Streams of Consciousness & Thoughts~~~

[Tintin]

I think I hate graduation parties. Just give me money and get it over with. I'm so done.

Do you have to attend? I didn't attend my Year 12 graduation party, mainly because it would've bored me to tears to be with people I don't like (the popular crowd etc.) who would've just been getting dangerously drunk and have been engaging in inane, shallow conversations about nothing in particular. I don't even think I and my friends did anything separately.

 

[Tintin]

Annnnnd another of my friends got engaged. That makes about 6 of my friends within 5 months.

Sigh.

I'm happy for them, I really am. I just feel...behind, I suppose. I know, I know, "I'm young." Actually, at this point in my life I'd be okay with just having a better paying job.

I'm so sorry, Rachel. I know I'm a guy and it's different for girls but I went through a similar phase in my early 20s. It was discouraging at the time. I don't know what to say to comfort you. Once I made some new friends at uni (I was in my mid-20s), I was greatly encouraged by having them in my life and learned to be at peace with my singleness for then (and now). To date, I've had one unsuccessful date and no relationships. Sorry, this was meant to be encouraging. I don't know what to say. Just hang in there and try to enjoy the friendships you do have. Rant at God when you need to, share with your mentor. Don't try to hide away, no matter how difficult life becomes. You're victorious in Christ! I pray that God lets you in own His plan for you. Be blessed, sis.

 

[zeroturbulence]

So, cycling: I haven't ridden a bike in quite some time. Not only that but I have never ridden one of these uber cyclist bikes which is completely different to a mountain bike.

At first I was worried I was going to fall forward from the way you lean to the front. I started off shabby and was constantly fearing for my life. As we went at fast speeds down hill, I couldn't help but mentally note that there was a couple of feet between me, the guardrail to the left and speeding cars to the right.

Anyways, eventually I got used to it all and was having a ball. I have a love for speed (hence why I have lost all the points on my license and am now on good behaviour driving for the next... 9 months) so the breeze brushing against my face and the endorphins from the exercise had me chirpy and silly. I was like waving to people, shouting out 'GOOD MORNING' to people across the road and grinning to garbage truck drivers.

Then there was this married couple in their mid thirties in front of us. All I heard my friend say was 'take over' and BAM, I was in Hulk mode. Some how, I have good endurance and can easily muster up this burst of energy at weird times. But I took over them while giggling like an evil imp, and this must have set off something in the man I was over taking because he ended up leaving his wife behind to try and take over me. And I had unintentionally left my friend behind too because I was... well, I was just in a whole 'nother world of my own. So he became competitive and I had an evil grin on my face and took great pleasure in the fact I was winning. But then they took a different turn and I stopped and waited for my friend who was far off in to the distance.

As I left her house this morning, she sounded very keen to go on another bike ride some time soon.... but something tells me this may not be the case.

When you're going downhill, sit back so that your behind is sort of hanging off the back end of your seat. Downhill mountain bikers do it to move their center of gravity back so they're less likely to flip over the front wheel when braking. Like what this guy's doing..

 

[ww_21]

 

[Arlene89]

When you're going downhill, sit back so that your behind is sort of hanging off the back end of your seat. Downhill mountain bikers do it to move their center of gravity back so they're less likely to flip over the front wheel when braking. Like what this guy's doing..

View attachment 80897

Thanks, Zero. I'll keep that in mind for next time. The only thing is the seating on these bikes are a lot higher than mountain bikes and require you to bend forward. With the seat raised so high, I don't think I could shift that far back while putting weight on the pedals.



The bike I rode is like the one on the left. Mountain bikes, like the one on the right have a lower seating arrangement and less distance from the pedals to the seat, allowing you to extend your legs and shift your weight and position. With the kind of arrangement of the road bikes, you naturally bend forward and place weight on your hands to stabilise you rather than your footing. I don't know, I might try it if and when I go riding next time, I can't really remember what I was doing this morning.

