Why Blogging?
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am utterly technologically inept. Couple that with my dislike for change and you've got...well, basically my father. While most people would probably jump at the chance for getting a brand new computer and software system intended to make their job duties simpler, when this idea was presented to him, he told his boss exactly where he could put the computer...and I'm not referring to the nice little area of his desk next to his coffee cup.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree in this case. I recently turned in my old T-9 text messaging flip phone for one with a keyboard and the Internet, which is currently a love / hate relationship, discovered that I could have GPS in my truck without it having to physically be a part of my vehicle, and discovered that the concept of blogging was not just for the elite who, somehow by the grace of God, get paid to blab all day. Talk about an awesome career!
I was recently turned on to this whole blogging concept from a link shared by a friend on Facebook. I found myself reading about the trials and triumphs of a perfect, ordinary stranger living 1,700 miles away from me, yet I was intrigued. While my writings will probably never hold a candle to hers, I figured it's a good way to keep in contact with friends who I don't get to see or talk to on a regular basis, as well as provide a way of accounting for my own life fifty years from now. I've tried the whole journaling bit on various occasions, only to destroy one perfectly good tree for three pieces of paper. So, to do my due diligence in trying to save the rainforest, I figured I'd put my thoughts down on the computer. It's far easier to blab away while typing 90 words a minute versus giving birth to the world's largest hand cramp. And while I am admittedly technologically inept, I do have a hunch that this whole Internet thing is here to stay; perhaps I will even provide a little bit of entertainment for my possible successors. Doubtful, I know.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am utterly technologically inept. Couple that with my dislike for change and you've got...well, basically my father. While most people would probably jump at the chance for getting a brand new computer and software system intended to make their job duties simpler, when this idea was presented to him, he told his boss exactly where he could put the computer...and I'm not referring to the nice little area of his desk next to his coffee cup.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree in this case. I recently turned in my old T-9 text messaging flip phone for one with a keyboard and the Internet, which is currently a love / hate relationship, discovered that I could have GPS in my truck without it having to physically be a part of my vehicle, and discovered that the concept of blogging was not just for the elite who, somehow by the grace of God, get paid to blab all day. Talk about an awesome career!
I was recently turned on to this whole blogging concept from a link shared by a friend on Facebook. I found myself reading about the trials and triumphs of a perfect, ordinary stranger living 1,700 miles away from me, yet I was intrigued. While my writings will probably never hold a candle to hers, I figured it's a good way to keep in contact with friends who I don't get to see or talk to on a regular basis, as well as provide a way of accounting for my own life fifty years from now. I've tried the whole journaling bit on various occasions, only to destroy one perfectly good tree for three pieces of paper. So, to do my due diligence in trying to save the rainforest, I figured I'd put my thoughts down on the computer. It's far easier to blab away while typing 90 words a minute versus giving birth to the world's largest hand cramp. And while I am admittedly technologically inept, I do have a hunch that this whole Internet thing is here to stay; perhaps I will even provide a little bit of entertainment for my possible successors. Doubtful, I know.
So who is Brenda Elizabeth, anyway?
I am a single, late 20-something, romantic at heart, living in the southern metropolis of Minnesota anxiously awaiting the day that I finally stumble upon my place in this world. My name literally means "firebrand" and it's definitely very suitable for my personality. I'm also 100% German, which probably further aids my "firecracker" persona. By day I work for the local government, by night I want to be doing anything but working for the local government. I have an unfulfilled dream of being a rockstar; unfortunately, shattering glass is not great for padding the rockstar resume. I hail from a family of five children, but contrary to what my older sister might tell you, I am not the spoiled one! My parents were married just shy of 43 years when my father lost his nine-month battle to lung cancer last year. This was by far the greatest tribulation of my life, but if I must find a silver lining, it's that I have lived through my biggest fear and walked away not only a stronger person, but also more compassionate and self-aware, realizing exactly how precious life truly is.
