blessed to be a witness

2007-12-03T20:30:00.000-06:00

Made it through my first day of work! Today was a lot of reading about policy and meeting people and such, but so far so good. It's a bit of a long drive, but I suppose I'll get used to my new schedule. Hopefully Mona the cat wasn't too lonely today.

This weekend was Rick's birthday-- my Sweets turned 30! We had some people over for a poker night (Rick won)... that was pretty fun. And we had cake and other yummy treats.

Now I have to start trying to go to bed early so I can make it through my work days!

2007-11-14T11:46:00.000-06:00

Only a few short days until our Arizona trip! We have a couple wedding things to do, a visit to Tucson, and of course lots of Thanksgiving feasting planned. You can't really get a direct flight from here to Phoenix, so that's a bummer, but hopefully everything will go smoothly.

I'm finishing up reading Into Thin Air... I'm near the end and it's so intense! Jon Krakauer is an author I like a lot (based on reading Under the Banner of Heaven), and to write about something so personally upsetting and life-changing seems quite a feat. I also want to read Into the Wild. I may be taking a trip to the library today or tomorrow.

On Saturday when we get to AZ, we're going to "Coffeehouse," a fundraiser my high school choir started putting on when I was in the choir. It's going to be a blast from the past. I'm sure all the performers are going to look so young to me now! But I'm excited to see my old choir director (not old, but former) and her son is doing a comedy routine (she was pregnant with him when I was a junior and now he's in my mom's 4th grade class!).

For now I'm watching Kate & Allie and working up to going to the gym.

2007-11-11T14:34:00.000-06:00

This weekend has been a good one so far. Rick's aunt passed away about 6 weeks ago, so her brother and his wife were in Richmond putting on an estate sale. We went and hung out with them, ate some food, and watched a couple movies. This morning we went to church, I went for my run, and we're getting ready to go to Home Depot for some yard supplies... who knows what else we might find? We're slowly planning little home improvement projects. I want to fix up our bedroom, and the yard (front and back) is a longer-term project. We're going to Arizona in less than a week. I'll be able to show Rick and his mom our reception location and we're going to go check out the church where I want to have the ceremony. Otherwise, I hope we can just relax a lot and enjoy the warm temperatures and Thanksgiving foods. Mmmm... pie.

2007-11-06T08:53:00.000-06:00

SO... my future sister-in-law recently started a blog, inspiring me to at least log on to mine and post something new. (I'm kind of surprised I remembered my log-in info!)

Since my last post, I:
-turned 25
-finished my Master's degree
-got engaged!
-went to France
-moved to Virginia
-looked for and finally found a job
-joined the church choir...

those are the biggest things.

I feel like I could write almost anything because I know there are so few people left who check this blog anymore. In my period of unemployment, I have spent a good deal of time watching tv, and a bit less of it reading. I also clean occasionally.
Things I like watching on tv:
Daytime-- Ellen, The Daily Show, Paula's Home Cooking, sometimes Law and Order, Oprah, and Arthur
Prime Time-- Oh, where to begin? Beauty and the Geek, House, Boston Legal, Pushing Daisies, The Office, Without a Trace, Grey's Anatomy, Cold Case

Upcoming trips of importance: for Thanksgiving-- in Arizona with my family. Rick's mom is also joining us. for Christmas-- in Minnesota with Rick's family. Just after Christmas-- I go to Trinidad for my friend Sarah's wedding. Yes, Trinidad! And then December 3rd-- my first day of work.

That is my update for now. Oh, I'm also training for my first-ever half-marathon. Perhaps I'll update more frequently now.

2007-03-08T10:02:00.000-06:00

Just because I feel like it, here are all of the books currently on my Amazon wish list...

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
by Ishmael Beah

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
by Malcolm Gladwell

Nineteen Minutes: A Novel
by Jodi Picoult

The Double Bind: A Novel
by Chris Bohjalian

March
by Geraldine Brooks

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda
by Philip Gourevitch

Digging to America
by Anne Tyler

People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present (P.S.)
by Howard Zinn

You Shall Know Our Velocity
by Dave Eggers

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
by Erik Larson

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
by Anne Fadiman

1776
by David McCullough

White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son
by Tim Wise

Americans in Paris: A Literary Anthology
by Adam Gopnik

YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger
by Michael F. Roizen (Author), Mehmet Oz (Author)

2007-03-07T09:51:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I planned to go practice piano for a little bit in between practicum and class. I decided that since I didn't have a lot of time, I would just park in one of the 30-minute spots outside the music building (no, this is not a parking ticket story, though it easily could have been). So... I'm driving to the lot and a girl in a car pulls out of the lot right in front of me (no looking) as I'm about to turn in. She proceeds to take MY 30 minute spot, the only one left, while I swore at her. To drive around to the residential area and then walk to the building would now take too much time, so instead I went to Kaldi's and got some iced tea and sat in my car next to the park with the windows cracked listening to NPR. I missed out on practicing, but it turned out to be a nice little break from routine.

In other news-- Hilary decided to let each of her bridesmaids pick what style of dress to wear and she chose the color (she's still deciding between blue/green and pink). I think this is a good plan, as hopefully everyone will be comfortable, yet still coordinated.

Spring Break is next week and I leave for Williamsburg on Sunday. I am going to sleep a lot and watch cable television. AND I'm going to DC for a day to see long-lost (but not forgotten) friends. I love Spring Break.

2007-02-11T12:09:00.000-06:00

This morning I went to the Family Service at the Cathedral. It was pretty neat. They use a lot of musical instruments and the liturgy is really inclusive and family-friendly. I wondered what it would be like to grow up going to a service like that, where the kids are free to roam around and color and participate in the service. I really value having grown up in the Episcopal tradition and learning the words of the service through sheer repetition. But it would have been nice, especially for church-challenged people like my brother, to have a little bit of fun in church too. Maybe I'll start alternating between the family service and the "regular" one.

2007-01-15T12:06:00.000-06:00

I know, I know...

I haven't posted anything in forever. But now I have something to write about.

I just spent a week along the southern coast of Mississippi. I had the opportunity to go down there as a chaperone with a group from Fontbonne University (where I'm doing my practicum) on their service trip. We stayed in a retreat center close to Pass Christian (pronounced Christy Ann) where about 150 other volunteers were also staying.

Our group was split up into various work crews throughout the week. My group did a bunch of different things. Our first work day (Tuesday) we went to a Naval Retirement Home that actually withstood Katrina pretty well, but it is going to be imploded before a new building goes up. There was tons of furniture inside, so we were loading up a truck with some of it and then unloading it at a werehouse so that the Catholic Disaster Response Team people can distribute it to people in need.
On Wednesday, we painted the inside of a house in Biloxi for a gentleman who is mostly rebuilt. Biloxi used to have casino barges right on the water, but after the storm, these giant barges were actually on the other side of the highway that runs right along the beach. Some casinos have been rebuilt (on land), which blocks the beautiful view a lot of people had of the ocean. It's such a contrast to see brand new parking garages just blocks from people living in FEMA trailers where their houses used to be. We also cleared the surrounding yard of the house of some of the junk. People just put all the debris they move out on the curbs and apparently, if you keep calling for it to be picked up, it will be eventually.
Thursday, we went out to another house in Pearlington. We emptied out and demolished a garage that was literally just the top part of a garage sitting on supports. The homeowner wasn't there, but his neighbor across the street had done an amazing job rebuilding most of his house and he helped us out and told us his story, which we were so grateful for! Pearlington is in Hancock County, which was the hardest hit county. They were pounded by Katrina for 10 hours straight. The eye of the storm went right over it. We were reminded that New Orleans wasn't actually hit like they were, their levees just couldn't handle all the water. One of the main messages we heard (and saw) from the people down there is not to forget the Mississippi Gulf Coast!
On Friday, my group spent the morning helping tear out part of a chain link fence and hauling debris to a drainage ditch across the street. This area of Bay St. Louis was the worst I saw all week. There were very few houses left on this street and there was trash and debris everywhere. We drove down to the beach in nearby Waveland, and it was incredible how much worse the devastation got the closer you got to the water. There is a lot of work to be done.
On Saturday, a bunch of our groups went together to a house in Bay St. Louis and finished tearing out the 1st story floor of a house up on concrete stilts. It was hard work, and I have the bruises to prove it, but I think the students felt great about finishing the job and meeting the home's owner, Rudolph.
Finally, we left on Sunday at 6 a.m. hoping to avoid bad weather and made it back in great time with no problems.
I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have seen what I did and to meet the people still living with reminders of Hurricane Katrina, especially those who are still in FEMA trailers a year and a half after. If you have time and energy, I would encourage anybody to go down there and help with the rebuilding process. The volunteer coordinator who worked with us told us that without volunteers coming down, there is no end in sight. After seeing how much we accomplished, just as one little group in the grand scheme of things, I definitely believe it. There is just too much to be done for those who live there to accomplish it all. But the people we met were strong and dealing with devastation better than I could ever imagine doing. Go Mississippi! That's just the tip of the iceberg, so if you want to hear more about my trip, give me a call.

