No Facebook November

Some thoughts...

I heard Him telling me in October, as I wasted away the hours, viewing the latest status updates, wall posts, and what so-n-so's sisters boyfriends cat (slight exaggeration) was up to. I know it may sound silly to some, but I just knew that voice was telling me to take a break, spend more time doing the things I really enjoyed, and be more disciplined doing things I wish I enjoyed more. And without really knowing what else would come, even if it seemed silly, I must be obedient. So there it became:

No Facebook November. <---those who opt for "No Shave November" instead, okay. To each his own. But I don't understand you.

So, I deleted it from my bookmarks, and deleted it from my phone and let me tell you the freedom that came in this. I felt like I did my job better, as it gave me less of a reason to check my phone during work simply out of habit (now that I don't work at the Bux anymore, I can admit I was naughty:0). I also enjoyed my break times at work, not lost in what new things I could see in a 10 minute break period on facebook, but with time to glance at the newspaper, or to have a conversation with a "regular" customer. I found that conversations had a chance to become more meaningful, beyond "oh, did you see blah blah blah on facebook?" Yes, I "missed out" on some friends wedding pictures, and another friend's baby pictures, but guess what?? They are still there today, December 1st. And super cute, btw. Being facebookless has also helped me be fully present when I am spending time with someone. I hope this isn't all making me sound super lame like all I do is spend time on Facebook, because that's not true. But you know how it is: You are in the car with someone and justneedtocheckyourphoneforonesecond. Because really, what if someone just updated something that MATTERS, like they are baking Christmas Cookies! You need to know (and 'like' it!) right?! Ha. But it's a distraction, and doesn't allow you to be fully invested in your time with that other person.

And the biggest news of all, in my facebookless month: I GOT A NEW JOB!!! Now, I am definitely not linking this to the fact that since I gave FB a rest, I got a new job. But there is something to be said to being obedient, and with less time Facebooking, I filled my time online with more things of value, such as becoming more persistent in my job hunt. (This was a really awesome sequence of events, and God's faithfulness was/is so evident to me. A later blog for sure.)

I will say, I still wish that some things about this month turned out better. That I would have filled the facebookless time with more time with the Lord or reading books or writing letters or knitting or watching Christmas movies (yes, in November). But hey, it's a start, and I can definitely say that this break from social media has been a blessing for sure, and I'm not even all that excited to be back on. Except I am super excited to upload our engagement photos. Cuz they turned out AMAZING, thank you Scotty.

Maybe I'll be back to blogging, maybe it will be another 13 months. Who knows...but if you leave a comment and let me know you read this, I may be more inclined to post again. :)
(and to the other ladies who haven't blogged in a while...Katie...Shey...Katelin...time to get back in the saddle?)

Chicago

1. Celebrating my own Labor Day on Friday, while the rest of you actually labored. Ha ha, I had an extra day off to burn from working Labor Day.
2. Southwest Airlines: Unlimited snacks, drinks, no baggage fares. And they're fun too!
3. Stranger gave me a pass to get on the train for free.
4. Riding the Orange Line train into Chicago, amazed by my surroundings, lookin like a real tourist snappin pics of everything.
5. Reuniting with sweet friends from Branson- Kate, Jessica, Scott, and Lauren.

1. My new friend Brenda!
2. Finally being cold and getting to wear beanies, scarves, and tights.
3. Coffee shops on every corner- gotta have coffee and tea to keep warm!
4. Dinner with cousins Zoe and Eddy.


5. Laughs about how crazy our family is. Crazy and fun. The best combination.

1. Scott McSwain. You will see him on American Idol soon.
2. The Bean, Grant Park, Sears Tower.
3. ABC news with big glass windows literally right next door to Lauren's dorm. I'm a nerd and think it's so cool to watch them film the news.
4. Borders bookstore left next door to Lauren's dorm. I would die if I lived right next to a bookstore. ahhhhh love it.



