Garnet's Life Adventures

A wise man once said

The greatest danger for most of us in not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that our aim is too low & we reach it . . . Michelangelo

Labels: quotes

posted by Sara @ 3:31 am 0 comments

Thanks to Winnie the Poo Author

Organizing is what you do before you do something,

so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.

~ A.A. Milne

Labels: quotes

posted by Sara @ 2:35 pm 1 comments

quote to live by

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.

-Auguste Rodin

Labels: quotes

posted by Sara @ 8:12 pm 0 comments

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

Who said that?

They also said, "I could not at any age be content to take my place in a corner by the fireside and simply look on"

And another great one is, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do"

Well if you haven't guessed it already these are all quotes from Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman I have always really admired, ever since my 8th grade trip to Washington DC. I cannot recall what it was way back then that made me so interested in her. I worry it might have just been some thing silly, like I saw a cool statue or photo of her. I like to think it was that I remember some thing famous she said & that's why I admired her, but alas I was only in 8th grade and the reality is that more than likely I saw a statue of her & liked it so that made an impression on me.

On a different note, I had sorta had a crap day today - I went a meeting up in Oxford & presented my data, which not to toot my own horn, but I think it's interesting & good. But at the end when people were allowed to ask questions, a woman (Miss Netherlands as I'll call her) said, "I don't believe your data" . . . now I can't go into the details of it all here, but really who needs to say something like that??? A question of "why didn't you do x, y, or z?" I can answer, but what do you expect me to say to that comment? Miss Netherlands then sorta tried to explain why she doesn't "believe" my data, which really proved more that she doesn't like my protocol, more so that not thinking mine was good - her protocol is just different than mine - again the "why didn't you do it this way" in my mind would have been the way to go. When she was done speaking I said, "thanks that's an interesting point to think about for the future. Any more questions?" . . . long pause . . . nothing, so I walked to the back of the room & slumped down in my chair, feeling rather crappy!!

At the coffee break, my lab members all came over to say I'd done a good job & a woman who we'd all met in Thailand who works in Germany (Katrin B) said, "what did you think of that question?" so I explained myself a bit & Katrin B said, "I think your right, it's more relevant to in vivo that way" which made me feel a lot better, but as you can tell since this all went down at approximately 2.30pm I'm still bothered by the comment.

So I think my other "issue" with what happen today was that my boss wasn't there to back me up and I didn't feel I could really "argue" my point all alone. Ah well - live & learn . . .

It's now nearly 11.30pm & I've got a picnic to prepare for tomorrow (if the weather holds up) so I'm going to go to sleep now and try to forget about Miss Netherlands's comment!

Labels: eleanor roosevelt, presentation, quotes, science, thoughts

posted by Sara @ 11:03 pm 3 comments

Fallen from Grace

Once again Ms Brain Cheese has yet another great post - so along those lines I pose to my readers (all 3 of you - lol) "What has life taught you?" in under 50 words please!!

Linda's question came at an interesting time in my day. I got up around 9am, had breakfast, started reading a new book, Tran-sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian (author of Midwives, which I enjoyed while at Norwich & living in VT) then showered & got ready to go to the movies. I'd made plans to meet up with Jaiden at 12.45 outside the Angel tube station, but she'd cancelled last minute, so I figured heck I'll just go alone since I wanted to go to Angel to get some Teva sandals from Blacks anyways. I got on the bust at 11.35, but this bus was only going to Muswell Hill Broadway (about 3 minutes up the road) but I got on it & figured I'd just grab the next 43 bus & be on my way . . . after waiting 20 minutes I finally got on a 43 bus but it was terminating at Highbury Corners (my stop is past that) but again figured get on & at least get going in the direction I want to go. A few stops later the bus makes a strange turn & I realise part of the problem is that the bus route road is closed for resurfacing (UGH!!) but no worries we're moving & hopefully it should be too much longer (famous last words). When the bus finally gets to Archway (diversion was very slow) I think okay lets get this show on the road, I'll pop off here & get on the tube . . . smart idea until I realise the northern line is closed for track replacement all weekend . . . back to the bus stop I go. This time I get a bus which is terminating at Angel, which is fine by me as that's where I want to go - I think "yeah I'll get there" after a VERY slow ride we finally arrive at the tube station at 13.47, the movie started at 13.30 :( For those of you not good with math that journey took me just over 2 hours, typically it takes 40 minutes. Since I've come all this way I figure I'll get my sandals and then start my trip back home. I won't recite the reverse trip, but it's just as bloody bad as the trip into town! Luckily for me, I had nothing else I had to do today so I just tried to remain calm & enjoy the bus ride (which is hard with people bitching & moaning, pushing & shoving all around you).

