Music took me back to England

I have certain songs that when I hear them, I am basically transported back to a certain time in my life. Sometimes the song is just a glimpse of the memory.

EXAMPLES

"Feeling Good" by Michael Buble reminds me of riding my bike through campus to physics Sophomore Year of college (mostly fall term)

"My Goodies" by Ciara also reminds me of Sophomore Year of college

"Love" by Matt White reminds me of driving from Salem to Corvallis, often late at night during grad school

Norah Jones' first album reminds me of senior year of high school

Sometimes, the song makes me feel like I am literally transported back. This morning, "Vultures" by John Mayer came on and I could almost feel myself walking from my flat in Beeston through the University of Nottingham campus to class. It feels very foggy and kind of damp. The air is crisp and cool. And I am walking the long way (the flat way that took 5 minutes longer) through the Portland Building.

Pretty much any song from that album takes me back there. I bought the album while I was waiting for my first flight out of PDX the day I left for England (the day the album was released on iTunes). I really like John Mayer but this album in particular spoke to me. He had a couple of songs on there about having a broken heart (i.e. "Repair", "Dreaming with a Broken Heart", "Find Another You") and I was a little heart broken when I went to England.

Don't get me wrong, I had always wanted to do a study abroad in England, but I thought I had missed my chance. When Alan brought up the idea, I pretty much latched onto itright away because I was ready to get as far away from my ex-boyfriend as possible and nothing says far away like the other side of the world.

In the end it was the best, most challenging experience of my college days and one of the best experiences of my life. The heartache and the fact that I was alone on the other side of the world made everything more vivid I think.

Sometimes (especially lately) I miss England.

Does anyone else have a song/music that makes you feel like you are back in time?

Love, Mrs. Janney

PUSH

On a morning when I just wasn't feeling super chipper (feeling a little tired, with a headache, and a little blue), my morning commute was only furthering my downward mood. Since the radio station I like to listen to plays a total of 4 songs which consist of early 90's pop music, Katy Perry, and Nickelback, I tend to listen to my iPod on my way into work. I wasn't in the best mood, so finding a song to listen to was a challenge.

I didn't sleep well last night thanks to a dog barking constantly...

I woke up LATE with a headache...

I had to sit through a light twice...

I got stopped by a train...

And then the perfect song came on.

"Push" by Sarah McLachlan

Every time I look at you the world just melts away

All my troubles all my fears dissolve in your affections

You've seen my at my weakest but you take me as I am

And when I fall you offer me a softer place to land

You stay the course you hold the line you keep it all together

You're the one true thing I know I can believe in

You're all the things that I desire, you save me, you complete me

You're the one true thing I know I can believe

I get mad so easy but you give me room to breathe

No matter what I say or do 'cause you're too good to fight about it

Even when I have to push just to see how far you'll go

You won't stoop down to battle but you never turn to go

Your love is just the antidote when nothing else will cure me

There are times I can't decide when I can't tell up from down

You make me feel less crazy when otherwise I'd drown

But you pick me up and brush me off and tell me I'm ok

Somtimes that's just what we need to get us through the day

I heard this song and remembered just how blessed I am to have such a wonderful and understanding husband. He really does take me the way I am and he puts up with so much of my craziness that I am starting to think he is part Saint.

I am glad God chose a stressful and blue morning to remind me to be thankful for the amazing man he brought into my life.

Love, Mrs. Janney

Friday THANKFULLY!

Wishing I were back there (PS- I took that picture. Not too shabby in my opinion)

Oh man... this week has seemed to last forever.









I am TIRED. Like too tired to even type right now. This is the slowest I have probably ever typed. I think I have typed faster with one hand before (and I have one of those split keyboards, so it takes skill to type with just one hand).









Highlights from this week...









- Getting to see Josh, Joanna, and Braxton Neal. Super cute little family. And in my opinion, Braxton totally LOVES me. :)









- Finishing part of the shower gift for Gavin and Chauna's baby girl. Good thing I finished it because the shower it TOMORROW! I have one thing left to do for it but then it is done! I think it is pretty cute.









- Got through the anniversary of the death of Phil's brother, Nick. Usually that day and Nick's birthday are super grumpy days for Phil. Yesterday wasn't as bad as in the past. We went out for steaks (our tradition for that day) where we accidentally ran into my sister-in-law, youngest nephew and her parents (super nice people). David was very excited to give a huge to his "Uncle Janney." Man he is CUTE! We then went home and Phil tied some flies, so I think it was an ok evening.









- Dinner with Morgan Wednesday. Have Bul Go Gi which is SUPER YUMMY! And then I got a recipe and some cooking tips from some coworkers. I am super excited to make it. I decided I am going to mix cultures and serve it with quinoa. It will be Korean/Incan fusion.














Lowlights of the week...





- We have eaten out almost every day this week. Expensive AND most likely fattening. We have both agreed to do better about this week. Menu planning helps with that alot so I am hoping to do a better job of that.









- Along with eating out, we have not gone to the gym AT ALL this week. I have been trying to work on the gift for the baby shower and completely underestimated how much time it would take. Didn't leave time for the gym. Plus I have been exhausted.









- Phil might have been ok yesterday, but he was a little grumpy this morning. I am pretty much always grumpy in the morning, so additional grumpiness doesn't help me. Hopefully his grumpiness goes away.









SO TIRED!! Just have to make it through the day.









Love, Mrs. Janney

I PASSED!!

I found out yesterday officially (Wednesday unofficially) that I passed the PE Exam!! I was so excited Wednesay when I looked on the licensing board website and saw my certificate number with a "PE" next to it, I literally was shaking. I could have run around the building a few times. And yesterday, I was so excited, I kind of had a hard time catching my breath all day (made working out that night pretty interesting).

It has been such a HUGE relief. I mean, this is by far the biggest hurdle of my young career. I can actually say now that I am a Civil Engineer. I'm not just an Engineer-in-Training or an Engineering Intern. I'm a Civil Engineer.

There were so many reasons I REALLY wanted to pass this test. One of the big ones was just how much I didn't want to have to do it again. I would have had to wait until October to take it again. And I would have had to relive the month and a half of having ZERO life while I studied. Because that is literally all I did for the entire month of October and probably more than half of September and not to mention studying since when I could in August and the other half of Septebmer. If it weren't for my husband, I may not have even eaten. And I would have been wearing dirty clothes. Most likely fleece pants. Thinking about having to take it over again and go through the study process over again seriously made me want to cry.

It is pretty surreal. I am so excited.

Love, Mrs. Janney