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"If a boss has given you assignment and you procrastinated, it means you don't know how to do it or you don't want to do it."
Wisdom I paraphrased from Twitter


In this case, I didn't know how to do it. I bought this table from a thrift store in November, but really had no clue what to do. I sanded it down but needed more help. When my dad came in town two weeks ago, I finally had the guidance I needed.

I went from this:

To this:

Book 3: Charlie Wilson's War

Hello, friends. Despite my terrible record on blog posting, I have been reading books without your knowledge. A few months ago (yikes!), I finished Charlie Wilson's War. You're probably familiar with the movie starring Tom Hanks and Julie Roberts, with Amy Adams in a fabulous supporting role. Seriously, I felt like you could see my frustrations about working in politics all over Amy Adams' face.

Anyway, I hadn't read the book, but it came highly recommended from a friend after I professed my love for All the President's Men (one of my favorite books and movies).

I really enjoyed the inside glimpse into history and the candid interviews. Charlie Wilson was not the most ethical lawmaker, but he's not afraid to admit it, either. It's also crazy to read this and think about America's current role in the Middle East. A lot of the first steps are outlined here.

For me, the book had two distinct sections: the section with Joanne Herring and the unfortunate, boring section without her.

Courtesy of http://joanneherring.com/

Joanne Herring, or the inspiration for Julia Roberts' character in the movie, was the Texas socialite who brought the Afghan freedom fighters to Charlie Wilson's attention. She's everything a good Southern woman should be: passionate, outspoken, stylish, wealthy and fabulous. My favorite line to sum her up: "Invariably, when reporters wrote features about Joanne Herring, they invoked Scarlett O'Hara."

Even though I don't like fiction, I'm still a girl that falls for romance and passion. Joanne brings that to the book. As the story moves along to weapons, battles and Congressional action, it loses all the glitter Joanne brought. 

My verdict: The beginning is a must read, but stop when it gets boring.

"No, Daddy. I can do it."

My Dad's favorite story to tell about me must have started when I was five. He came home every night from work and asked if I needed help with my homework. I never let him help me.

"No, Daddy. I can do it."

Sure, I'm a pretty independent girl who works hard. He thinks the story highlights those qualities.

Maybe not. The more I think about the story, the more I see other traits that aren't so great. Stubbornness. The need for control. 

Lately, God's thrown a lot of obstacles my way and I've handled them the best I could. But, the stress has definitely taken a toll on me and I haven't been the nicest person to be around.

I'm finally ready to admit it.

No, Father, I can't do it. I need Your help on this and I know You'll be there for me. Instead of worrying and trying to bend every problem to my will, I'm ready to let go and let You take care of me and my family.

I've said it. Now, I need to do it. :-)

*Please pray for my Mom who is facing several surgery to correct back problems that are causing her severe pain.

My 5 Favorite iPhone Apps

After years of being glued to my Blackberry, I converted to an iPhone in February. I miss Blackberry Messenger, but that's really it. I'm hooked!

The coolest thing about iPhone is the apps and everybody has their favorite. Here are mine!

1. SimplyTweet (Free version): Since I manage social media accounts for work, I've learned most people like to read Twitter by seeing what's going on right then. I, however, like to read ALL the tweets from the users I follow. I love SimplyTweet because it loads from the bottom up and loads all of the tweets, not just 200 or so. It also allows you to tag people and add pictures and links really easily.

2. WhatsApp (Free): Similar to Blackberry Messenger, this app lets you text people without incurring text messaging charges. It's not as versatile as BBM and doesn't let you send pictures. However, since Steve and I talk by text a lot during the day when he's on the road, this app is a must!

3. Instagram (Free): iPhones take great pictures, and Instagram makes it fun! Take a picture and then add a filter to it for an artsy look. Sharing options make it easy to send your pictures over Facebook and Twitter.

4. Words with Friends (Free version): I'm a Scrabble junkie and this free variation makes it easy to play with people. My friend Rick lives in Vegas and we've just started a round of games. So much fun!

5. MLB At Bat ($14.99): I'm a baseball fiend and my new job doesn't offer a TV in my office. On Opening Day, I found myself unable to watch the 1:30 game that kicked off our season. This just wasn't going to work. So, even though I hate buying apps, I bought this app which will let me listen to every game this season. That's a great deal!

Honorable mentions: (Wow, picking only five was harder than I thought!)

• Color
• Four Square
• Electric Miles (works with DailyMile.com)
• Kindle
• Dragon Diction
• Netflix
• Facebook
• Gas Buddy
• Into Now (just started using but it's really cool!)

Happy Anniversary, baby!

Happy Anniversary to my sweet, patient and funny husband. To everyone afraid of marriage, the first year isn't as bad as they say. :-)

I love these boys.

I am a huge Braves fan. I have the sticker on my car, the t-shirts in my closet. I countdown to Opening Day the way children countdown to Christmas. I call Brian McCann "baby."

I can't explain it easily. It's summer. It's the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd. It's the personalities and the game.

Family Braves game.

My sister and I on Opening Day two years ago.

Most think I'm just exaggerating when I say I love baseball but think of this: My then-fiance and I went to Braves Opening Day last year, flew to San Fran, got married in Napa Valley and then went to the Giants home opener where they played.. the Braves. That's right, we planned our wedding around the Braves schedule.

2010 Giants Home Opener against the Bravos.

It's hard to meet the excitement we had for Opening Day last year. Every year, however, holds new promise and more excitement.

Addendum:

In today's game, the Braves' Tim Hudson (a pitcher) slid into home plate HEAD FIRST (a big no-no) to score. How do his teammates handle it? Let's check Twitter:

How could you NOT love these boys?

I like to move it, move it.

One of my 30 for 30 goals is to run a half-marathon. I actually trained for one back in 2009 and made it up to 7 mile runs before I bought a house and changed jobs. (And became a lazy bum *cough*)

Now, I'm shooting for the Silver Comet Trail half-marathon in late October. I finally chose that race for two important reasons: it's flat and it's very close to my bed. My friend Theresa will be my race buddy.

Are you ready? This is going to be me!

I started running regularly at the beginning of the year and this week got a number for the Peachtree Road Race. I'm excited, especially because this goal will keep me in a year-long pattern of fitness.

Check me out on Daily Mile! (And be nice to me. My short little legs aren't very fast.) Let me know if you're running the Peachtree or the Silver Comet half!