So back to the point of this story . . . what life has taught me is to take it one day at a time & not to sweat the small stuff, but then again the first half might just be me mum's 12 step program rubbing off on me, since I grew up with it all around me. We often joke that I've been to more meetings than the average person in AA and that I know most of the lingo fluently, just ask Jed in C'town, he hated it when he'd say, "oh I didn't have time or I'm too tired to go to a meeting" and I'd say with a smirk on my face, "you always had time & energy to go get drunk" . . . and amasingly he didn't have much of a reply to that aside from, "dammit, you're right Ra" and off to a meeting we'd go.

It's hard at times when I hear people in the program whining about this & that in their lives & how hard things are . . . it makes me almost pissed off at times because the reality is what they're going through is just as tough as what I'm going through. If you stop to think about it, getting drunk is never a solution to any of my problems, to be honest it just hinders the problem. I mean if I think oh I've had a bad day at work, I'm gonna go get pissed at the pub tonight to make myself feel better, the reality is the hangover I'm gonna have the following day did not solve the problem & now I've got a new problem of a hangover. I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't like it when people use alcoholism (or any other disorder) as an excuse in their life. I mean I could blame bad things in my life on my mom, "if she hadn't drank then . . . " but the reality is this is the hand I've been dealt & I've gotta make the best of it, one day at a time!!

Sorry I'm rambling now, I guess what I'm trying to say is "Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." Who are you to say yours is worse?!??!!

P.S. 117 days left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Labels: books, quotes, thoughts

posted by Sara @ 12:07 am 1 comments

Who said this???

"Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all of my energies to develop myself. To expand my heart out to others: to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.I am going to have only kind thoughts towards others. I am not going to get angry, or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can."

Labels: quotes

posted by Sara @ 10:04 am 3 comments

good lil quote

Labels: quotes

posted by Sara @ 3:04 pm 2 comments

Gun Control

"ABC News reported that one of the guns, a 9mm Glock, and ammunition were purchased on March 13 for $571 from a gun shop about 30 miles from the Virginia Tech campus."

Statements like this really scare me! How the heck can a 23 year old person guy a Glock?!?!?! I thought that you needed a background check for a hand gun, but maybe I am miss informed. Well after checking this site, I learned that what I was thinking about background check is specific to NY State and Virginia is a totally different story!! And the Federal Law on guns says, "Provided that federal law and the laws of both the dealer's and purchaser's states and localities are complied with: An individual 21 years of age or older may acquire a handgun from a dealer federally licensed to sell firearms in the individual's state of residence" (find out more here about the federal gun laws).

On another subject, here is a quote I found today which I rather enjoyed, it's from Mitch Albom's book, Tuesday With Morrie, page 84: "Mitch," he said laughing along, "even I don't know what 'spiritual' development really means. But I do know we're deficient in some way. We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don't satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted."

Okay gonna post this now, but before I do, just wanted to take a minute to thank Zee for her comment on "Dogs are smart" :)

Labels: politics, quotes

posted by Sara @ 2:40 pm 1 comments

Trent Park for my daily Vit D

So I got my fill of Vit D yesterday sun bathing with a picnic in Trent Park with Estee, Stephen (E's cousin) and Tanya (S's friend). After we got home I got a text message from Rob (who's back from Thailand) and wanted to meet up for dinner & for me to help him by putting his digital photos onto a CD as he doesn't own a computer & wouldn't be able to download them at work. So we met up on the high street & grabbed some dinner at a Greek place. Estee came to meet up with us for a bit while on her way to her uncle's house.

