Day # 13

In all of the craziness of the computer fiasco the other day, combined with celebrating two birthdays I forgot that it was Veteran's Day. I didn't forget in real life, and I did remember to thank the veterans in my life, but on this blog I did not. It is important to me to do so, so from the bottom of my heart thank you, thank you, thank you to all the veterans out there and those who are currently serving. Your courage and sacrifice mean so much to us all. We wouldn't have the lives we enjoy if it weren't for you. I also want to thank the wonderful military families that make huge sacrifices on the home front and go without their loved ones for months and years at a time. I don't know how you do it. You are the true rock stars. 

Veterans and current military you are loved. You are missed. You are appreciated. Come home safe and come home soon. 

- Carleigh  

Catching Up on Thankfulness - Days 10, 11, and 12

So I've come to find out that this posting every day thing is not for me. I've tried to commit to blogging every day, but I just do not have the time. Plus, my life is not super exciting. I do basically the same thing every day. I don't have children to blog about. I don't have hobbies. I am not crafty. I don't cook. I NEVER exercise. Basically all I do is go to school, play trivia, and occasionally travel. I will definitely post about my upcoming trip and how I did on finals, but as far as every day goes... I'll do the best I can. Anyways the past three days have been eventful. On Sunday, we spent the morning at Curious Comedy checking out Trav's children show that he performs in once a month. He was hilarious as usual. We then decided to have an early Thanksgiving with some of Trav's family since we are all going to be in different parts of the world on the actual day, and while this was going on Trav helped me put together a presentation for my K Drafting class. This is where things get interesting (at least to me). Right as we are putting the finishing touches on my Keynote I get the rainbow wheel, or as I like to call it, the rainbow wheel of death. Trav told me to just restart my computer which I did, but the problem was that it wouldn't restart. I just kept staring at the grey screen with the spinning wheel for what felt like forever. I couldn't get it work. Trav couldn't get it to work and at this point I knew that I was in trouble. "If Trav can't get it to work I am so effed" is what I kept thinking. He soon confirmed this idea.

Trav - "Worst case scenario is that I have to take it to Apple tomorrow." 

Me - "Okay thanks. If you wouldn't mind." 

Trav - "I think it's the hard drive. They may have to replace it. You'll lose all your files, but it's okay because you've backed up right?" 

Me - Just staring at him. "Well f&*k" is what is going on in my head. 

Okay people here's the thing. I get easily intimidated by things I don't understand. If I look at something I am unfamiliar with and am unlikely to be able to figure out on my own I get intimidated, then I get sad, then I get pissed, and then I say "Nope. I'm not even going to try. It doesn't exist. Happy thoughts. Fa la la." So, no I had not backed up. Even when Trav put Dropbox on my computer and had shown me multiple times how to use it, and sung it's praises to me I did not understand how I worked, that pissed me off, and I never looked at it again.  Plus, I had total faith in my Mac and the Apple corporation. They wouldn't delete my files. They wouldn't lead me astray. I have brand loyalty. That has to count for something. I have Apple Care. They can just pull the files from my computer if anything ever goes wrong. Steve Jobs would be rolling in his grave... This is how I rationalize things. 

Continuing Conversation After Admitting That I Had Not "Backed Up" And Getting Lectured From Trav...

Trav - "So are there any important files that you can't live without?"

Me - "Yeah, my class notes, and outlines for this term." 

Trav - "And will you still do okay on your finals without them?"

Me - "Oh no. I'll fail 100%." 

Worst night of sleep for both of us ever. On Monday morning we both weren't sleeping well so when my first alarm goes off at 5:00am we decide to go get bagels. During the trip I try to negotiate the whole situation out loud to Trav. 

Me - "They don't call them geniuses for nothing. They will be able to get my files. It can't be that bad. I've worked so hard this semester. There has got to be something they can do." 

Trav - A million things about you should have backed up, OMG you are so stubborn, why don't you listen to me?...

