LQ? Gooseneck? Psh, no.

I don't need no stinking gooseneck/LQ trailer in my life [one day], I'll just get me a nice bumper pull horse trailer and build the following LQ for my truck: Photos from here: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/products/vardo/#ad-image-0

Look at the little lights!

And the shelf ledge and cute window!

With option for a heater or AC unit!

Seriously, how awesome is that? They even offer up the design plans!

Only problem? I'm not too hot with my carpentry skills.

Hmm....

Attention, attention: Now taking applications for man who likes me (duh), travel, doesn't mind horses, and has carpentry skills.

I'm a dreamer, but not the only one.

Ah, dreaming, its what gets me through the slower parts (read: less action-packed) parts of my day.  Aside from the obvious dreaming about future-super-star, my dreams of late have consisted of the following random things:

Having an Elliptical – Skiing is AWESOME for getting me back where I want with cardio fitness.  I can cover so much ground and work hard while having a ton of fun.  Unfortunately this will end come April.  I wish I had an elliptical to keep up with my cardio fitness when it ended.  My ankles are poo-tastic from swimming, as I’ve stated before, and while I’m definitely working to strengthen them, they’ll never withstand what they once did.  (I still hope to one day accomplish running a ½ marathon, though!)  How perfect would an elliptical be?  I could watch TV, read a book, listen to an audiobook, read/catch up on blogs, all while exercising.  I try to stay away from the TV now because I do nothing but lie around or eat while I’m watching it often times, but if I had an elliptical I could make some rule about having to exercise while I watched a show.  One day, I will do this.

Toilet training the cat(s) I will one day have – I grew up with kitties.  Once I’m settled I plan to get one, probably two.  A good friend recently adopted two littermates and is in the process of toilet-training them.  I agree COMPLETELY with this decision and think it is absolutely BRILLIANT.  Like her, I love kitties and cuddling with them and laughing at their antics, but kitty-litter DISGUSTS me.  Cat shit particularly strikes a chord with me.  Yuck-o.  (Yes, my cats growing up were all indoor-outdoor, but as a semi-bird-enthusiast I plan to have indoor kitties.)  So, why not toilet train the little devils?!  Lots of folks have done it.  Hello, Meet the Parents/Fockers/whathaveyous, anyone?  I’m not saying I want the kitties to flush, but imagine the $$ saved buying kitty litter!  Maybe I’m absurd, but this sounds fun to me.

Amp up my GIS skills – I think about this often at work.  I wish I was super savvy and could do all the super-cool things that Arc software allows one to do, but when it comes down to it I’m still a nature nerd.  Wildlife is what tickles my fancy more than mapping.  I’ll run out the door any day to bask in the sunshine following some creature rather than sit at a computer.  Due to this, this dream is unlikely to come to fruition.  But, I am picking up bunches of skills along the way with my continuing education via the interwebz through Oregon State.  Becoming proficient enough to produce maps that make me happy and get the point I’m trying to convey across is enough for me!

What fun/crazy/silly dreams have you come up with lately?

Introspection

Ah life, busy you have been as of late!  But I’m okay with that.

I honestly can’t believe how much time has flown by recently.  It seems like I started my job just yesterday, when in reality I’ve been here 4 months!  I’ve never held a full-time position this long.  Bizarre.  And I really thought not being in classes this fall (formally) would be really strange, but as the first round of tests for the semester is rolling around I’m not missing it at all (haha).

I realized yesterday as I sat in a meeting listening to graduate and Ph.D. candidates go over their research that while I may not be in grad school yet I really have had so many amazing opportunities come my way.  I really feel like my qualifications are good enough to score me a position I love.  I’m proud of what I’ve done.  It’s a good feeling, I rarely toot my own horn, but right now I am.

I’ve grown SO much in the past four years through college.  I really noticed it yesterday.  I felt old on campus.  Being a graduate and all.  So strange.  But growth and learning is really good.  I have a lot of ideas for my future, a lot of possible doors to open if I so choose.  I like having these options.  It makes life more interesting.

I’m so happy with where I am and what I’ve done though.  I think that is most important.  Happiness is key.

"I was hoping someday
You'd be on your way to better things
It's not about your make-up
Or how you try to shape up
To these tiresome paper dreams
Paper dreams, honey"

-The Kooks

Wishes/Dreams/Goals

I would call it a wish list, but its more like a dream list - or maybe a goal list.  Whichever way, here it is:

Single horse trailer:

Austrailian Saddle

Barefoot saddle (this one is treeless)

Smart bridle hackamore (By Runningbear)

Mandolin

Treehouse

Horsehair bracelet (I could make these)

Egyptian or Anglo Arabian (w/in next 10 years)

Sweet ski pants that make me look more like woman and less like a little boy (this winter)

Border Collie (w/in the next two years?)

Natural wood bed frame (could also make with help)

Or one of these rooms...

I LOVE this one.  Hahaha.

Master of Science degree

Car rack so I can go cross-country

Mustang - probably the last thing I would obtain from this list because of the time I will devote to him one day; this image is one of the adoptable ones from the BLM this past July (his markings are beautiful!)

I plan on having most of these things with time.  Some I can make; some require a long-term commitment; some require a lot of work; others will require funds I won't have until later in my life.  All (except maybe the treehouse, haha) are attainable though.  Its nice having attainable wishes/dreams/goals.  What is nicer is having the confidence in myself to do the things to reach these goals.  I know the road to all won't be smooth, but I need to focus on all the tiny happy things along the way.  That will make bumps along the way not seem like mountains - and it will keep me a sane person.

Crashing into dreamland

Well, so much for my super-duper-get-stuff-done phase.  I've officially crashed back into procrastination - hence the beginnings of a blog layout makeover!  It'll be slow, but hopefully it will be completed in the upcoming week.  Revamped most of the layout and my 30x30 for now.

Its one of those threaten-to-rain-any-minute days outside.  The drab gray dreariness of it all is taking a toll on my productivity - or at least that's what I'm blaming it on.  I started off strong this morning, but have since crashed into digressing subjects (i.e. horses, Gilmore Girls, arts & crafts, blog re-design).  I do have a semi-plan for the rest of the afternoon though, so hopefully I will get something accomplished.  BIG test on Monday in my GIS graduate course, so I better get something of substance accomplished!

But until then, the following are things I've been dreaming about for my room decor/ future house (one day, somewhere).

Because who wouldn't want one?

I want a place like this to read.

A big sectional couch (leather though) for lots of people

I would really love to have a home with bay windows

A big, solid, wood front door like this.  While I can't have my
dream home necessarily, I would really like to have a fancy
door.

But if having my dream home were feasible (which unless I go become an ob-gyn doctor - since they have the biggest starting salary - is absolutely not possible) I would have something similar to this....

Sigh...if only.