Losing my dad taught me the necessity of the phrase "carpe diem". Our days here on this great earth are limited, so why not try to make the most of them? While my dad didn't necessarily hate his job, I don't think that he truly loved it either. My passion has always lied in photography, but I was always of the mind that to be a photographer, I'd have to work a full-time job and do photography on the side for probably ten or more years before I could build my clientele up enough to just do photography. Working one and a half jobs for the next decade wasn't really all that appealing to me. After my father's passing, however, I decided that I did not want to become a victim of mediocrity. It was then that I went out and dropped a few thousand dollars on photography equipment, only to realize that the biggest photography money-maker, weddings, was something that I despised doing. You wouldn't believe how ridiculously difficult it can be to keep a group of grown adults in the same room for a period of longer than two minutes. You'd also also be surprised by the attitudes of most of the groomsmen in the weddings..."What, I have to get my picture taken?" Nah, the bride is totally OK with just superimposing some look-alike via Photoshop. So, enough of that. I still like the idea of photography, but certainly not weddings. At this point in my life I still struggle with whether or not I'm even good enough to make it; I certainly don't want to be a starving artist. I recently met with a local photographer who does training sessions and he told me that he had cut me a deal on the training fees just to get me into his studio because he sees so much potential in my work. While it was a great compliment, I still lack total self-confidence. For now, I'm going to keep an open mind about it, but am entirely content with keeping it my biggest passion in life and just doing it as a hobby.
I am a single, late 20-something, romantic at heart, living in the southern metropolis of Minnesota anxiously awaiting the day that I finally stumble upon my place in this world. My name literally means "firebrand" and it's definitely very suitable for my personality. I'm also 100% German, which probably further aids my "firecracker" persona. By day I work for the local government, by night I want to be doing anything but working for the local government. I have an unfulfilled dream of being a rockstar; unfortunately, shattering glass is not great for padding the rockstar resume. I hail from a family of five children, but contrary to what my older sister might tell you, I am not the spoiled one! My parents were married just shy of 43 years when my father lost his nine-month battle to lung cancer last year. This was by far the greatest tribulation of my life, but if I must find a silver lining, it's that I have lived through my biggest fear and walked away not only a stronger person, but also more compassionate and self-aware, realizing exactly how precious life truly is.
Losing my dad taught me the necessity of the phrase "carpe diem". Our days here on this great earth are limited, so why not try to make the most of them? While my dad didn't necessarily hate his job, I don't think that he truly loved it either. My passion has always lied in photography, but I was always of the mind that to be a photographer, I'd have to work a full-time job and do photography on the side for probably ten or more years before I could build my clientele up enough to just do photography. Working one and a half jobs for the next decade wasn't really all that appealing to me. After my father's passing, however, I decided that I did not want to become a victim of mediocrity. It was then that I went out and dropped a few thousand dollars on photography equipment, only to realize that the biggest photography money-maker, weddings, was something that I despised doing. You wouldn't believe how ridiculously difficult it can be to keep a group of grown adults in the same room for a period of longer than two minutes. You'd also also be surprised by the attitudes of most of the groomsmen in the weddings..."What, I have to get my picture taken?" Nah, the bride is totally OK with just superimposing some look-alike via Photoshop. So, enough of that. I still like the idea of photography, but certainly not weddings. At this point in my life I still struggle with whether or not I'm even good enough to make it; I certainly don't want to be a starving artist. I recently met with a local photographer who does training sessions and he told me that he had cut me a deal on the training fees just to get me into his studio because he sees so much potential in my work. While it was a great compliment, I still lack total self-confidence. For now, I'm going to keep an open mind about it, but am entirely content with keeping it my biggest passion in life and just doing it as a hobby.
Hobbies / Interests
One of my other "seize the day" schemes is traveling. I love to travel. I didn't set foot on an airplane until four years ago, but since then, I have been infected by the travel bug. There's something very humbling to me about traveling; I think it's that it makes me see just how we are just tiny players in a big game called life. There is far more to this world than just small-town Minnesota, but unfortunately, it took me 24 years of life to truly comprehend this. I don't consider myself a frugal person by any means, but I can be a bit of a miser now that I have tasted true adulthood and the disgusting bills that go along with it. Traveling, however, is the one pleasure I don't allow myself to feel guilty about. God didn't create this mighty earth just for His own amusement, right? While I haven't done extensive traveling, I will be taking my sixth trip next week. Ain't bad for just four years of travel. My mom and I together will embark on my dad's "dream" trip. Paris? Italy? Those places are for chumps! That's right - Mama Bear and I will be making our way to HERSHEY, Pennsylvania! Hershey, you're asking? I'm not really sure either. I contend that it was for his love of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that my father wanted to visit the chocolate city. Really, though, can you blame him?!