All I know is next time I shouldn't be silly and steer in a windy fashion while pulling faces. Those bikes don't like turning very well.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Thanks, Zero. I'll keep that in mind for next time. The only thing is the seating on these bikes are a lot higher than mountain bikes and require you to bend forward. With the seat raised so high, I don't think I could shift that far back while putting weight on the pedals.

View attachment 80901

The bike I rode is like the one on the left. Mountain bikes, like the one on the right have a lower seating arrangement and less distance from the pedals to the seat, allowing you to extend your legs and shift your weight and position. With the kind of arrangement of the road bikes, you naturally bend forward and place weight on your hands to stabilise you rather than your footing. I don't know, I might try it if and when I go riding next time, I can't really remember what I was doing this morning.

All I know is next time I shouldn't be silly and steer in a windy fashion while pulling faces. Those bikes don't like turning very well.

WOW, Ms. Arlene: If you are contemplating doing this sort of biking, then my biking days must definitely be over...

You must have a far less brittle backbone than some of us have.

Blessings.

 

[Tintin]

Personally, I much prefer mountain bikes to racing bikes. Arlene, you're certainly an adventurous spirit. Very inspiring.

 

[lil_christian]

It is always perfectly ok to say, " Everyone go away and leave me alone right now. I appreciate your good intentions but I've been through a lot recently and I just want some time alone to rest and process it all. Thank you and goodbye."

We'll be willing to help you hunt for it and find it again, if and when you lose it.

I'm afraid they would have hijacked the party planning, because they'd even changed the ending time (from 2-5:30 to just 2-5) without my acknowledgement. I wanted to give people enough time to go through and socialize, and I decided ending at 5:30 would be good. I know a LOT of people, coming from a 1500 people congregation, then a 60 people congregation. Of course, I only invited like the people I wanted to invite from my mega church (which ended up being like...a tenth of the congregation lol). And I have a good sized family...so even though 3 and a half hours might seem lengthy, there's grad parties that have gone on longer than that. And they should have known, even though we changed the location, THEY offered it to us.

*sigh* I'm NOT having a grad party when I graduate college (one of my cousins did that)...

 

[lil_christian]

Do you have to attend? I didn't attend my Year 12 graduation party, mainly because it would've bored me to tears to be with people I don't like (the popular crowd etc.) who would've just been getting dangerously drunk and have been engaging in inane, shallow conversations about nothing in particular. I don't even think I and my friends did anything separately.

Yup, I'm planning it. I think graduation parties are a bit different over there in Australia. Graduation parties are sort of like birthday parties over here, except you celebrate your graduating. So they're put on by you and your family.

 

[Tintin]

Yup, I'm planning it. I think graduation parties are a bit different over there in Australia. Graduation parties are sort of like birthday parties over here, except you celebrate your graduating. So they're put on by you and your family.

Oh, sorry, mate. That's rough. Yes, it's very different in Australia. We don't do anything like that. Some people just have parties and invite all of the graduates along (or not). I couldn't be bothered with drunken idiots. Forgive me if I sound mean.

 

[lil_christian]

Oh, sorry, mate. That's rough. Yes, it's very different in Australia. We don't do anything like that. Some people just have parties and invite all of the graduates along (or not). I couldn't be bothered with drunken idiots. Forgive me if I sound mean.

No, that's okay. Since you have to be 21 to legally drink here, I won't have to deal with any drunken idiots. lol So that is a plus.

 

[Arlene89]

The guy I was dating a fair few weeks ago has been calling me and texting me several times last night and this morning. And I stared at my phone, seeing his name on the screen, thinking, "Oh, NOW you want to make me a priority in your life rather than an option?" He was asking to do something today. I just texted him saying 'No, thank you.' I told him Friday night that what he was doing made me not so happy and that I was disappointed in him (there's a long story to that one). Then he sat next to me during church on Sunday like nothing was wrong.

