ever going to move forward as a country, there shouldn't be a list of things that we can't talk about.

I think we all too often try and fit our world into a movie narrative (helped along by the media.) There are the good guys and the bad guys. There is right and there is wrong.

And anyone that suggests otherwise is naive to reality. 

Well, I suggest otherwise.

I didn't see one hero and one villain in the Zimmerman/ Martin case. Nor did I see one martyr and one devil. I didn't see one thug and one heroic almost cop. Nor did I see one skittle popping little boy and one vigilante.

Ironically, it's not as simple as black and white. Or rather, black and 'white hispanic'.

This concludes the Spinster Chronicles Thoughts on Life, Politics, and famous trials until Jan. 2014 (when the mid terms start!)

Lori Ann

I can be your hero, baby

People in Europe are celebrating my birthday today! So, that's pretty sweet. Anyway..

I have been feeling mildly restless lately.

Like I want things to change in my life.

I have come to realize that this restlessness is part of my personality.

I mean, I have a great job, amazing family support, a comfortable life, and I am making progress in a lot of my goals.

But I'm not really happy.

I think the secret to happiness for me is constant change.

Whether it's a new place to live, a new job, a new hobby, a new experience, something different.

I've lived in 8 states, moved upwards of 20 to 30 times, and had at least 15 different jobs in my life.

Something about just treading water, doing the same things in the same places, makes me feel edgy.

I've been thinking that it's time for me to live a more adventurous life as well. 

The quote that kind of speaks to me right now is this:

“Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.” David Copperfield

Who knows...maybe it's just my I hate summer seasonal affective disorder.

Lori Ann

Beware: Somewhat rambling political post

I know you all love it when I post about politics.

Listening to other people's political views is usually about as interesting for me as listening to their vacation stories. Or their pet stories. Or frankly, any story.

I hate listening. (which is kinda tricky with my career choices and all...)

Anyway, my point is, even though I know it's obnoxious, I am going to post anyway.

I was thinking the other day about how inevitable it all feels.

How; as conservatives or libertarian's or whatever, we can put up a fight for a while, but that the increasingly progressive trends will eventually just drag us all under, like the tide.

Gay marriage will soon be nationalized.

Premarital sex will continue to increase and (has already) become the norm and with it more single mothers and non traditional families. I don't think anyone can argue that the role and presence of fathers hasn't been slowly diminishing over the last several decades.

Pro-death umm...I mean, anti- life..no, I mean pro choice activists will continue to rail against "the war on women" until abortion is legal up through the third trimester and readily available in every state and county.

And on and on and on....

I was thinking about all of this and feeling overwhelmed when it occurred to me... 

This is how Satan works.

He doesn't come into a society and paint the town red with sin and vice and all manner of hedonism.

He takes Godly principles and slowly...so slowly you can't even feel it, he twists them.

The principles of freedom, equality, free will, self determination, and love, even.

All things that originate from God. His gifts to us.

That's why people so passionately believe in the things that will; in my opinion, lead to the end of our society. Because there is some truth to them. Some remnant of sacredness.

There is something beautiful about the idea of any two people; regardless of race, gender, religion- finding love and happiness together. It feels good to think about supporting their right to be together and to be recognized.

In the argument for abortion, you get that message of self determination. Something about free will and not being held back by one mistake, one bad choice. Taking your own destiny in your hands. It feels powerful.

Single motherhood has a kind of nobility to it. And there is something liberating in the idea of finding love and pleasure and joy with someone, even if you aren't legally tied to them and then enjoying it will it lasts until you both grow out of it. Then you move on to someone new. No need to be with the person you thought you'd love forever at 19. What do any of us know at 19 anyway?

Satan knows that we are all looking for truth. All looking to find our way back to God. He knows that Godly principles will resonate with us as we are His sons and daughters.

People never give Satan credit for how smart he is. How he managed to convince 1/3rd of the Heavenly hosts to follow him. There are times; when I am swayed by these liberal ideas, that I wonder how I wasn't one. The idea of saving everyone, not losing a single person, bringing everyone home- it's very appealing to me.

All of the liberal ideals are appealing to me. But I've come to realize that Satan isn't the voice that  jumps up and says"Have a hit of that heroin, Lori. It's time to get high! Then we can go and rob someone".

Satan is the voice of the friend that is rubbing your back and whispering " You are about to graduate college. You can't raise a baby. It wouldn't be good for you or the baby". The voice that says "I'll go with you to the abortion clinic and you'll be ok".

Satan is the voice that says " You don't need a man in your life. What kind of father is he going to be anyway? You can do it on your own. I'll help you. You can be the mom and the dad".

Satan is the voice that whispers " Your parents are just hateful bigots who won't accept the beautiful person that you are and what you need to be happy. I love you and I'm proud that you are gay".

These words couldn't sound less like the cackling voices of devils. They sound like the voices of love and understanding. Isn't that what God offers us? Love and understanding?

Except, they're not.

Because they are taking sacred principles and applying them to wickedness. It's wicked when you hurt someone else. And abortion hurts someone else.(and you. My gosh, how it hurts you) And raising your kids alone hurts you and them.(I can't tell you how badly this hurts the kids). And being gay (and this is the hardest one for me to say) hurts someone else. It hurts you because it limits your eternal potential.

Satan is persuasive. He's got a comforting and reasonable sounding argument for any moral hangup or "old fashioned" argument against any of these issues. That is how he has convinced so many brilliant people and how he continues to find new converts every day.

Just like in Lehi's dream, the path to God is not easy. (I should know, I've over here in the mists of darkness somewhere!). But the great and spacious building is easy to get to. It's open and welcoming- a sort of "come  as you are" establishment. It's got great music and an open bar. You can sit and chat with your friends for hours in a big, comfy char while you get a nice buzz and have a few too many pigs in a blanket.

When you look out the window and see the wretched souls, dragging themselves along the rod towards the tree, you kind of feel bad for them. You wonder if they know how nice and warm it is where you are. How everything feels good and soft and comfortable. It's kind of sad for them, actually, right?

Wow.

This is the longest post I've ever written. I think the 2014 mid terms are revving up my bipolar already:)

Anyway, I'm not trying to change any minds or make a big statement with this post. I'm just trying to figure things out for myself and not be afraid to say what I think.

If you've made it this far, thanks for listening.

Lori Ann