Catch up

It's been roughly over a month since I wrote anything on here. I spent most of that time traveling to different countries. I was in Italy with my sister and then Switzerland for work. Italy was awesome. The country itself was beautiful and I saw lots of cool stuff (in Venice, Verona, and Rome), but more so, the memories I have from the people I spent time with will stay with me forever. For starters, this was the first trip my sister and I have taken together, just the two of us (though there were others around for much of it). I really cherish the time we spent together. It really allowed us to just enjoy each other and hang out and be friends. We explored Venice and Rome and had lots of laughs and even a few tears, but good to be able to be there for each other. I really love and admire my little sister and this just made me feel that all the more. In Verona, we attended a Bahá'í conference for young professionals called "Changing Times". I met some wonderful people at this conference and laughed so hard it hurt. Sometimes you meet people who just burrow their way into your heart, I experienced that at this conference. I met people who I know I will now care for as long as I live. I have memories to warm my heart and that is the best kind of memory to have!!!

After italy, I flew back to Sweden, was here for less than 12 hours, then flew to Switzerland and was there for work for 2 weeks. My new job has me going to Switzerland quite frequently. Though traveling can be exhausting, its kind of a blessing right now. Sweden isn't the best place to be in the winter since it tends to be dark and gray most of the time. Apparently, it was also FREEZING cold while I was gone. I was lucky enough to escape that while in Switzerland. I don't enjoy being away from home, away from my husband, but I do like the change in scenery and weather. I also really like the people I work with in Switzerland. It's a fun group of people and for the first time in several years, I am working with others which is really nice. I have been pretty isolated at work for a while, so its nice to be part of a team again. I head back in a little over a week and will be there for 2 weeks again...I'll be home just in time for Valentine's day, lucky me :o)

This past month has been a difficult one in terms of the world. The 7 Bahá'ís in Iran are on trial (the Yaran) and we all know its pretty much a sham of a trial, but still those poor people have been in prison now for almost 2 years without a "trial" and probably want to know their fate. At least the world has cried out against what is being done to them and it has created some awareness regarding the plight of Bahá'ís in Iran. Then last week we had the devastating earthquake in Haiti which has left thousands dead and many others homeless in a country which was already suffering a great deal. I feel really awkward writing about how great my life is and then acknowledging how so many others are suffering at the same time that I am smiling remembering a good memory. It feels wrong to be happy in the light of such tragedy and suffering going on, though I know it goes on all the time in many places around the world, but just doesn't get the media attention on it as something like a natural disaster does. The only thing I can think about is that those souls going through that are probably much stronger than I am and in the end their recompense in the spiritual world with be tenfold. I also think about what I should do to help contribute to this "ever advancing civilization" and make changes so that future generations don't experience this huge contrast of wealth and poverty, good life and suffering, that our current generation is experiencing. There will always be people who are less fortunate than others financially, but it won't be to these extremes and there will be an awareness in the world that I don't think exists yet. I hope I don't waste the opportunities that have been given to me and am able to do a little bit of good before I leave this "mortal world of dust". No one can phrase it better than God Himself(via His Manifestation of course): "O FRIENDS! Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust." (Bahá'u'lláh, The Persian Hidden Words)

travels

I have been traveling quite a bit lately, both personally and professionally, and there isn't an end in sight it seems. In a way, its pretty nice to go to different places and get away from the routine and monotony of my life, on the other, its quite exhausting. Maybe its a good thing to help keep things fresh, but I think the verdict is still out on that...Either way, I am going to Italy to attend a conference and spend time with my sister. I am very much looking forward to it. I have never been and am really looking forward to seeing the sights and soaking in some quality sister time!!!

Date Night

My husband came up to me earlier this week and suggested we implement a weekly date night. We can each come up with something fun we want to do and we will find one night a week to go on a date and do whatever we've come up with. Tonight is our first one and we are doing dinner and a movie. I am so happy we've decided to do this. I think its really important to keep that romantic spark alive. It's so easy to fall into the routine of life and marriage and sort of lose yourself in that and lose that spark that attracted you to each other in the first place. I don't know if we'll manage to keep it up, but I really hope we do. I think its a great idea. If anything, its nice to have a change of pace and get out of the house and be together for things other than errands. So, I am really looking forward to tonight.

On a different note, things are looking up at work, there is a role I am being considered for which means I will be losing my current job but most likely won't be out of a job altogether. We shall see how that turns out, but things are looking positive. Also, I am really looking forward to seeing my family next week to spend Thanksgiving with them. I think I'm going to have a blast. And later this year I'm going to Italy with my sister. So, while 2009 started out on a bit of a sour note and has been a tough year, it may just end on a great note...We shall wait and see!!!

