The Story of Dexter

Oh, hello blog-o-sphere. It's been a while, hasn't it?

 Being a Creative Writing major means that I'm too burnt out to write anything more than I have to for class, so the blog gets neglected. But, it's Spring Break, and I've got nothing but time. So, I'm back, bloggin' up a storm.

I'm here to tell you about the lastest member of the Martin family.

 Meet Dexter.

Border Collie/ Australian Shepherd mix. 10 months old. Male. 

Chris and I have talked about getting a second dog for a while, but it was always something we would do eventually. It would come up in conversation every once in a blue moon, and we would say, "Yeah, maybe someday." Our first dog, Maeby, fulfilled my dog desires and honestly, I couldn't imagine having loving another dog as much as I loved Maeby. I didn't think I had enough room in my heart for another dog. 

Two weeks ago we were watching our friend's dog. We had another dog around constantly for about five days. It was so fun to see Maeby with another dog. She was better behaved, and her separation anxiety was a lot better. The idea of a second dog started to more and more into our conversations.

Late August was the soonest we would get another dog. With our move to Salt Lake coming up in May, we figured that August would be the perfect time for us. To satiate our second puppy thoughts we started looking at what we call "Puppy Porn." Ksl.com has a classified section just for dogs for sale. We have spent hours and hours fawning over puppies. In fact, it's how we found Maeby. 

Warning: Never look at puppy porn unless you are ready to get one. 

This is where, on our very first look, we found Dexter, who was called Buddy at the time. There was just something about him when we looked at his profile. He had to be ours. So we texted the number that night. With in minutes we got a text back saying he had already been sold. We were crushed. I went to bed that night aching for Dexter. 

The next day Pet Smart was hosting Four Paws Adoption dogs at their store. To deal with our Dexter devastation, we decided to look. Here we found Peggy. An airedale/healer mix, super cute, perfect size, really cuddly, doesn't shed. On paper, she was the perfect dog. But I just wasn't excited about it. It didn't feel right, so I figured that it just wasn't the right time for a second dog. We had filled out paperwork for Peggy to come home with us on Sunday, but Saturday night we planned to call on Sunday to say we'd changed our mind.

After a wonderful morning of skiing, we got out of the canyon and received a text message. "Bad News," Chris said to me. The text stated that the people who were going to by Dexter couldn't have him in their condo, so he was available if we still wanted him. "Oh, no," I replied. All of my feelings of doubt about getting a second dog right now was quickly replaced with feelings of excitement and urgency. Keep in mind, we had just decided the night before that getting a second dog right now wasn't right for us. We quickly drove home, showered, got right back in the car, and drove an hour to Layton to get Dexter. Maeby and Dexter hit it off, and they looked so perfect together. We were sold. 

And now we have him. Maeby was a little territorial at first, but five days later it's like we've always had him. They play so well together and he is the cuddliest dog I know. And, turns out, there is room in my heart for two dogs. I mean, look at him. Honestly. 

                                         

So there you have it. The story of our dear Dexter. 

And just so you know, taking a nap on the couch with two dogs covering me to make a warm puppy blanket is the best. 

Dharma Tree Pics!

Hey ya'll.

Just a quick post to let you know I posted picture of my new massage space, Dharam Tree, on my other blog.

Check it out HERE.

It's very exciting and so far it is keeping me very busy, which makes me even more excited!

And if you haven't already, you should subscribe to my other blog. It is going to be jammed packed of great things and also, the more public subscribers I have, the cooler I will look :) I only want that to happen because I plan on using this blog to help me get a writing job with holistic health publications. So yes, it would help my career if you subscribed, but you won't regret it. It's going to be BIG!

Peace and Loves.

Playing It Safe. Or, Up With Failure!

Well, it's that time of year again.
The slight chill in the wind makes us reach for longer sleeves. The buzz of knowledge floats around as many head back to school for another eventful year. Halloween candy and decorations start to creep into the grocery stores. And we say goodbye to another Summer that, yet again, slipped through our fingers.

But change is good. Change is inevitable. We know it comes and goes with the seasons, so why not embrace it? I don't know about you, but that's what I've been trying to do lately. My lack of blog posts attest to that. It's a hard, busy thing to let go of old, clunky baggage to make room for the new, more space efficient bags.

In my last post I talked about the Summer of Randi. I am happy to report that I feel I fulfilled that Summer theme. More than ever, I am feeling more and more comfortable in my own skin and have allowed myself to evolve. Which is pretty dang neat. I even bought skinny jeans! I always thought that Randi could never do skinny jeans. But I can, even though my hips don't lie.

And now school has started, yet again. This past week and a half has been insane trying to get everything in order. Not only did I start this semester with 17 credits, but I also just opened my own Massage space downtown and I auditioned for two shows!

Thus leading me to the whole point of this blog post.

Newsflash: I'm deathly afraid of failure. I know, I know, so is everyone else, but a lot of the people don't let it stop it from doing things they love. I do. In a bad way. I have perfectly orchestrated my life in such a way that I don't majorly fail at anything. And that means I don't majorly succeed at anything either. Well, I've had enough of that. So, I decided to put myself out there and get involved in theater again, because for all of my fellow thespians out there, I ached for the stage.