2006-11-29T13:45:00.000-06:00

According to a quiz I took on-line today called "How French are you?" I am "Almost French."

Sweet!

2006-11-27T21:46:00.000-06:00

Turkey Ramblings

Highlights of my recent Thanksgiving break in home sweet home Arizona...

Seeing my family. Eating pumpkin flan with Ben and Jessica. Hiking Camelback Mountain with Rick. Baking pumpkin pie. Going to "I Do! I Do! Bridal" with Hilary and Marjorie to look at bridesmaid dresses. Playing Apples to Apples at my holiday beverage reception. Making s'mores at Adele's house. Hanging out with Nani. Walking in the park.

Yay... I feel so thank-ful. Only a few more weeks until I go back to the warmth!

2006-10-31T19:15:00.000-06:00

For the few friends and family members who still check this out, here is a post to let you know I do, in fact, still exist. My semester has been pretty good so far. It's going fast and I've been traveling a lot. I just got back from Minnesota with Rick and we had a very relaxing weekend. It wasn't even as cold as I expected! So maybe I'll update again soon.

2006-08-28T21:35:00.000-05:00

My first day of practicum was a long one, but I think it's going to be a great year! My first class is still a week from tomorrow, and I have another trip to Virginia between now and then. I have a little bit of a headache now, but I think it's from wearing a headband all day. In any case, I hope I'm off to bed pretty soon here.

One more thing... I would just like to reiterate how much better full screen is than wide screen.

2006-08-22T18:43:00.000-05:00

Sunburned!

I went to Water Country USA today for about two hours with the intention of getting a tan before school starts. It will be a tan next week, I'm sure. But for now it kind of hurts...

In my absence (but not because of it), Mona had a little run-in with a bat in our kitchen. Keep your fingers crossed that she will remain rabies-free.

This morning I had two apple turnovers for breakfast and they were quite good. Turnovers are one of my favorite breakfast foods.

That's about all. I'm going to enjoy my last day of relaxation in Virginia tomorrow and then head home on Thursday!

2006-08-03T21:27:00.000-05:00

Today was my last day of summer practicum! My supervisor got me a cute little gift and I took in cupcakes for people. I had a great time at my placement and I'll actually miss it a little! And my summer classes are officially over, although I only have official grades in two of them so far.

I took an allergy pill this morning and ended up taking a 4 hour nap this afternoon. It was fabulous.

Saturday morning I'm leaving for Anytown... yay! I'm excited about it. And then the next week I'm going to Virginia for a week and then I'm going to a Ben Harper concert in Kansas City and then classes start again! I am looking forward to some more sleeping and reading before school and practicum start up again.

One other cool thing is that I saw this book at Borders called The Emperor of Wine, about the wine critic/ big cheese Robert Parker. There's a whole little section about my uncle and the lawsuit my family's winery brought against him in the early 90's. It was neat to see us in print!

Sigh. Ok, I think I'm off to revel in my free time. No homework!

2006-07-15T14:21:00.000-05:00

St. Louis is a good place to have people visit. Ben is here this weekend (!) and so far we've done all kinds of fun things, including... seeing Pirates at the Moolah, the Science Center, and a midnight showing of Pulp Fiction at the Tivoli. We have also eaten all kinds of yumminess and made a big delicious breakfast when we woke up today around noon. Maybe we'll fit in Ted Drewes tonight after the City Museum! It's too bad it's so hot this weekend, but there's still plenty to do. Like sit in the air conditioning.

2006-06-26T22:41:00.000-05:00

Congratulations, Eve and Simon!

2006-06-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

I am really proud of my church for electing the first female Presiding Bishop today.
I had class this weekend but it was excellent.
I am an agent of death... I ran over a squirrel today on the way home and I'm pretty sure it suffered.
Thursday I leave for Minneapolis and Eveley's wedding! I'm so excited!
Ben is coming to visit me in July. We're going to the City Museum and Turtle Park for sure. I don't know where else yet.
I didn't work out this weekend at all and I feel like a slug.
That's it. I should be doing homework.

2006-06-01T17:02:00.000-05:00

compare and contrast...

2006-05-28T17:20:00.000-05:00

I love weekends.

This weekend,
-Hopie has moved in!
-I had dinner with friends twice, watched the end of Return of the King, cleaned my room, and did some practicum stuff.
-Mer, Matt, Katy, Hopie, George and I all hung out and chatted last night in the apartment.
-George and I cleaned out the fridge and cleared off Steve's former shelf in the pantry.
-I went to church and out for coffee with Lubes.
-I've been watching some Cardinals games because they're not on cable on the weekends.

It's a good thing I have tomorrow to do some work too. Paper-writing should not be allowed during the summer, school or no school. Wish me luck.

2006-05-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

A brief illustration of what I have left:
1. Statistics review of 5 chapters and some practice problems for my final tonight.
2. A 12-15 page lit review/best practices paper. I could include a lengthy explanation about why I'm not too concerned about this paper, but I do have stats to get to this morning.
3. A 20 page paper for my Social Justice class.

Not too bad... could be worse... so of course I'm blogging.

Other points of interest:
1. Hilary got her internship in Boston this summer and I'm so excited for her!
2. Steve and I have picked a date for our Lord of the Rings-watching marathon. Yep, all three. The extended versions.
3. I start my summer practicum May 16.
4. Tuesday I'm going to see Rick in Virginia! I think we're going to do some landscaping.
5. Mona the cat's belly is too big for her body. I'm thinking about getting some diet cat food for her.
6. I recently decided that I want to be a more holy person. I need to figure out how to put that into action.
7. I want to think of more for my numbered list... but
8. I have to go study now.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Have a margarita for me, if you're so inclined.

2006-04-27T09:11:00.000-05:00

-I have found that since installing a new version of Norton Antivirus on my computer, I can no longer view comments on my blog, selected other pop-up-like informational items (like airport codes), or watch videos from The Daily Show. This development disappoints me. (But I have found other ways to look at comments, don't worry.)
-Life is good! But I do have some work to do here in the next couple weeks. Which is natural considering my tendency to procrastinate and choose fun over work most days. And also the fact that it's the end of the semester.
-I had a very good birthday, complete with a pedicure and a trip to the mall, lots of well-wishing phone calls and messages, and a Cardinals game with plenty of beer followed by some delicious (and oh-so-healthy) fast food. And I went to class too, so I wasn't a total slacker. Just partial.
-Last night I watched a recent episode of Scrubs with George and it had a really funny part, but I won't try to capture it here because I don't think it will transfer well. Suffice it to say, I really cracked up and that was awesome.
-Immediately after turning in my last paper on May 9th, I'm going to Virginia to visit Rick. I'm still holding out to go to a re-enactment.
-My nose must not be as congested as it was, because last night I could definitely smell the broccoli Steve cooked for dinner and the poo Mona made right as I was trying to fall asleep. What an inconsiderate creature.
-With that thought... I must go do other things.

2006-04-22T21:29:00.000-05:00

I must say it has been a good couple of weeks. Although... I fear I will soon be paying the price for having fun by having insane amounts of school work to attend to. Ah well.

Good things:

We found a roommate for next year! So I will not in fact have to pay more money to make up for an empty room in the apartment.

I have practicum sites for the summer and next year! That was a big load off my shoulders.

Rick visited for Easter weekend and we had a great visit. We went to a Cardinals game, church, and poker (I took second place!).

One of my classes is totally finished and just a few weeks left of the others. Can't come soon enough!

I am currently watching That Thing You Do! and I love it so much.