I leave for school heavy hearted at the prospect of losing all of the semester's work and having to scramble to get notes from classmates. Trav promises to go the the Apple store for me. He is the best! I tell him to call me if he needs anything. I tell Professor Freidman about the situation to explain why I might need to leave the room if I get a call. He is understanding and of course asks me "Well did you back up?" I am apparently the only one in the world who has not. I know that Trav's appointment with Apple is in a few minutes. I say a little prayer and class starts. 

A half hour later I get the following text from Trav "Good news. We have the files from your desktop and documents. We are tying to get your photos." I all but Tebow in the middle of Biz Org. He tells me it'll be $177.16 to get a new hard drive. I don't even care. I was about to go all Office Space on my computer so I couldn't care less about the cost. I am just so happy to get my files. I then get the following text from Trav "I came prepared with an external, 2 macs, and all the cables. They were amazed by my preparation." As it turns out Trav had explained to them that there was no way on God's green earth that I could lose my files and they told him that all they could do is give me a new hard drive and that they don't do file retrieval. He then stands at the genius bar for 45 minutes taking apart my computer, extracting the files from my old hard drive, and putting them onto his. I told him that all I really needed was what was on my desktop, but he got it all! Every document, every file, every picture, every song, everything. He then spends the rest of the day setting up my computer again. 

After seven + years together people ask us about marriage and they seem so confused when we tell them that its not our style. People ask me if I ever want anything more, but I am here to tell you that there are guys who write loves songs, and guys who hold your hand, but I've got a guy who spent an entire day reformatting my computer and putting out a fire that my stubbornness and irresponsibility cased in the first place with no benefit to him at all just to save my a$$. If that's not love then I don't know what is. We spent the rest of the day celebrating Viki's birthday and I figured out how to use Dropbox and now every single one of my files is backed up. 

I am thankful for Travis and how wonderful, brilliant, caring, and amazing he is. He truly is the greatest guy in the world. I am thankful for his wonderful mom Viki who should take the credit for raising such a wonderful guy, and I am thankful for Dropbox. 

Have you backed up? You really should. 

- Carleigh


  

Day # 9 - My Travis

Today I am thankful for my Travis. It was his 37th birthday today and we celebrated it in style! Bagels and Starbucks for breakfast, listening to The Baseballs Christmas album while taking a wonderful nap, dinner at McCormick and Schmick's, the Sherlock Holmes exhibit at OMSI, dessert at Salt and Straw, and even an awesome drunk gal on the way home. 

Waiting in line...

Honey Lavender is seriously so good! 

Finally! Worth the wait! 

 The past seven years have been amazing! I wouldn't trade them for the world! I Love you Round Head. 

P.S. Once again I missed yesterday, but for day eight, I am thankful to Bud, Viki, and Travis for helping me meet my goal of buying ten drinks at Starbucks in four days! I am officially a gold card member!

Off to bed. I hope your Sunday is restful. Mine will be heavily caffeinated. - Carleigh 

Day # 7

Today I am thankful to my two professors who both cancelled class on the same day, allowing me an extra day off, and a four day weekend. It was so nice being able to sleep until 8:00am today instead of 5:30am and to be able to have lunch with Travis at his school. This term is almost over! I'd better get studying!

Wishing you a happy weekend.