Long story short, I auditioned for two different shows that Utah State is putting on this semester. Having got a lead in a previous USU show a few years back, I figured I had a pretty good shot. I made calls backs for both shows; I got rejected for both shows. Pain was had, tears were shed, feeling like I was 18 again and getting rejected for my dream role in a production at Fargo South High that led me to not do a show for five years was felt. I was ready to crawl right back into my play-it-safe shell.

But amongst the pain and tears, I felt a twinge of joy. There was a part of me that loved feeling failure and rejection. It had been so long since I had done anything to feel a major anything. And I found comfort in knowing that feeling this pain now will make it easier when I feel it again. It will also make success that much sweeter when the time comes. Oh, and it will come. It was like I was challenging myself to step it up instead of sheepishly backing down in the game of life. And in my own, still depressed about it at the moment way, I said, "Bring it on!" Isn't this great news??!!

I also learned a lot about preparation, getting my pride bubble significantly popped, working hard for the things I want and all that jazz, but we shall have to save that for another post.

In conclusion, I share this with you because a) posting about the things I learn and go through is very therapeutic for me, and b) perhaps someone out there in the blog-0-sphere is going through something similar and can find comfort in knowing that we are meant to feel all emotions. The good, the bad, and the ugly. All can serve us to our liking, whether we believe it or not.

I shall leave you with a brilliant quote from my favorite Genie:



Until next time.

Summer Theme 2010

It's the middle of July. In case you haven't noticed. I recently realized that summer is half way over and had a mini freak out.

As some of you may recall, I have a tendency to label my summers. I blogged about it HERE last summer when I announced the theme of 2009. I regretfully have not been present enough to declare a theme for this summer and now the summer is almost over. What is to be done? Dare I declare a theme halfway through? I dare say that I do.

I am very tempted to name this summer Slacker Summer because that is what I've felt like done all summer. Nothing. But really that is not true. I was really burned out after Spring Semester was over. And when I say burned out, I mean Burned. Out. May consisted of sleeping and going on climbing trips that I may or may not post pictures of someday. June was full of cooking, taking more naps, and starting to train for a marathon. And both months were sprinkled with mini quarter life crisis's that led to complete laziness and confusion. Who knew that turning 25 would make me all reflective and indecisive on what I want to do with myself.

Now I'm half way through July and I finally feel like I'm back. I learned long ago that breakdowns equal breakthroughs. Can't have one without the other and finally the breakthroughs are shining their bright little lights at the end of the tunnel.

::Warning. Cheesy self discovery rant begins now::

For most of my life I have let things define me that were not really me. My happiness came from other people being happy with me. As long as I was making everyone happy, I was happy. Over this past year I have made some personal choices that a huge chunk of people in my life disapproved of. And even though it made my soul happy, it crushed the rest of me to know that I had made others sad. I have also lost myself in being a "good wife" and trying to figure out what that was. Turns out what I thought I "should" be isn't me at all. Combine that with a handful of other things, I was torn. Torn between creating a fulfilling life for myself, while still revolving my life around everyone else. I have been learning the hard way that those two things can't live peacefully together. Long story short, I'm done with that way of being.

Since I have never lived a life fully confident of my own decisions and not worrying about what everyone and their dog will think, I don't really know how it looks to not be like that. So that, my friends, is what I am devoting the rest of the summer to. I call it......drumroll please......
The Summer of Randi. Has a nice, epic, Chinese new year ring to it, don't you think?

I could sit here and feel all guilty for wasting the first half of my summer, but really, I don't think it was wasted. It's all part of the master plan of creating happiness. Can't have the good without the bad. Can't have the yin without the yang. And there are signs everywhere reminding me of that. Including the oil and vinegar plate at dinner tonight. I kid you not, it made this shape all on it's own.


So there you have it. Let the Summer of Randi officially begin! And I must add that I feel insanely blessed to have a husband like Chris. He has created such a loving space for me to do what I need to do feel fulfilled and he supports me creating a life where I can pursue my goals and find the balance of being independent and in a relationship. I hope to do the same for him, even though his head is on a little straighter than mine.

Please feel free to share your wise insights on finding this balance with me if you have had similar feelings and experiences.

In other news, I started another blog! It is my professional blog where I write about yoga, massage, and other holistic things that I love. Please read, subscribe, and comment. The more people interact with me on that blog the more I can use that blog as part of my resume to hopefully write on this subject for larger publications. So check it out at http://randisblogasana.blogspot.com.

Ok. Thanks for reading. Loves.

A Note to the Public

To whom it may concern,

My apologies for my absence as of late. Life is overwhelming me, and I have had no time to devote to this here blog. This post won't be anything to get too excited about, but I just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive and well. But I do have some news.

Item One: I am sad to report that Project 365 is no more. I know, I know... it was one of the best things to go on in 2010, but I lost my camera charger and got way behind. That, and having to take a picture everyday kind of took the fun out of taking pictures. It became annoying instead of exciting. So why do something annoying if I don't have to? Also, because of my 18 credit semester, blogging every week about some pictures I took got low on the priority list real fast. My apologies to those that care. But, I will still post lots of photos because that's what I like to to.