I got three Easter cards in the mail. It was quite exciting.

Hopie is living with us this summer and we are going to have TONS of fun. When I'm not going to class or practicum, that is. :)

The not-so-good things:

My mom broke her nose! Keep her in your prayers for a restful and speedy recovery.

Steve will be moving out and I will miss him.

Rick still doesn't live in St. Louis and being apart only gets harder.

This blog is kind of blah. It may be discontinued fairly soon. But we'll see.

2006-03-31T18:09:00.000-06:00

This morning I found a decapitated cockroach on my bedroom floor. Apparently Mona did a good job last night and killed it. Today was a BEAUTIFUL day and I did enjoy being outside and having our windows wide open. I didn't get much done, of course, but it is Friday. There's always tomorrow.

I need to go to the grocery store and get something for dinner and some fruit and other staples. But I think I'm going to wait a bit longer so it won't be so busy.

I guess that's all. I'm hoping to make a bunch of phone calls this weekend and catch up with those I haven't talked to in a while. And maybe I'll make it to girly tv on Sunday! I think both my shows are new... I hope, I hope, I hope.

And finally, in honor of April...

umbrellas.

2006-03-28T23:30:00.000-06:00

Today I got to class a little early and was going to quickly skim through what I was supposed to have read. There was only one other girl in there and she asked if I was ready for class (to which I responded no, of course). Anyhow, we just started chatting and it was one of those friendly unexpected encounters that are so nice to look back on at the end of the day.

And since it is the end of the day, I am going to fish Mona's cloth mouse out from under the dresser and go to bed. Summer registration begins in 8 hours!

2006-03-26T14:47:00.000-06:00

Ok, let's see here.... I finished In Cold Blood and it was great. Anyone have recommendations of really good, descriptive fiction or non-fiction to read next? My mom was here for a few days and we had an excellent visit... shopping, eating at all my favorite places, hanging out, watching movies. I should be writing a paper right now (due tomorrow!) but of course, blogging is more appealing. So is baking cookies, cleaning my room, pretty much anything other than writing a paper. I have some exciting interviews lined up for my concentration practicum next year, but I still don't know what's happening with the summer. Keep your fingers crossed that my master plan (or as close to that as I have) will work out.

Oh, last night I went to see Tsotsi with L and B after stopping by 00zi's birthday party. Happy birthday! Speaking of... I'm supposed to be making a list for my own for someone who doesn't know what to get me. But I don't know what to get me either.

2006-03-16T21:09:00.001-06:00

In lieu of writing any kind of update, I will list several notes of appreciation--that is, people I appreciate or admire or both:

-Rick, for being an altogether wonderful person and for helping me enjoy a relaxing start to Spring Break in Virginia.
-George, for enduring freezing cold and severe sunburn in the course of a week. And also for taking care of Mona the cat in my absence.
-Steve, for being an excellent roommate and bringing an XBox into our lives as a result of his birthday.
-Adele, for calling me out of the blue today, when I had been thinking about how I should call her too.
-My mom, who is coming to visit me in 2 days!
-Ben, who is becoming a cagefighter of sorts.
-My best friend Hilary, for being brave and kind and fun and for joining MySpace, bringing my friend count to 21!
-Truman Capote (yes, I know he is deceased) because I am reading In Cold Blood and it is fantastic.

That is all. Don't forget to wear green tomorrow!

And here is what I believe is an Irish blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back,
the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rain fall soft upon your fields,
and until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of Her hand.

2006-02-26T14:21:00.000-06:00

After a week of internet issues, I am happy to report that it is up and running once again. Hooray for internet! Without it, I might be forced to do homework.

I went to the Love Needs No Cure protest thing yesterday morning and it was very very cold, but I was glad to be a part of it. There were lots of people there, but probably not as many as attended the conference.

Tonight there is no Desperate Housewives, but Grey's Anatomy looks good!

As usual, I am puzzled about what I'm doing with my education-- now and especially post-graduation. I am trying to trust that things will fall into place as they are apt to do... at least for most people.

I re-took the Myers-Briggs test for one of my classes and this time it put me at INFJ. But here's the thing: I don't think I have a very defined personality at all (except for Introversion). I scored 30 on I (out of 30) and I'm within 4 points of the middle on all the other traits.
The top 3 "Job Families" for my personality type are:
Education, Library Sciences, and Training (100)
Schoolteacher, librarian, school administrator, university faculty

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media (93)
Artist, coach, musician, reporter

Community and Social Services (82)
Community service manager, career counselor, clergy, social worker

According to my little printout, the most popular occupations with INFJs are in four major areas: medicine, science, the arts, and education. Some of the least popular occupations for INFJs are Broadcast technician, Commercial art director, and Driver.

Since I'm so close to the middle on 3 out of 4 traits, I can't say I put much stock in this career report. But it is interesting that I can't seem to escape education as a possible career.

2006-02-22T14:43:00.000-06:00

Here's a copy of the info I got at church on Sunday. If you want more info about the demonstration-- times, carpools, shuttles, etc.-- please e-mail me!

LOVE NEEDS NO CURE!!
Action
On February 25, 2006, Focus on the Family and Exodus International are holding their "Love Won Out" conference in St. Louis. This group claims that people can be "cured" of homosexuality. Sadly, this conference will attract persons who may be just coming to terms with their sexual identity or even more distressing, parents who are determined to "save" their children from what they see as the "affliction" of homosexuality.
For more information on these organizations and to learn about their viewpoints you can go to www.family.org for Focus on the Family and www.exodus-international.org to learn more about Exodus International.
The Saint Louis Community is coming together for a peaceful protest of the conference. A group of people from diverse faiths, political groups, psychological and medical professions, and other social action groups are organizing to be present in the vicinity of this conference. We will hold a respectful, joyous, and life, love-affirming demonstration.

2006-02-15T21:57:00.000-06:00

Today was a busy day. But good. I am now half-watching Lost while blogging and otherwise goofing around on the internet.

I am excited for tomorrow morning because I don't have anything I need to do on a schedule. My plan is to go to the gym, study some, do laundry, and perhaps make a delicious breakfast.

I had a nice Valentine's Day, for having a boyfriend who doesn't live here! I made myself dinner and watched a couple episodes of Without a Trace. I also got some beautiful red roses with a card and two boxes of chocolate. Thanks, Rick!

I guess that's it. I'll either start concentrating on Lost so I stop asking George stupid questions about what's happening, or go do something else. Good night!

2006-02-14T22:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

And for those who don't care about Valentine's Day, it's also Arizona Statehood Day. So celebrate Arizona becoming a state!

2006-02-12T12:36:00.000-06:00

Today is Lincoln's birthday.
I would like to celebrate with a nap, but that probably won't happen.

Yesterday I made delicious pumpkin muffins and have been eating them since then.

I got a fair amount of homework done yesterday, but it was a trade-off because I didn't leave the apartment all day.

Now I have to go to a group meeting. Then tonight I'm playing poker! Hopefully I won't lose too much.

2006-02-02T22:40:00.000-06:00

Man, am I tired! I think I will be going to bed soon.

The past couple of weeks have been pretty enjoyable. Rick was here for over a week and we had a great time just hanging out, fixing up my computer (ok, I didn't actually do that), and meeting up with various people for meals and such. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures so I don't have any to post.

School and practicum are going well for now. Maybe I'll expand upon that later.

There have been several randomly funny things I thought about posting at the time they happened, but they are all gone now. So that's all. Hopefully more posts soon.

2006-01-20T14:16:00.000-06:00

Quick update:
I was disenchanted with school because my practicum fell through the week before I was hoping to start. But everything has worked out now. I have a new site I'm excited about, South Grand Senior Ministry, and I start on Monday! I even like the classes I've had so far.

AND... Rick is coming to visit! I'm picking him up at the airport late tonight and he'll be here all week for work. My apartment is also hosting a party tomorrow night after 8 for anyone who'd like to come. I, for one, plan on winning a lot of beer pong games.

That's all. Back to doing some homework and cleaning. Have a great weekend!

2006-01-16T21:57:00.000-06:00

What is it about old Amy Grant songs and grocery stores that make them go together so naturally?

2006-01-11T22:59:00.000-06:00

Increasingly disenchanted with school. More news to come...

