Some wood, a little stain and a lot of patience

So I built a coffee table. Yes, you read that correctly, I built it with my own two hands. I have to say, for being a bit rusty on the powertools, I did a pretty good job. It wasn't as hard as I thought either. Now, that is not to say that it is an award winning table, but it will hold your coffee cups and magazines you never read with at least some style.

These are a couple of photos that I took while in the process of buying my supplies. I started off at Lowes thinking I could find everything I needed in one stop. I was wrong. Surprisingly, they didn't have a lot of what I was looking for. So a second trip was needed to Home Depot.There I found the rest of the supplies, including the table top. (This would be a good time to admit that I bought a pre-manufactured table top. Judge as you wish).

I began cutting and drilling holes and screwing wood screws into the table. I know for future table making, I am going to use thinner joints than I did on this one. (I ended up having to go back and buy longer screws because of it.) I was able to secure the inside boarder using a guiding piece on the inside of the table. That saved me from screwing directly into the table top so many times. I was kind of afraid I was going to pierce through the top! Thankfully, I didn't.

Next, it was time to attach the legs. It involved me drilling holes through the pieces already attached to the table top and through the legs themselves! Well, I am glad this isn't making an entry into a contest because I got a little sloppy. So, note to self - triple check where you are drilling your holes and make sure you are using the correct drilling bit before you make saw dust. But don't worry - you can barely see the holes once I filled them with putty. Now for some stain!

So, because I built this table for a friend of mine, he got to choose the finish! Great choice! Look at how well it stuck to the wood! That is just the undercoat. The photo at the very top is the top look and there is another photo below that shows a close-up of the table top. And look, you can't even tell I drilled holes into the legs!!

Once it warms up, I am going to be building a lot more. Next on my list is a coffee table of my own and a couple of side tables. I am also thinking of making a night stand, but that might have to come much later. Stay tuned!

A Look Back at the Last Month

One month ago, I took one of the biggest risks in my life. I left a job in Rochester, NY, to head home to Denver. I didn't have a job, I didn't have much in my savings and I wasn't sure if Denver was even the right place to be going.

There were a lot of things happening to me internally that prompted the move. Above all, I missed my family. Working with people who had their families to go home to made me want that same thing. I missed being able to stop by for a home-cooked meal. I missed seeing the people I wanted to see whenever I wanted. True, my family was only a phone call away, but after four years, that just wasn't enough.

So I decided to hop in the car and drive my life back to Denver. All I can say is that things are working out. I am now working full time at KUSA/9News in Denver (that's the NBC station in town for those of you who don't know). I was first hired as an editor. Before even going through orientation, I have already been moved to the assignment desk. It is a full-time job with awesome benefits. I can honestly say that I am completely excited. I can use my editorial judgement in my work. I will be starting up classes in the fall at the University of Colorado at Denver. Moving back has also introduced me and reintroduced me to some great people, some which will become a much bigger part of my daily life.

Overall, I can say this was a great move mentally and professionally. This doesn't discount the move to Rochester. I learned more than I ever could have imagined about myself and the business. I also made some incredible friends who will forever be in my heart and soul. All I can say is listen to your heart and soul. Things happen for a reason. You just have to be open to change and ready to take a leap of faith.

Facebook and Friends

Something happened yesterday on Facebook that I am sure has happened to all of us. I had one less friend than I had the day before. I quickly went through my friends list. After a good five minute search, I realized who was missing. My ex's step-dad de-friended me.

Step-dad?!? You may be asking, "Why on earth would that matter?" But my gut instinct was to get upset and figure out why this had happened. Why was this so important to me?

After giving it some thought, I realized that it frankly doesn't matter. It's just another step in the process of life. But there was something else, something deeper in this meaning. It showed me that some people are in our lives, and in this case our Facebook lives, for one reason or another. My ex's step-dad was in my life only by association. He wasn't in my life because we were friends that would talk about cars, politics or life. We were two acquaintances who shared one common person.

Ex's aside, this does bring up an interesting thing about Facebook. Facebook, though important in keeping people up-to-date on all the happenings, has created a veil of anonymity. You no longer have to tell people to their faces you don't want to be friends or that there is something wrong with one or the other. Now, you just have to click two buttons. Two buttons. Seems a whole lot easier than ignoring or blocking or just telling them it is time to part ways.

I am not saying that you need to let someone know you are going to remove them as friends. There have been people I have added, never talked to and then removed without a simple hello or good-bye. My point is that you shouldn't get worked up over someone taking you off of his or her list. If it is someone important, pick up the phone and call. Find out what is wrong, or what their problem is.

Bottom line: Facebook is a great social tool that should be used as one of many tools to keep in touch with family and friends. And as far as ex's step-dad's go, best wishes!