February 3, 2009
what do you do when you can’t sleep?
1) read about insomnia to understand why you’re so tired yet want to cry because you can’t stop tossing and turning and find some peace and REM
2) catch up with facebook friends you have’t connected with in weeks…because you haven’t had the time
3) watch the new episode of the office at 3am. this is stress relief my friends! just hope i didn’t wake up the roomie when I was laughing
4) wake up your east coast friends with a friendly 2:30am wake up call. hey, it was 5:30am there and at least one of them appreciated catching up!
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Posted by Shannon
January 13, 2009
i came across Andy Merrick’s blog and have been so intrigued by his “Why Guys Aren’t Asking You Out” series.
Oh dear, the questions I’ve asked that he addresses in his own unique way. I’d really love to know what men think of Andy’s series…I mean he is speaking on their behalf.
I can’t wait for the day when the questions are over. Cuz all the questions end when you get married, right?! 
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Posted by Shannon
January 9, 2009
There’s been a lot of excitement around Fresno this week as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition hit town. Our staff was on site the day the team knocked on the door of Maryann Riojas to let her know she was getting an extreme makeover. The anticipation to the “family reveal” was more than just wondering who was going to get a new home. Until you know who’s getting the makeover you’re left wondering…why do they need this? What is their story? If you’ve watched a single episode of this ABC show you know it’s always touching and often leaves you with the awareness that no matter how much you think you lack…you are truly blessed!
The Fresno family getting this makeover is inspirational. Born without legs and only one fully developed arm, Mary Ann Riojas was placed in foster care at an early age and grew up in poverty and an unstable household. After marrying and having four children, she struggled financially and found herself on welfare.
Maryann has worked hard to achieve things she’s been told she never could. She got her drivers license, became the 1st in her family to get a college degree and is an active ambassador for the Easter Seals program. She’s inspired thousands of people to overcome adversity. My friend Cari put it best. When you look at Maryann you don’t see a disability. You see an incredibly strong woman who has refused to give up on life. She lives life and inspires us all to do the same.
I once heard Simon Cowell say that he loved being around Americans because we have a tendency to be happy for other people when good things happen to them. I felt that Thursday morning when the Riojas family learned they had been chosen for extreme makeover. And there’s a really great feeling in the air around this city. Hundreds of people giving of their time and talents to give back to a family that has given so much. It’s nice to be reminded that there’s good people out there willing to do good for others and expect nothing in return.
Ty Pennington and Maryann Riojas heading into her home to meet with her family and the builders
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Posted by Shannon
July 26, 2008
I’ve been thinking a lot about trust vs. trustworthiness lately.
For so long my mind has been wired to view people as being untrustworthy. I have had to guard myself at all times because eventually no matter how loving or well intentioned someone seems…they will let me down and leave. Or I would let them down and they would walk away.
Usually I give people one chance…and assume they will only give me one chance. Remember that episode of Friends when Chandler and Monica had started their relationship and they had a fight? Chandler assumed it was all over because they had disagreed for the first time. Geez, I’m a freaking Chandler!
I’ve always walked away and taken what seemed like the easy way out because my first response is to freeze and not deal with conflict, pain or frustration. You always tell yourself that you’ll never be like the people that hurt you. But in the same way that I was abandoned by my dad…I’ve abandoned others emotionally.
That’s not an easy thing to admit but you have to admit things to move beyond your current reality.
What I’ve finally learned about trust is that it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing situation. I will let people down from time to time and they might let me down too but that’s just because we’re human and we get things wrong sometimes. Oswald Chambers often spoke of offering people around us a gift…in seeing the grace of God in them.
There are days that I suck at that! But I’m working on it and praying to be able to offer it…because I’d love people to extend that same gift to me.
Awareness is a powerful gift. You have two choices once you know something: you can ignore it or take it as a catalyst to grow and make some much needed changes. I choose change. God help me.
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Posted by Shannon