2006-01-08T22:32:00.000-06:00

It's been a while... so I'll try to re-cap.

Dec 22-29 Arizona
-went for a hike with my good friend Sarah and some of her family members
-laughed so hard I cried after a dog poop-scooping incident with my brother
-received (and gave, I hope) some lovely Christmas gifts
-picked out a Christmas tree with Ben, which we got discounted since it was 3 days before Christmas
-saw my dad for a few days and went shopping with him
-made a deliciously sweet pumpkin ice cream pie
-ate lots of my grandma's cookies
-went to church on Christmas Eve
-saw most of my high school friends, though not as much as I would have liked
-played some four-handed Those Were the Days with Hilary, as per tradition

Dec 30 St. Louis
-took Steve to a movie (the gay cowboys) and dinner (Maggiano's had a 2 1/2 hour wait, so we hightailed it to House of India) for taking care of my cat
-semi-unpacked and then re-packed

Dec 31-Jan 6 Minnesota
-spent lots of quality time with my Rick
-visited North Dakota for the first (and only?) time in my life
-snowmobiled! I was only a little afraid of dying
-rang in the New Year with a couple of drinks and lots of food and meeting cool people
-played Texas Hold Em and won!
-played bingo with senior citizens and won (once)!
-listened to the Rent soundtrack multiple times
-sat in Paul Bunyan's giant hand
-snuggled next to a human furnace
-had lunch with Eve and Simon in Uptown
-admired the snowmen and frozen bodies of water

Jan 7-present St. Louis
-feeling severely unexcited about paying my tuition
-having some practicum issues, which will hopefully resolve themselves
-returned hesitation about this whole social work thing
-about halfway through Harry Potter 5!
-planning a return to the gym tomorrow after... lots of time... away
-happy to see my roommates and Mona!

Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon. Happy New Year!

2005-12-18T11:59:00.000-06:00

I've been noticing really horrendous drivers more often in the past couple days than normal. It's as if people have a death wish that gets stronger and stronger as Christmas approaches. Maybe if they're coming from the mall it's true...

beware the horrendous drivers, my good-driver friends!

2005-12-15T16:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I bought 2 Christmas cd's at Target for $1 each.

Today I baked 3 batches of cookies.

I am SO getting in the Christmas spirit.

2005-12-07T20:38:00.000-06:00

Compare and Contrast

"Mississippi Girl," by Faith Hill
Well it's a long way from Star, Mississippi
To the big stage i'm singing on tonight
And sometimes the butterflies still get me
When I'm in the spotlight
And some people seem to think that I've changed
That I'm different than I was back then
But in my soul I know that I'm the same way
That I really always been

[Chorus:]Cause a Mississippi girl don't change her ways
Just cause everybody knows her name
Ain't big-headed from a little bit of fame
I still like wearing my old ball cap
Ride my kids around piggy back
They might know me all around the world
But y'all I'm still a Mississippi girl

Well I spent a few weeks in California
They put my face on the big movie screen
But that don't mean I've forgotten where I came from
That's just me chasing dreams, yeah

[Chorus:] repeat twice

Mississippi girl
oohh
Mississippi girl
Mississippi girl
yeah yeah
oo ohh
Mississippi girl

In my opinion, Faith Hill cannot pull off this song. Every time I hear it, I pretty much think "yeah right." Her whole point is that she hasn't changed, that she's still just a "Mississippi girl." But I think she just points out rather obviously that she's super-famous, she's been in movies, she gets to stand on stage, and that people know her all around the world. Way to keep yourself grounded in reality. By reminding people how grounded in reality you are despite your gargantuan fame.

"Celebrity," by Brad Paisley
Someday I'm gonna be famous, do I have talent, well no
These days you don't really need it thanks to reality shows
Can't wait to date a supermodel, can't wait to sue my dad
Can't wait to wreck a Ferrari on my way to rehab

[1st Chorus]'Cause when you're a celebrity
It's adios reality
You can act just like a fool
People think you're cool
Just 'cause you're on TV
I can throw a major fit
When my latte isn't just how I like it
When they say I've gone insane
I'll blame it on the fame
And the pressures that go with
Being a celebrity

I'll get to cry to Barbara Walters when things don't go my way
And I'll get community service no matter which law I break
I'll make the supermarket tabloids, they'll write some awful stuff
But the more they run my name down the more my price goes up

[2nd Chorus]'Cause when you're a celebrity
It's adios reality
No matter what you do
People think you're cool
Just 'cause you're on TV
I can fall in and out of love
Have marriages that barely last a month
When they go down the drain
I'll blame it on the fame
And say it's just so tough
Being a celebrity

[Bridge]So let's hitch up the wagons and head out west
To the land of the fun and the sun
We'll be real world bachelor jackass millionaires
Hey hey, Hollywood, here we come

[3rd Chorus]'Cause when you're a celebrity
It's adios reality
No matter what you do
People think you're cool
Just 'cause you're on TV
Being a celebrity
Yeah celebrity

Now here's a song that keeps it real about being famous. While poking fun at stupid things celebrities have done, I might add. And can I just say, I did see Teri Hatcher almost break down to Barbara Walters about how drastically her life can change in just a year. So that's my country music thumbs up to Brad Paisley, thumbs down for Faith Hill.

2005-12-06T08:43:00.000-06:00

It snowed!

I must admit, I was caught off guard by this.

I gasped when I looked out the window.

2005-12-05T15:21:00.000-06:00

Me and my Laura
at our last party.
Thanks for the picture, s00zi!

2005-12-03T11:05:00.000-06:00

Some items:

-my cd burner, which I thought was broken, is in fact not broken (yay!)
-I saw RENT last night and absolutely loved it
-I have yet to unpack from Thanksgiving
-my room smelled like cat poo when I woke up
-G's bday party is tonight!
-I should be writing a paper right now
-it's cold. brrrrrrrr...

2005-12-01T17:03:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Rick!!!

When I was little, I told my grandma that people didn't get old until they were 80, so you have a ways to go.

2005-11-22T09:31:00.000-06:00

The forecast for Arizona looks like this.

Man, this is gonna be rough.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-11-17T20:27:00.000-06:00

Thumbs up

-despite having mono, I don't feel like I have mono
-my Foundations I professor, unbeknownst to my class before Wednesday, is apparently an avid square-dancer and travels to square dances all over the country with his partner
-Wicked!-- I saw it this afternoon and it is as great as everyone says it is
-Chicken Little (the movie)
-mulling spices for making apple cider
-getting to wear fun scarves and gloves
-Thursday night means new episode of Without a Trace

Thumbs down

-despite not feeling like I have mono, I still do
-related to above, no beer pong for me tomorrow night
-the women who sat next to us at Wicked!, who came for only the 2nd half and left before curtain call
-school-related stressors, esp. not having a practicum (yet), and class registration (tomorrow)
-having to wear scarves and gloves because it's SO freaking cold outside
-"extended" part of LOST totaling about 3 minutes

2005-11-15T23:10:00.000-06:00

I have mono.

2005-11-10T22:03:00.000-06:00

I did absolutely nothing today and it was awesome. I had lunch with Gretchen, went to see The Weatherman, and took a nap to Oprah. So... I guess tomorrow I should start being a good student again.

Is it Thanksgiving yet?

2005-11-09T22:11:00.000-06:00

Until today

I totally forgot how fantastic orange Tic Tacs are.

2005-11-07T15:55:00.000-06:00

I forgot to post Halloweenie pictures. (Hahahahaha, I said weenie!)

Here is me with KISS.

And here is a picture of Rick washing off the pumpkins.

So there are some pictures. I had my last weekend class for the semester this past weekend so now I can hopefully start paying attention to some of the things and people I've been neglecting. And get normal amounts of sleep. I'm going home for Thanksgiving in two weeks! I guess that's it... I also want to say a huge congratulations to British John for finishing his first-ever marathon in NYC!

2005-11-01T20:42:00.000-06:00

I'm going to see Rudy Giuliani speak on Saturday! I'm SUPER excited!!!

2005-10-31T10:12:00.000-06:00

US Airways lost my luggage.

It's Monday.

It is raining.

BUT-- I am actually in a pretty good mood.

And will be in an even better mood when my suitcase arrives.

OH YEAH! Happy Halloween! Hope it's spooky.