This will be my 65-year old mother's first trip! I'm ecstatic that she agreed to go with me. Had it not been for the meaning behind the trip, I'm not sure that she'd have been so enthusiastic about it, but I'm proud of her for embracing something new. I have a feeling once we return, she's not going to stop talking about this trip for a very long time. We will be spending a few days in Hershey and Gettysburg and a few days in Philadelphia. While my sisters call this the nerdiest trip ever, I'm actually looking forward to it. It will be some good quality "mom time" and will be pretty interesting to us history geeks. I spent a day in Philadelphia on my last trip, but there's a lot to see in that city. Look for photos to come in weeks ahead!
If you don't find me with my camera in tow or trying to discover an eighth wonder of the world, you'll likely find me on a beach somewhere. (Be advised that Minnesotans refer to just about any body of water as a beach.) I love the summer, despise the winter. I still have beef with my parents for raising me in this state. OK, so maybe I'm over it, but my body isn't! I just don't understand why any living being, other than diehard skiers or snowboarders, would want to subject themselves to the frigidness of a Minnesota winter. While I haven't been there myself, I have a pretty good suspicion that I'm a west-coaster at heart.
So photography, traveling, being a beach bum have all been covered....I'm also a fan of meeting new people, preferably interesting ones who can bring to the table new ideas, points of view, and interests. If you couldn't tell, I'm also a fan of conversation. It is because of this that my sister coined for me the nickname "Jabberjaws". Whatever. It's fitting. I enjoy good music, patio restaurants, seeing a good show, the New York Yankees, learning, karaoke, creating, cooking, making people laugh, trying new things, "Desperate Housewives", shopping (Being a female, is it even necessary that I mention this?), helping other people, cuddling up in a cold bed with comfortable sheets, spending time with family and friends (particularly my four-year old nephew; he's the coolest little guy alive!), being a board game junkie, 80's hairbands, geeking out with a good history or theology book, the gluttony that only a McDonald’s value meal can provide, and reliving my youth whenever the opportunity presents itself. The latter sentence isn't referring to acting juvenile with a negative connotation, rather, anything from playing on the slides with children at the playground to my most recent youthful experience...pen-palling again.
One of my other "seize the day" schemes is traveling. I love to travel. I didn't set foot on an airplane until four years ago, but since then, I have been infected by the travel bug. There's something very humbling to me about traveling; I think it's that it makes me see just how we are just tiny players in a big game called life. There is far more to this world than just small-town Minnesota, but unfortunately, it took me 24 years of life to truly comprehend this. I don't consider myself a frugal person by any means, but I can be a bit of a miser now that I have tasted true adulthood and the disgusting bills that go along with it. Traveling, however, is the one pleasure I don't allow myself to feel guilty about. God didn't create this mighty earth just for His own amusement, right? While I haven't done extensive traveling, I will be taking my sixth trip next week. Ain't bad for just four years of travel. My mom and I together will embark on my dad's "dream" trip. Paris? Italy? Those places are for chumps! That's right - Mama Bear and I will be making our way to HERSHEY, Pennsylvania! Hershey, you're asking? I'm not really sure either. I contend that it was for his love of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that my father wanted to visit the chocolate city. Really, though, can you blame him?!
This will be my 65-year old mother's first trip! I'm ecstatic that she agreed to go with me. Had it not been for the meaning behind the trip, I'm not sure that she'd have been so enthusiastic about it, but I'm proud of her for embracing something new. I have a feeling once we return, she's not going to stop talking about this trip for a very long time. We will be spending a few days in Hershey and Gettysburg and a few days in Philadelphia. While my sisters call this the nerdiest trip ever, I'm actually looking forward to it. It will be some good quality "mom time" and will be pretty interesting to us history geeks. I spent a day in Philadelphia on my last trip, but there's a lot to see in that city. Look for photos to come in weeks ahead!
If you don't find me with my camera in tow or trying to discover an eighth wonder of the world, you'll likely find me on a beach somewhere. (Be advised that Minnesotans refer to just about any body of water as a beach.) I love the summer, despise the winter. I still have beef with my parents for raising me in this state. OK, so maybe I'm over it, but my body isn't! I just don't understand why any living being, other than diehard skiers or snowboarders, would want to subject themselves to the frigidness of a Minnesota winter. While I haven't been there myself, I have a pretty good suspicion that I'm a west-coaster at heart.