5. Finishing two books while out of town.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Places
by Don Miller

The New York Regional Mormon
Singles Halloween Dance
by Elna Baker

(maybe I'll give Book Reviews later...)


1. Whole day off to relax before going back to work.
2. Lux CoffeeBar.
3. Roommate Reunion. I missed her.
4. TNDC first gmail group chat post dinner conversation with Mandy and Steve.
5. I got a Boss' Day card at work today! How cute is that!?!?

(I almost cried. For real.)

America's Friendliest Airport

I love airports. I took Steph to the airport last night, inhaled a deep breath of Airport Air, and thought, "See ya tomorrow, Sky Harbor." (And really, could there be a cooler name for an airport? I remember like 5 or 8 years ago, when it clicked in my brain why our airport in Phoenix is called Sky Harbor, and I just thought it was so cool. Like a boat harbor. But for planes. Sky Harbor. Yep.)

Fast forward 16 hours later. *Katie* takes me to the airport, and we chat about how it's sorta a pain in the butt to take people to the airport, but it is totally worth it cuz you get to see them for a little bit. And, I mean, it's really helpful. Knowing she has to drive back in traffic, and is already planning on picking me up Monday morning, I am just so thankful for her dropping me off.

Now, I'm not sure if you know this or not, but Sky Harbor is known as America's Friendliest Airport. Not quite sure who decided this, but I would have to agree, and I like to do my part in keeping it that way.

On the way in, riding up the escalator to security, I found myself standing near a girl, maybe 17ish years old, and her father. She had on a Young Life t-shirt, so I made small talk with her, asked her where she led. Her father quickly discovered we were headed towards the same final destination- Chicago.

I soon met up with my friend Mandy, who was flying out of America's Friendliest Airport to...you guessed it...Texas. How cool that our gates were literally right next to each other. We got our Frosty's (Mandy was double-fisting them) and Chinese Food and waited for our flights.

SWEET DEAL: My flight was overbooked. Long story short, I was offered $320 in travel vouchers to fly out tomorrow. Um, YES. I thought it would be easy breezy until I realized that Katie, and only Katie, would need to be the one to pick me up, since I had left my keys in her car an hour earlier.

Lovely *Katie* came to my rescue again, this time with Mindy, but not before I made friends with the Borders employees, did a little shopping, talked to some sweet friends on the phone, and ate my delicious Chinese Food. What a great night at America's Friendliest Airport.

Can't wait to go back in the morning. :)

*name has not been changed, cuz she is awesome and I want to express my gratitude again.

mmmhhhmmmmm

1. Entertainment book 2010. Yay for early Christmas gifts.
2. Dinner made by the Roomie. Great conversation included.
3. The smell of the airport.
4. Clean laundry.
5. Packing light, I never thought I could do it.

BONUS: CHICAGO TOMORROW!!!

red cups

1. Chino Bandito and Tuesday Night Dinner Club
2. We got the Holiday 09 promo book in at work...so much cool stuff to come.
3. Dreaming of that first peppermint soy mocha that I'll drink from a red cup.
4. Laughing from the gut.
5. Brainstorming with other partners on a way to give back this Christmas...perhaps a pajama drive??

free furniture is the best

1. Double-recliner-loveseat-lazyboy-sofa FREE, courtesy of Granny and Papa.
2. My dad and brother using their Florine Family muscles to bring it over. They love me.
3. someecards.com <-- laughter.
4. Getting a voicemail from my sweet friend Emrie. We haven't talked in nearly a year, she has been exploring the world with YWAM. Discovered yesterday that she quit Facebook, and has a new phone #, thank goodness for her Blog, I was able to get back in touch with my sweet friend. :)
5. Feeling really really sore from the 5K yesterday. But the good kind of sore.

Saturday

1. Having absolutely no plans today.
2. Drinking my french pressed coffee from while sitting outside on my new patio furniture.
3. Checking "go and see a movie by myself" off my lifetime to-do list.
4. Dinner with Walker and Blane, loved it.
5. Banana chocolate chip loaf. Yum.