2005-10-29T00:19:00.000-05:00

I'm here in Williamsburg, VA visiting Rick this weekend. It's a beautiful day and we're about to make some pancakes before we start a pumpkin-carving extravaganza. Actually, Rick is making the pancakes while I sit around. :)

I think tomorrow we're going to check out colonial Williamsburg, which I've never seen. I hope to feel... colonial. Minus the hard manual labor.

I have a big group presentation for one of my classes next week. I'm talking about domestic violence in Nigeria. I actually think it's going to be fine, but I'll need to brush up on it before Tuesday. There's always something due next... I can't wait for Thanksgiving!

I'll be craving the warm Arizona sunshine by then, I know.

I guess that's all for now. Happy trick-or-treating!

2005-10-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

There's an interesting article in the NY Times today about Steve Earle, a country singer and anti-death penalty activist. I heard him speak when I did the Lilly Summer Discernment Institute two years ago. He has had quite a life and is very passionate about what he does. It's a good read.

2005-10-19T22:41:00.000-05:00

Poop. Well... great season, anyway, Cards!

See ya next year at the new Busch!

2005-10-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

2005-10-17T23:07:00.000-05:00

The mood at home tonight was exuberant as the Cardinals pulled off an unbelievable win! George was jumping up and down screaming. Maybe everything's bigger in Texas, but we have David Eckstein and Albert Pujols.

I was semi-productive with school work today, but I have a slight headache tonight, possibly from lack of caffeine. I also felt compelled to leave the library today when I was napping and my stomach started growling loudly. After a group meeting, I made it home with time for a run before dark, ate some dinner, and baked some delicious (if I do say so myself) peanut butter cookies.

This week is not as busy as some, but I still have lots to do. Maybe I'll squeeze in time to watch The Sting, which has been my Netflix pick for about the last month.

That's it for tonight. I'm going to try and sleep off my headache.

2005-10-11T22:40:00.000-05:00

I have been told that I should post a new entry, seeing as it's been a while. So even though I really should be reading for classes or getting ready for bed, I don't want to disappoint my adoring readers (or one of my adoring readers, at least). Where to begin...

First of all, Lesley and Drew's wedding was fantastic! It was such a nice ceremony and reception and the bridesmaids were pampered all day long! It was also just really great to see Lesley again and see her so happy (and handling the stress of getting married quite well, I must say). I also had a wonderful date for the wedding-- Rick, who I think will be my date for quite a few more future events.

Once I got back from the wedding, I had an enormous amount of school work and reading to do. I still do, but it now seems more manageable because I just turned in a big paper this afternoon.

The apartment is good (although I'm calling the landlord tomorrow because my shower has pretty much ceased to drain with any sense of expediency), the roommates are good, the Cardinals... I *heart* them, Mona the cat is good. And it's finally feeling like fall, which I am super-excited about.

Above is an updated picture of my increasingly bizarre kitty. Oh, and if anyone would like to cat-sit over Thanksgiving and/or Christmas break, I don't need one, but my friend Katy does (for her cat Mousse), so I can relay the message if you're interested.

2005-09-28T09:24:00.000-05:00

This morning I entertained the notion that Mona the cat, because of her incredible weirdness, may have the slightest form of brain damage.

To which Steve said, "Did you ever stop to consider that maybe-- just maybe-- she takes after you?

2005-09-26T08:43:00.000-05:00

Hmmm... accurate in some respects:

Your Birthdate: April 25

Your birth on the 25th day of the month (7 energy) modifies your life path by giving you some special interest in technical, scientific, or other complex and often hard to understand subjects.
You may become something of a perfectionist and a stickler for details.
Your thinking is logical and intuitive, rational and responsible.

Your feelings may run deep, but you are not very likely to let them show.
This birthday makes you a more private person, more introspective and perhaps more inflexible.
In friendships you are very cautious and reserved.
You are probably inventive, and given to unique approaches and solutions.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Although you can make a lot of stuff up and something is bound to be accurate, right? Does anyone know what "7 energy" is? Does anyone care?

2005-09-14T22:54:00.000-05:00

Goodness gracious

Lots of possibilities for updating... perhaps I'll do it in numbers of no particular order.

1. School. Classes started Aug. 31st. I really like two of them (Human Diversity and Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups), like two more (Human Behavior and Social, Economic & Political Environment), and somewhat like the fifth, Social Welfare Policies & Services.

2. People. I have been pleased with the extent to which I've been seeing and/or talking to my friends. I've also met some cool people (ok, girls) through school. (GWB is 87% female.)

3. Charleston, WV. Lesley's wedding is just a couple of weeks away! I'm picking up my newly-altered bridesmaid dress tomorrow.

4. Mona the cat. She's still very cute and getting bigger! She usually wakes me up in the morning demanding to be fed.

5. Pleasant news. Apparently I qualify for a new phone! I'm going to go get it tomorrow. Many exclamation points required here!!!!

6. The song "Beverly Hills," by Weezer. I like it.

7. Hip-hop aerobics. I'm going to a class tomorrow with Justin. We'll see. Also on that theme, Lil' Jon is coming to WILD.

2005-09-02T00:20:00.000-05:00

Heavy boots

Despite starting class this week and having lots of novel, exciting things going on... it's been a sad several days. There isn't really much I can say about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, except to point out the obvious fact that the situation seems worse and worse with each story or article or e-mail I read. Add to that almost a thousand new deaths in Iraq the other day, and the somewhat far-removed from me but still saddening death of the brother of a friend of a friend, and it makes me wonder about the world and about God.

I do believe there's good news to be found somewhere in all of these events. But I'm not at a place where I want to look for it yet.

I read a book this summer called Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer. I LOVED it. But I bring it up because the main character (a young boy) writes about tragedy... thoughts, memories, and feelings which give him "heavy boots." I keep coming back to that image this week. I think we all wear "heavy boots" in the midst of such chaos. We are a human family.

2005-08-28T21:33:00.000-05:00

Best wishes, thoughts, and prayers for all those who are leaving New Orleans before Katrina gets there. Without trying to downplay the seriousness of the massive evacuation, there is a neat picture here of 3 dolphins who were relocated to a hotel swimming pool.

2005-08-18T17:17:00.000-05:00

An Arizonan at heart...

Last night, I went to the Cardinals/Diamondbacks game. I had decided to wear Cardinal red... largely to avoid looks or comments from crazy fans. The Cardinals won 5-0, as they are a much better team than the Dbacks. But still, I found myself unable to cheer for them. I must be more loyal to my Dbacks than I realized, despite not knowing much about the team anymore. Maybe it's just that I like to root for the underdog. In any case, I still had a great time with Laura!

I had lunch with Lindsay today. She's getting ready to move to Philadelphia, so this was our last lunch for quite a while, I'm afraid! She mentioned that I never include her in my blog when we've had coffee or something... and since she's been a good friend to me this year and I will miss her, I decided it's about time. So here's to you, Lindsay. Travel safely!

Bad news from today is that apparently I had THREE Wash U parking tickets on my record. I think I remember two of them, but three?! And I had to take care of them before I could purchase a parking permit. Blast. I suppose I can be thankful that the permit doesn't cost as much as it would at some other schools. And also that my mother is kindly buying it for me. Thanks, Mom! Here is a Newsweek article about college students and cars... according to the article, UCLA raised nearly $1 million from parking tickets. I'm so glad I could help out my alma mater.

2005-08-13T11:36:00.000-05:00

A note of appreciation...

for Laura, my good friend and freshman-year roommate. For staying up with me until 3 a.m., even though she had school at 8 a.m. the next morning, so that we could watch the meteor shower in her back yard on Thursday night. And also because she bid for Cardinals-Diamondbacks tickets for us on eBay and WON! You rock, Laura.

2005-08-11T09:31:00.000-05:00

Last night I went to see The Sound of Music at the Muny with three friends. Naturally, we sat in the free seats, so we had about an hour to just sit and observe the world around us. There was a fair amount of clouds in the sky, which made the sunset quite nice, actually. I noticed one cloud that reminded me of something. At first I thought it was an elephant, but it lacked a head and ears. Finally, I decided that it was a red wagon. About thirty seconds later, it stopped looking so much like a wagon and then about two minutes later, it wasn't one shape, but two, neither of which remotely looked like a red wagon. The funny thing, to me at least, was that I couldn't actually see the cloud moving. I watched and watched, but the wisps didn't appear to drift. So that got me thinking that my red wagon cloud was a little like life. You don't notice things shifting around you in the slightest and then all of a sudden you look at the big picture and it has completely changed, right under your nose.