So photography, traveling, being a beach bum have all been covered....I'm also a fan of meeting new people, preferably interesting ones who can bring to the table new ideas, points of view, and interests. If you couldn't tell, I'm also a fan of conversation. It is because of this that my sister coined for me the nickname "Jabberjaws". Whatever. It's fitting. I enjoy good music, patio restaurants, seeing a good show, the New York Yankees, learning, karaoke, creating, cooking, making people laugh, trying new things, "Desperate Housewives", shopping (Being a female, is it even necessary that I mention this?), helping other people, cuddling up in a cold bed with comfortable sheets, spending time with family and friends (particularly my four-year old nephew; he's the coolest little guy alive!), being a board game junkie, 80's hairbands, geeking out with a good history or theology book, the gluttony that only a McDonald’s value meal can provide, and reliving my youth whenever the opportunity presents itself. The latter sentence isn't referring to acting juvenile with a negative connotation, rather, anything from playing on the slides with children at the playground to my most recent youthful experience...pen-palling again.
Goals / Aspirations
My biggest lifetime goal has always been to meet the knight in shining armor, get married, and raise a family. To date, all I've met are less than stellar dudes donning tin foil, I've gotten chubby, and the only thing I raise is my voice when Juan Miranda makes a stupid play. Anyway, I've not thrown in the towel quite yet when it comes to fulfilling this goal; I just am not trying to actively pursue it. All of my friends' astute advice is to quit looking and then it will happen. So, I've put my blindfold on and I've been spending a lot of time in my womancave.
I cannot commit to long-term goals, as I have no idea what this life will bring. I'd like to think I'll be alive 50 years from now, have grandchildren, and have discovered numerous hidden talents and traveled the corners of the world, but I don't have a crystal ball. So, instead, I'll focus on the short-term. In the next ten years I hope to (in no particular order):
1. Be able to speak Spanish semi-fluently
2. Know how to play the guitar
3. Be a regular volunteer
4. Have settled on a career path
5. Have obtained my Master's degree
6. Have paid off at least half of my mortgage
7. Read the entire Bible cover to cover
Providing I make it to the long-term, God-willing, I hope to:
1. See all 50 states
2. Truly make a difference in the life of at least one other person
3. Be a good wife and mother, perhaps even grandmother
4. Have visited Israel, Ireland, Germany, and Bora Bora
5. Have lived a life worth remembering
6. Be entirely fluent in Spanish
7. Have had at least one photograph published
I'm sure the list will keep growing and growing, but those are off the top of my head at the moment.
My biggest lifetime goal has always been to meet the knight in shining armor, get married, and raise a family. To date, all I've met are less than stellar dudes donning tin foil, I've gotten chubby, and the only thing I raise is my voice when Juan Miranda makes a stupid play. Anyway, I've not thrown in the towel quite yet when it comes to fulfilling this goal; I just am not trying to actively pursue it. All of my friends' astute advice is to quit looking and then it will happen. So, I've put my blindfold on and I've been spending a lot of time in my womancave.
I cannot commit to long-term goals, as I have no idea what this life will bring. I'd like to think I'll be alive 50 years from now, have grandchildren, and have discovered numerous hidden talents and traveled the corners of the world, but I don't have a crystal ball. So, instead, I'll focus on the short-term. In the next ten years I hope to (in no particular order):
1. Be able to speak Spanish semi-fluently
2. Know how to play the guitar
3. Be a regular volunteer
4. Have settled on a career path
5. Have obtained my Master's degree
6. Have paid off at least half of my mortgage
7. Read the entire Bible cover to cover
Providing I make it to the long-term, God-willing, I hope to:
1. See all 50 states
2. Truly make a difference in the life of at least one other person
3. Be a good wife and mother, perhaps even grandmother
4. Have visited Israel, Ireland, Germany, and Bora Bora
5. Have lived a life worth remembering
6. Be entirely fluent in Spanish
7. Have had at least one photograph published
I'm sure the list will keep growing and growing, but those are off the top of my head at the moment.
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