On Friday, I bunked out of work & went for my national insurance number "interview", which was easy enough, but the man conducting the interview said to me, "you've got enough bombs in your country, why don't you just go back" to which I was totally dumb founded & speechless! 30 minutes later he came back with my passport & abruptly said, "your number will arrive by post in 6-8 weeks" I smiled & said in the nicest voice that I could muster, "thank you very much, have a nice day" which apparently is a very American thing to say, according to some of my mates here in the UK, who usually don't speak with cashiers or the like & who giggle when I make conversation with them.

In good news, Arsenal beat the Bolton Wanderers 2-1 this past Saturday, I of course missed the match because I was visiting my dad's friend Patrick who lives in Stretham. Louise & I met up at Tottenham Ct Road just under the "We Will Rock You" sign to get on the tube & head south to Patrick's house. We arrived just before half twelve. Upon arrival he opened a bottle of Buck's Fizz to help tide us over before our fancy lunch at 13.45. Louise & I took a wonder around his garden (aka yard) and brought out 3 lawn chair & a small table. Our lunch was chicken kiev, brussel sprouts, carrots, peas, boiled potatoes with butter & herbs and white wine. Pudding (aka dessert) was panna cotta with slices of peaches. After tidying up the kitchen we retired to the garden for a bit of a chat in the lovely sun. After an hour or so we were forced to have tea, I say forced as Lou & I were both full from lunch, but you cannot argue with Patrick, so he went up to get the tea started. When I went up to retrieve the tea, I discovered we were going to be having some chocolate cake & cheese cake with strawberries on top . . . needless to say when MissyLou & I left we just sorta rolled ourselves on to the bus and then onto the tube for our ride home. I did not eat dinner at all - just kept downing the water to keep well hydrated.

Antonio (my 4th flatmate) has moved in, as of last night. He's Croatian, 25yo, now he manages an Italian restaurant near Liverpool Street Station after spending 3 years living in Italy. So that rounds out the house. Of course the plumber came to fix Estee's and my showers (2 separate ones) this past Saturday and apparently was unable to find the part to repair it so instead of putting it back so we could shower with suboptimal conditions, he just took the parts with him, so there are 5 of us using just 1 lonely shower at the moment :( Luckily for me Estee & Zarina like to shower at night so Antonio & I were the only ones who had to "plan" what time we were going to get up & use the bathroom, since Giulia works 1-8pm so she doesn't have to worry about the AM shower schedule. We're all hoping the guy is able to get the replacement part today!!


Hmm what other exciting things can I tell you about?!?!? Look at this photo, as if running in a marathon is not enough, he's decided to pull a 300lbs bolder with him - WTF?!?!!

Okay, I will leave you with this quote:

Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and
with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Labels: flatmates, football, friends, quotes

posted by Sara @ 4:33 pm 0 comments

Quotes for the day & a bit of politics

Here are three quotes for the day, does anyone know where they came from? Check the comments for the answer . . .

• If its the thought that counts, why are there fingers?

• If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart. I'll stay there forever

• If you live to a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.

This article on the 1st quarter fundraising is just getting ridiculous if you ask me, course you haven't but I'm telling you any way, here's a summary of the big numbers:

Hillary Clinton - $26m
Barack Obama - $25m
Mitt Romney - $23m
Rudy Giuliani - $15m
John Edwards - $14m
John McCain - $12.5m
(Grand total of about $115 million dollars or £28 million)
Figures reported by campaigns for the 2008 front runners

What am I on about, you ask??? Well in my mind when there are people starving, without homes, or in need of medical care & I see all that money going into political fundraising (aka plane tickets, fancy meals & drinks ) it just gets me so pissed off !!! I'm not saying they shouldn't spend money on these things, it just seems that those amounts are a bit over the top. I'm thankful that I'm not stuck watching the horrible telly adverts where they all insult the other, never bothering to say anything good about themselves. I just think our country has it's priorities backwards at times. Okay, I'll stop ranting now . . . what do you think? Am I crazy, do you agree with these amounts of money?

Labels: politics, quotes

posted by Sara @ 11:47 am 4 comments

quote for Monday afternoon

Be kinder than necessary. 'Cause everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Labels: quotes

posted by Sara @ 3:39 pm 2 comments