I of course knew that traffic would be terrible upon leaving the Muny. But let me state some annoyances about the exit process. First of all, they make an announcement before the show even starts asking people not to start exiting before the curtain call. However, as soon as the show is over (and even during the last musical number), people start leaving in droves. It mostly annoyed me that the audience had allowed themselves to be entertained for 2 1/2 hours (the show was very entertaining, by the way) and then didn't have the courtesy to stay and express appreciation for the hard-working and talented cast. It also annoyed me that, because so many people were trying to leave, everyone was forced to stand up, either to see the stage over the people leaving in front of them, or to leave themselves. This means that the Muny cast gets a standing ovation (every night, I presume), whether or not they deserve one. Finally, a word about traffic.
#1: When an ambulance with lights and sirens on is trying to get through, it is generally agreed that one should move out of its way.
#2: When two lines of traffic are merging into one, it is generally agreed that every other car should be allowed in, not several pushy drivers nosing in front of one kind or timid driver.
#3: SUVs are ridiculous, especially when transporting two or less persons.

Alright, I seem to have exhausted my reflection and rant for this post. That is all.

2005-08-09T10:20:00.000-05:00

thanks to Caroline for some fun

Directions: Type "(your name) is" with the quotes, into a Google search then pick out your favorite 10 responses. Copy, then repost your responses:

1. Laurie is available to speak at conferences year-round
2. laurie is a very remarkable lady i met via the "internet"
3. Laurie is burning down my house
4. Laurie is giving Mike an opportunity to air his concerns
5. Laurie is a village located in Morgan County, Missouri.
6. Laurie is very genderless to me
7. Grumpy Laurie is in line for an Emmy
8. Laurie is no longer virginal or innocent, she is Michael's match
9. Laurie is flying home from Dallas for a long weekend
10. Laurie is also an accomplished Author, Cartoonist, and Artist.

2005-08-01T17:48:00.000-05:00

This is my cat! I went and picked her up this afternoon. After much deliberation, I decided on the name Mona.

Mona is currently hiding under my bed in the corner. And she has a runny nose. But so far, she is very sweet and affectionate.

2005-07-31T23:13:00.000-05:00

What a weekend! It included Thai food, beer pong, Nerts, Vietnamese food, naps, reading, watching movies, church, A Prairie Home Companion, and a girls' night watching "Bridezilla" (I don't subject my male friends to entertainment like that). All of these things I find enjoyable.

And... in other exciting news... I'm picking up my cat tomorrow! Hopefully I will post some pictures of her.

I'm also going home on Thursday to see the family and celebrate Ben's graduation. If anyone wants to give me a ride to the airport, I'm still in need!

2005-07-26T23:14:00.000-05:00

Tonight I went and saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Gretchen. I thought it was awesome! Johnny Depp was HILARIOUS as Willy Wonka because he was so incredibly weird. I also never liked the original, so I had higher hopes for the remake.

Another Tim Burton movie that looks awesome is Corpse Bride. Thanks to my brother for pointing this one out... I just might see it when it comes out.

2005-07-24T16:53:00.000-05:00

A friend was recently asking how, exactly, I spend my days since I technically "do nothing." This started me thinking about the things that have been really important to me this past year and here are some of them:

getting all the sleep I need-- I think this is somewhere around 9 hrs a night, although I'm afraid I won't be able to keep it up once school starts

reading a whole lot-- I've loved reading anything and everything I want to. And I still have a lot I haven't gotten to yet

my friends-- it's been great to be a person who is always available to hang out and to spend time doing whatever with people, even if it's just sitting around, shooting the shit with my roommates

introspection-- I can't do too much of this, but I think I needed some time to not be working toward something and just have a lot of alone time. I'll miss it, I'm sure

I'm glad to be back in St. Louis, despite it being a really humid oven here. It's like 8 million times worse than Arizona heat. (8 million is my number of choice for exaggerations) Alaska was AWESOME. It was so beautiful and we saw huge mountains, brilliant blue glaciers, and all kinds of animals... but no penguins.

I have yet to get a cat, but hopefully I'll have one by the end of the week. I don't think I'll know what to name it until I see it. One other random thing... I had a dream last night in which several of my friends could turn into cats.

2005-07-07T23:27:00.000-05:00

Sigh.

I must say that waking up to my NPR and almost immediately hearing the words "London" and "bombings" was not the most fabulous of ways to start the day. I don't usually delve into current affairs here... suffice it to say that I do wish I could personally deliver condolences to those who lost love ones.

Since I'm leaving for another couple weeks, I went to visit the hospice patients I volunteer for. They're both in a facility and I guess I don't often think about them actually worsening, just maintaining a general level of fraility. But today they both seemed weaker and, I suppose, closer to the end. Overall, my visits were good, but they certainly added more opportunity for introspection in an already-reflective day for me.

Aside from that, I was a good little packer today. My suitcase is pretty well stuffed, so don't expect me to bring back any huge souvenirs. I'll meet up with my family around noon in Seattle and then we have the weekend to tool around there!

When I get back... it'll be time to think about a kitten! Awwwww. Kitten.

2005-07-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

One thing about leaving Arizona Wednesday evening-- there's a wildfire burning north of the valley. Last time I checked, it was at 173,000 acres and 40 percent contained. But what was interesting to see was all the smoke. Mostly, it looked like a huge cloud, but the wind blew some of it away from the fire itself and was actually kind of gray. It's so eerie to see sunlight through smoke. And it's also incredible what a lightning strike or an abandoned campfire can morph into.

Today I took a nap on our new southwest-looking sofa and then had dinner with my Laura. It was also one of Chad's last nights in town, so he, Gretchen, Dave, and I went out for some drinks and a little bit of dancing (we didn't actually dance much). Farewell, Chad... we'll miss you!

This weekend is an apartment 3N roommate bonding trip to Chicago! I'm so excited for fireworks!

2005-06-29T06:14:00.000-05:00

Sleepy

This morning I had breakfast with my mom and brother. At 4:45 a.m. We have to do it early because Ben goes to school so early. But now I am tired.

Yesterday was Ben's birthday--21! He seems to enjoy being one step closer to old-fart-land and made several trips to buy alcohol so he could be carded. I went with him and four of his friends to play laser tag last night. It turned out to be pretty fun! I never want to do things like that before I do them because I don't like the idea of getting pissed off and overly competitive with 12- and 13-year old laser tag enthusiasts.

After laser tag, the family went to dinner at this sushi place, where I ate fully cooked food. No sushi for me. I gave Ben some money and butter knives with pirate handles. From Mom, he got an mp3 player (but not an iPod, which is good because he shuns trends and brand name goods).

After a late lunch with my immediate family and my grandma (and hopefully Hilary), I will return to the Midwest tonight. It will be good to see the friends I've missed and sleep in my other own bed.

If you haven't already done it, vote for the All Star game. Pujols and Eckstein need more votes!

2005-06-25T10:26:00.000-05:00

A small win

The Diamondbacks won last night! The final score was 2-1, plus the game didn't really determine anything, so I can't say it was a "big win." Therefore, it was a small win.

Some differences between the Arizona baseball experience and the St. Louis baseball experience:
1) the stadium-- BOB is wonderfully climate-controlled. It was about 110 degrees outside and maybe 75 inside... really it's the only way you can have a baseball team in Phoenix through the summer.
2) the vendors-- BOB seems to sell a greater variety of game snacks. I saw a "candy guy" and a margarita guy, plus there are lots of non-ballpark-food places like Peter Piper Pizza and Panda Express. (I still had a Diamondbacks dog). And I didn't get a beer because they sell only MGD and Miller Lite.
3) the fans-- first, St. Louis has more. It is truly a baseball town, while the Phoenix metro area does not give off that vibe. Maybe it was different when they won the World Series (in fact, I'm almost positive it was different then), but the only Dbacks shirts I've seen outside of the game were people who were running in the mornings. So they were wearing them TO SWEAT IN. And granted, last night's game was against the Tigers, but it was Friday night and there were about 25,000 people there-- it seemed relatively empty. Busch packs them in.
4) (related to #3) the excitement-- the crowd was not as into the game as Cards fans get. Every Cards game I've been to- no matter who they're playing or what day of the week- every play and hit gets the crowd really fired up.