Life in Limbo

So - I haven't posted anything here for a while because I was waiting for some resolutions in my life which I was hoping I could then blog about. However, as my life has been for the past 5 months, I'm still in limbo. The areas I was referring to were my condo situation in atlanta (been trying to fight off foreclosure since early june) and my job(company is restructuring, letting lots of people go, and my role is impacted, just didn't know how)...The condo thing has dragged on and on, but we have been approved for a short-sale by the bank. however, per the bank we have to close tomorrow. I am hoping we will, but I still need to negotiate with the 2nd mortgage people so they release the lien on the condo and I haven't heard anything from my realtor. This situation has been dragging on forever and its driving me nuts...With work, I am also just waiting...the good news is they seem happy with me and want to try to find something for me, the bad news is, there is no guarantee we will find something, but we'll see how it goes...It's this whole being in limbo that just stinks...To make matters worse, two of my cousins have had some major health scares lately (major heart surgery and prostate surgery due to cancer)...Oh yeah and my Uncle passed away 3 months ago...This year has not been very kind to me, but its ok, we all have one of those years I think. 2009 will probably go down in the books for me as one of crappiest years ever...as it will for many people I suspect, considering the economic downfall the world as a whole has experienced...All things considered, I have it pretty good.. Never the less, I just needed to vent a bit...its been frustrating to say the least...Hopefully, things will turn out positively...Only time will tell...Tic,Toc...

Been a while...

It's been about a month since I last wrote anything on here. I didn't feel like I had much to write about. Actually, there are several things going on in my life which I am waiting for resolutions on and was hoping to have those and be able to blog about it, but I'm still waiting...Hopefully, things will work out and it will be a happy blog post, when and if I ever find out...

I don't have a whole lot to share at the moment. I read another article today about how women are mistreated in Afghanistan and it really angered me. I don't understand how it is possible for people to suppress 50% of their population. I can't fathom how they think its ok to kill someone who has "displeased" her husband, and oh by the way, she is only 15 years old, and oh by the way, she was forced to marry an older man at age 11...For heaven's sake, there is something seriously wrong with that picture and in my eyes it has nothing to do with the girl displeasing her husband...Shoot, I'd have been killed about 500 hundred times by now if that were law here, and vice versa...It's so sickening...This world is seriously, SO messed up!!! I just can't process it...Every day you read the news and its one awful, disgusting story after another...What is wrong with people??? NO ENTIENDO!!! That is the bottom line, i just DON'T get it...And the funny thing is, you hear about all this junk and think yeah its screwed up world, at the same time, I know SO many wonderful people. In my own life alone, my parents, my sisters, some of my friends, ALL amazing human beings who help others, are kind, good, warm, caring, just, I mean I could go on and on...How is it possible for the good and bad to coexist? I don't get how hard it is for people to just be good...why is that so difficult? I am feeling very baffled right now about the injustices of this world and the apathy of those "unaffected" and the inequality that exists...It's pretty pathetic, its the year 2009, you would think the world would have progressed further by now...

Time to make a change

My sister sent me a link to an article yesterday about the suffering women around the world go through and programs in place that actually help empower them, as well as, the impact it has to the world in general when women aren't held back. In reading the article, which is quite long, but quite interesting, I got to thinking about my own life. I have always known it, but reading these types of articles, reinforce the fact that I have led an extremely privileged life. I have complaints, as most people do, and think I suffer, but the truth is, it could be SOOOOOOOOOO much worse....I feel guilty for ever thinking I have suffered. My life has been a fairytale compared to some of the women described in the article. It's a joke. They don't have lives. It's ridiculous!!! I was talking to P last night and saying how crazy it is that some people have probably laughed very rarely in their lives because there really is nothing to laugh about. I can't even begin to imagine.

Reading the article just reiterated the fact that this world is desperate for change. Not the kind of change we humans bring about, because clearly we haven't succeeded in the way we should, but rather something only a Divine Being could offer. If you read the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and see what the Bahá'í Faith offers, it truly is the Divine Elixir. The solutions are there, in His teachings, but it is going to take quite an effort before the world puts it into practice, for real, not just as a temporary fix. We each need to do our part, and its not sufficient to just "be good". I need to drill this idea in my own head and do something to make a change in this world; otherwise, my life is a waste. I think it goes beyond just being the change we want to see in the world, i mean that is great and necessary, but it needs to be systematic and reaching beyond just those in our immediate surroundings. It's time for everyone to wake up and smell the coffee. People are suffering and its NOT OK to just acknowledge the fact, think what a shame, and move on with our lives as normal...We need to stand up and help right an extremely, grievous wrong!!! The wheels in my head are turning. I need to be different!!!

Diary Entry

I've been back just under a week and its taken some adjusting. I find that its harder and harder to leave my parents, maybe because I know our time together is limited, maybe recently its because of the passing of my Uncle, I don't really know what it is, but I feel a hole not having them around. I don't like it. I don't like being so far away. There are definite perks to living in sweden, like the time off, but I am finding it really hard to be so far away from my loved ones. I am not happy about it.

Last night, I dreamt about Uncle John for the first time since he passed. It was nice to see him. He looked good in my dream. It was a strange dream, but cool to have that connection in the world of dreams.

Today was my first day back at the office(worked from home last week) and I find that I enjoy it. I like working, weird as that may seem. I think maybe I feel useful, not sure what it is, regardless, it was nice to be back in the office. I have a feeling its going to be very busy here over the next few months, so that will prob make time fly, which will be good. I need some distractions. I've had too much stress in my life recently, things that I can't control, I am ready for stress I can control(work related) to occupy my mind vs the other stuff. Last night, I couldn't sleep because i couldn't shut my mind off. I wish I knew how to do that, but I don't seem capable.

I bought an itouch, its awesome! I am really happy with my purchase. I also bought some speakers to plug it into and they are great...Think its one of my best purchases yet. Thank goodness for modern technology!!! It never ceases to amaze me!!!