Thankfully, I am reading this ridiculously high temperature shown here on my Apple Watch from the comfort of my air-conditioned house on this fine Memorial Day weekend. And so far, the family and I have taken advantage of the cool comfortableness our our home by not grilling outside but instead cooking up some copycat Applebee's wonton tacos indoors, complete with a side of rice pilaf and fresh limes. So not only are we feeling all cool temperature-wise, but we're also eating way cheaper than we would have if we'd headed out to the actual restaurant.  WTG, Fam.

I'm remembering my visit to this place on Memorial Day last year, the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which at the time seemed like the most appropriate location to spend the day honoring service members, past and present.  And unsurprisingly, seeing this photo again brings back more emotion than I can possibly post in blog form, but if it touches anyone else in just a fragment of what I experienced, at least posting it here was worth the effort.

Feeling all exuberant after the 12+ hour road trip bringing this lovely chica back home from college for summer break.  So here we are back in shopping mode again, complete with testing Snapchat selfie filters.  Perfectly legitimate way to bond, IMHO.  Now if I can just get her hooked on sushi... we have plenty of time. *fingers crossed*

This is how I got all spoiled and pampered on a Mother's Day weekend.  Thankfully, a Sunday morning power workout was involved, as well. (photo not included)

Might as well, right?  Because there are only so many job applications one can submit before an escape to the sunny deck is needed.  And besides getting a much-needed warm glow from those rays I soaked up, I also managed to channel a potential employer who gave me 1.) a telephone screening and 2.) an interview opportunity with the actual hiring manager.

FIST. PUMP.

Feeling all jazzed after loading the youngest's stuff into my Honda CRV and venturing over to the closest Arby's for sustenance.  And yet suddenly the homestead feels a whole lot smaller and slightly claustrophobic again.

One move-back-home down... one more to go.

Since landing back in Omaha after that whole escape-from-life visit to the desert, I've hit the ground running in pursuit of more new career opportunities.  So with my next interview lined up for tomorrow, I find this photo to be an appropriate freeze frame of me with my feet back on the ground ready for that next big break just sitting out there waiting to happen. Feeling empowered, confident, and worthy of even greater opportunities...

MY "A" GAME IS SO ON.

Not quite ready to return to reality after my New Mexican desert escape, I ventured out to attend Happy Hour with my favorite IT Team and feasted on this boatload of sushi.  If there's anything better than seeing the amazing group of IT faces that I'd been missing over the past couple of weeks, it's eating cheap gourmet sushi and drinking half price wine at a local hot spot, HIRO 88.  What a perfect way to come back down to earth after leaving it so unexpectedly.

Park Ranger Steve was a valuable resource to me in my quest for petroglyphs on the Piedras Marcadas Canyon Trail, complete with an info session on how former inhabitants grounded up stuff on this big flat rock.  But not only did I find and learn more about petroglyphs in this hugely spiritual place, but I also sent up some of the biggest prayers I've ever prayed in my life.  And upon returning back to Rio Rancho, I actually saw the fruits of my labor in action.  

​Hallelujah!

But oddly, as I hiked back down from the volcanic rubble-y covered canyon to revert back into Jeep-mode, Walgreens sat there staring me in the face.  Complete and total sacrilege seeing this clash of history versus modern culture sitting there right next to one another, but I'm not going to let that mess with all those prayers waiting to be answered.  Nope.

In search of inner peace, I found myself at the top of Sandia Crest where I took this selfie along with some unbelievable pictures with my Nikon DSLR of the breathtaking view.  The Sandia Mountains and aerial panoramic view of Albuquerque completely blew me away, and I left that enchanted place feeling a little more empowered.  And not only was the actual visit magical, but winding in, out, and around the mountains in my parents' jeep was an unforgettable experience in itself.  

​Inner peace... channeled, at least.