- Carleigh

Days of Thankfulness #s 5 & 6

 So I missed yesterday. I'm sure that all (none) of you who read my blog were so disappointed, but this blog is supposed to be about law school and yesterday my K Drafting course took priority. This term I am taking four classes plus a writing course, not to mention commuting two hours a day to get to and from school. I leave the house when it's dark and I get home when it's dark. My alarm clock rings Monday through Thursday at 5:30am and I'll be honest, that part sucks, but this is what I dreamed about. This opportunity. I am so fortunate to live in a country where education is a right. I am so lucky to be able to have gone to college and I am so blessed that I was able to get into law school and at the school of my dreams no less. When I began the process of applying to law school I really had no idea what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go. All I knew is that I hoped that I would get in somewhere and that I would have gone anywhere that accepted me. I applied to ten schools, got rejected from six, waitlisted for two, and accepted by two. After I was notified by Willamette that I was waitlisted I immediately contacted the school and asked what I had to do to turn their maybe into a yes. They suggested that I come down for a visit and to speak with their admissions director and I am so glad I did. I knew from the minute I set foot on campus that I wanted to go there and after speaking with some of the faculty I was sure of it. I went from wanting to go anywhere to wanting to go there. I came home and told Travis that it would be a dream come true if I got accepted to Willamette Law and three weeks later I did! Today (yesterday) this is what I am thankful for. I wasn't the applicant with the highest GPA or the best LSAT score, but they took a chance on me. I may not have known going in that Willamette was the school of my dreams, but I lucked out because there is now nowhere else I would rather be. I am thankful for the opportunity Willamette gave me. 

As for today, I am thankful to my friend Jennifer for helping me to redesign this blog (and by helping me I mean that she did it all). She is such a genius at this sort of thing and I am amazed by her talents. She is going to be one hell of a graphic artist one day. She is already one hell of a mom and actress. She and I have been friends for what seems like forever now. Once again, I'm sure that I did not make the best first impression when we met, but she was kind enough to give me another chance and here we are today. She has her own blog at http://cozycadences.wordpress.com where she writes about everything from being a fabulous mother to a fabulous little boy, to the amazing food she cooks (super power right here), crafts she makes, art she creates, theater she does, school, fitness, healthy eating, holidays, etc. Basically, she makes me feel inadequate as a human being (in a good way). I am thankful for her. I am thankful that our paths crossed and that we have managed to stay friends for all these years. Check out my blog y'all! Doesn't it look great?!  Thanks Jennifer!

Looking forward to a few days of sleeping in. 

- Carleigh 

Day # 4 - 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for the men and women who risk their lives everyday to protect mine. It takes a special kind of person to do what you do. I know I couldn't do it. I also want to thank the families of these brave people who kiss their loved ones goodbye every morning with a small piece of them knowing that they may not come home again that night. To the police, the firefighters, the service men and women and to everyone else who risks their lives in the name of my safety and my freedom I am thankful for you. Rest in peace Officer Libke. 

Day # 3 - 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for opportunities to step out of my comfort zone even if I am not so thankful for them at the time. I have a hard time making friends and I have a hard time meeting people. When I meet someone new for the first time, one of two things usually happens. Either I'll get so shy and self-conscious that I won't say anything for fear of saying the wrong thing and I leave people with the impression that I am a b*&%h, or I ramble on and on about God knows what making a complete fool of myself and leaving people with the impression that I am an ditz. So many of my friends (the ones who were brave enough to give me a second chance after our first meeting) have stories about the idiotic things I said to them when first we spoke. For example, the first words I ever spoke to a dear friend of mine are as follows: 

Me - "So... are you gay?"

Friend - (Glaring at me) "No, but everyone thinks I am."

Me - "Oh. I can see why." 

Friend - "Kill yourself." 

This friend has become one of the most important and special people in my life, and we can joke and laugh about it now, but at the time I'm sure that it was very hurtful, and that was not my intention at all. It's just a perfect example of me not knowing what to say, so I try to think of something edgy, and ironic, and I come off as a total b*&%h. Anyways, in a effort to try to make more friends, and network in the legal community, and to just improve myself overall I am trying to be more social. So, when a classmate of mine who is having a baby invited me to her baby shower I figured this was a perfect opportunity. Normally my instinct would be to say "Thanks, but I have plans," but this time I said yes. I almost chickened out a million times in the days leading up to it, but I forced myself to go and I am so glad I did! These things are hard for me, but I have to force myself to do them. Today, I am thankful for the opportunities to grow. 

*I'm the one with the cup. 

Sad that the weekend is over. I hope that your weekend was wonderful. 

- Carleigh