Our Stuff Has Arrived

Today was a big day. Our stuff we shipped back in July finally arrived. I was excited at work all morning, thinking about what awaited me at home. I had visions of sifting thru all my wonderful clothes, shoes and purses. When I got home I saw the boxes and began to go thru them. That is when I ran into my shoes, the shoes in the picture in particular. To any normal person, these look like normal shoes. But these shoes represented something to me. They represented a life that I am no longer living. The more I unpacked, the more I realized my clothes, shoes and purses represented a life I am no longer living. This made me sad. It isn't like I am not enjoying my life now, but there is still a sadness for the life I left behind. I no longer get dressed up for work...in fact now I wear the same pare of shoes to work everyday. I no longer carry around a beautiful purse wherever I go...since I no longer have a car, everything I need for the day has to go with me, in a messenger bag. And, 5 days a week, I wear a white or black collared shirt with black pants. Those last two days, I am free to express myself with the few winter clothes I own...come on, I lived in Southern California!

I never expected to be having these feelings. It is weird to go thru such a dramatic life change. And, it isn't just about the move. It is about giving up my job, my car, my home. It's everything and sometimes when I think about it, I am sad. The funny thing is, I know that when this chapter of my life is over, I will be going thru these exact feelings about Scotland. Life, or emotions, can be so strange at times!

Have Some Class Edinburgh

Sometimes it seems that I am living in a third world nation, not the UK...the parent of the great USA. People here just seem to have no class. I have semi gotten used to the ever present cigarette smoke cloud that is all over the city. But I have not gotten used to people throwing the butts all over the ground. I also haven't gotten used to people littering everywhere. It is so trashy. People leave all their garbage everywhere. And the funny thing is, there are trashcans all over...use them people! City employees go around town sweeping the sidewalks, but a more effective plan might be for the people of Edinburgh to get some class!

Previously I mentioned dog poop on the sidewalks. It is everywhere. On Friday, I witnessed a lady in my building stand at the entrance to our building (in the doorway, non the less) smoking, while she let her dog poop on the sidewalk (there is no grass or anything of the sort directly in front of our building). Once the dog was done, she called the dog in, threw her cigarette butt on the ground and went inside. Now, normally one may think this is the scene of a building in the projects or something...I live in the nice area of town! Imagine what it must be like for those on the "other side of the tracks".

I would like to end this blog by saying, don't leave trash behind...wherever you go. Everyday at the 'bucks, I get to pick up after people. And people are trashy...think feeding your baby a meal and leaving the baby food goo all over the table along with the baby food container, disposable bib and anything else the mom didn't feel like taking with her.

HAVE SOME CLASS EDINBURGH...pick up after yourselves! Oh, and if any of you ever come visit Edinburgh, please don't pick up any of their nasty habits!

From House to Home

How does one turn a house into a home? When I first got married, my house was a mixture of hand-me-downs. None of the furniture matched and I really didn't care. Then Ian and I got out of college, got some money and I got a job at Pottery Barn...a job with a GOOD discount. Instantly, my house became a style of classic, not too colorful things. I liked it. But, three months ago, all of those beautiful possessions went into a storage unit. Now, here I am today, in Scotland in a house filled with someone else's furnishings. How do I turn that into a home? I am finally feeling like I achieved it. This is what I did:

1. Bought a vacuum cleaner...the house didn't have one and a broom just wasn't cutting it.
2. By extensively rearranging the furniture in the house....this way it doesn't look like how the old people left it.
3. Bringing in candles...I like candles and they get rid of the old people's smell. Every family has a smell and I wanted my smell in here as quick as possible...that smell has come in the form of "buttercream vanilla".

Now this place is feeling like home. I feel more comfortable here and feel like it is really my home. Of course, I will still be ecstatic when my possessions from the states arrive...though I am not holding my breath on when that will be. Sometimes we turn things into homes that we aren't used to doing. I never thought about this when we were in the process of moving. But it has worked...I am home.

Beauty

Living in Los Angeles, I thought was beautiful. I loved the huge rolling freeways...no joke. Seeing the beach from Glendale on a clear day, beautiful sunsets, beautiful weather, diversity among people. You get the picture. But, now that I am living in Edinburgh, I have come to appreciate a new kind of beauty. I wanted to share with you all something I wrote down on my way to work the other day...it was just one of those days...

