Jelly Beans!

My all-time favorite candies are jelly beans.  Back when I was in high school, I used to eat jelly beans for good luck before my tennis matches.  It all started when I was really low on energy and doing horrible in a match.  A teammate was watching and offered me some jelly beans during a changeover.  Whether it was the sugar or the much-needed laugh she also supplied, it spurred a comeback and a tradition was born.  From then on, I ate jelly beans before every match.  Needless to say, we were a bit superstitious.

I'm not sure if they continue to be my favorite candy because of random memories like this, or because I have convinced myself that they're actually healthy for you.  I should also mention that I really like Jelly Bellies and Starburst Jelly Beans.  Both of these come in fruit flavors.  The way I see it, if you eat a cherry jelly bean, that's like eating a cherry.  Same thing if you eat strawberry, grape, and orange jelly beans.  There are hundreds (or at least dozens) of more flavors.  If you eat an entire bag, just think of all the healthy fruits you're eating! 

So why am I even thinking about jelly beans today?  Because it's Easter time, and as I mentioned above, I love Starburst Jelly Beans.  Unfortunately, you can only get them during Easter time.  I'm trying to decide if I should stock my pantry with enough to last until next Easter, or if maybe this is just a sign I should cut back...?

New Years Resolutions

In honor of the new year, here are my new year's resolutions for 2011:

1. Make new years resolutions.

Many years ago, I decided to stop making new year's resolutions, mainly because I never kept them and that made me feel bad.  And why would you want to do something year after year that made you feel bad? 

My problem wasn't actually that I broke my resolutions, just that I didn't keep them.  What's the difference?  Well, I think that you can't actually break them if you don't remember what they were.  I'd always start out good for the first day or two.  If it was a really good year, may that would last for four days.  But then the paper where I wrote them down would get thrown away while cleaning, or I really needed that extra room on the board where I posted them for something more important.  For whatever reason, I always lost my resolutions and then I felt bad.

To fix this problem, I quit making resolutions.  It was an easy fix.  When someone asked me what my resolution for the new year was, I'd say something like, "To not make any resolutions."  I think the last time I actually made new year's resolutions was about 10 years ago, maybe longer.  That was one resolution I never had to keep track of and it worked great for me.  

But this year, I've decided to break with tradition and actually make resolutions.  I know I'm a few days late with this, but I've been having trouble coming up with anything.  I don't want to make the typical "I'm going to lose 20 lbs" or "I'm going to save $1000" resolutions.  While I should probably do both of these, I think this is what sets people (or at least me) up for failure (and feeling bad).  So if anybody is reading this, what are your resolutions for the new year?  I need to "borrow" some ideas.  :)

Christmas Already?!?!

I can't believe that it's already December 21st!  Christmas just sneaked up on me this year.  Maybe it's the weather - it's been in the mid-70s all week.  Maybe it's because I've been super busy - finals, graduation, bar prep.  Maybe it's the lack of Christmas decorations - I don't even have a tree!  Whatever the reason, I can't believe it's Christmas already.  I don't have a tree, I don't have any decorations up, and I haven't finished my Christmas shopping. 

But in the spirit of full disclosure, I should share that I don't plan on having a tree and I usually don't have my Christmas shopping completely done by now.  The Christmas shopping really needs to get done today.  I have a couple of things left to get, and I already know what they are, I just have to make it to the store.  I even have a few things that I purchased online that I haven't gotten around to picking up yet. 

As for the tree, I'm not doing one this year for two main reasons - I don't have a tree and I have a puppy.  First, for the last couple of years I've left town as soon as finals were over and headed to my parents' house for the holiday break.  I didn't bother putting up a tree because I didn't have time (too much studying) and I wasn't going to get to enjoy it anyways (I was leaving).  That's pretty much was happened this year, except my bar prep classes got in the way and my parents decided it would really just be easier for them to come up here.  Since plans were finalized, I haven't had time to go get a tree.  Second, my puppy likes to pull leaves off of plants and loves shiny things.  I can just imagine her grabbing a hold of either a branch or a decoration and pulling until the tree came crashing down.  So, no tree this year.  I do have a plant we could put presents under.  But then again, my puppy loves boxes and paper, so that might now work either.....

I'm sure we'll figure something out.  :)

Little Old Ladies

I've had a very busy last couple of weeks, but now that things have finally slowed down, I thought I'd take a minute to share a story from about a week ago. 

I was at the post office and waiting my turn when I noticed a little old lady at the front of the line with a box on the floor at her feet.  When the postal employee called for the next person, the gentleman behind her offered to carry her box to the counter, and she graciously accepted his offer.  He was a rather young man, probably in his early twenties.  I couldn't help but think that his mom would be proud, and wonder if the lady had been concerned about how to get the box on the counter.

The lady was mailing a Christmas gift, but because it was wrapped, it needed to be placed in a box for shipping.  I watched as the postal employee put three different boxes together, each time carefully placing the lady's gift inside to see which one would be the best fit.  When she found the correct size, she taped the box together, packed the gift inside, and sealed it shut for the lady.  Then she was nice enough to address the package for her.  This might not seem like much, but at least at this post office, the postal employees never do this kind of thing, especially when they have a line of people waiting and they're the only one working at the counter.  They usually just point you towards the rack with all the flattened boxes and leave it up to you to figure out. 

But from the gentleman who carried her box, to the postal worker who helped her pack and address her shipment, to the customers who patiently waited in line, it was as if the holiday spirit hit everyone.  Instead of forcing a lady to either struggle with a box or ask for help, a young man decided to be a gentleman.  Instead of embarrassing a lady who didn't know how to put together a box and couldn't see well enough to address the small shipping label, the postal worker gracious did both for her.  Instead of impatiently tapping their feet and give the lady dirty looks, the other customers waited patiently while talking about all the Christmas decorations in the post office. 

It was nice to see everyone acting so compassionate.  I don't know if it was because everyone caught a bit of that holiday spirit, or because we all realized one day we would be that little old lady, but it was nice.  I hope it continues through the rest of the year.

Father's Day

Today was a typical Father's Day for me.  I called my dad and wished him a happy father's day while wishing I was there to give him a hug.  A phone call will have to do this year.  Later I called my brother, who is celebrating his first father's day.  I'm sure his little girl made it a special one.


I had the greatest dad growing up.  I'm sure that's what everyone says, but in my case, it's actually true.  I remember my dad was the one who would read me bedtime stories and get rid of attacking insects when I was little.  He's the one who learned how to play tennis so that I would have someone to play with.  He's the one who risked whiplash as he patiently taught me how to drive a stick shift in the school parking lot.  There are too many memories to pick a favorite and I'm lucky enough to still be adding more. 

When I see my brother with his little girl, I think about all the memories they are making together, and I can't help but smile. 

To all the fathers and soon-to-be fathers, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day in my family has always been a little, well, typical.  We call Mom, maybe send a card, maybe send some flowers.  I guess the only atypical thing about Mother's Day in my family is that my mom insists on celebrating it twice.  In Mexico, Mother's Day is always May 10th, regardless of what day of the week it falls on.  So Mom gets two Mother's Days: May 10th and whatever day Mother's Day happens to be in the U.S.  But she's a great mom, so I'm more than happy to let her celebrate it twice.

It seems like a lot of my friends are celebrating Mother's Day for the first time this year.  And in the past two weeks, I've learned that three friends are expecting.  Congratulations to all!

To all the mothers and future mothers, Happy Mother's Day!