I don't want to take responsibility of his shyness or his insecurities, because if I feel like I need to show him the 'way', I fear I will try to control him and 'fix' him. Plus that business is only something the Lord can fix and mend, not me. I don't want to feel like I need to fight for his attention all the time because he's emotionally tied to an older woman with two kids (turns out she's not married, she's separated, I just assumed she was married because she said 'husband' all the time). I don't do love triangles or drama, that stuff will give me grey hair.

I am so tired of 'fighting' for men. I just want to put my sword down and be fought for. I want to know I am worth the fight. So I'm tapping out, I'm walking out of the ring. If you want my heart, look, the Lord's holding on to it. Go ask Him. I'm emotionally leaving the premises.

On a side note: I've never gone to the movies by myself. Some people (cool kids wanna-be's) convinced me it was socially unacceptable to do so, an then I found out many people do it. *Shrugs*. But I want to watch 'The Fault in our Stars'. I don't know if this will just be like rubbing salt in the wound, but I just really want to do it.

(This stuff is still fresh so I'm just going to e-vent, breathe in, be distracted and settle for awhile, and then take this to the Lord so I don't hold on to offense)

 

[lil_christian]

No, that's okay. Since you have to be 21 to legally drink here, I won't have to deal with any drunken idiots. lol So that is a plus.

Also, I've been able to invite everyone I wanted to invite. But I need to send out invitations tomorrow to people.

 

[Tintin]

No, that's okay. Since you have to be 21 to legally drink here, I won't have to deal with any drunken idiots. lol So that is a plus.

I forgot about that. The legal drinking age is 18 years old. So there's less illegal drinking but probably more drunk young people. :I

 

[faroukfarouk]

The guy I was dating a fair few weeks ago has been calling me and texting me several times last night and this morning. And I stared at my phone, seeing his name on the screen, thinking, "Oh, NOW you want to make me a priority in your life rather than an option?" He was asking to do something today. I just texted him saying 'No, thank you.' I told him Friday night that what he was doing made me not so happy and that I was disappointed in him (there's a long story to that one). Then he sat next to me during church on Sunday like nothing was wrong.

I don't want to take responsibility of his shyness or his insecurities, because if I feel like I need to show him the 'way', I fear I will try to control him and 'fix' him. Plus that business is only something the Lord can fix and mend, not me. I don't want to feel like I need to fight for his attention all the time because he's emotionally tied to an older woman with two kids (turns out she's not married, she's separated, I just assumed she was married because she said 'husband' all the time). I don't do love triangles or drama, that stuff will give me grey hair.

I am so tired of 'fighting' for men. I just want to put my sword down and be fought for. I want to know I am worth the fight. So I'm tapping out, I'm walking out of the ring. If you want my heart, look, the Lord's holding on to it. Go ask Him. I'm emotionally leaving the premises.

On a side note: I've never gone to the movies by myself. Some people (cool kids wanna-be's) convinced me it was socially unacceptable to do so, an then I found out many people do it. *Shrugs*. But I want to watch 'The Fault in our Stars'. I don't know if this will just be like rubbing salt in the wound, but I just really want to do it.

(This stuff is still fresh so I'm just going to e-vent, breathe in, be distracted and settle for awhile, and then take this to the Lord so I don't hold on to offense)

Ms. Arlene: Sounds like you need to follow the Mandarin proverb: Stand on sidelines, hands in sleeves...

Pray for the guy but it sounds like you have certainly got the common sense to keep him and his complexities at arm's (or sleeve's) length.

Blessings.

 

[Tintin]

The guy I was dating a fair few weeks ago has been calling me and texting me several times last night and this morning. And I stared at my phone, seeing his name on the screen, thinking, "Oh, NOW you want to make me a priority in your life rather than an option?" He was asking to do something today. I just texted him saying 'No, thank you.' I told him Friday night that what he was doing made me not so happy and that I was disappointed in him (there's a long story to that one). Then he sat next to me during church on Sunday like nothing was wrong.