Some days everything seems beautiful. The weather is beautiful, in fact warm for here. The sky is beautiful. The park is beautiful. I am even seeing beauty in things like road signs covered in stickers. Some may find this tacky, but it looked neat, it looked beautiful. When I was waiting for the bus, I was looking at the beautiful park on Princes Street. It had just been fertilized, which was not a beautiful smell. But, the park itself looked so serene, so beautiful. Looking across the street...the cobblestone street...I saw an eclectic mix of old buildings. Not California old, but hundreds of years old. So beautiful. The way Edinburgh has been able to mix the old and the new has created a beautiful array of styles. I love it. Sometimes everyday things can just be so beautiful.

I feel like after moving here my eyes have been opened again. I am once again seeing the every day things that had just become so normal to me. I am people watching again. I am appreciating the "warm" weather (when I only bundle up in a sweater and not a coat). Take a minute today, wherever you are, to slow down and appreciate the beauty around you. It's everywhere!

Another 'bucks?!?

Yes, it is true...my store farmed out my services to another store in town. This is my third Starbucks in a little over three weeks! What gives? About this experience that I had the privilege of experiencing, lets just say that it made me extremely happy that I work at the store that I do! This store is on the complete opposite side of town that I live - took an hour by bus to get there. This store was very old and extremely disorganized. When I walked into the back room, I was shocked to say the least. It was one tiny room that was everything...office, washroom, break room, stockroom...and it was nasty! The only real highlight of the night was that I got to take a taxi home on Starbucks expense! It was fun. The taxi was waiting for me when I got off...and drove me right home. That only took like 20 minutes! Door to door service baby! This is a highlight because I can't afford that kond of lavish living on what the 'bucks pays!

Let's just say that my experience at this unnamed 'bucks (to protect the poor place's identity, though I did post a picture) made me all the more greatful for the store I work at. Today I made sure to tell everyone over and over how appreciative I am for the store I work at...hey, I don't want to get transferred to that coffee-serving crap hole! And really, I work with some rather neat people. Most of them are hard workers and fun people to be around...those are good qualities.

On a side note, one that has nothing to do with Starbucks, it was cold enough this morning that I could see my breath. That is rather cold. Fun times! But, I did get some "fun" new gloves to wear out in the cold...I am wearing them right now. They go up past my elbows! Don't you wish you were freezing your butt off in Scotland?!?

The Thoughts of Jessica

You have the power to change anything, because you are the on who chooses your thoughts and you are the one who feels your feelings. - The Secret

Is this true? Can we change anything? Our thoughts and our feelings seem to be the hardest things to control. This may not be true for everyone, but for me it is true. When you move to another country, one has a lot of time on their hands to think, ponder, read, feel, think again...you get the picture. I have decided that I really need to control what I put in my mind - you know, crap in, crap out. So, I started reading. I am in the middle of reading Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell. This book is phenomenal. A definite must read. This book has opened my eyes to so many aspects of the bible that I never even knew, or thought of. Rob does a good job at letting people know that it is okay to have questions about God, it is okay to not have it all figured out. How great is that?!? Every day can be a learning experience! I read Ian some of the things that have really stuck out to me in the book, and he started reading it today! Look at the impact I have on that man!

Looking at my life, all I can do is try to live my life to the best of my ability. What does that entail? I have decided this means:
* Showing those I love how much I love and appreciate them
* Spending time studing God and knowing why I believe what I believe
* Being a hard worker...not a slacker (not that I ever really was)
* Taking care of my body - eating healthy, getting expercise
* Making plans for the future and going for them

I want to take control of my life. I won't let myself be blown around in the wind. Everyday, I want my life to count and matter. This means, I have to focus on the things that count and matter. I know you all thought I was just over here in Scotland partying it up, but look at what has been going on...I have been thinking, and reading!

The Real Deal

So, you want to know what its like to live in another country? Let me tell you...Today I went to the grocery store. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, it was raining. So, I schlepped the half-mile to the grocery store, umbrella in one hand, purse in the other. On my way there, a thought occurred to me, "How am I going to carry my umbrella, purse and my groceries?!?" I am a smart one! I should have thought of this before I left my house. Oh well, live and learn! I went ahead and did my grocery shopping, shoved my purse in with my groceries and schlepped home in the rain. It wasn't the most glamorous moment of living in Edinburgh! I will have to get used to it though, 'cause it's going to be a rainy winter.

I have to admit, the last couple days I am really starting to miss the people in my life. Not being able to see so many of you is bothersome. I find myself being out and about and "seeing" someone I know. Its weird. Oh well. Know that I love and miss so many of you (notice I didn't say all) and think about you often. If thoughts were worth everything, I would be with you all! Think about that for a while, or until the next time I blog...