Surprisologist.

Posted by random olio

A surprisologist. I like it. I am probably the worst person to be called a surprisologist. One year for Chris’ birthday I planned a trip to San Francisco. As it got closer to the trip I could not contain the surprise, I just had to tell him. Partly I wanted him to be able to get excited by our trip and start to think about whether there were any special places he might want to go, and partly I just could not contain my surprise any longer. How did I break the news to him? I told him I wanted him to open a birthday gift early, and I wrapped a box of Rice-a-Roni “a San Francisco treat” and asked if he could guess his gift. I no longer remember his face or response, but let me just let you know the moral is I am not good with surprises.

I recently read a Ted blog about a woman (Tania Luna) who is a surprisologist. She has started a company called Surprise Industries and well let’s just say she has me curious. One of the things she lists in the TED blog is how we always surround ourselves with what is comfortable, with people we know, and that we rarely break outside of our comfort zone and find ways to meet new people (and well get excited about it).

What could you do that would add a little surprise to your life? Maybe it is a little thing to surprise your spouse or kids once in a while, or maybe it is adding flavor to how you engage with others. Take that belly dancing class, hip hop, or heck, go country line dancing. In this quote from the article, Luna tells us that surprises can teach us to grow and reach:

“Few people follow their dreams or take positive risks — not because it’s difficult or even scary, but because we avoid that sensation of uncertainty that we call awkwardness. Learn to love it. Remind yourself that discomfort means you are growing AND reaching someplace special that few people dare to go. Try a hobby that looks awful. Talk to a stranger.”

I would lose count of the number of people who avoid awkwardness. Who likes feeling awkward? However, feeling awkward could lead to feeling brave. Feeling brave can lead you to feeling badass. Who does not want to feel badass? I am not saying you have to go pet snakes if they freak you out. Maybe just go introduce yourself to a stranger at your next charity function or company picnic. I know I have work to do. Whether or not I can keep a surprise inside, I could definitely add some flavor to the surprise I bring to my world. What about you?

random olio 2013

Posted by random olio

I know most blogs probably look back at their year, so I am just another cliché. Yet I have to do it. I need to take a moment to ponder all that poured forth out of my mouth and my fingertips. It was fun to look back on some of my favorite posts of the year. A few of my favorites were of course about my better half, who inspires me, keeps me afloat, and well probably the most important, keeps the cranky me away because he feeds me. Other posts were about finishing my first 1/2 marathon, food, farts, and you know those days when your pants are on backwards. These were my top ten favorite posts of 2013 (in no particular order), okay so I could not stop at ten so you get a top thirteen:

Since life is not always about what is MY favorite. I thought I would also share the most read 2013 posts:

I hope you enjoyed my random mumblings, musings, and words this year. It has been an adventure of books, food, introspection, growth, and gratitude. Here is to many more blog posts in 2014!!

Peeing in Portland

Posted by random olio

Over the weekend, I dragged Chris to a few holiday artisan markets. I usually do not buy much, but find I gain inspiration from seeing other artists share and sell their work. One of the markets is called: ADX Gifted. ADX is a design and prototyping facility in Portland that allows for metal, wood, industrial sewing machines, and 3D printing. My kind of place! I have for a long time wanted to do small woodworking projects using a lathe and sander. I have memories of my middle school wood shop class, and while I secretly loved to cook and sew, I also secretly loved playing with wood.

I digress. The reason for this blog has nothing to do with sand paper or wood. I found a book at the ADX Gifted market that I wanted to share. It is called: “The Best Places to Pee.” Yes, I did. It is a book about the best bathrooms in Portland. A fun idea, eh? There are pictures of each bathroom from the author’s list of 51 places to pee. Let me explain further.

I have an app on my iPhone called: Sit or Squat. I have it so that anytime I am out or traveling I can at any time look up where there might be a bathroom. Sit or Squat asks its users to add new bathrooms to the map using crowd sourcing for all of us that often have “gotta go.” I was the child on a road trip (my family’s version of a road trip was an hour away) who would ask if we could stop to go to the bathroom a zillion times. I am sure my father cringed every time I asked, knowing it was going to take five times longer to get there. Eventually he just told me I had to hold it. Sometimes that was successful, other times we had a mess on our hands.

So it is definitely appropriate for me to have a book on the best bathrooms in Portland. It shows a little snapshot of the quirkiness, adventure, and colorful life of Portlanders. You can view a few images of Portland bathrooms from the author’s website. I think you will find Portland is keeping it weird!

#lovemycity

My pants were on backwards

Posted by random olio

Yes, that is what I said. My pants were on backwards. Chris and I were heading home from a little vacation up north in Vancouver, British Columbia. On the way home we stopped at some outlets, as I wanted to start some Christmas shopping BEFORE Black Friday, and all the crazy world is out getting the deal of their life. We just happened to be driving by some outlets on our way home. Not usually the destination I pine for, but we saw, we shopped, we conquered.

Well, maybe not conquered. We left with a t-shirt and another top, and some baby gifts, so not a crazy shopping spree, but for me just going is enough. Before we left, I kept thinking my pants felt funny. I kept having to pull them up in the back, again and again. It was not until I went to the bathroom that I realized my pants were on backwards. Of course, I had tried on pants at a few places, but who knows how long I was walking around with my pants on backwards. Now, let me tell you I was wearing black Nike Pro tights, so it was not like it was as obvious as it would have been if I was wearing a pair of jeans backwards. But still, my pants were on wrong. Maybe I am getting old, or maybe I just need a vacation, some turkey, and some sleep.

Has that ever happened to you? It reminds me of those days when you get to work and you think, did I put on deodorant and brush my teeth? Or when you wake up from the dream where you went to work without a bra and if you are at all endowed like me that would be quite a nightmare. Sometimes I think when we have those dream/nightmares it is our body and mind telling us that it is time for a break and some rest/relaxation.

When was the last time you had your pants on backwards?

Ever wanted to jump into a bin of balls?

Posted by random olio

I have alway had this childlike zest for kid things. Maybe it was because I had to grow up fast, but I love skeeball, bowling, batting cages, whack a mole, bumper cars, roller coasters. I love them all. There are times where I can just stop in the middle of the day and just want to go and play, kick ass in a batting cage until my hands hurt from gripping the bat. Call me crazy.

I just want to add to the list. I have always wanted to jump into a bin of balls. Since I am a simple Indiana girl, and the only place I can ever remember that had a bin of balls was McDonalds, and well for one reason or another I never partook in such adventures of bins and balls. So when I saw this video, I had a grin on my face and a feeling of zeal, or maybe it was a twinge of jealousy.

I would have no problem jumping into the bin of balls, and I think I might have a mighty time connecting with another individual in said bin of balls. It is funny and endearing. I laughed at 1:45 (because the teeth comment is odd and made me laugh.) I had tears when the mom said: “My daughter is everything I ever wanted to be.” It made me wonder what it would be like to have a mom think and say that. I want to know what it feels like. I think you will enjoy this video.

The world is amazing when we open our eyes, reach out to others and take adventure into our world. Let me know if you know of a bin of balls in Portland!