I don't want to take responsibility of his shyness or his insecurities, because if I feel like I need to show him the 'way', I fear I will try to control him and 'fix' him. Plus that business is only something the Lord can fix and mend, not me. I don't want to feel like I need to fight for his attention all the time because he's emotionally tied to an older woman with two kids (turns out she's not married, she's separated, I just assumed she was married because she said 'husband' all the time). I don't do love triangles or drama, that stuff will give me grey hair.

I am so tired of 'fighting' for men. I just want to put my sword down and be fought for. I want to know I am worth the fight. So I'm tapping out, I'm walking out of the ring. If you want my heart, look, the Lord's holding on to it. Go ask Him. I'm emotionally leaving the premises.

On a side note: I've never gone to the movies by myself. Some people (cool kids wanna-be's) convinced me it was socially unacceptable to do so, an then I found out many people do it. *Shrugs*. But I want to watch 'The Fault in our Stars'. I don't know if this will just be like rubbing salt in the wound, but I just really want to do it.

(This stuff is still fresh so I'm just going to e-vent, breathe in, be distracted and settle for awhile, and then take this to the Lord so I don't hold on to offense)

Arlene, you're definitely worth fighting for. Don't let some eggheads tell you otherwise.

 

[zeroturbulence]

Thanks, Zero. I'll keep that in mind for next time. The only thing is the seating on these bikes are a lot higher than mountain bikes and require you to bend forward. With the seat raised so high, I don't think I could shift that far back while putting weight on the pedals.

View attachment 80901

The bike I rode is like the one on the left. Mountain bikes, like the one on the right have a lower seating arrangement and less distance from the pedals to the seat, allowing you to extend your legs and shift your weight and position. With the kind of arrangement of the road bikes, you naturally bend forward and place weight on your hands to stabilise you rather than your footing. I don't know, I might try it if and when I go riding next time, I can't really remember what I was doing this morning.

All I know is next time I shouldn't be silly and steer in a windy fashion while pulling faces. Those bikes don't like turning very well.

Oh yes, I forgot.. mt bikers lower their seat before embarking on a downhill run. You should have a quick release seatbolt to make adjustment quick and easy. I used to mt bike, but not anymore :/ Oh and nice bike! Even though that's a road bike, not a mt bike.

 

[iTOREtheSKY]

I never thought I'd say this...but I had an awesome time today spent with a house full of kids. (17 to be exact) My friends son turned 9 today. He is Autistic,but you'd never know it. One of his gifts was an antique tea set his Grandmother hunted all over God's green earth to find for him. I know yer' thinking,how odd for a boy to want a fancy tea set,right? He also got a dirt bike which he lost his mind over. (don't blame him..it was a sweet bike!) Anyways,after it all died down,it was my friend,his ex,their boys,and myself & a friend of mine & her 2 sons. We were watching some suspense films and they were all having tea @ the dining room table & having left over birthday cake.
What was amazing to me,is that not one of them thought it was odd for 4 boys ages 7-10 to be having a tea party. I t was kinda cool to think that these boys who are typical in every way of kid's that age,had just as much fun giggling,sipping tea together as they did 5 hrs earlier chasing one another outside with high powered water guns & Nerf bow & arrows!
All I kept thinking is how as a child we have zero inhibitions. We just have fun doing whatever it is we are doing. When yer' among friends...life is perfection! As I watched them,a part of me felt like God was saying "See,the simplicity of how they interact with one another,see the joy they have,see the innocence?" - "That's how it can be for you every single day,Jim if you just cast your cares on me & stop trying to out think me...out run me..ignore me."

Come to me as a little child.
Easy peasy.
God is pretty Awesome!

 

[rachelsedge]

Flighty, panic mode: Activated.

 

[lil_christian]

Flighty, panic mode: Activated.

*hugs for Rachel* I don't know what's got you so panicked, but whatever it is, I hope it gets resolved soon.