young at heart

apparently i feel the need to continue posting on here all afternoon.
i found this post again on the 22 words blog, and i just think it's beautiful.

Photographer Tom Hussey created these images to promote the Exelon Patch, which is supposed to help patients maintain long-term memories during the early stages of Alzheimer’s… depicting seniors seeing their younger selves in the mirror:

i find these last 3 especially moving:

jobs & doorways

for whatever reason today, this picture that i found on google made me think about all the different jobs i have had in my 25 (almost 26) years. (maybe because a job is like choosing which door to go through? maybe. or maybe it was a cool picture & i was desperately trying to find a way to use it...!)
it is quite the list!

there really isn't any "point" in posting about this, other than the fact that i think it's interesting that i have already worn so many different hats in my life. some people find a job, and stick to it for majority of their adult life, and i think there is something wonderful about that. but i also love that i have had so much variety! that being said, i'm happy sticking to what i'm doing now, at least for a while!!

here is my list - i will try to go in chronological order

• assistant on field trips (with my mom's daycare - i would go to help out with kids that needed more one-on-one care)
• babysitting
• tele-researcher (the ones that do surveys, not the ones that try to sell you stuff)
• shampoo tester at a research facility
• waitress at a chinese food restaurant (where i memorized a large majority of the dishes, by their number - i still know that #1 is spring rolls, #29 is chopsuey, #39 is chicken balls & #46 is gingerbeef)
• cashier at Birds Hill Park east beach concession stand - which also included making icecream cones, and to this day I can still do a perfect soft serve cone
• nanny
• worked with my dad doing odd jobs & renovations. we re-shingled a house & also drywalled a cabin, amongst other things. my mouth was wired shut that summer due to my jaw surgery, so it was pretty hard to find another job!!
• sales associate at the Gap
• sales associate at Sugar Mountain - this was by far one of my favorite jobs. it was a fun environment, close to my house, a place where i could help decorate & make "crafts" .. it was terribly wonderful
• creator, fundraiser-extraordinaire & leader of a Junior High summer day camp for an entire summer
• window washer
• "lawn care technician" ha!  a fancy way to say, I mowed lawns. but i was VERY good, and consistent with my lines. on my last day, my boss even took a picture of one of my lawns because it was so good ;)
• library assistant at Booth College Library - also a very fun job
• Data Entry for a company changing their website
• Maid/house keeper with Molly Maid
• sales associate at Hallmark
• Personal house cleaner
• Photographer for pregnancy or kids pictures
• Customer Service Representative at Kindred Productions (a christian book publisher & retailer)
• Therapeutic Recreation Facilitator at Donwood Manor personal care home
• Secretary at a baptist church

I think that is it?? now if that isn't a diverse resume, then I don't know what is!!

Creme That Egg!

i saw this video on the blog 22 words and it was one of those ridiculous time wasting "trick" that makes you just smile & chuckle while you watch it.

also, i really appreciate the creme egg commercials "release the goo" and this was a very creative spin off of that.

three tuesday thoughts

i feel like writing on here today but i'm not sure exactly about what
i feel like i have a whole montage of thoughts going through my head
and none of them really flow into the other, so i'll just share it all

first of all -
on friday evening, the jury decided on a verdict in the candace derksen trial
they decided mark grant was guilty of 2nd degree-murder. relief.
i have been encouraged by this family and their decision to forgive.

second -
i spent the weekend at a mother-daughter camp with my mother-in-law & sister-in-law. i really enjoyed the speakers and all they had to say. they were talking about mary and martha. and the importance of just sitting at the feet of Jesus. we sang a song called "all is well" by robin mark. i had heard the song before & just really love it. it's been playing in my head for the last few days, and i love when that happens. here is a video of me singing it, if you care to take a listen.



and third -
i've started working on a new project. a "grandma afgan" - which means that i'm using every single color of yarn i find, and put it all together, wonderfully mismatched. it's something very fun to work on, and i love seeing it come together. here is a picture of a few of my granny squares so far:

progress so far

happy birthday ak! love ak jr

today is the birthday of one of my favorite guys around
my wonderful dad

the guy that always has the best stories
endless knowledge on any topic
the ability to harmonize and whistle to any song (even if he's never heard it before)
constant encouragement
wise advice
endless energy
patience
jokes
love!

my dad is simply the best.

i love you Dad, happy birthday!

love, ash aka: pook, pumpkin, pump, lump, lumpy, lumper, lumperstiltskin, etc