Now, I'm not judging the superiority of one experience over the other. I still love my Diamondbacks. But I love the Cardinals too! If I go to one of the series games in August, I might wear my Arizona shirt and my Cardinals hat. No one can get mad at me for that, right?

Ok, so we ended the night with ice cream at Sugar Bowl. I had a root beer float. That's all, folks.

2005-06-24T11:19:00.000-05:00

Recent fun things: Yesterday I went shopping with Hilary and bought things I really don't need (but which are cute nonetheless). We also saw Mad Hot Ballroom, which was sooooo good! I highly recommend it. Don't know if it's playing in St. Louis or not, but it's at Camelview in Scottsdale. This morning I got up at 5 to go on a 22-mile bike ride with Mary Ann. I borrowed Sarah's bike (thanks, Sarah!) and despite not having ridden a bike in years (seriously), it was great fun and I didn't wipe out. Though I think I came close once or twice. Today Hilary and I are getting pedicures and my mom and I are going to see the Dbacks take on the Tigers. Hooray for being at home! If only my brother would show his face around here a little more....

2005-06-22T16:13:00.000-05:00

George has a blog!

I had a dentist appointment yesterday. I needed to have two teeth filled. That happened this afternoon. I don't know how it is that I end up with cavities. I floss every day, brush regularly, and still I end up with half of my mouth completely numb. My brother, on the other hand, has much poorer dental care habits and hardly ever has a problem. I remember going to the dentist with him one time after he had eaten a Butterfinger and they told him everything looked great. I was probably told I needed to floss more. So as a consolation prize to myself for my "sufferation," I stopped at Sonic and bought a watermelon creamslush. Yeah, try saying that with a numb mouth. But it's yummy... I can taste it on almost 3/4 of my tongue.

My mom bought me a new pair of running shoes yesterday. If only I can make myself get up before 7 am so I can go exercise before it gets too hot. Yeah... I'll let you know when that happens.

2005-06-20T13:52:00.000-05:00

My blog looks weird on this library computer. Oh well. I had a great time in CA with Hilary and her family doing the graduation celebration thing. She gets to Arizona tomorrow with her mom and grandmother and then we'll be able to do lots of fun things together. So far, we're going to sun ourselves by her pool, go shopping, and go to a baseball game. We'll think of more. I only have 12 minutes remaining, but maybe I'll be nice and leave before my time is up because there's a line. I'm going to go get some lunch and then back to the air-conditioned home. And I'm driving my brother's truck-- I love the shifter!

2005-06-16T15:01:00.000-05:00

I made it safely home, so now I am enjoying the 98-degree weather and lots of sunshine! I already went hiking this morning with Sarah and her family. It was a great trail and reminded me that I actually do like being awake in the early morning. Tomorrow I'm headed to Davis for Hilary's graduation. It should be great! Then back here to hopefully see more friends and maybe do more hiking? I may also go see Batman tonight with the family. I guess that's all for now.

2005-06-12T22:53:00.000-05:00

My weekend in Memphis was a good one. But for now, I am exhausted, so maybe I'll write more on it later. Three days till AZ!

2005-06-10T09:34:00.000-05:00

Oh, right.... I'll tag John, Sarah Jane, Lindsay, Caroline, and Katy. Have fun, readers!

2005-06-08T23:43:00.000-05:00

Ooooh... tagged by Mike! This should be fun...

How Many Books Do You Own?
After a quick scan of my bookshelves, I'd say about 75 here, probably a couple dozen in Arizona or floating around with other people.

What is the last book you bought?
For myself? I'm not totally sure, but I think it was probably How to be Good, by Nick Hornby.

What is the last book you read?
Just finished She's Come Undone, by Wally Lamb.

Name 5 Books that mean a lot to you.
(in no particular order):1. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens 2. Girl Meets God, by Lauren Winner 3. All That's Holy, by Tom Levinson 4. We Need to Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver 5. Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White

This just makes me realize how much more I want to read!

2005-06-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

Just got back from the Cards game-- they won! 9-2. There were probably as many Boston fans as there were Cards fans... well no, not as many, but more than there usually are for the opposing team. And there was nearly a rumble because pitchers kept hitting batters. I think Boston pitchers hit 3 guys (well, Larry Walker got hit twice) and our pitchers hit two. Good game, though.

Also, I'm going to Memphis this weekend! I can't wait!

2005-06-04T16:42:00.000-05:00

Regardless of what you thought of the most recent Star Wars installment, this is pretty funny. Although you should be warned that it's not a squeaky-clean critique, so don't let any kids read over your shoulder. I especially like the second comic down.

2005-06-02T22:54:00.000-05:00

Safely returned from the Grant's Farm excursion! It was actually pretty cool. You ride around the fields on this little tram and the guide points out animals like deer, elk, bison, special birds, etc. At one point he pointed out the biggest deer on the property, which happened to be about 10 feet from a John Deere tractor, so I thought he meant that and was making a joke. No, there was an actual deer. But that was my moment of self-amusement for the day.

Tonight were the final games of the volleyball league, and we got first place! Our team won some money and got t-shirts. Yay! We even won our first game with only 3 of us. That's all the news of the day. I think I'm going to shower, and sleep in my new championship t-shirt.

2005-06-01T23:23:00.000-05:00

Well...

(sigh)

the Suns lost. Ok, so I don't really follow basketball in the first place. But I was excited that the Suns did so well this season and had MVP Steve Nash and were in the playoffs and forced a Game 5 because it brought back fond memories of being all about the Suns when Charles Barkley led them through the playoffs in 1993 (I was 11).

That being said, disappointment aside, I was impressed by the great sportsmanship both the Suns and the Spurs showed after the final buzzer. There was a lot of inter-team hugging and butt slaps and such. So props to both sides for that. And to the Suns for an incredible season.

After about a month of trying to get through Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I have finally given up. It could be a little over my head-- I'm willing to admit that-- but mostly I just don't care. It failed to engross me. So I've gone back to Pulitzer Prize-winning fiction with Empire Falls. I'm already about a fourth of the way through and I'm liking it very much.

After a random grocery store run-in with some former members of Uncle Joe's, we have planned a potluck for Friday night. I am looking forward to it. Although I don't know what I'll contribute yet.

On tomorrow's agenda is a trip to Grant's Farm. First, I confused it with Eckert's, where you can go to pick your own apples and other produce items (in Illinois). THEN, I got it confused with Knott's Berry Farm (which I think is in California and has rides, in addition to selling jam). So I was quickly corrected... in actuality, it appears that Grant's Farm is a one-time or some-time home of the former President/General Grant and is much like a large outdoor wildlife park/zoo. I was told to watch out for clothing-eating goats. We shall see... maybe I'll write up a full report upon my return.

2005-05-30T13:12:00.000-05:00

Great weekend....

Friday night I went and saw British John's musical, The Kiss of the Spiderwoman. It was very well done and John was awesome! Then we went down to the Big Bang, where Amee was exceptionally pleased to hear both Toxic and Total Eclipse of the Heart. We topped off the night with cheese fries and made our way home.

Saturday I went to a BBQ in Castlewood Park. It was the perfect day for being outside... we played a full game of volleyball, threw around the frisbee, ate and laughed (though not simultaneously, to prevent choking). Saturday night was low-key with a trip to Borders and renting Meet the Fockers to watch with George.

I set my alarm for Sunday morning to go to church at 9. It went off... I got up... but then I decided to skip church and get some more sleep. So I put in LOTR: Return of the King and watched/napped my way through that. Later on, I went with a group to the Rib America festival downtown to see Cowboy Mouth. They put on a great show! I would love to see them again sometime. I was dripping sweat by the time it was over, but it was worth it.

And so far today, I have had lunch with Laura, Amar, and Robin, and I think George and I are going to Star Wars at some point this afternoon. Good thing I figured out what the Sith was beforehand. To be completely honest, I'm sort of bracing myself for some really bad acting. But I hear that's only a problem in the "romantic" scenes. We'll see....

Happy Memorial Day!

