"Ups, ,downs, ins, outs, highs, lows, anyway the wind blows..."

Though the above song is about love, I am relating it to life in general. The past couple weeks have been nuts. Some highlights...

-Everyone leves town in August so both places of work are slow meaning less hours, less money, less ability to do fun stuff

-Less hours at work means more hours with family and church people during VBS and the week before the big recital

-I got to do some theater work! Yes, it was just the VBS ten-minute play, thrown together in a week, but it was awesome! I had to design and build a set in a week, while dealing with time and money constraints. I kinda miss days where I wake up at 4am, put in an almost 6 hour day of work and then spend until 11pm or so running around collecting things, building things, painting things... It's invigorating. And the kids are amazing and hilarious!

-Death is never welcome. It's a great reality check, though. Losing a grandparent is hard. Fine, she wasn't my biological grandma, but she may as well have been. Photos around her house are her own biological grandson and family and our family (mostly me and my sisters). I will miss Billie, but this has made me realize how important the people in our lives are. I wish I could have visited her and Larry more while I was in college. They live only 45 minutes away... I will visit Larry whenever I go to MI to visit my sis.

-There is something to be said about classical music, especially in the mornings. At 4:30am the classical station is always playing something gorgeous. I guess if you have to be awake that early you might as well be listening to something nice and pretty and enjoyable. If only we could have that playing at work. I think the customers would appreciate it. It has definite mood enhancing effects.

-My sister just left today and I miss her so much already... I told her and Mer that I was going to move to MI to be with them. I think they both thought it an awesome idea. Anyone got a house and a job for me?

-My parents really are very restrictive, binding, afraid to let go, however you want to put it. My brother has left me in charge of his condo in the city while he's away. He and his wife are totally fine and left as though I would be living here. Mum won't let me spend the night even once because she sees no reason for it. I spent some time with an old high school friend today who is looking for a roomate to move out of her parents' house soon. What if I took her up on the offer to be her roomate? hmm... I love my family, but sometimes... I wonder if I'll get my loft over the (unbuilt) garage anytime in the near future. Like before I get married... (like that'll happen...)

-Dancing makes me happy. I want to take up ballet again. I really miss it. I think my loft apartment needs a full wall mirror and barre. And hardwood floors. It's gonna be such an awesome space. A large room that can easily be used for dance, painting, photography, hanging out, relaxing. Open, creative, flexible, eclectic, elegant, artsy, simple, useful. Everything I wish I could be.