Item Two: Many changes have been happening in the life of Chrandi (Chris and Randi). We made our first move as a married couple to a great little house so we could get this:

She is an Australian Shepherd and we named her Maeby. Yes, after the Arrested Development character. I love her more than life itself. She has made my life crazier and more sane at the same time. It's magical really. But I have been aching for my own puppy for over five years and I can't believe I actually have one now. Expect to see many more posts about her.

Item Three: On April 17th I turned 25 years old. 25, people. I still feel like I'm 18 or something. Pictures from the Birthday Party will be posted soon. To celebrate the fact that I can rent a car, Chris and I bought a washer and dryer! The fact that I actually want my own washer and dryer is proof that I am getting older.

Item Four: I got offered a fatty scholarship by the English Department. I don't know why I feel the need to share this. Perhaps it's because I never thought I would have the grades to deserve a scholarship, and I can't brag about it to many people because I have smarty pants friends who are surprised if they don't get scholarships. So this is me letting myself brag.

In closing, much has happened, little has been shared. I will get back into the blogging world after this week when I am set free from my mother of a semester. I am even starting a new blog dedicated to holistic health, so stay tuned for that.

I wish you all the best in your endeavors,

Randi

Project 365: Weddings and Whatnots

As usual, life is craziness and posting Project 365 is not the priority I would like it to be. But here are some times that were had.

March Eighth

This is a really good book that I get to read for my Medical Anthropology class. I encourage all to read it.

March Ninth

I have a new addiction. Popcorn cooked with coconut oil topped with nutrition yeast. It is the best thing ever and I really can't get enough. I bring it on campus with me and munch on it all day.

March Tenth

More popcorn. Thank you whomever got us a Whirley Pop for a wedding present.

March Eleventh

Adam and Chelsea got little chickies for their coop. They are the dorable.

March Twelfth

My cute mom with her cute brothers and sisters sang a little ditty at Matt's wedding dinner. This is them rehearsing. It was a grand night for all. I love my family.

March Thirteenth

This is a dance party that was had on the lawn of the Baird's house the morning of Matt's wedding. The boys went for a run, but before, dance party USA. It was an awesome day and Matt married one of the best girls I know. But more on that later.

March Fourteenth

This is my uncle's house in Sugar House. I love it. But more importantly, I love my uncle. We just chilled here all day with the fam.

March Fifteenth

Matt and Rachel let us hang out with them before they went to Europe. Cafe Rio never disappoints.

March Sixteenth

To celebrate the Springtime Chris, Paul, and Jer put on spandex and went for a bike ride. Devin was also there, but he had no spandex.

March Seventeenth

Happy St. Patty's day! Here are the lovely Sarah and Dione helping us celebrate.

March Eighteenth

Behold. The first banana bread I have ever made. It was delicious, if I do say so myself.

March Nineteenth

Huzzah for Chaco weather!

March Twentieth

Sad times. My orchid I got from Kelly for Christmas has lost all of it's flowers. But it still looks kinda cool. In a naked kind of way.

March Twenty-First

This is a result of Spring cleaning. Our DI pile is getting bigger and bigger.

And there you have it. Pretty exciting, eh? I think so...... Or do I?......

Project 365: From Nuckett to The Big Apple

Enjoy.

March First

Team Nuckett rides again! About two years ago, Chris and I were on a curling team with Devin and Jer. We called ourselves Team Nuckett. Today was a magical reunion of our glorious team.

March Second

This is a curious painting in the HYPR building at USU. USU is having The Biggest Loser competition on campus and I got asked to teach a Yoga class for them. It was way fun and I wanted a better picture to represent it, but this is the best I could do.

March Third

This night I stayed at the Baird's house in SLC because I had to catch a flight to NYC in the morning. They are an incredible family that I have known my whole life. I forgot to take a picture this day, so I shot this picture of the nightstand right before I went to bed.

March Fourth

This is my dear friend Rebeka. We met at my Yoga teacher training in Costa Rica and I haven't seen her since. She lives in New Jersey and I got to stay with her. This is us at her Yoga studio, Pink Lotus.

March Fifth

Meet David. He wrote the song "Midnight at the Oasis" and is one of the nicest guys I know. Rebeka and I Yoga Studio hopped around NYC and ended up at OM Yoga for a meditation workshop taught by David. It was really wonderful and that is where Chris met up with us.

March Sixth

While Chris was stuck in a conference all day, I went to Yogaworks for a class and then strolled around Central Park. There I saw these guys putting on a break dancing show. This guy was the comedic relief. I gave him a dollar.

March Seventh

We are on Times Square! This is right outside of our Hotel Room. The university invited Chris to a conference in NYC and paid his plane ticket and put him up in the Mariott Marquee on Times Spare. So, I tagged along for the good times. It was a great weekend that I will post more about later.

Things have been way crazy this past week, and now I am a week behind in my postings but don't you worry, I will get caught up eventually. And stay tuned for a full New York update and my brother Matt's wedding!!