2005-05-22T23:07:00.000-05:00

Recap of the last week:

Tuesday: Steve and I went to see the Lifehouse concert at Mississippi Nights. I really like Lifehouse. I thought they were great... even if we chose seats directly in front of some giant speakers and became slightly hearing-impaired. I also found two of the three band members very attractive. Annoyance of the evening: Steve and I both ordered 4 beers. I drank 3.5 and was definitely feeling it. He was perfectly fine and able to drive us home. The explanation is that he 1) has a higher tolerance (I will go along with this, although I think I have a pretty high tolerance for being a girl), and he 2) ate dinner beforehand. Still.... no real end to that, just "still." We also were right on the edge of the 'under-21 pit' and so I feel sufficiently up to date on the current skimpy clothing trends among high-schoolers.

Thursday: We had a volleyball game and got demolished 0-3 by a team we had beat 3-0 before. That sucked. I think it's because we were rotating in and out a lot and we had some substitutions. But we won our second game, so at least we got to leave in better spirits. We only play for fun, anyway. At least, I only play for fun. (But winning is still nice.) I made it home in time to watch my favorite tv show, Without A Trace. And in typical season finale-cliffhanger style, there's a possibility that one or both of the two hot men in the cast could have been shot to death. They were successful in making me want to tune in next season, but I refuse to believe that a character has died!

I guess I did stuff on the other days of the week as well, but nothing that I care to write about. I just decided that I am going home for 2 weeks at the end of June AND going to my best friend Hilary's graduation from UC Davis. I'm soooooo looking forward to it!

The whole concept of an online journal is sort of bothering me tonight. I definitely censor myself here because I'm very conscious of the possibility for anyone to read what I write. But what I'm left to write about feels terribly mundane to me. I guess I do this for me, though, not necessarily anyone else, so if people are reading, then I probably shouldn't care if they think it's mundane or not. Maybe that last sentence doesn't even make sense. Oh well... I think I'll go write in my real journal now.

2005-05-16T21:46:00.000-05:00

I'm back from Texas... and I had a great time! I guess I expected Waco to be nothing more than a dusty little hole in the ground, so I was pleasantly surprised by the reality of Baylor and its surroundings. It was tons of fun hanging out with Sarah and her family. She was one of 22 (I think) people who graduated with a 4.0. That is so unfathomable for me that I'm still amazed by her. Congratulations, Sarah!

It was really interesting to see the differences in ceremony at a Christian university. First off, they didn't have a big-name speaker (like Wash U books years in advance). The president, who apparently resigned amid certain controversies, gave the speech. He talked about the growing social pressures facing Christians and the importance of having strong Christian conviction out in the real world. I didn't have much of a problem with the speech, except that I wished he had been more specific. I don't know the exact words, but if he said that the graduates should not compromise on fundamentals of belief, for instance, did that mean that they should not be shy about expressing belief in Jesus (which is one thing), or was it more along the lines of fighting against gay rights and rejecting the "theory" of evolution (which is another thing entirely)? It's an interesting read.

One of the things we did over the weekend was watch a Suns-Mavericks playoff game. It made me remember why I liked basketball when I liked basketball. It was actually pretty exciting, and the Suns ended up way ahead at the end. I had heard about one Suns player named Paul Shirley before. He only plays something like 3 minutes a game, but he's gotten all this media attention for keeping an online journal on life in the NBA. I haven't read much of it, but I think I will. He seems quite funny. If you link to it, check out the May 7 entry (second one down).

I guess that's all for tonight. The weather in St. Louis was beautiful today... I'm hopeful for more of the same tomorrow!

2005-05-10T22:17:00.000-05:00

Ok, Desperate Housewives watchers (come on, I KNOW I'm not the only one who's gotten hooked)... which housewife are you?

Apparently, I am Lynette.

2005-05-09T22:37:00.000-05:00

My weekend in a nutshell:
-BBQ goodness on Friday
-Drinking celebration on Saturday-- hosted by our apartment
-Mother's Day phone call
-Hardcore decision-making
-Piano concert downtown
-Cards game on Saturday (they lost, but it was close)

Today I have had a sore throat all day and tried to sleep it off. I think it helped a little... I will try again tonight.

Thursday morning I'm going to Texas to see Sarah graduate from Baylor! Woohoo!

2005-05-06T09:12:00.000-05:00

A few words about margaritas:

1. they are delicious
2. they come in many delicious flavors, i.e. strawberry. I, however, prefer the regular kind... frozen, of course
3. when consuming margaritas, one should take into account the time it takes to digest them before attempting physical activity such as, oh, let's say volleyball
4. they are the natural choice for any Cinco de Mayo celebration

In other news, I got pictures back from trips to Miami, AZ, the Lake trip, and MS. They're pretty great if you want to see them sometime.

2005-05-04T17:27:00.000-05:00

Back from Mississippi...
I enjoyed some good old Southern hospitality and spent time with dear friends, catching up and sharing stories.

My room is in disarray, but my life feels in order. At least somewhat.

It is a bright, sunshiny day!

2005-04-28T21:37:00.000-05:00

free association... sort of

volleyball
wet
cold
sandy
winners

thursday
good
raining
boots (?)

friday
better
joy
rest

lovely
friends
music
laughter
warmth

2005-04-26T23:22:00.000-05:00

I had a great birthday yesterday! I can't remember ever having a bad birthday, but yesterday ranks right up there in goodness. In the morning, I went to the car dealership and got a new hubcap where it's been missing since September. Then I went and washed my car. There's something so satisfying about doing it yourself and now my car is a happy (and beautifully clean) car. I got a pedicure (light pink toenails), watched Love Actually in the afternoon, had dinner and drinks with friends, and came home to sleep it all off with my green teddy bear friend Ernest. I also got some nice gifts, flowers from my mama, cards, e-mails, and lots of phone calls. It was great to feel so loved! That's what the celebration of your birth should be, right? So thanks to all you who helped make it happy.

I subbed in for sand volleyball tonight. The sand was so cold I couldn't feel my toes after a while! But I think I've mostly recovered. I may have to wear two layers of socks to fall asleep, though. I also did laundry. My, what a gripping life you do lead.

All for now.

2005-04-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

I actually don't have anything in mind to post. I'm just enjoying some good music, the cloudy day, and the fact that I'm spending the next 48 hours or so with good people.

I am taking with me:
-Boggle
-Scattergories
-Playing cards
-my bright green bear, Ernest
-chocolate-chip cookies (made from a mix-- I cheated)

I'll be back on Sunday. There's a faculty piano recital Sunday at 7:30 pm if anyone wants to go with me. I think it's in Graham, but I'm not positive about that.

2005-04-20T13:45:00.000-05:00

Cards play the Cubs tonight! And I'm going to the game! Keep your fingers crossed that the predicted thunderstorms will not make an appearance.

2005-04-18T22:53:00.000-05:00

Today I was not unreasonably afflicted by allergy irritations. I noticed that some of the trees have already lost their spring blossoms and are into the full green of summer. I enjoy this time of year.

I guess there were a lot of my fellow 2004 graduates in town this past weekend. But I already see the people I like fairly frequently. The ones I like who moved away were not here over the weekend, sadly.

Today I bought a pair of shorts that I have nicknamed "lesbian shorts." I realize this is incredibly un-PC, so those of you who don't know me well, please don't take offense. My immediate impulse to call them lesbian shorts did not keep me from buying them, obviously.

This weekend I am going to Lake of the Ozarks with friends. I am going to be joyful and eat banana pancakes.

2005-04-16T15:56:00.000-05:00

Highlights:

-Ironman Arizona... George did awesome and it was fun to be a spectator!
-I'm on Day 13 of my 3-week-long experiment with being a vegetarian.
-Allergies are on full attack. I am combatting their forces with little pink allergy pills.
-It's another "play whatever we want" weekend for the radio stations here. Right now it's AC/DC... what exactly are "American thighs?"
-My first baseball game of the season is Wednesday!
-My windowsill plant appears to be thriving.
-Everything interesting I had thought of to post about has disappeared... sorry!

2005-04-05T12:34:00.000-05:00

I just tried to kill a little black spider on my wall, but it escaped to the wall under my bed.

I don't want to go to sleep tonight!

2005-04-02T22:22:00.000-06:00

I just saw a Clayton Police Department car driving around with dry cleaning hanging in the back seat. How cool is that?